Windows handhelds used to share one problem: Windows is made for a mouse, not for thumbs. The Ally X fixes exactly that.
A full-screen Xbox interface
Turn it on and you land straight in the Xbox interface, picking games with the controller. Underneath it's still Windows 11, so Steam, Epic and Battle.net install like on a normal PC. The Xbox button next to the screen opens the Game Bar.
Your impression the first time you turned it on: how long to get into a game, and whether you had to touch the on-screen keyboard.
Hardware
AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip, 24GB of RAM, 1TB SSD. A 7-inch 1080p IPS screen at 120Hz with FreeSync Premium, which reduces tearing when the frame rate fluctuates.
The IPS screen is bright and smooth, but it doesn't have the deep blacks of the Steam Deck's OLED.
The 80Wh battery and the weight
The 80Wh battery is the largest in this group of devices. The trade-off is a weight of about 715g. The deep Xbox-style grips help spread the weight, but lying down and playing for a long time still tires you out.
The hours you measured yourself with one demanding game in the performance mode you usually use.
Should you buy it?
Yes, if you live in the Xbox and Game Pass ecosystem and need to run any Windows game. No, if you only play light games or your budget isn't comfortable.
