Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 review: The handheld to beat

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 is the best gaming handheld you can buy, combining a stunning OLED display, premium controls, and powerful PC hardware into one portable package.

ROG Xbox Ally X20 pictures

Key Specs

• Screen: 7.4-inch 1080p OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
• CPU/GPU: AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme with AMD Radeon Graphics
• Storage & RAM: 1TB SSD, 24GB LPDDR5X
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4
• Audio: Dolby Atmos, stereo speakers, built-in microphone
• Connectivity: 3.5mm headphone jack, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB4 Type-C (Thunderbolt 4 compatible), microSD Express card reader
• Price: $1,299.99

Design

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 features a translucent black shell that offers a glimpse of the hardware inside, with gold accents and special branding celebrating 20 years of Republic of Gamers.

Asus has kept the Xbox-inspired grips, making the handheld feel more like a traditional controller. The grips also feature a rubberized texture for a more secure hold, while redesigned bumpers and triggers help improve comfort.

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Weighing around 1.67 pounds, the X20 isn’t exactly light, but its controller-style design means it’s comfortable to hold for longer gaming sessions.

Customizable RGB lighting around the joysticks rounds out the design, giving the X20 a premium look that stands out from other gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck.

Display

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 features a stunning 7.4-inch OLED display, delivering vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast.

Its 1080p panel features a 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1400 certification, making colorful environments and dramatic lighting look even better.

AMD FreeSync Premium Pro allows the refresh rate to adjust between 30Hz and 120Hz, helping reduce screen tearing and stuttering when frame rates fluctuate.

The panel also features a 0.2ms response time and an anti-reflection coating that helps reduce glare.

The OLED display is the X20’s biggest upgrade, offering a noticeable improvement over the LCD screen found in its predecessor. Games look fantastic on the larger screen, and it’s one of the biggest reasons the X20 delivers such a premium handheld experience.

Controls

Asus has made several improvements to the X20’s controls, focusing on comfort, precision, and durability.

The handheld features new TMR joysticks that use magnetic sensors for more accurate movement while reducing wear and the risk of stick drift.

One of the more interesting additions is the transforming D-pad, which switches between four-directional and eight-directional layouts by lifting and rotating it 90 degrees. This gives players more precise directional inputs in retro games, while making diagonal movements easier in fighting games.

The face buttons have also been redesigned with a rounded shape and require less pressure to activate, while Hall Effect triggers and updated bumpers offer more precise and comfortable controls.

Together, these upgrades give the X20 the feel of a premium gaming controller, with the flexibility to handle everything from retro platformers to modern shooters.

Gaming performance

Performance-wise, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 can handle everything from smaller indie games to demanding AAA titles.

Lighter games like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Balatro, and Super Meat Boy 3D run great and are ideal for handheld gaming. They use less power than larger titles, making them perfect for longer sessions.

For more demanding games, I tested Forza Horizon 6 and Cyberpunk 2077 using Asus’s built-in Turbo mode to see what the AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor could handle.

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Forza Horizon 6 maintained between 50 and 60 FPS at 1080p on high settings, while enabling AMD FSR and adjusting a few settings pushed performance even higher.

Cyberpunk 2077 also ran close to 60 FPS with FSR enabled, while AMD’s frame generation increased the displayed frame rate to approximately 105 FPS.

The X20 uses the same processor as its predecessor, so the biggest improvements come from its display, controls, and updated cooling system rather than a major increase in raw performance.

Getting the best results requires adjusting settings through Asus’s Armoury Crate software. Higher power modes deliver better performance, although they drain the battery faster.

And because the X20 runs Windows 11, it supports games that can run into compatibility issues on Linux-based handhelds like the Steam Deck, including titles that require certain anti-cheat systems.

Xbox Fullscreen Experience

One of the best features of the ROG Xbox Ally X20 is the Xbox Fullscreen Experience, which makes Windows 11 feel more like a traditional gaming console.

Instead of navigating the Windows desktop, you’re greeted with a controller-friendly interface that brings together games from Xbox, Steam, and other PC storefronts in one place.

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You can launch games, adjust settings, and switch between titles without needing a mouse or keyboard, while still having access to the full Windows 11 experience.

Windows can still be frustrating at times, especially when dealing with updates or third-party launchers, but the Xbox Fullscreen Experience makes using the X20 much more enjoyable.

Battery life

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 packs an 80Wh battery, with battery life varying depending on the game and performance mode.

In Turbo mode, demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 6 averaged two to three hours per charge.

Lighter titles like Silksong, Balatro, and Super Meat Boy 3D stretched that to four to six hours in Silent or Performance mode.

These results are similar to the original Xbox Ally X, despite the addition of a larger OLED display.

Price

At $1,299.99, the ROG Xbox Ally X20 isn’t cheap, but with PC hardware prices continuing to rise, the price is easier to justify.

It’s just $300 more than the original Xbox Ally X at launch, boasting a larger OLED display, improved controls, and a more refined design. While the processor remains unchanged, these are meaningful upgrades to the parts of the handheld you’ll interact with every time you play.

You can certainly find a gaming laptop or desktop with more power for the money, but neither offers the same combination of portability, controls, and convenience.

Verdict

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 takes an already excellent gaming handheld and improves nearly every aspect of it. 

Its stunning OLED display, upgraded controls, and powerful hardware deliver a premium gaming experience, while Windows 11 provides the flexibility to play games across multiple storefronts.

At $1,299.99, it’s expensive, especially considering the processor hasn’t changed. Still, the improved display, controls, and overall experience make the premium easier to swallow.

The ROG Xbox Ally X20 sets the standard for handheld PC gaming. If you want the best, this is it.