Dexerto calls the $1,299.99 ROG Xbox Ally X20 the best handheld you can buy
Dexerto's review calls the $1,299.99 ROG Xbox Ally X20 the best gaming handheld you can buy. It justifies the price by pointing to rising PC hardware costs, and the processor is unchanged from the previous model, so the extra money mostly goes to the screen and the controls.
The Product Desk
Key figures from Dexerto's testing: Cyberpunk 2077 ran close to 60 FPS with FSR enabled; AMD's frame generation increased the displayed frame rate to approximately 105 FPS; Forza Horizon 6 held between 50 and 60 FPS at 1080p on high settings in Turbo mode.
| Figure | Value | Note | Claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 with FSR enabled | 60 FPS, close to | 9 | |
| Cyberpunk displayed rate, frame gen | 105 FPS, approx. | 9 | |
| Forza Horizon 6, 1080p high, Turbo mode, at least | 50 FPS | up to 60 FPS | 8 |
What happened
- The X20 has new TMR joysticks with magnetic sensors meant to improve accuracy and cut stick drift, plus Hall Effect triggers and updated bumpers.
- The 7.4-inch 1080p OLED panel carries VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1400 certification and varies its refresh rate between 30Hz and 120Hz.
- In Asus's Turbo mode, the reviewer measured Forza Horizon 6 at 50 to 60 FPS at 1080p on high settings.
- The handheld ships with 24GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 1TB SSD.
Why it matters
- decision The purchase turns on whether the buyer will use a new OLED screen, redesigned controls and revised cooling every week, since the review credits nothing else with the improvement.
- constraint The price defence is the reviewer's assertion. The available text does not include hardware cost figures, so a buyer cannot check the claim against any number.
- cost A buyer who mostly plays lighter games, which the review says already run great, pays $1,299.99 mainly for the display and the controls.
Run Cyberpunk 2077 on the X20 in Asus's Turbo mode with FSR switched on, and Dexerto's reviewer saw close to 60 FPS [9][11]. Add AMD frame generation and the displayed frame rate rose to approximately 105 FPS [9]. That is about 75 percent more frames on screen [14], from the same processor the previous model used [10]. The review's wording is "displayed frame rate", and the displayed figure needs reading with care.
The verdict is one outlet's. Dexerto's review says the X20 is the best gaming handheld you can buy [1], and its price case takes one sentence. The X20 is "far from cheap", it says, but "with PC hardware prices continuing to rise" it "delivers enough improvements to justify its premium price tag" [2]. The review text available ends mid-sentence in the performance section. Up to that point it does not include a figure for how far hardware prices have risen or a price for the predecessor.
We think the argument is about timing. Rising costs can be a reason to buy sooner once a buyer has decided to buy. Whether this machine's changes matter to that buyer is a separate question.
The changes are specific. The reviewer calls the OLED panel the biggest upgrade over the predecessor's LCD [5], and says the improvements come from the display, the controls and an updated cooling system [10]. The buyer who gets the most from that plays games where those parts show. A retro platformer or a fighting game suits the transforming D-pad, which switches between four and eight directions when lifted and turned 90 degrees [13]. The reviewer says the X20 is "isn't exactly light" at around 1.67 pounds, but that its controller-style design is comfortable for longer sessions [7].
A reason for buying that names the screen or the sticks has the review behind it. A reason that names speed does not have the review's own testing behind it, since the processor is unchanged and the 105 FPS figure comes from frame generation. A reason that names rising prices is about timing, and it needs a second reason alongside it before the spend is approved.
What to watch
- Whether other outlets' reviews reach the same best-handheld verdict, and what battery life and sustained-performance numbers they report.
- Whether Asus changes the $1,299.99 price as PC hardware costs move, since the review leans on rising costs to defend it.
Clarity's read
What the record supports and how the coverage leans. The claims behind it follow.
Reality
- Evidence45
- Adoption
- Insufficient
- Hype gap+25
- Incentives
- Insufficient
- Confidence55
Claim ledger
Ranked by verification strength, evidence, and original report placement.
- [1]
Dexerto's review says the ROG Xbox Ally X20 is the best gaming handheld you can buy, combining an OLED display, premium controls and powerful PC hardware.
- [2]
At $1,299.99 the X20 is 'far from cheap', but with PC hardware prices continuing to rise, the review says it delivers enough improvements to justify its premium price tag.
- [3]
The X20 has 24GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 1TB SSD.
- [4]
The X20's 7.4-inch 1080p OLED panel has VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1400 certification, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro lets the refresh rate adjust between 30Hz and 120Hz.
- [5]
The reviewer calls the OLED display the X20's biggest upgrade, a noticeable improvement over the LCD screen in its predecessor.
- [6]
The X20 has new TMR joysticks that use magnetic sensors for more accurate movement while reducing wear and the risk of stick drift, plus Hall Effect triggers and updated bumpers.
- [7]
The X20 weighs around 1.67 pounds; the reviewer says it is not exactly light, but its controller-style design is comfortable to hold for longer gaming sessions.
- [8]
In Asus's Turbo mode, Forza Horizon 6 maintained between 50 and 60 FPS at 1080p on high settings.
- [9]
Cyberpunk 2077 ran close to 60 FPS with FSR enabled, while AMD's frame generation increased the displayed frame rate to approximately 105 FPS.
- [10]
The X20 uses the same processor as its predecessor, so the biggest improvements come from its display, controls and updated cooling system.
- [11]
The reviewer tested Forza Horizon 6 and Cyberpunk 2077 using Asus's built-in Turbo mode.
- [12]
Lighter games such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, Balatro and Super Meat Boy 3D run great on the X20 and use less power than larger titles.
- [13]
The X20's transforming D-pad switches between four-directional and eight-directional layouts by lifting and rotating it 90 degrees, giving more precise inputs in retro games and easier diagonals in fighting games.
- [14]
Frame generation raised the displayed rate from close to 60 FPS to approximately 105 FPS, about 75 percent more displayed frames.
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Sources
1 independent publisher whose own reporting we read for this story.
- dexerto.comAsus ROG Xbox Ally X20 review: The handheld to beat
1 article · October 15, 2026
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