Xbox Handheld Gets Leaked, First Photos And Details Revealed

That's one ugly machine. Also looks uncomfortable.

Why does it look so dusty and dirty??

Oh no not offset thumb triggers. Why do they insist on this 🤦‍♂️

Well, I’d prefer to just see the device revealed by Xbox, thanks.

Some of us don’t prematurely leak-jaculate over all these rumours.

@PlatinumMikey Xbox controller design so it's not really surprising 🤷🤗

Hoping when this releases they do a gaming OS to download onto my OG Ally, it's great but battery life is rough on games that steam deck handles for hours

Well there we have it, I have no interest at all in any hand held gaming, including Switch 2 being used as a handheld, as only play switch docked. Which is why switch 2 inflated costs are because you can only buy a hybrid model, Nintendo could themselves and us a favour by having a docked only home version switch 2 with the switch 2 pro controller for about £270.
But instead we have to buy a £400 hybrid thing, even if we don’t play handheld. Then buy the pro controller.

I beginning to actual hate all gaming companies and their continuous greed of late and hope some of it all implodes on them.

If it doesn't have a dedicated Xbox operating system I won't be buying one as I don't like the windows iterations that are getting released at the moment.

@DarthAmmii ugly yes but just by looking at photos I can say it's way more comfortable that any other handheld on the market today

@FraserG @Ricky-Spanish That looks like it was pre-owned by Stig of the Dump.

Either way I'm sure the cleaned up version looks much more attractive. I'm absolutely down for it if the price is right but I do question (specifically the 2026/7 version) future gen compatibility. I'd assume the next handheld is next gen ready, but will this one here be next gen proof?

Also... @PlatinumMikey offset thumbsticks are the best! They're wayyyy more comfortable than symmetrical.

Considering its specs and how much the other handhelds costs this is at least a 900$/1000€ machine before tariffs. Let's hope MS is giving the OS for free and let's hope it's not going to be over 1000$... The secs give me hope for a series s emulator. If it can play xbox digital games and the price is not crazy high it can easily sell 10mil units. If not it won't sell more than 1 or 2. I am super excited tho and if I can play my xbox digital games I am buying it day one 100%

I *would*like one of these, but my purchase decision will be very price dependent, and with the crazy hardware prices going around I'll likely sit this on out🙃.

@PlatinumMikey

Why do they insist on this

Praise the heavens they do insist, I can't stand the symmetrical layout of my PS controllers.

@OldGamer999 to be fair the whole point, literally, is to ‘switch’ between TV and hand held.

That is one ugly design honestly. A distinct downgrade from ROG Ally (X) in the looks department.

I hope there is official reveal soon to know the real thing properly.

We need a new name for this asus with xbox controller branding. I am saving "xbox handheld" for refrencing Microsoft's device.

@Sol4ris well I don’t know where you are from but my thumbs are the same length 😆👊

Curious to see what this thing will cost. Given the ROG Ally X cost me $799, it sounds like this improved specs version will crack $1k. While that is pricey, the games are often cheaper quick and through bundles, or outright free through Epic Games or through Amazon Gaming (Prime subscription).

Based on the rumored timing, it sounds like it could be part of Microsofts showcase in June.

@x3King84
I do get the point, but we could have a far cheaper home version. Some don’t use it to switch from home to handled, some just play docked.
Anyway it’s the usual corporate greed or what’s best for their business, not for us, for sure.

64Gb RAM? This isn’t going to be cheap!

It’s…the same. It sold like frap before who is it going to appeal to now with no changes?

@EdgarTheBug Supposedly they are working on a new Windows handheld version. Hopefully it's available for other systems because i'll just dual boot my steam deck again. Windows on these handhelds sucks, but a version dedicated to hand helds would be a game changer.

I am guessing maybe 200,000 units sold.

This is going to take a lot to convince me to purchase atm … The price and usefulness will likely push me away but if it unicorns, I will buy…

Is this just an Xbox-branded Ally? Not really worth it if it doesn't play my console games.

That is 64GB of RAM or storage? Hard to believe a handheld would have that much.

@JayJ too little to be storage, far FAR too high to be RAM. Must be a bad leak that

First of all, leaks might not end up being true.
But if they are, I'm not sure where this fits in a world where Switch 2 exists. It's an GP machine, sure. But it's clunkier, less slick, does not "Switch", and is marginally stronger (not a generational leap, if you are targeting one platform, you'll likely target the other too). Even stronger is debatable as it wouldn't have DLSS and other Nvidia tricks we might not know as of now.
However, if I remember correctly MS is looking at this as a test to learn from, and future proper handheld Xbox might be far better.

@OldGamer999 you do understand Nintendo will likely release cheaper handheld only version afterwards (Lite).
I don't oppose the idea of a purely home console version, but I would need to be presented with a final price (270 is uninformed guess I wouldn't estimate too differently, but if it's 320 or more I don't believe it makes sense to target another SKU).

@themightyant Granted, it could be cheaper than the normal ROG. Microsoft already making money off these PC handhelds due to window licensing cost, so they don’t necessarily have to take more money on top of that… They could also give Asus a licensing deal at lower cost to push this handheld which in turns means Microsoft makes more money through the Windows cost since more units are being sold, and they make money off users signing up for game pass.

@Kaloudz they’re really not but we’ll have to agree to disagree. My hands are symmetrical so the controller should be too 👍 thank you please

First it looks absolutely hideous, never seen a portable so ugly 😅 second I thought Xbox was doing a portable in house to go along with your Series console. This just seems like a Xbox-branded Ally?

@OldGamer999 The main usp of the switch is that its a portable device first with the ability to play big screen. They will likely do a portable only version later, but a console only version would go against their core goals so I can't see it happening.

