Today I remembered why my job is awesome. ASUS, along with Microsoft and AMD, held a small hands on session with the new ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handheld consoles for media, and I got to spend about an hour playing games on these devices before they hit shelves next week.
The products weren't quite production level yet – the software for the retail products will be finalised over the next week or so. But what I got to experience was the almost finished product.
And I have thoughts...
They are bigger than I expected
I have had a bit of time playing around with the original ROG Ally, so I'm not sure why I found the Xbox variants to be so much larger. Maybe it's the controllers, which are now much closer to an Xbox controller in shape and style.
Don't get me wrong, the size and weight of these devices is comfortable. It's not like you're overburdened by the sheer volume of gaming product at all.
But they aren't as portable as the Switch. The bulk of the handles and the screen means this won't discreetly slip into a bag. You'll likely want a case, and a decent sized backpack to carry it around.
The Xbox Ally looks great. The Xbox Ally X looks even better
I picked up the Xbox Ally first up, and even though it's display only supports 720p, I'm old enough to remember when 720p was the ultimate in high definition.
Honestly, the picture quality while playing Forza on the Ally was rock solid. It had plenty of detail and, in my limited playtime, didn't suffer from any noticeable performance issues. Things were responsive and nice to look at.
But then I picked up the Xbox Ally X, and let me tell you the reason this one costs $600 more has nothing to do with the RGB lighting around the thumbsticks. Okay, maybe a tiny bit.
The display on the Ally X is much crisper, and more importantly, brighter. The room of the event was brightly lit, and while I could see the screens on both devices easily enough, it was much easier to capture footage without reflections with the premium model.
Launching games took a bit longer than I hoped
Look, the ASUS team made it abundantly clear that these devices weren't running final software, so maybe this was just because it was a pre-release version.
But when I first opened up Forza on the Ally, it easily took three minutes to load the game, and closer to five before I could actually start playing.
Launching Silksong didn't take as long, but it still wasn't immediate. Which means if you're looking for a device for a short commute, I'm not sure just how practical the Xbox Ally will be. I'm keen to test this out much more extensively when I get a review unit, because part of me suspects it was a combination of the game and the pre-launch firmware.
You will probably want a dock
You can plug in the Xbox Ally to a TV via USB-C cable and pair it with an Xbox controller for a fuller console gaming experience, but to get the most out of this thing, you may want to buy a dock.
Pop it on your dock, connect it to your monitor, keyboard and mouse, and you'll be able to switch from killing bad guys in Gears of War to productively killing missed opportunities in Excel or Office by using the device as a PC.
You'll also want the dock if you want to connect to the internet via ethernet.
It's pricey, but it's going to sell a truckload
The ASUS Xbox Ally starts at $999, which is pretty expensive. The Xbox Ally X goes all the way up to $1,599, which is very expensive for a gaming console, but roughly on par with a decent gaming PC.
Asus said that since pre-orders went up, it was the more expensive Xbox Ally X that had seen more units pre-ordered, because it appeals to the enthusiast market.
Even so, I think this is going to sell a lot of units, because it finally seems to deliver that premium console gaming experience in a handheld. The fact it runs other gaming platforms like Steam is icing on the cake.
And launching two months before Christmas means that a lot of people will be adding this to their wishlist for Santa.
Including me...
