Borderlands 4 on Xbox Ally X — my unscientific testing shockingly shows it MIGHT be possible to play on the latest handheld gaming PC

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Everyone’s been talking about the problems with the PC release of Borderlands 4, and I don’t need to revisit those issues. Plus, I haven’t played the game since it first came out, so I can’t comment on how the recent updates have improved things.

I’m particularly excited about the Xbox Ally X. Launching with a demanding game like Borderlands 4 could be a real test for the handheld right from the start.

Just to be clear, I don’t own an Xbox Ally X. I haven’t received one for review, and I wasn’t part of any early shipment group. In fact, I likely won’t be getting one at all. Despite that, I still want to share some positive thoughts about it.

I have a small computer with an AMD processor that’s comparable to the one expected in the Xbox Ally X. While it’s not the exact same Ryzen AI 9 HX370 chip, it does include the Radeon 890M graphics, which is the same graphics processor that will be in the Z2 Extreme.

I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to play Borderlands 4 on the Xbox Ally X, but it’s definitely possible. I’ve tested it for about four hours on the Ryzen AI 9 HX370, and I’m impressed with how well it runs, especially considering the initial concerns.

Some key differences to remember

Before diving deeper, it’s important to note a few key differences. Although both the HX370 and Z2 Extreme use the same graphics processing unit (GPU), their central processing units (CPUs) are different. The HX370 has a more powerful CPU with 12 cores, compared to the Z2 Extreme’s 8 cores. Specifically, the HX370 includes one additional Zen 5 core and three more Zen 5c cores, and it also boasts more cache memory.

Although both laptops use the same graphics card, the Z2 Extreme is limited to a maximum power draw of 35 watts. My laptop with the HX370, however, can use up to 54 watts.

Currently, if you get a good experience playing Borderlands 4 on the Xbox Ally X, it’ll likely require being plugged in and running the device at its maximum performance settings.

Borderlands 4 is surprisingly playable on integrated graphics

We still have some improvements to make, but I was really impressed with how well Borderlands 4 ran on a Radeon 890M.

I’ve been testing out the tools designed to improve performance, and honestly, the results are pretty inconsistent. The frame generation feature can make things run much smoother, but it’s been crashing on me with AMD errors quite often. When it *does* work, though, it’s a really nice experience.

Honestly, I’ve had the most fun playing the game at 720p with the graphics turned down. I used a performance-focused upscaling feature called FSR, and then AMD Radeon Super Resolution to make it look a bit clearer on my monitor.

Borderlands 4 isn’t running at its peak performance, but it’s still playable. After about four hours of playing, I’m getting between 40 and 50 frames per second, which isn’t terrible for this type of game. I’ve actually found that 40 FPS is a good balance for many games on my Steam Deck, and that’s how Borderlands 4 feels when limited to that rate.

The signal strength varies depending on location. It weakens considerably in heavily wooded areas like Kairos, but remains surprisingly stable even when I’m under heavy fire from numerous enemies.

The only time the frame rate ever dips below 40 FPS is when using the Digi Runner, in all honesty.

Does it look good? It resembles Borderlands 4 when played with lower graphics settings. Thankfully, the game’s art style still looks decent even on those settings.

Also, the game will naturally look sharper on a smaller screen compared to being stretched to fit my larger desktop monitor.

With some work, Borderlands 4 could have a future on handhelds

I have a couple of concerns about how well Borderlands 4 would run on the Xbox Ally X right now, but I believe it’s achievable and could improve with future updates.

It appears the CPU is using a lot of processing power. I usually see it around 70% or less, but the Z2 Extreme has fewer processing cores, so higher usage is expected.

Another key difference is the thermal design power, or TDP, between the Z2 Extreme and the HX370. The graphics processor is constantly running at its highest level, and in my testing with the Geekom A9 Max, the processor had more cooling capacity than we anticipate it will have in the handheld device.

I’m optimistic, but I wouldn’t rush out to buy Borderlands 4 just for the Xbox Ally X – let’s wait and see how well it performs first. I definitely wouldn’t try playing it on the original Xbox Ally, though.

But there’s a chance. And with some more work, it could be genuinely quite good.

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2025-10-02 14:46