Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 Review: Stunning OLED and Ergonomics, but Steep $1,299 Price Tests Value

The reviewer at Tom's Guide booted up Forza Horizon 6 on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 and, by their own account, was floored. The countryside, the packed cities and the cars driving through them all looked striking on the handheld's 7.4-inch, 1080p OLED panel, which runs at 120Hz. Even the fastest races moved smoothly. The reviewer calls it the best screen they have seen on a gaming handheld.

That screen is the headline of the X20, and also much of the story. The device is largely a cosmetic upgrade of the Xbox Ally X. The internals are unchanged: the same AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme chip and the same 24GB of RAM. An OLED display has been the most common request with each new ROG Ally generation, and the review likens its importance to the OLED model of the Steam Deck, suggesting it may be the deciding factor for many buyers.

The second argument for the X20 is how it feels in the hands. The reviewer considers the original ROG Xbox Ally the most comfortable handheld to hold, thanks to its Xbox controller-style grips and balanced weight. The X20 builds on that with rubberized grips, which make long sessions easier and are rare among handhelds. The TMR joysticks move smoothly, the shoulder buttons feel more tactile, and the rounded face buttons sit better under the thumbs. The D-pad can be rotated to work as a 4-way pad for side-scrollers or an 8-way pad for fighting games.

Third is software. Like the other ROG Xbox Ally systems, the X20 uses the Xbox interface, which was built for handhelds, so buyers are spared another clunky Windows 11 experience. The review compares it to SteamOS as a slick, easy-to-navigate front end, with deeper settings available for PC gamers who like to tweak. When the interface is open, the Windows desktop stops running, which cuts background processes and, according to the reviewer, makes a meaningful difference to performance and battery life.

The case against starts with price. The X20 costs $1,299, against $999 for the Xbox Ally X, which the reviewer notes wasn't cheap itself but now looks like a bargain. The review concedes the price isn't an anomaly: the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ costs $1,799, with an 8-inch display and 32GB of RAM compared with the X20's 24GB. Still, the reviewer observes that three years ago Windows handhelds started as low as $599, and those days are over.

Then there is performance. Because the chip and memory match the Xbox Ally X, so does the performance, for better or worse. In the review's benchmark table, the X20 can't match the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, which uses an Intel Arc G3 chip, even with the Asus running at 35W TDP. Getting the best results per game will take serious settings adjustment.

The bottom line is mixed. The reviewer says the X20 is still an Xbox Ally X and is getting long in the tooth. The original was the best Windows handheld at launch, but it now faces stiff competition from MSI and other Intel Arc G3 handhelds. Paying much more for the same performance and battery life makes it hard to recommend. Yet the image quality and ergonomics are exceptional, and for someone who wants a great all-round Windows handheld and has the money, the review says they won't walk away disappointed. The question for buyers is whether a better screen and grips are worth $300 more than the model with identical guts.