Xbox's handheld has been rumored since early 2024, and it's practically all but confirmed at this point, with Head of Xbox Phil Spencer hinting at its existence more than once.
This includes an interview with IGN where Spencer says that Xbox "should have a handheld too" and claims the company's future in hardware is "pretty awesome." The team works around "different form factors and different ways to play." This could mean something else, but these statements suggest he means an Xbox handheld is coming.
However, more recent rumors suggest that Xbox could be developing more than one handheld. While a dedicated handheld console still seems to be in the works, there's also a handheld gaming PC that's potentially in development with Asus and might even be a redesigned ROG Ally. That sounds like a solid challenger for our best handheld gaming PCs.
But what do we actually know about these Xbox handhelds so far? Considering they're not officially announced, and we don't know about their hardware, there's not much to go on. But based on rumors, leaks, and interviews, we can make some educated projections.
Without further ado, here's everything we know about the Xbox handheld consoles, including their possible release dates, prices, and features.
Xbox handheld consoles: Release date
One of the earliest rumors about the dedicated Xbox handheld provided a leaked launch date.
In a February episode of the Xbox News Cast Podcast, co-host Middleagegameguy claimed that the next Microsoft console will launch in 2026. However, he suggested it will be available in two different versions, one of which is a "dockable handheld" similar to the Nintendo Switch. The more expensive model will carry on the traditional console trajectory.
It's hard to say if there's much validity behind this alleged leak, but it would make sense for the company to launch its handheld console alongside the next generation's hardware.
As for Xbox's handheld gaming PC, 2025 seems likely. During an iJustine interview with Phil Spencer recorded as part of Microsoft's 50th anniversary on April 4, 2025, Spencer was asked what we could "expect from Xbox this year." Spencer immediately mentioned handhelds, claiming, "We've teased and talked about handhelds, and I'm very excited." While not direct confirmation, we'll be seeing it in 2025; it's certainly implied.
Xbox handheld console: Price
We don't have a lick of information regarding the price of the Xbox handheld, so we can only speculate. However, there's one thing we can confidently say: It should not exceed a $500 threshold for the actual dedicated Xbox handheld.
As for the handheld gaming PC itself, that's a different story. The Asus ROG Ally X launched at $799, and we'd expect a price point close to that, considering it's rumored that the Xbox handheld gaming PC is a collaboration between Asus and Xbox.
Devices like MSI Claw, Lenovo Legion Go, and Asus ROG Ally launched anywhere from $599 to $799. After all, these are practically gaming PCs in your hand, and striking that balance between portability and power doesn't come cheap.
Consoles are a whole different story. The PS5 and Xbox Series X launched at $499, and they're dedicated boxes with tons of power stuffed into them. The dedicated Xbox handheld could not get away with being more expensive than its mainline console.
And if we follow the Xbox News Cast Podcast rumor, the Xbox handheld will launch alongside a more expensive console similar to the Xbox Series X.
Does this remind you of anything? Xbox's current generation began with the launch of the Xbox Series X for $499 and the Xbox Series S for $299. If Microsoft follows this pattern again, the Xbox Series S will be replaced by an Xbox handheld for the next generation.
Therefore, the next-generation Xbox console could cost $499 or $599, and the Xbox handheld might cost $399 or $499. Considering the Switch 2 is launching at $449, it may be in a similar range.
Long story short, we predict the dedicated Xbox handheld could cost anywhere from $399 to $499, while the Xbox-branded handheld gaming PC could be anywhere from $599 to $899.
Xbox handheld console: Features
Rumors for the dedicated Xbox handheld mostly come from Xbox Head Phil Spencer, who cannot stop talking about it.
In an interview with IGN, Spencer was asked "hypothetically" if a Microsoft handheld gaming console would have dedicated hardware akin to the Steam Deck or require a wifi connection. Spencer then mentioned how much he likes the Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and Steam Deck. All of these have one thing in common: They play games locally.
To fuel the fire, he said, "I think being able to play games locally is important." After such an interview, it'd be shocking if the Xbox handheld were exclusively a cloud gaming device.
Fans are worried for good reason, as Sony's latest handheld device, the PlayStation Portal, is a $199 machine exclusively used for Remote Play. In other words, it allows you to stream games from your PS5 console to the device.
Most prefer when a handheld console has its dedicated hardware, as the PlayStation Portal relies on already having the $499 PS5 and a perfect internet connection to maintain a quality stream. Not everyone has that, and it dramatically reduces the potential consumer base.
In an interview with Polygon at the Game Developers Conference, Spencer shared his thoughts on his impressions of the Lenovo Legion Go. While this may not seem relevant to a future Xbox handheld, all of his complaints tie directly to potential features that could come to the hardware.
He says, "I want my Lenovo Legion Go to feel like an Xbox." In particular, he wants all of his games to be in one place and wants to "boot into the Xbox app in a full screen, but in a compact mode." I completely agree with this criticism, as the Xbox app on Windows gaming handhelds is a nightmare.
He says he does not want people to feel "lesser" if they're playing somewhere else, and he says he has a "list of things we should go do."
Another rumor, the Xbox News Cast Podcast, suggests that the Xbox handheld could be dockable like the Switch. This could be huge, as it would allow the console to fulfill the space that the Xbox Series S does while breathing new life into its usability with a portable handheld mode.
As for the Xbox handheld gaming PC, we don't expect it will look much different than the Asus ROG Ally. But we do know that Microsoft has been pushing Windows 11 updates to improve functionality for operating system on gamepads. For example, the digital keyboard can now be used through gamepad after an update in March.
We anticipated more Windows 11 updates will come and make it easier for gamepad users. There are even rumors of a dedicated Xbox interface for Windows 11, discovered by Xenopanther on BlueSky, who found reference to a "full screen experience" in a recent Windows 11 update.
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