ROG Xbox Ally X Anyone?

Welcome to the Digital Sportspage forum.

Moderators: Bill_Abner, ScoopBrady

Post Reply
User avatar
10spro
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 13942
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2002 4:00 am

ROG Xbox Ally X Anyone?

Post by 10spro »

Has anyone invested in this toy? Thoughts? I would imagine the usual pains going thru Windows but how about the Xbox games? Are they all playable if they are on iCloud?

My last portable was a PS Vita, what’s that 15-16 years ago? Fine machine only lacking the games but despite the cost I am interested to hear opinions in the Ally X.
Last edited by 10spro on Tue Oct 21, 2025 11:03 am, edited 2 times in total.
Lancer
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 2490
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:00 am

Re: ROG Ally X Anyone?

Post by Lancer »

i read it doesnt play xbox games so what was the point of it?
User avatar
Danimal
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 12213
Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:00 am
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Contact:

Re: ROG Ally X Anyone?

Post by Danimal »

I have an original Rog Ally not the X branded one and despite it playing all my games and having a better resolution and screen I still use my Steam Deck more.

My main knocks are the interface on the original isn't really adapted well too a small screen, you're basically running windows on the handheld so if you have streuggles with eyesight just know the text is really small.

My second knock was anytime I played something it would sign me out of the launcher on my PC, So if I played Madden for example it would sign me out of the desktop and I would have to enter my password on the Rog and then repeat on my PC. Maybe this is a nitpicky lazy person problem but it bugged me.
Follow Me on:
YouTube - www.youtube.com/maxpixelation/
Twitch - twitch.tv/maximumpixelation
Twitter - twitter.com/maxpixelation
User avatar
dbdynsty25
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 21646
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2002 3:00 am
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

Re: ROG Ally X Anyone?

Post by dbdynsty25 »

You’re better off with an Odin 2 Portal or a GCloud if streaming Xbox is your priority. Much better battery life and you don’t have to deal with Windows. Both around $300 and work great. If PC gaming is something you need, go for it but even that can be done w Moonlight, GeForce Now and Steam Link.

No chance I’m getting an Ally.
User avatar
sportdan30
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 9181
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:00 am
Location: St. Louis

Re: ROG Ally X Anyone?

Post by sportdan30 »

Waiting on the Steam Deck 2 and will likely sell off my Switch 2 at that time. But that's likely a couple years away still.
User avatar
dbdynsty25
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 21646
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2002 3:00 am
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

Re: ROG Ally X Anyone?

Post by dbdynsty25 »

dbdynsty25 wrote: Sat Oct 18, 2025 9:20 pm You’re better off with an Odin 2 Portal or a GCloud if streaming Xbox is your priority. Much better battery life and you don’t have to deal with Windows. Both around $300 and work great. If PC gaming is something you need, go for it but even that can be done w Moonlight, GeForce Now and Steam Link.

No chance I’m getting an Ally.
I lied. Got a Steamdeck before they were sold out and used it for a week before the screen went out on it. No replacements available so I returned it and got the Xbox Ally X. Fantastic device that is held back by the small screen. If I am gonna invest in a portable PC, I don’t want to squint to play games at 1080p on a 7” screen. I still have my XAX…I missed the return window and I am too lazy to sell it, lol.

That led me to the MSI Claw 8ai+. Bigger 8” screen and a little more power due to some hardware level upscaling but the vibration and haptics were abysmal. Rattled and made weird noises constantly. Also, the software, even with the device being a year old is atrocious. MSI should be ashamed. Returned it as well.

And now we are on the Legion Go 2 and I am extremely happy with it (tho good luck buying one now, they are scarce). Big 8.8” OLED screen, good ergonomics for being so big, and a really high end build quality. With the impending price hike it is probably advisable to go with one of the higher power devices like OnePlayerX or the GPD Win…but now you’re in the 2k+ range.

Anyway, I was wrong and I am playing quite a few older steam games as well as the play anywhere Xbox games. Being able to stream MLB the Show, FC26 while watching tv and then switching to Steam or PC games almost seamlessly. The Xbox Full Screen Experience keeps improving so the Windows experience is kind of hidden. But the updates…ugh.
User avatar
MizzouRah
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 8254
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 3:00 am
Location: Troy, Mo

Re: ROG Xbox Ally X Anyone?

Post by MizzouRah »

I was wondering about the ROG Xbox Ally X, it's $1k price tag is a bit steep, but our tax return is nice this year. I like that you can stream your XSX to it as well as play Steam games on it.

Our Samsung OLED TV in the living room is used by everyone, so being able to game in the bedroom if need be would be a plus.
XBL GT: MizzouRah0971
User avatar
dbdynsty25
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 21646
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2002 3:00 am
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

Re: ROG Xbox Ally X Anyone?

Post by dbdynsty25 »

MizzouRah wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2026 8:16 pm I was wondering about the ROG Xbox Ally X, it's $1k price tag is a bit steep, but our tax return is nice this year. I like that you can stream your XSX to it as well as play Steam games on it.

Our Samsung OLED TV in the living room is used by everyone, so being able to game in the bedroom if need be would be a plus.
If you're only streaming and playing older Steam games (think Tomb Raider, Mass Effect, etc) then the regular ROG Xbox Ally (the white one) would be perfectly fine as well. It's when you try to run current gen stuff that the X version (Black) pulls ahead significantly.
User avatar
MizzouRah
DSP-Funk All-Star
DSP-Funk All-Star
Posts: 8254
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 3:00 am
Location: Troy, Mo

Re: ROG Xbox Ally X Anyone?

Post by MizzouRah »

dbdynsty25 wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2026 10:51 pm
If you're only streaming and playing older Steam games (think Tomb Raider, Mass Effect, etc) then the regular ROG Xbox Ally (the white one) would be perfectly fine as well. It's when you try to run current gen stuff that the X version (Black) pulls ahead significantly.
Thank you, I was looking at that one as well, since it's essentially half the price. I watched a video of the framerate differences and being able to play current gen stuff at basically double the framerate is a nice perk for the x. (longer battery life too, I believe)
XBL GT: MizzouRah0971
Post Reply