Microsoft and Asus' ROG Xbox Ally is on the horizon, adding to the growing list of handheld gaming PCs on the market, and with that comes Microsoft's increased efforts to optimize Windows 11 for portable devices.
It's no secret that handheld PC gamers (and I) have voiced frustrations regarding Windows 11 and its lack of portability. You'll more than likely find yourself having to navigate your way into PC game launchers and face further issues when attempting to hop out of a game window.
What makes it worse is the weaker game performance compared to Valve's SteamOS (which I'll expand on later). To put it simply, Windows 11 is a mess for handhelds, and we've needed a solution for a long while now.
In comes Microsoft's new Xbox PC app, which, to be fair, is currently still within its early beta phase, but what is proposed so far doesn't have nearly enough to convince me to start using Windows 11 again for gaming on my Asus ROG Ally.
The new Aggregated Game Library sounds like a welcome addition on paper; it brings games from all other PC launchers like Steam, Battle.net, Epic Games Launcher, and GOG Galaxy, by automatically detecting what is installed, and placing the titles in the Xbox app, but it still opens other launchers regardless. The same also happens on SteamOS if you add another launcher as a non-Steam game, but the UI makes this convenient, and Steam has almost every game on its storefront now.
I was previously excited about the upgraded Xbox app, and frankly, I still am, particularly since this is an early insider build, and it's great to see Microsoft acknowledging that its operating system needs improving for gamers.
What sounds much better, though, is the upcoming 'full-screen experience', which is essentially supposed to replicate SteamOS's game mode – this focuses on the gaming experience entirely, by removing all unnecessary background processes, which ultimately provides more memory for better performance. However, I think Microsoft has a very long way to go to challenge Valve's SteamOS.
I'm sure the Windows 11 SteamOS equivalent game mode will be great, but it's too little, too late
In all fairness, SteamOS has had years of updates under its belt, with Valve further streamlining the UI for a console-like, quick, and easy experience.
Tools like Decky Loader allow the community to make fun and beneficial modifications via plugins, to further enhance the experience, without a handicap on performance. As a matter of fact, there are plugins like Decky Lossless Scaling, which utilize frame generation to improve performance and in-game smoothness.
For Windows 11 users, when the full-screen experience of the Xbox PC app launches, it will only be available on the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, as Xbox plans to bring it to other Windows handhelds in 2026.
If Microsoft wasn't already behind in the race against Valve's Steam Deck, based on game performance drawbacks and ease of use, then I think it's going to have an even tougher time catching up to SteamOS, especially when there's no clarity on exactly when the other handhelds will have access to this upgrade.
It's also worth noting that Valve is moving beyond the Steam Deck, as the Lenovo Legion Go S is now officially powered by SteamOS – and Valve is already devoted to providing updates to non-Steam Deck handhelds for greater SteamOS compatibility. That's if you're not already using Bazzite (a SteamOS clone) like I am with my Asus ROG Ally.
We also still have to wait and see whether this new mode provides better gaming performance, which is arguably the most important factor.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking a dig at Microsoft for its efforts, as they're very much welcome and appreciated. What I'm saying is I highly doubt the new Xbox PC app and the new full-screen experience will be enough to tempt me away from SteamOS as my main operating system for gaming.
However, it won't be entirely ignored by me, for a few simple reasons.
At least, the Windows 11 Xbox full-screen experience will be ideal for a dual-boot setup
While I'd love to go all in with the Linux-based operating system, Microsoft's Windows 11 still has its benefits, and for me, it's two simple things. Some games like Call of Duty Black Ops 6 that have anti-cheat enabled won't work on SteamOS, and some mods for certain games require extra steps on Linux.
That's exactly why a dual-boot handheld (or even desktop PC) setup is suitable, allowing you to use SteamOS for the large majority of games, and Windows 11 for anti-cheat titles (which are mostly multiplayer). This can be done by creating a separate partition on the same drive, or even easier, a separate drive if you're on a desktop PC or using an external SSD.
On my Asus ROG Ally, I can simply flick back and forth between the two operating systems depending on what I choose to play; now that the new full-screen experience is on the horizon, this should make life a little easier on Windows.
Since I'm also considering using Bazzite on my beefy desktop rig, I'll happily do this because I have enough storage drives to commit to it. It will just be interesting to see how far Microsoft can go with its handheld mode, and whether it can win gamers over who are already using SteamOS. I'm just doubtful it will be enough for me, but I'd happily be proven wrong.
You might also like...
- Goodbye Windows 11 – Valve's SteamOS is now available on the Legion Go S, with some support for other AMD-powered handhelds
- Handheld PC makers are slowly losing touch with Valve's successful Steam Deck template of affordability, and that's very concerning
- Help us, Lenovo, you're our only hope – Legion Go 2's prototype and OLED screen should worry Nintendo, MSI, and other handheld makers
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.