I tested the Xbox Ally X for dozens of hours, and it's almost everything you want in a handheld — future updates could make it the full package

A closeup of the Xbox Ally X's Xbox button, D-Pad, and left joystick. .

ASUS ROG Ally and its more premium ROG Ally X managed to not only be some of the first truly "mainstream" Windows gaming handhelds on the market, but also took a notable lead among other early competitors.

What I said about the original ROG Ally X

(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)

In my ROG Ally X review, I highlighted the handheld gaming PC's button layout and performance, while noting that battery life is still not ideal for long gaming sessions.