The team behind Microsoft’s next Xbox hardware release have revealed why it’s missing a very specific feature, and, weirdly, it sounds like it’s for the best.
Thank you in advance to Pure Xbox's Fraser Gilbert for the original source!
In case you didn’t hear, Microsoft have a new handheld on the way. Well, actually, they have two.
The ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X are new handheld devices developed in partnership with ASUS, and they’re essentially Microsoft-branded iterations of previous ASUS handhelds.
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However, instead of launching into Windows, the new ROG Xbox Ally handhelds will instead launch into an Xbox operating system. It’ll basically be like having a little Xbox Series S you can carry around with you.
Now, as far as specs and price points go, we don’t have the full picture yet. That being said, we do know what both handhelds won’t come packaged with: an OLED screen.
Seems like a pretty big omission on both ASUS and Microsoft’s behalf, but there is a good reason for it, as ASUS ROG’s Whitson Gordon explains.
"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,” Gordon revealed on the ROG Ally Life channel.
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“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."
And you know what? He’s convinced me.
If the choice is between VRR and an OLED screen, I’ll take VRR every time. And if having both VRR and an OLED screen means the device will be a lot more expensive and battery life will be a lot worse, I can do without it.
Besides, I’m sure there will be an OLED variant of the ROG Xbox Ally in the future, and consumers can make the choice between the two devices then.
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Gaming is continuously getting more expensive as a hobby and some people are starting to feel priced out, so letting folks save money where they can is something I’ll always be onboard with.