Gaming handhelds are great because they are portable (basically small). But that is also one of its biggest weaknesses. I was reminded of that while trying Asus’ new ROG Xbox Ally X20 bundle at Computex 2026. On its own, the Ally X20 is already a more polished version of the ROG Xbox Ally X. It arrives with nice updates that sound minor on paper but make a device feel more complete in your hands. The real surprise, though, was the bundled ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 Gaming AR Glasses.
I walked in to try the 20th anniversary edition of ASUS’ handheld console, but the massive 171-inch screen trick surprisingly stole the show.
The handheld gets the right upgrades
The ROG Xbox Ally X20 is not a total reinvention of Asus’ Xbox-branded handheld. It still sits in that familiar Windows handheld space, with PC gaming power, Xbox integration, and the usual promise of taking your library anywhere. Everything ASUS changed here is to smooth out the experience, and you can feel it as soon as you actually hold it.
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The biggest upgrade is the display. The X20 moves to a 7.4-inch OLED Nebula HDR panel, which is slightly larger than the standard Ally X screen and far more exciting visually. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision, and up to 1,400 nits of peak brightness.
The controls have also been cleaned up. ASUS added TMR joysticks, a Transforming D-pad that can switch between four-way and eight-way control, improved face buttons that sit more flush with the chassis, and rubberized grips on the back that definitely offer improved handfeel, which is important for gamers. A few extra fps, thanks to a faster chip, is great, though bad grips, mushy controls, or a weaker display are something you’ll notice every time you start playing on the gaming handheld.
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Then ASUS straps a giant screen to the idea
The bundled ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 glasses are what make ASUS’ portable console a little more interesting than the new Intel G3 Extreme-powered handhelds. Even at their largest, handheld screens are still handheld screens. Admittedly, that is part of the appeal. If you wanted a bigger screen, you’d likely go for a gaming laptop. For many, this is exactly what they want: a smaller window into big games.
Except that the glasses still change that equation. They can project a virtual display up to 171 inches at 4 meters, which sounds absurd until you actually put them on. Now, you’re not relying on the handheld screen anymore, and the Ally X20 becomes an oversized controller, which is powering a much larger screen.
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During my hands-on with this ROG Xbox Ally X20 with the XREAL R1 Edition 20, I understood why the bundle exists. ASUS pairing these two gadgets together makes it all the more immersive. This isn’t the first time a pair of gaming AR glasses has been built for handhelds, but the Ally X20 bundle is the exception as it comes with the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20, which is also optimized for this system in particular.
How AR glasses just work here
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Gaming AR glasses have been pretty niche in the overall PC and console gaming segment. However, you are already holding a portable console in your hands, which comes with its own set of cables, chargers, and a case. So adding another peripheral doesn’t sound too inconvenient. The fact that you can stay portable, while the glasses let the display feel massive when you want it to, sounds incredibly fun.
Not everyone would want this bundle, but the ROG XREAL R1 Edition 20 glasses complete it. They turn the Ally X20 from a nicer handheld into a more flexible gaming setup. You get the benefit of both a convenient form factor console with a 171-inch virtual screen when you want a more immersive experience.
