Powerful laptop linked to damaged brand: NPR

Technology manufacturer ASUS is struggling to keep up with demand for its new products ROG Xbox Ally Xreleased on Thursday. After testing a review unit of this gaming laptop, I can attest that it’s a solid, if pricey, alternative to a gaming PC. Steam surface. But it’s also compromised by an unpopular shift in Microsoft’s gaming strategy, and doesn’t quite fit into the industry I had hoped it would.

This is (not) an Xbox

The Xbox brand is facing a crisis. Sales of its latest generation lagging behind a lot PlayStation 5. Demand fell further after tariffs prompted owner Microsoft Raising prices For controllers. Meanwhile, the company is also trying to expand the Xbox brand beyond these flagship devices.

“Last”This is the Xbox“The ad campaign showcases anything from phones and laptops to smart TVs as being able to play high-end games through Xbox Game Pass. But this subscription service, been described for a long time Billed as the “best deal in gaming”, it sparked controversy when Microsoft raised the cost of the Deluxe tier to $30 per month. Microsoft pitched this change as an upgrade, since it also added several games to the service.

But shortly after the announcement, the Xbox membership site crashed, crashing it Social media users It is attributed to angry fans who rush in Cancel their Game Pass subscriptions. A Microsoft spokesperson later said the issue “resulted from an isolated technical error and was not related to high traffic or cancellations.”

The Xbox Ally Neither comes cheap; Ally X Retails for $999and Ally for $599. Ultimately, these results seem more like interesting half-solutions than real achievements.

Open the box

I have reviewed the original ROG Ally in 2023 and its improved sequel, ally xin 2024. Each was essentially a small laptop with a joystick and buttons attached, and had all the flexibility and inconvenience of a Windows PC.

ASUS markets Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X as more straightforward options. Turn on the devices and they’ll default to Full Screen Experience, putting your most recently played games at your fingertips. Press the big Xbox button next to the left joystick, and you’ll be able to switch between apps, settings, or regular Windows desktop mode.

But the Xbox Ally X still isn’t the portable console I wanted. It took a few updates and reboots before I could sign in to my Xbox account. When I did this, I couldn’t even play much of my Xbox library — instead, I could only stream those games over WiFi from my Xbox Series S, making Ally more like… PlayStation Portal And less like the console itself.

Thank God, I was able to download “”Xbox on PC” Games. When I finally started one, things went fine. No, I couldn’t put the device to sleep while playing and reliably resume the game where I left off, as I do with most consoles. But the Xbox Ally Silent Hill F.

You’ll feel the weight of all that power—literally. The Xbox Ally Switch 2. This orange one comes with a huge battery and short control handles, which I found more awkward than convenient.

Bottom line

I’m obsessed with new gaming gear, but I ended up prioritizing the Xbox Ally X only when my Steam Deck couldn’t handle a game. Despite its flexible interface, it’s not something you can pick up and leave for a few minutes.

It also looks less cost-effective now than it did even last month. Before Game Pass prices skyrocketed, the Xbox Ally Tech nerds with money to spend will still find plenty to like, but they alone won’t save the Xbox brand, and likely won’t herald a new era of mobile gaming.