We've already mentioned how we're incredibly excited about the ROG Xbox Ally handheld that's coming out later this year, but one thing we're perhaps a tiny bit disappointed about is the lack of an OLED screen on the device.

There's a good reason for its absence though. Speaking in the interview you can watch up above, ROG Ally team member Whitson Gordon explains that Variable Refresh Rate is an extremely important feature for the Xbox handheld to have, and the company wasn't willing to sacrifice it in order to add an OLED screen.

"We did look at OLED again this year, we did some R&D and prototyping with OLED, but it's still not where we want it to be when we factor VRR into the mix. And we aren't willing to give up VRR, I'll draw that line in the sand right now. I am of the opinion that if a display doesn't have Variable Refresh Rate, it's not a gaming display in the year 2025.

And OLED with VRR right now draws significantly more power than the LCD that we're currently using on the Ally, and it costs more."

If you weren't aware, VRR is a feature that works to reduce screen tearing and image stuttering, resulting in a smoother gameplay experience. The Xbox Series X and Series S are both equipped with VRR for displays that can support it.

This is evidently a massive focus for the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, and Gordon went on to highlight a few other pieces of feedback that the team has received - which is why they've focused on certain key areas for this device.

"It is very, very clear that when we look at what people want, they value a few things above all else right now. They want battery life, they want more performance and they want a better software experience. Those are by far the biggest pieces of feedback that we are still seeing on these devices, and so we put all of our efforts into those things this year."

All of this makes a lot of sense to us, and while it would obviously be nice to benefit from an OLED screen, we wouldn't want one if it compromised performance (and cost!) in a significant way.

I'm personally itching to get my hands on a ROG Xbox Ally handheld as soon as possible, so Holiday 2025 can't come soon enough! Stay tuned for lots more coverage on the Xbox handheld over the weeks and months to come.

How do you feel about the ROG Xbox Ally not having an OLED screen? Tell us in the comments below.