This gadget turns the ROG Xbox Ally X in...

Again when Switch 2 rumors began to swirl just a few years in the past, a number of stories hinted that Nintendo’s subsequent handheld would possibly function the next decision display, a extra highly effective chip, a revamped design, and different commonplace upgrades you’d count on from a next-gen handheld. Whereas most of those rumors turned out to be true, there is a key leak that did not turn into a actuality.

At one level, a number of dependable stories indicated the Swap 2 might function a dock designed to supercharge the Swap with a extra highly effective chip. That is what I’ve at all times wished from a handheld-home console gaming machine as a result of it provides the perfect of each worlds and looks like a pure evolution of the unique Swap. Whereas we most likely will not get that sort of gaming expertise from Nintendo any time quickly, one other firm is protecting that dream alive.

That is the place Asus’ undeniably value $2,500 USD ($3,500 CAD) ROG XG Cell (2025) eGPU and the spectacular, however flawed ROG Xbox Ally X are available in.

The ROG XG Cell is not excellent, however it looks like the way forward for gaming

Be ready to pay an costly value, although

The ROG Xbox Ally X already options the fashionable, highly effective AMD Z2 Excessive chip, coupled with a 24GBLPDDR5X. It isn’t a desktop or gaming laptop-level graphics card, however so far as handhelds go, it is probably the most highly effective at the moment accessible and lets you play trendy titles like Battlefield 6, the Outerworlds 2, Avowed,Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, and extra, at diverse graphics settings and resolutions — normally with the assistance of AMD’s AI upscaling function, FSR Tremendous Decision.

Some video games run higher than others and the Xbox Full Display expertise is a glitch-filled mess, however typically, when you put the work in to tweak the settings, the ROG Xbox Ally X is able to enjoying most trendy video games in handheld mode. If you plug the hand-held right into a TV for a docked expertise, although, issues begin to collapse. Graphics settings that ran easily on the hand-held’s 7-inch 1080p display, simply do not work on larger shows (like my 65-inch 4K TV, for instance), and the body price slows significantly, forcing me to drop the visible settings to potato ranges to be able to get some video games to play in any respect.

That is the place the XG Cell (2025) turns into helpful. The model of the exterior graphics card I am testing options Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 laptop computer GPU, alongside 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM, making it a really highly effective piece of {hardware} and arguably the top-tier laptop computer graphics card that is accessible proper now. It connects to the ROG Xbox Ally X by way of the hand-held’s Thunderbolt 4 port. Whereas the XG Cell (2025) helps Thunderbolt 5, the ROG Xbox Ally X does not, so that you’re caught utilizing the last-gen port’s velocity.

The XG Cell (2025) additionally works as a dock and options all kinds of extra ports, together with a Thunderbolt 5 port, a USB-C energy port with energy supply as much as 140W, a 1Gb/s LAN port, a microSD card reader (UHS-11), an HDMI 2.1 port, and a Show Port 2.1 plug. Since I am utilizing the XG Cell in my workplace, I do not actually need to benefit from its docking capabilities.

As a substitute, I take advantage of the colorful (and somewhat shady) third-party Switch 2 dock I picked up just a few months in the past to attach the ROG Xbox Ally X to my 4K Ultragear 27GP950-B monitor (it is simply simpler since I have already got that wire accessible, and I needn’t transfer something round). I then use the included Thunderbolt 5 cable to plug the XG Cell (2025) into the Xbox Ally X’s Thunderbolt 4 slot, and plug the Swap dock into its USB 3.2 Gen 2 energy supply slot. I additionally prop up the XG Cell (2025) with its Swap 2-like Kickstand since this helps save house on my crowded desk.

Setup is usually quite simple and requires you to obtain just a few updates from the Armoury Crate app. You may additionally want to put in Nvidia’s driver replace app, too. After that, the XG Cell (2025) is plug and play, and the eGPU is immediately acknowledged so long as it is hooked up to the Xbox Ally X.

Does the XG Cell (2025) actually flip the ROG Xbox Ally right into a console?

