Keen-eyed readers might know we already covered the Xbox Ally updates previously.
The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are now available in 45 countries.
So, let’s break down exactly what the Xbox offers today and what is planned for the future of the Xbox Ally.
What the Xbox Ally offers today The Xbox Ally comes in two models: the standard Xbox Ally and the Xbox Ally X.
What makes the Xbox Ally stand out is its deep collaboration between Xbox and Windows.
As astute readers may recall, we have already discussed the Xbox Ally updates. But given how much news and attention the handheld has received this week, it is worthwhile to examine what will happen next.
Xbox has released a more detailed roadmap for the Xbox Ally’s future, detailing its plans to improve the device over time with software upgrades and extended support.
45 countries now offer the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. With its AMD Z2 Extreme chip and collaborative development with ASUS, the handheld represents Xbox’s first significant foray into portable gaming. The idea seems solid on paper. On the go, it allows you to access your Xbox library, achievements, community, and even Game Pass. However, it’s not flawless yet.
The hardware has been praised in some early reviews, but most people agree that Windows and software limitations make the user experience difficult at times. Because Xbox understands this, it has now outlined what players can anticipate in the upcoming months. Let us examine the current features of the Xbox and the upcoming plans for the Xbox Ally.
What is available now on the Xbox Ally.
The Xbox Ally X and the standard Xbox Ally are the two models available. Both are designed to feel comfortable in the hands and were influenced by the Xbox controller. AMD’s new Z2 A chip, which provides a slight performance boost over the Steam Deck, powers the standard model.
The Xbox Ally X’s Z2 Extreme processor goes one step further and should provide improved performance in games that require more processing power.
The Xbox Ally’s close partnership with Windows is what sets it apart. In order to create a console-like experience, it introduces a new Full Screen Experience, or FSE, that boots the device directly into the Xbox app.
Users of handheld Windows PCs have been requesting for years that it disable pointless Windows background tasks in order to free up system resources; this feature should eventually be extended to other devices.
The handheld supports PC storefronts like Steam and Epic Games, but it is unable to install your Xbox library natively. Additionally, some Xbox games that you already own will work on the Ally without charging you extra because it supports Xbox Play Anywhere titles.
Included is Xbox Cloud Gaming, which enables you to stream games across all Game Pass tiers. It is still possible to stream games straight from your home console using Xbox Remote Play if they are not accessible via the cloud or PC.
Although the Xbox Ally is still in its infancy, the concept is intriguing. I’ve wanted Game Pass on the go and portable access to the Xbox ecosystem for years. However, it is not without faults.
Parts of the user experience have been criticized in early reviews, but the hardware has been praised. According to some reviewers, the Full Screen Experience in particular is still in beta testing and has been deemed incomplete. Xbox has released a roadmap detailing the Ally’s future improvements, suggesting that it recognizes this. What fans can anticipate next is this.
What’s coming up for the Xbox Ally is shown in the roadmap.
Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Ally users can anticipate the following updates in the upcoming weeks and months.
the default game profiles.
improved docking experience.
AI-driven Automatic Super Resolution.
Highlight reels from AI.
At first glance, this list may not seem extensive, but these updates will also include general enhancements to performance, stability, and usability. Many of the frequent grievances regarding the software should be resolved as a result. That is the hope, anyway.
Settings will be automatically adjusted for each game by default game profiles. Without requiring users to adjust settings each time they start a game, I assume the objective is to strike a balance between performance and battery life.
Though the concept is clear, the improved docking experience is still a little hazy. When the Ally is connected to a TV or monitor, Xbox wants it to function better. In an ideal world, docking would provide a more console-like experience. In practice, it should result in more stable performance free from display issues, improved display scaling, and fewer glitches when alternating between handheld and docked mode.
Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) is one of the more exciting additions. It uses AI to improve visual quality and sharpen games without significantly affecting performance because it uses the NPU rather than the CPU or GPU. Since the Xbox Ally is the less powerful of the two, it will improve games that run at lower resolutions so they appear more like 1080p or even 1440p.
The fact that this will be the first indication of Auto SR on a non-Qualcomm device is especially significant. The tool has only been accessible on the Snapdragon X platform up until now.
For content creators and sharers, AI highlight reels are a quality-of-life feature. Once more, I’m making assumptions because the information is hazy, but the Xbox Ally would automatically identify gameplay moments that it deems valuable and record them for you, saving you the trouble of manually documenting every moment.
Good beginning, but now is the real test.
The Xbox Ally is off to a solid start, and there is obvious long-term promise. Xbox now seems to be moving toward a PC-based future in which the ecosystem itself will be more significant than hardware.
If native Xbox console libraries eventually become a part of that vision, it would be exciting to see an aggregated library from Steam, Epic, and Xbox on a console created by Xbox.
The experience still requires improvement for the time being. Between being a portable PC and a real Xbox handheld, the Ally feels torn. User comments and reviews point to the same issue: Windows obstructs the way.
Updates to ASUS’s Armoury Crate software and the Xbox app slow down the setup process, and the initial boot experience is cluttered with pointless apps like Microsoft Teams. Neither does it feel console-like nor streamlined just yet.
A $1,000 gadget shouldn’t feel like it’s still in beta testing. Using its Insider Program prior to release would have allowed Microsoft to largely avoid this criticism.
Xbox has already acknowledged that work has begun to improve the experience, which is good news. Although it is a positive step, the roadmap must now be implemented.
The ability of Xbox to transform the Ally from a fantastic idea into a fantastic product will only become clear with time. For now, visit our comprehensive review for a more in-depth analysis of the hardware, software, and performance.
