Microsoft and Asus announce two Xbox Ally handhelds with new Xbox full-screen experience
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I believe I read somewhere else that idea/project was taken back to the workshop and this is something else but close to that.
I read that somewhere as well, it coincided with reports of SteamOS being more performant that Windows 11 for gaming. How related they both were I have no idea but it sounds like MS were already aware and are trying to resolve that here as it prevents resource intensive processes from launching (desktop, etc).
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I still think the real XBox handheld is another 2-5 years out. This is Microsoft dipping their toes in the water and the ROC is a great system to start that partnership
Steam Deck appreciator myself and this does seem like a good starting point for Xbox. I’m interested to see how it progresses over the years.
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Well, at least the base model Xbox Ally has essentially the same SoC as the Steam Deck. The Z2 A has 4 Zen 2 cores and 8 RDNA 2 CUs. It will be configurable up to 20 watts TDP instead of 15 on the Deck, but that's it. So much for "long in the tooth technology wise".
Sure, the Z2 Extreme variant will be more powerful, but it'll also be in a different price category (800-900,-€).
And in terms of user-friendliness: the Xbox Ally will run Windows. It won't launch into the regular desktop shell (by default), and it won't have as many services running in the background which might help with performance and battery life, and you'll probably be able to update drivers and Windows through it. Maybe it will have some preconfigured scripts/shortcuts to install Steam, Battle.net etc. But that's it. Expect to fall back to the desktop mode (or open a browser, terminal and Explorer window in the new gaming mode) for anything more advanced like installing emulators.
In terms of pick up and play this won't be much different to the Steam Deck, with the one exception being Game Pass - but even then don't expect any of the more demanding titles to run well.
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It probably should have released a could months ago, pre switch2 hype.
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This machine will be the same desktop-mode-not-required-but-allows-for-more-functionality thing that the Steam Deck is, but it will chew through battery faster in exchange for more compatibility.
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:::wrote on last edited by [email protected]the steam deck is getting long in the tooth technology wise
lolwut? The Deck was released only three years ago.
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the steam deck is getting long in the tooth technology wise
lolwut? The Deck was released only three years ago.
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Only it doesn't run Xbox games.
To Microsoft, everything is an Xbox.
At least that's their marketing atm.
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:::wrote on last edited by [email protected]Nintendo wiped the floor in the mobile gaming market for decades despite their competitors having beefier specs. The DS lasted for years before we ever got the Switch. Let the Steam Deck mature.
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I still think the real XBox handheld is another 2-5 years out. This is Microsoft dipping their toes in the water and the ROC is a great system to start that partnership
They seem to have dropped all plans to plans to make their own recently.
The ROG Xbox Ally will still release, but no microsoft Xbox handheld. -
To Microsoft, everything is an Xbox.
At least that's their marketing atm.
I'd say it'll backfire when people can't play those odd Xbox games that for some reason never came to PC, but there's so few people using Xboxes anyway, I doubt it's going to matter. They've well and truly dropped the ball since the Xbox 360, and don't really show any signs of being interested in picking it up again.
Everything just points to them making enough money from everything else to not really care. This is as token an effort as it's possible to make in the handheld space.
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Nintendo wiped the floor in the mobile gaming market for decades despite their competitors having beefier specs. The DS lasted for years before we ever got the Switch. Let the Steam Deck mature.
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:::Even if you're correct, it's still too early, anyway. That's my point.
The DS had a seven-year lifespan and the original Switch had eight. Even living room console have an average near decade long lifespan. So, of course Valve isn’t going to throw their money into a second generation.
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Even if you're correct, it's still too early, anyway. That's my point.
The DS had a seven-year lifespan and the original Switch had eight. Even living room console have an average near decade long lifespan. So, of course Valve isn’t going to throw their money into a second generation.
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I would be interested if it also supported quick resume from sleep like the Deck does. Imo that's the killer SteamOS feature that's keeping Windows alternatives from being even a consideration.
If they implemented Direct Resume I might cave and reinstall Windows on my Ally.
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If they implemented Direct Resume I might cave and reinstall Windows on my Ally.
But what for? Nothing makes it better, even if you would get this equivalent feature.
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:::But like the Xbox Series S it is starting to show some age on more demanding titles.
Sounds like this is more of the fault of the AAA publishers than the console makers.
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But like the Xbox Series S it is starting to show some age on more demanding titles.
Sounds like this is more of the fault of the AAA publishers than the console makers.
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:::It fucking does matter. I'm tired of this stupid rat race.
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It fucking does matter. I'm tired of this stupid rat race.
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