Xbox is set to expand into the handheld gaming market, with its UI (User Interface) also being introduced on upcoming ROG Ally and ROG Ally X devices, as well as other Windows handhelds, starting from next year.

Xbox is set to expand into the handheld gaming market, with its UI (User Interface) also being introduced on upcoming ROG Ally and ROG Ally X devices, as well as other Windows handhelds, starting from next year.

This Year's Exciting Gaming Twist:

Get ready, gamers! Two Xbox-ish handhelds are on the horizon - the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally, but here's the kicker: They're not authentic Xbox machines, folks. Instead, they're PCs with a fresh spin and gaming-centric tweaks, yanked from existing ROG Ally X and ROG Ally handhelds[1].

Don't feel left out if you're shakin' things up with handheld gaming PCs already. This Xbox experience isn't exclusive to these upcoming devices; it's also heading to other Windows-powered handheld devices from next year[1].

The Xbox UI magic? It's the Xbox PC app and Game Bar, barely disguised in a full-screen mode[2]. If visions of Steam and 'Big Picture Mode' are dancing in your head, you're on the right track. This is Microsoft boldly borrowing from Valve to keep SteamOS and Linux at bay in the burgeoning handheld gaming PC market[2].

The new UI is sleek, with a vast interface, a menu on the left, and your game library as the star attraction[2]. It's more than just a fancy Windows skin, too. During an interview with The Verge, here's what Jason Beaumont, Xbox's VP of experiences, had to say:

"When the player boots into the full-screen experience, there is a whole bunch of Windows stuff that doesn't get loaded. We're not loading the desktop wallpaper, the taskbar, or a bunch of processes that are really designed around productivity scenarios for Windows.[3]"

So, what does this mean for us, gamers? Well, our preliminary tests show that Windows-powered handhelds can be pretty sluggish. But a fresh install of SteamOS on the Lenovo Legion Go S outperformed Windows, likely due to some bloat-free streaming[4]. Microsoft has reportedly claimed a 2 GB memory saving using the full-screen mode versus standard Windows in early testing, with power efficiency and idle/sleep power draw also expected to improve[1].

If you're hankerin' after the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally, don't worry; a good chunk of handheld gaming PCs already run Windows[1]. With updates like these on the horizon, we're keeping our fingers crossed for those devices too[1].

According to Microsoft, the full-screen experience will first be unrolled on the regular ROG Ally X and ROG Ally, followed by more support for other Windows handhelds[1]. It looks like it'll be next year until we see a real battle brew between Microsoft's new approach and Valve's SteamOS for dominance in portable gaming machines[1].

SteamOS, by the way, had a rough start, mainly existing on Steam Deck devices before recently branching out to Lenovo's Legion Go S and even unofficially appearing on my boss' Framework gaming laptop and mini PC mod[1].

Handheld Gaming PC Battle: Which gadget takes the crown?

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Jacob RidleyJacob Ridley cut his teeth as a hardware writer at PCGamesN, then moved on to become the team's managing editor. He now reports on the latest tech and gaming industry trends for PC Gamer[5].

1. The upgraded Xbox-ish handhelds, ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally, are set to introduce a new season for professional handheld gaming PC users next year, as they aim to win over the market with their gaming-centric tweaks and Microsoft's full-screen Xbox UI experience.
2. Interestingly, Microsoft's new UI design for these handheld gaming PCs aims to provide a professional gaming experience without the usual Windows bloat, boasting a 2 GB memory saving in early testing and improved power efficiency.
3. As the Steam Deck OLED and accessories have been gaining traction, the upcoming battle between Microsoft's full-screen Xbox experience and Valve's SteamOS is poised to revolutionize the portable gaming gadget market, with the best handheld gaming PC potentially becoming the ultimate travel companion for many gamers.

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