The recently announced Rog Xbox Ally, a handheld console developed by Microsoft and ASUS, has drawn criticism for its use of an LCD screen instead of the expected OLED display. This choice highlights a deliberate focus on technical features rather than display quality.
Despite expectations for an OLED screen, both companies opted for a 7-inch, 1080p LCD panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate to support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology. VRR improves gaming smoothness by reducing screen tearing and enhancing fluidity, which the developers prioritized over the superior color and contrast offered by OLED.
ASUS Senior Marketing Director Whitson Gordon explained that while OLED is preferred, delivering VRR on OLED proved inefficient, draining the battery quickly and increasing costs. Consequently, the LCD option was chosen to maintain performance and battery life balance.
The Rog Xbox Ally is positioned as a secondary device to complement existing gaming PCs or Xbox consoles, rather than replace them. Market analysis indicates gamers are unwilling to pay a premium for a portable device that supersedes their main setup. This influenced the decision to balance practicality, cost, and features.
This approach aligns with trends seen in other portable consoles, such as Nintendo’s Switch 2, which also uses an LCD instead of OLED despite the prior success of the Switch OLED model.
The choice reflects broader market considerations where battery life, affordability, and gameplay fluidity take precedence over having the most advanced display technology. The Rog Xbox Ally aims to deliver a smooth gaming experience within these constraints.
As portable gaming evolves, these hardware decisions reveal the challenges manufacturers face in balancing cutting-edge technology with consumer expectations and price sensitivity. The industry’s direction may increasingly favor functional performance improvements like VRR over display enhancements like OLED.
The Rog Xbox Ally’s release has sparked debate over whether gamers prefer the practical benefits of VRR or the visual advantages of OLED. This discussion is likely to influence future portable console designs as companies seek to meet diverse gaming needs.