Just like many other portable fans, the idea of an Xbox handheld is apparently living in Phil Spencer’s head rent free. The fact that Microsoft’s gaming head honcho is as enthusiastic about making a Steam Deck rival as the company’s faithful followers is ultimately a good thing, but I can’t help but feel like there’s a solution in the palms of many players already.
Microsoft might have never got around to making a fully fledged Xbox portable throughout its history, but many of the best gaming handhelds today use Windows 11. In a way, using the OS unites devices like the Asus ROG Ally, Ayaneo 2S, and MSI Claw against dominant forces like the Steam Deck OLED, as any improvements made in terms of optimization benefits all parties. Sadly, we’ve yet to see any such refinements to Windows emerge as of yet, and I’m not convinced Phil Spencer wants to go down that route.
