I’m completely impressed by this homemade Xbox gaming handheld — It makes me long for an official Xbox handheld

I'm completely impressed by this homemade Xbox gaming handheld — It makes me long for an official Xbox handheld

  • PC gaming handhelds like Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go have become extremely popular in the last few years.
  • There has also been speculation that an Xbox handheld is in the works.
  • In a tweet, Redherring32 recently posted a portable Xbox PC handheld that they built.
  • It features a 9-inch 480p display and 100W USB-C charging. Redherring32 plans to add WiFi 6 and wireless Xbox Live functionality in the future.

As a seasoned researcher with a passion for gaming and technology that spans over two decades, I have witnessed the evolution of handheld gaming devices from their humble beginnings to the sophisticated powerhouses they are today. The recent surge in popularity of PC gaming handhelds like Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go has certainly piqued my interest, as it seems we’re on the cusp of a new era in portable gaming.


For a while now, portable gaming devices like handheld consoles have been a favorite way for gamers to play video games. However, it wasn’t until the arrival of the Nintendo Switch and later the Steam Deck that we began to notice a substantial movement of top-tier (AAA) games appearing on these mobile platforms. This trend has continued with other PC gaming handhelds such as the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go entering the market, each with varying levels of success. Given this growing emphasis on portable gaming, many are now speculating whether Microsoft might develop an Xbox-branded handheld system in the near future.

Our own Jez Corden even wrote about how An ‘Xbox handheld’ isn’t just likely. For Microsoft, it’s absolutely necessary. But ahead of any actual gaming handhelds revealed by Xbox or Microsoft, X user (formerly Twitter) @Redherring32 tweeted a post showing off an Xbox gaming handheld they had built and I’m very impressed by it.

As an observer, I can share that, based on Redherring32’s account, this innovative mobile Xbox device boasts a 9-inch 480p display and supports premium digital video/audio. It also comes with a powerful 100W USB C charging system. To further enhance the gaming experience, there are plans to incorporate WiFi 6 for seamless Xbox Live connectivity. Remarkably, Redherring managed to accomplish this by modifying an original Xbox motherboard, allowing it to play games from across the Xbox library. This intricate process reportedly took over four years since it was an unprecedented task that demanded reverse engineering almost the entire board. In total, 12 custom PCBs were utilized during the process, making this a truly remarkable achievement.

In their post, Redherring32 additionally shared links to the PCBs on GitHub and a guide for trimming Xbox units for those who want to explore further.

An official Xbox gaming handheld seems very likely

I'm completely impressed by this homemade Xbox gaming handheld — It makes me long for an official Xbox handheld

It seems quite evident that numerous individuals express enthusiasm for a compact Xbox gaming gadget. However, will a genuine Xbox handheld ever materialize?

As console gaming and desktop PC gaming remain prevalent, it appears that our inclination towards portable gaming is set to escalate in the future. Nintendo paved the way for this change with their innovative Switch console, which allows players to enjoy top-tier games either connected to a TV or taken anywhere on-the-go. This flexibility is an aspect we can expect to see more of as Xbox and PlayStation introduce new hardware.

Frankly, I wouldn’t be shocked if Microsoft has already begun strategizing a portable gaming device under the Xbox brand. Given that Xbox CEO Phil Spencer expressed his thoughts about handheld PCs as extensions of his Xbox console in an exclusive interview with Jez Corden, it seems plausible that they are considering this option. Personally, I own an ROG Ally and a Legion Go, which I often use to access my Xbox app and play Xbox Game Pass games, making it feel like I’m playing Xbox on the move.

Indeed, during the very same interview, Spencer additionally shared that he had his Legion Go along with him. This detail suggests to me that he’s thinking about portable devices and possibly strategizing about potential Xbox ventures in that sector.

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2024-10-21 23:39