Microsoft’s finally putting the “Xbox” in ROG Xbox Ally
The ROG Xbox Ally is starting to feel like a real Xbox
Let’s be honest, the ROG Xbox Ally is a PC. It’s a handheld gaming PC. That said, Microsoft has now issued an update that is starting to deliver on its “Xbox” promise.
“Default Game Profiles” have arrived as part of a new “preview” update, allowing settings for 70 supported games to be set automatically. This means that gamers can play their games with smooth performance without manual adjustments. Better still, these profiles are optimised to deliver an “extended battery life”.
When I think “Xbox”, I see a gaming system where I can play games with no tinkering. As a PC gamer, I accept that tinkering is often required ot have the best gaming experience. Thanks to “Default Gaming Profiles”, Xbox Ally users can now play games without tinkering, making these games feel much more “Xbox”. Yes, PC gamers can still tinker, but now they don’t have to.
Hand-crafted game profiles
Default Game Profiles are “hand-crafted” on a per-game basis and only apply when on battery. The system automatically applies tailored game profiles and sets power and FPS limits. If a game falls short of its target FPS, profiles can boost system power draw to stabilise them. This trades a bit of battery life for a smoother gaming experience.
Right now, 70 games support default game profiles. Below is a list of first-party games that have default game profiles.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Call of Duty: Warzone
DOOM Eternal
DOOM: The Dark Ages
Forza Horizon 5
Gears 5
Gears of War: Reloaded
Gears Tactics
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Minecraft
Sea of Thieves
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
More updates/upgrades to come
Microsoft is working to improve its ROG Xbox Ally. Note that features such as enhanced sleep/wake reliability and improved MicroSD formatting are already being worked on. Furthermore, “Automatic Super Resolution” is due to come to the ROG Xbox Ally in early 2026.
Read our day-1 review of ASUS’ ROG Xbox Ally here.
You can join the discussion on Game Profiles coming to the ROG Xbox Ally on the OC3D Forums.
