We hacked the new Windows 11 Xbox Mode onto the old ROG Ally — how does it optimize performance?

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Gamers using Windows-powered handheld devices are excited about the upcoming gaming mode in Windows 11. Microsoft says it will improve performance and make the experience better by changing how the operating system loads certain features in this mode.

We first previewed the redesigned interface for the Xbox Ally in August. Since then, we’ve tested it on an original ASUS ROG Ally, allowing us to thoroughly evaluate the new user experience and run performance tests on a few games. This helped us see how the changes improve things and if they offer any performance boosts.

The user experience is good now

Handheld gaming mode solves the main problem with using Windows 11 on portable gaming devices: getting the operating system set up and ready to play games. Windows 11 isn’t really designed for small screens or controllers, so it hasn’t been ideal for handheld gaming until now.

Microsoft has significantly improved how the system works, making it nearly as user-friendly as interfaces like Steam’s Big Picture mode or the Nintendo Switch. They’ve updated everything from the sign-in screen to the main menu so you can easily navigate it all with a game controller.

Now you can enter your account PIN and type in text boxes using your gamepad – just like you would on an Xbox! It’s a small change, but it significantly improves the experience of using Windows on a portable gaming device.

The new launcher completely changes how you see your Windows desktop. It’s built around the Xbox app, running it full-screen, but it’s been improved to work more smoothly with your computer. When you use it, the usual Start menu, Taskbar, and desktop background won’t appear – you’ll only see the Xbox app.

Microsoft has updated the Xbox app to display and launch all of your PC games, no matter where you got them. Now, the app will show every game you have installed – whether it’s from Steam, GOG, the Epic Games Store, or even a disc – and let you launch them directly from within the Xbox app, without needing to go to your desktop first.

When enabled, this feature changes how touch gestures work and alters the appearance of Windows 11’s Task View. Normally, swiping in from the left edge brings up the Widgets panel, and swiping up from the bottom reveals the Taskbar or Start menu. However, when you’re playing a full-screen game, these gestures will function differently.

You can now open the Xbox Game Bar by swiping in from the left side of the screen. Swiping up from the bottom opens Task View, which has a new design to help you easily switch between open apps and games, even when using a gamepad. This makes it simple and smooth to move between everything you’re running.

This is primarily due to the fullscreen nature of this mode. Unlike the standard interface, you can’t run apps or games alongside each other, and that’s intentional. Handheld screens are small, making multitasking difficult. Besides, it’s not really practical to play two games at the same time anyway.

The new Task View simplifies switching between open apps and games. You can easily navigate through your active windows using just the bumpers or analog sticks on your gamepad. While some apps might still show window controls in the corner, most functions-like minimizing or arranging windows-are now handled through the new Task View interface. The only button that still works from the old window controls is the close button.

How does it optimize performance?

Windows 11’s new handheld gaming mode improves performance by making several adjustments. One important change is that it prevents most apps from automatically starting up when you turn on the device. This means programs like OneDrive, Steam, Discord, and others won’t load until you specifically open them, freeing up valuable system resources and helping games run more smoothly.

I noticed a pretty significant performance boost when playing games in handheld mode if I disabled all startup apps in Windows. When I tested the same games while in desktop mode, with those background apps running, the performance definitely took a hit.

If you already customize which apps automatically start on your device, you probably won’t notice a performance boost when playing games in handheld mode compared to desktop mode. Our tests showed no significant difference in speed whether the device was in handheld mode or desktop mode with startup apps disabled.

Switching between tablet and desktop mode in Windows 11 requires loading things like the Start menu and Taskbar, but these don’t significantly affect how well your games run. The biggest impact on performance actually comes from the apps that automatically start when you turn on your computer.

Battery life follows a similar pattern. You’d expect it to be better when playing games in handheld mode since fewer programs are running in the background. Our tests showed about an hour of extra playtime in handheld mode compared to desktop mode with startup apps enabled. However, if you close those startup apps in desktop mode, the battery life is nearly identical between the two modes.

The performance improvements you’ll get with Microsoft’s new handheld gaming mode are due to the system automatically disabling startup apps. You *can* change this – you can set apps like Steam or GOG to launch in the background as usual, even while gaming – but it doesn’t happen automatically.

Many users were hoping for better sleep mode performance on these handheld devices, as some have experienced issues with them staying asleep, especially while gaming. However, our tests show that this hasn’t been improved.

Good things ahead for Windows-powered handhelds

Microsoft is finally focusing on handheld gaming for Windows, and this new mode is a promising start. However, they still need to streamline Windows to make it run its best on these smaller devices.

The user experience is now generally quite good. You can avoid using the standard Windows interface if you prefer, as the gamepad and new full-screen mode allow you to do almost everything you’d want on a handheld gaming device.

The new Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X will be the first devices to launch with the handheld mode already installed. Microsoft plans to make this feature available on other handheld devices later in 2026.

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2025-09-17 22:10