Microsoft’s first ‘Xbox’ handhelds are shipping not fully baked.
What does “Xbox” mean? Some might say it can only refer to a box-shaped Microsoft game machine. Others will argue it’s a collection of Xbox-native titles like Halo, Gears, Forza, and Fable. I think most would probably agree it’s a game console experience, a way to kick back and easily play the latest games without thinking too much. Press the power button, play, press it again to pause.
The 7-inch Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X gaming handhelds, on sale tomorrow, don’t meet that bar. The cheaper one doesn’t even come close.
They run Windows 11, and they never let you forget it — not during their lengthy setup process, not when you’re trying to navigate their menus, and not when you want the latest games to “just work.” They also don’t play Xbox games designed for an Xbox console, only Xbox games ported to PCs; when GTA VI comes out next May without a PC version, you won’t be playing it here. Not unless you’re streaming from the cloud.
The difference is XBOX and Switch are consoles, and this is just a handheld PC with all the terrible Windows things and a new lazily-slapped-together interface at an exorbitant price.
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Seems like a double standard for Xbox to be mocked for branding a handheld when Nintendo does this repeatedly. What’s the difference?
The difference is XBOX and Switch are consoles, and this is just a handheld PC with all the terrible Windows things and a new lazily-slapped-together interface at an exorbitant price.
Nintendo doesn’t sell products that are branded as Switch but don’t actually play Switch games.
Xbox has always been the favorite punching bag of legacy media.