So long as you are prepared to place the work in, it principally does

Whilst you can, in fact, use the XG Cell eGPU with the Xbox Ally X in handheld mode, this does not actually make quite a lot of sense. Regardless of its “cell” identify, the eGPU is a cumbersome factor to hold round in all places, even in your individual house, and also you clearly additionally must plug it in. As a substitute, I have been primarily utilizing the XG Cell (2025) with the Xbox Ally X at my desk, permitting me to show up the graphics and body price when enjoying video games on my monitor with a gamepad.

Here is how the XG Cell matches into my life and the problems I’ve encountered with this setup up to now. The primary two video games I am enjoying proper now are Battlefield 6 and The Outer Worlds 2, so these are the titles I’ve primarily examined the eGPU with, although I’ve performed Indiana Jones and The Nice Circle, Avowed, and some different titles. The Outer Worlds 2, on the Xbox Ally X by itself, I will get between 40-60 fps out of the sport with a mixture of high and low graphics settings and FSR Tremendous Decision set to efficiency.

I’ve a four-month-old son, so my gaming is completed in sporadic bursts these days, together with typically a fast session within the morning whereas he is napping. Later within the day and typically within the night (primarily on the weekend), I am going to typically have a bit extra time on my fingers and need to recreation in my workplace, so I head downstairs and plug the Xbox Ally X into the XG Cell (2025). That is the place I spotted that I might want to alter the graphics settings/decision and restart the sport each time I need to use the eGPU, which is usually a finicky course of, particularly since dialing in particular settings is integral for some newer, extra resource-intensive video games to run on the ROG Xbox Ally X. Utilizing an eGPU with the hand-held sadly is not as seamless as dropping the Swap 2 on its dock.

With the XG Cell (2025) linked, I will crank all of the graphics settings to excessive at 1080p and nonetheless handle to hit a stable 60fps (or typically above). Turning the decision as much as 4K leads to a decrease, much less secure body price, so I turned on Nvidia’s DLSS and set it to efficiency, permitting me to take care of a fairly regular body price at the next decision.

My expertise with Battlefield 6 has been comparable. By itself, the ROG Xbox Ally X will get between 40-60 fps with graphics set to medium/excessive and FSR Tremendous Decision on efficiency. With the assistance of Nvidia’s RTX 5090, I can flip all of the visible settings as much as excessive alongside rising the decision to 4K, all whereas sustaining a 50-60fps. It isn’t the identical as enjoying Battlefield 6 on my very highly effective RTX 5090-powered gaming PC, however the expertise is surprisingly comparable.

General, my largest problem is needing to alter the graphics settings, and in some circumstances, generate shaders another time, each time I take advantage of the eGPU. This doubtless will not be the state of affairs with each recreation, however no less than up to now, I have never discovered any title that flips between settings associated to each chips (there are third-party options to this problem, however I haven’t tried them yet). It is also value noting that the XG Cell (2025) is admittedly loud when below a heavy load, so you will doubtless need to use headphones whereas enjoying and place it no less than just a few ft away from you.

Who’s the XG Cell (2025) for?

eGPUs are undeniably cool, however have a restricted viewers

Whereas I’ve actually loved my time with the RX Cell (2025), this setup will not be for everybody. First off, it prices an undeniably costly $2,500 USD ($3,500 CAD) for the RTX 5090 model of eGPU after which $1,000 USD ($1,300 CAD) for the ROG Xbox Ally X, bringing the entire to $3,500 USD ($4,800 CAD).

For that value, you would get a completely top-tier PC gaming setup and both the ROG Xbox Ally X or one other PC-like handheld, providing you with the same setup that lets you play wherever, however nonetheless recreation at a desk on a monitor or TV, too.

So the place does that depart the XG Cell (2025)? In case you’re prepared to pay the hefty value and simply need one glossy machine that’s able to doing all the pieces, I can see the XG Cell (2025) and ROG Xbox Ally X combo working fairly nicely for some individuals. Including to this, given the XG Cell (2025) options Thunderbolt 5, you should use it with extra than simply Asus’ handheld, which could assist justify its price.

Nonetheless, it is undeniably forward-thinking and funky to undertake a one-device-to-rule-them-all method, however for this Swap 2 Professional-like setup to enchantment to extra individuals, the worth tag undoubtedly wants to come back down, and I do not see that occuring any time quickly.