Microsoft dives into the handheld gaming PC wars with the Asus ROG Xbox Ally

Submitted ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz⁩ to ⁨steamdeck@sopuli.xyz⁩

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/06/microsoft-dives-into-the-handheld-gaming-pc-wars-with-the-asus-rog-xbox-ally/

This will probably be the biggest competition the Steam Deck has within the handheld PC space.

Most noteworthy is that windows is finally focusing on providing a decent handheld experience, including booting straight to a controller friendly interface, and reducing background processes for better fps and battery.

It’s not clear if the improved handheld focused version of windows will be available to other handheld PCs or not.

It’s also the ugliest handheld PC yet (imo), but I can appreciate that they’re pushing for comfort over looks.

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tiberius@lemmy.ca ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
I fail to understand why hardware manufacturers are so afraid of dual track pads and 4 back buttons. Do they think that including these features will reduce sales?

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- MXX53@programming.dev ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  I didn’t think I would use the trackpads much, but now that I have them, I can’t move to a handheld that doesn’t have them. They are just too convenient.
  
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  - supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    Mainly I use them for more keybindings but they are essential for that.
    
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  - TedZanzibar@feddit.uk ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    Conversely I bought a Steam Deck specifically because of the trackpads but I find I only ever use them on the rare occasion that I need to go to desktop mode. I love my Deck but I’ve discovered that could easily live without the trackpads if they weren’t there.
    
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  - D06M4@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    Can’t look back since I got my first Steam Controller. Once you get used to them trackpads are way more comfortable (and durable) than joysticks. I’d be happy with a controller with no joysticks too. Much easier to throw in a bag and take for a trip.
    
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- thingsiplay@beehaw.org ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Well, it makes the hardware more complicated to manufacture, more error prone, more bigger, more costly. The software becomes also a little bit more complicated. Maybe they are afraid that trackpads wouldn’t appeal to normies, because it looks weird first and most “console” gamers might want to use a “normal” gamepad like handheld, like any other handheld. Trackpads look so different and weird compared to the Switch in example. Being similar to the Switch in the look might be a reason for them to exclude it. But most importantly, it makes it more costly. So, I can see reasons for this.
  
  Having said this, I would never buy a PC handheld without a single trackpad again. I love them (not in the literal sense BTW :D). Compared with good software for input, like Steam Input, they become invaluable.
  
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- vividspecter@lemm.ee ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  I understand the trackpads somewhat since they take up space, but the lack of back buttons is inexcusable.
  
  Personally though, I’d buy a trackpad only Deck (maybe with a real d-pad) but I know I’m in the minority for that one.
  
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  - thingsiplay@beehaw.org ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    
    Personally though, I’d buy a trackpad only deck (maybe with a real d-pad) but I know I’m in the minority on that one.
    
    I can’t understand this. There are a few fans of the original Steam Controller (I have one too from launch of it) and they seem to be okay for the missing d-pad. Maybe if you play games where d-pad is never needed, I can see it. But games like Fighting Games, classic Platformer or anything that requires precise single clicks (even menus, like RPGs) are better with d-pad in my opinion. And if you are a fan of emulation like me, then there is no discussion, a d-pad is a must.
    
    Do you really never use the d-pad?
    
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- Bogasse@lemmy.ml ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  I love the trackpads on my steam deck, but I think the best part is steam input. Having so much control on their behavior and being able to map various kinds of menus make them so powerful!
  
  The same trackpads with shitty software wouldn’t be half as useful.
  
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- rotopenguin@infosec.pub ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Trackpads cost “money”, and besides you already have a touchscreen.
  
  The thing that really makes me jealous is the Freesync panel. The secret to getting a battery-powered GPU to keep up with the screen is to stop making it keep up with the screen.
  
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- greenvahn@mstdn.games ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  @tiberius @Fubarberry If they put trackpads will scare away many users. The handheld needs to look like a console. Many gamers don't want to go into PC gaming territory so xbox is wrapping this one as a "console".
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  - ChicoSuave@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    What an impressive way to dismiss the behaviors of others as “fear”. And in the face of no data even. So brave!
    
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Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Microsoft has no integrity left. I’m all for competition. If you have an xbox and this is as friendly a combination as the deck is to a bazzite/any Linux really and the Ally is what you choose, fuck yeah get your game on. For me, I’ll never trust any Microsoft product.

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sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
So… if this device does not come with some kind of even more locked down than normal bootloader/uefi/tpm system…

We know that SteamOS is roughly 15% faster at running games, 15% more fps in a same for same hardware and game settings comparison.

They say its running a stripped down (aka debloated) version of Win 11, but frankly, I call bullshit.

