The fastest mainstream handheld, with a battery to match

ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X

Name: ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X
SKU: PG61HND005
Price: 999 USD
Rating: 9.2 (1 reviews)

9.2/10high confidenceLast checked Jun 19, 2026

Er

Reviewed by

Eran Yorkovsky · Founder, PickGrade

The handheld for running new AAA at real settings. The Z2 Extreme, 24GB RAM, and the biggest battery in its class put it ~85% ahead of a Steam Deck, and Windows runs everything. At $999 it's overkill for indies or retro, the screen's IPS not OLED, and it's heavy.

If the question is "which mainstream handheld runs demanding new releases best," the Ally X is the answer. The Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, 24GB of fast RAM, and up to 35W of sustained power put it clearly ahead of the Steam Deck OLED and Switch 2 in raw performance, while the 80Wh battery — the largest in its class — keeps real-world play sessions respectable. The 1080p 120Hz screen, USB4 port for docks and eGPUs, and surprisingly comfortable grips round out a machine that's expensive but honest about what you're paying for: headroom.

$999

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Last reviewed Jun 10, 2026

AI grade·Refined by real owners

What we like

✓Fastest mainstream handheld: Z2 Extreme with 24GB RAM and 1TB SSD
✓Huge 80Wh battery offsets Windows' efficiency penalty
✓1080p 120Hz display with VRR
✓USB4 for docking, fast storage, and eGPU setups
✓Full Windows compatibility including anti-cheat multiplayer titles

Trade-offs

−Expensive at $999
−IPS screen, not OLED - disappointing at this price
−Heavy (~715g), and battery life is only average for the power
−Still Windows underneath; setup and occasional desktop detours feel janky

Best for

Players who want to run current AAA releases at solid settings on a handheld, with the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, 24GB of RAM, 1TB storage, and a big 80Wh battery to back it up.

Avoid if

It's $999 — overkill if you mostly play indies, retro games, or older titles a $599 machine handles fine. And it's still Windows: more capable, not more relaxing, than SteamOS.

The three lenses

How we grade →

Value & Longevity · Eran Yorkovsky
8.2/10

Score breakdown

quality9.3/10
fit9.2/10
ease8.5/10
value8.2/10

Specs

os: Windows 11 + Xbox Full Screen Experience
chip: AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme
price: $999
memory: 24GB LPDDR5X
weight: ~715 g (1.58 lb)
battery: 80Wh
display: 7-inch 1080p 120Hz IPS (no OLED)
storage: 1TB SSD; microSD

How we know

High confidenceLast checked Jun 19, 2026

The ROG Xbox Ally X is, by most reviewers' reckoning, the best Windows gaming handheld you can buy — if you can stomach the $999 price. It pairs AMD's top Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip with 24GB of fast LPDDR5X memory and a 1TB SSD, and the performance gap is real: testers measured it running roughly 85% faster than a Steam Deck, enough to play demanding AAA games at 1080p (often with FSR) where the Deck needs 720p and low settings. Ergonomics are a standout — a contoured, grippy shape that's comfortable for long sessions — and the 7-inch 1080p 120Hz IPS screen is bright and smooth. Like the cheaper Ally, it runs Microsoft's new Xbox Full Screen Experience, which boots into a console-like Xbox library over Windows 11 and plays Game Pass plus every PC launcher. The honest caveats: it's expensive, the screen is IPS rather than OLED (a real disappointment at this price), the 80Wh battery is only average given the power draw, and it's heavy at about 715g. Reviewers are also split on the software — the console-like front end is a big step forward, but it's still Windows underneath, so setup and the occasional desktop detour can feel janky. For enthusiasts who want maximum performance and their whole PC library in hand, it's the top pick.

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