Microsoft says the ROG Xbox Ally series' software will come to other Windows handhelds in 2026

The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are the first devices to launch with the optimized version of Windows for handhelds. Referred to as the “Xbox Experience for Handheld” or “Xbox full screen experience”, Microsoft says it is more than just a launcher for all your PC games but a deep-level optimization that frees up resources for gaming and improves power efficiency. The good news is that the Xbox full screen experience won't be exclusive to the new ROG handhelds.

According to The Verge, Microsoft disclosed that the Xbox full screen experience will be made available to older Windows handhelds. “While the Xbox full-screen experience will first come to the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, our next focus will be updating the in-market ROG Ally and the ROG Ally X.” said Roanne Sones, Xbox's corporate VP of gaming devices and ecosystem.

There's no specific date for when the new software experience will arrive on the ROG Ally and ROG Ally X, but it seems Asus's handhelds will receive it first before other devices such as the Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, and even the more recent Legion Go S (available on Amazon for $649.99) as Sones is also quoted to have said that “Similar full-screen Xbox experiences will be rolling out to other Windows handhelds, starting next year.”

The arrival of the Xbox full experience will be a double-win for owners of the Asus and Lenovo's handhelds which recently received official support for SteamOS. Now, owners don't have to totally ditch Windows as they can enjoy the best of both worlds.