Sure, it may take a bit for proper driver support to be developed for the new Z2 apus… but uh…

You can just buy this thing, wipe out windows, flash SteamOS or Bazzite onto it, and get more FPS, and now you basically exist in the SteamOS ecosystem (or also GOG or whatever).

At that point, MSFT has functionally built a product that will be used on their competitor’s ecosystem… when the whole point of this thing is to keep people in the Xbox ecosystem.

Uh, also… does this thing come with CoPilot?

Is it just gonna be or at least be capable of … snapping automatic acreen grabs of everything you are doing, all the time?

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- Midnitte@beehaw.org ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  They also seem to be pivoting towards trying to make “Xbox PC” something to replace Steam (see the end of the Super Meat Boy 3d trailer).
  
  I wouldn’t be surprised if they try and lock out developers from putting games on Steam and being exclusive to “Xbox PC”.
  
  Worked so well for Xbox Live for Windows…
  
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  - pipariturbiini@sopuli.xyz ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    …and this risk is exactly the reason we got SteamOS, Deck and Proton.
    
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- bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  I dunno, I kind of believe them when they claim they seriously debloated Windows. I bet they actually used SteamOS benchmarks to sway the higher ups to be allowed to do this. It will be interesting to see benchmarks when this thing is released.
  
  Although I also believe that they would lock down the bootloader. And not release this mode to the general public. They haven’t been very lenient with the media people testing these things. They weren’t even allowed make their own videos of the interface or games running on them.
  
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  - sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    I mean, I can’t of course prove anything, but uh.
    
    I used to work for MSFT.
    
    I very much doubt thet are capable of meaningfully streamlining Windows.
    
    And uh also no, no, the SteamOS Benchmarks came out less than a week before this announcement.
    
    This announcement means they have been working on this project for a year or so, at least, and just haven’t publically mentioned anything definitive untill now.
    
    They already have the whole thing designed and agreemenrs worked out with all the mfg partners involved.
    
    You don’t do a public announcement for a release in a few months unless you’ve got the assembly line and logistics systems in place ready to start cranking these things out after maybe a few more weeks of minor touchups.
    
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- princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  I don’t think there’s going to be a bunch of difference with the Z2 over the Z1, and you’ve gotta remember that they’re just 8000/9000 CPUs with Radeon graphics. AMD open sources their drivers too.
  
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  - sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    
    AMD open sources their drivers too.
    
    Ah, right, duh.
    
    Ok so yeah, uh… the Z2 Extreme supposedly is going to have some kind of ‘AI’ functionality or additional component… god knows what that means…
    
    Theoretically it could be more difficult for open source devs to fully leverage that, even if the drivers are open source…
    
    But yeah, for the rest of it, it probably would not take much time at all given that Bazzite and SteamOS already run on the last generation of the same chips.
    
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Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
7" non-OLED screen is a hard no from me, regardless of everything else.

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- 01011@monero.town ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Tell that to Nintendo and their fans.
  
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yamper@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
this is like 2 years too late. microsoft couldve done something to salvage the xbox brand by competing with the steam deck around when the rog ally first came out. “this device is 100% compatible with windows games because it IS a windows machine!”

steamOS and bazzite are now in a really stable spot and the enthusiasts are already settled in.

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- princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  This is going to appeal more to regular consumers over enthusiasts.
  
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AlteredEgo@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Embrace, extend, and extinguish

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Fizz@lemmy.nz ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Ah shit Microsoft responded to steamOS. If this this matches or whoops linux in performance its going to make it very hard to convince people to move away from Microsoft.

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- stephen01king@lemmy.zip ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  It probably won’t whoop Linux, but if it can at least get the performance closer, we could have an excitingly competitive handheld OS market.
  
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  - Fizz@lemmy.nz ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    You are sitting here saying finally a competitive os market but the competition has pretty much just ended.
    
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anakin78z@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Not sure about diving in… More like dipping their toes. I think it’s great that they’re making windows more usable on different types of devices. To be honest though, all of this sounds like Windows 8, especially the bit about limiting background processes. People were pissed about it then, but I guess maybe now they’ll like it if it makes gaming better (and really, it probably makes everything better. There are so many background processes on my PC, it’s ridiculous).

I’d like to see a Microsoft branded handheld. I’m curious if it would be Xbox or Surface branded…

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- Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Supposedly they were working on an inhouse one, and then changed directions to just do software tweaks for other companies hardware instead.
  
  It definitely needs some background process limiting, comparing official windows vs official steamOS on that Lenovo legion Go showed pretty terrible performance impact from running windows.
  
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JoShmoe@ani.social ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Shit

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