Xbox announces its handheld console: what we actually know
Microsoft finally makes official the ASUS partnership teased for months. Price, battery life, library: what's confirmed and what's still vague.
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After months of leaks and heavy teasing, Microsoft has officially confirmed its handheld console developed with ASUS, a direct follow-up to the ROG Ally. The commercial name is still unset, but most of the specs have been detailed.
What’s confirmed
A 7-inch 120 Hz display, a new-generation AMD chip optimized for power efficiency, and above all native access to Xbox Game Pass without going through a third-party software layer — the point Microsoft is hammering hardest, a direct response to criticism of how heavy Windows feels in handheld use on the ROG Ally.
What’s still vague
No price has been given, only a vague promise of “competitiveness against the Steam Deck.” Microsoft’s claimed battery life (“up to 4 hours in demanding games”) still needs real-world verification — manufacturer numbers for this category of device have historically been optimistic.
Our take
The bet fits Xbox’s current strategy: make Game Pass ubiquitous rather than sell hardware for margin. The real question is whether the handheld Windows experience is finally smooth, which has always been the genre’s actual weak point.