Let’s hope it looks better in the actual pictures rather than these pictures here but it certainly looks ugly that’s for sure.

@themightyant @PlatinumMikey Haha! I suppose you have a point. That said, I imagine some of this boils down to what you typically play on. Had I been a PS player rather than on Xbox for the last 20 years I'd probably be in the same boat as you. Vice versa. Good point.

@Millionski Oh right! So handhelds like this can literally last a couple generations? That's neat to know. I'm admittedly out of the knowhow about these sorts of things.

@PlatinumMikey
You're alright lad, I'm from blighty just like you, except torturing my thumbs is not a past time I'm willing to engage with 😅.

@Sol4ris hello fellow countryman 👊 the dualsense is just the best mate that’s no torture😉 that’s no hardship. Have you held a Portal yet? Most comfortable handheld ever bar none

@GeorgeKal Sorry but no handheld beats the PS Portal in terms of comfort. It’s basically a full Dual Sense controller

Edit: Lol, did not even notice the comment above 😂

@OldGamer999 didn’t you buy a PS5 Pro for the best part of a bag of sand?
Things are expensive and the companies are not charities.
Unfortunately the day of the cheap console has gone. Especially if you want all 3.
People want better and better games and frame rates and ray tracing and it costs.

@PlatinumMikey if the Xbox controller had the dual sense haptics that would be perfect for me. I really like the Xbox controller on PC.

When info started coming out on this months ago, here's what I said

Releasing this low demand device's main consequence will be customer confusion when they release their dedicated handheld in the next few years. This is the most Xbox move possible, creating L's when no one else would even see an opportunity for one. I would bet this is Aaron Greenberg's brainchild.

And here we go. Article headline "Xbox handheld gets leaked" and not "Asus handheld gets leaked," obviously because of click potential. By the time thee real Xbox handheld comes out, no one is going to care after a year or so of stories about this thing that no one wants. What a total disaster this company is, how did it get this bad? It's so frustrating to watch. I hate myself for still being invested in this.

Still believe majority, not care, not want, this. Probably will have decent launch, then sales dropping off hard and fast.

Just my opinion. May sell like crazy.

Did they find it in a skip?

@themightyant Looks like there are actual Xbox controller handles built into the sides/back. That is huge.

No, it won't be cheap. Got to be realistic.

Is it supposed to look like it's been chewed then humped by a dog?

@Kenshir0 haha..

@PlatinumMikey playstation is the only one that doesn't do that you know.

I'm sure the actual reveal will look good. At least better than these pics. I will most likely buy it. I'm a tech whore so.....

@Millionski depending on what the Xbox handheld actually is, it matters a lot. If the Xbox handheld plays existing Xbox games, it's a big deal, while this thunder stealing nothingburger isn't.

Also not that I care because it's pretty irrelevant but your steamdeck numbers are wildly off, like 50%~.

When an Xbox handheld was announced, I assumed it would be engineered internally at Xbox. Maybe I just wasn't aware of what it really was, but this is incredibly disappointing if so.

@Nalverus and they should stick with it too because it’s just correct 😜 the D-pad below the stick is horrendous I find. My kids switches are symmetrical btw so it’s obvs not just PlayStation and steam deck I think?

Edit. No steam deck and PS are symmetrical. Funnily enough the only two gaming platforms I’ve used lol

I won't buy it they got enough of my money over the years no more money from me Microsoft.

@PlatinumMikey I much prefer offset. More natural for using the analog as a dominant over the dpad.

Never liked the ps layout, crunches my hands

Dualsense is such a gimmick. I much prefer the Xbox controller.

@PlatinumMikey I agree, and would pay extra for Xbox and Switch controllers with parallel sticks.

@FraserG tested as a shovel lol I hope it feels more like a console than an ASUS ROG. Had big issues with the PC navigation via the handheld

@PlatinumMikey there is no correct, only preference. its kinda silly to try to proclaim whats better or not when its flat out personal preference.

i'm glad you know what you like but its a bit ridiculous to bash what other people probably like. i have 3 dualsense but personally hate them. too damn big. uncomfortable for me an god help me if there isn't always something wrong with them. three. i had to go through three before having one that didn't have issues lol.
still too big.

edit: oh an one of my launch ones ended up cutting my hand open. wasn't fond of that either.

Not surprised a button and branding, or OS changes or something. Either way, a fair offering, but pricing, how effective it is and more is to wait around for.

Might do well, who knows. Branded SD cards are dumb of a price increase but a handheld IF it offers enough tweaks to it besides just branding and a button and does actually offer OS benefits then I'd say yeah why not.

So it's just a re-badged handheld? No thanks.

@Nalverus considering the PS dualsense is the biggest selling peripheral in gaming land and not an offset version, does that not say a lot really? As there are offset PS controllers available

@sporesmoldsfungus

When an Xbox handheld was announced, I assumed it would be engineered internally at Xbox.

I didn't. I always expected it would be a lazy attempt of someone else's device with the Xbox logo plastered on it.

@PlatinumMikey
It always surprises me when people defend the offset sticks tooth and nail. Not saying they're bad but do these people not have symmetrical thumbs like 99% of the human race?

@OldGamer999 There is this long lost concept. It is incredibly simple. It is a solution that works every time. Ok, here goes..... If you don't like a product or service..... Don't purchase or use it. Find something that fits your needs, that you enjoy. I really hope this helps. Choice, who would've thunk it?

@GADG3Tx87 yes it’s odd isn’t it I don’t get it either but there we are 🤷‍♂️ each to their own I guess

@LogicStrikesAgain hah you were quick, but not quick enough 😉👊. Totally agree though mate uts a great piece of kit