Microsoft’s new Xbox “Full Screen Experience” for handheld Windows PCs is no longer just marketing copy on a press release — enthusiasts are already running it on older hardware, and early tests show real, measurable gains and equally real caveats that matter for anyone who owns a handheld...
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Microsoft’s console-first pivot for small screens lands in a surprisingly usable form, and testing Windows 11’s new Handheld Gaming Mode on an OG ROG Ally shows both what’s changed and what still needs work for real-world handheld PC owners.
Background / Overview
Windows 11’s new Handheld Gaming...
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Title: Microsoft’s new “My Apps” tab in the Xbox app for Windows: what it changes for handheld PCs and every PC gamer
TL;DR
What it is: “My Apps” is a new tab inside the Xbox app for Windows that aggregates third‑party gaming apps and utilities in one controller‑friendly place. Think...
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Xbox’s PC app is getting a major usability push for PC and handheld gamers with a new “My Apps” hub that collects browsers, utilities, and rival storefronts in a single launcher inside the Xbox PC app — a move designed to make the Xbox app the central home for everything you play on Windows. The...
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Microsoft engineers once built a proof-of-concept Windows experience specifically for handheld gaming devices during an internal hackathon — a prototype that showed how Windows 11 could present a gamepad-first, console-style interface and make Xbox Game Pass, Steam, Epic, and other storefronts...
When Valve launched the Steam Deck in early 2022, skepticism was rampant. PC gaming had, until then, been a world deeply rooted in desks, massive rigs, and the never-ending chase for ever-more powerful graphics cards. Yet, Valve’s handheld wasn’t just a curiosity—it quickly became the benchmark...
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For gamers who have invested in cutting-edge handheld hardware such as the ASUS ROG Ally, questions surrounding operating systems are more than a passing concern—they can fundamentally alter the experience. The ROG Ally, powered by a Ryzen Z1 processor and tailored for portable gaming, was...
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Compact, powerful, and ingeniously designed, handheld gaming PCs have ignited a renaissance in portable play, challenging the long-standing dominance of Nintendo and the convenience of gaming laptops. What began with the ambitious, crowd-pleasing launch of Valve’s Steam Deck has, within just a...
Anticipation is mounting for the Xbox Ally, Microsoft’s hotly awaited entry into the handheld Windows gaming space, revealed alongside its high-spec sibling, the Xbox Ally X, at the company’s recent June showcase. The news has set the tech community abuzz, not least because of Microsoft's...
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When Microsoft took the stage at the Xbox Showcase in June 2025, the whispers had already started: would the company be able to fend off the growing momentum of SteamOS in the handheld gaming PC market? The dominant conversation among Windows enthusiasts and industry insiders revolved around a...
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The gaming landscape is set for a seismic shift as ASUS and Microsoft join forces, unveiling the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X—handheld gaming devices that blend elite hardware with deep Xbox integration. The launch, which was officially teased during the recent Xbox Games Showcase...
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Microsoft and Asus have officially unveiled a game-changing collaboration with the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X—the first handheld devices to combine Windows 11 gaming with a deeply integrated Xbox experience. This move marks a significant evolution not just for portable PC...
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When considering a handheld gaming PC in 2025, particularly between the newly announced Xbox ROG Ally and the original ASUS ROG Ally, buyers face a critical crossroads in the evolution of portable Windows gaming. With the Xbox Ally set for a late 2025 release and the original ROG Ally nearing...
Months of speculation and a steady stream of leaks finally gave way to confirmation: Microsoft has officially entered the handheld gaming PC market with the announcement of the Xbox Ally and its more advanced sibling, the Xbox Ally X. Unveiled at the Xbox Games Showcase, these devices mark a...
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With growing anticipation surrounding Microsoft’s long-rumored entry into the portable gaming market, the official debut of the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X—developed in partnership with ASUS—signals a seismic shift in how Windows gaming will be experienced in handheld form. These pioneering...
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As the curtain lifted on the Xbox Showcase, few expected that Microsoft and ASUS were about to rewrite the rules for portable PC gaming. The unveiling of the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X—products of the ambitious Project Keenan—was more than a hardware launch. It marked the beginning of a...
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The abrupt halt in Microsoft’s Xbox handheld development has sent ripples through the gaming industry, shocking both fans and insiders who have followed the tech giant’s pursuit of a mobile console that could rival the market’s current leaders. For years, speculation has swirled around...
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In a rapidly evolving gaming landscape, Microsoft’s decision to pause its dedicated Xbox handheld console—codenamed “Project Keystone”—marks a significant pivot in its strategy. Rather than competing head-to-head in the burgeoning handheld hardware sector, Microsoft is now focusing on optimizing...
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Microsoft’s shifting strategy in the handheld gaming market has sent ripples throughout the industry, captivating gamers and analysts alike. Although the tech giant has paused its first-party Xbox handheld development, this does not mark a retreat from mobile gaming. Instead, it’s an...
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The rapid evolution of portable gaming and the surge of innovative handheld devices over the past few years have forced every major player in the industry to rethink their strategies, and nowhere is this more evident than in Microsoft's recent pivot. Once rumored to be developing its own...
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