HANDHELD NEWS – We were surprised by the results when we compared Nintendo’s latest handheld with Asus’s Microsoft-backed portable PC.

The Nintendo Switch 2 holds its own remarkably well against the ROG Xbox Ally X, delivering generally better image quality thanks to Nvidia DLSS. In his latest comparison video, ElAnalistaDeBits evaluates nearly every aspect of both systems, starting with overall system performance before diving deeper into demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Hitman: World of Assassination, and Star Wars Outlaws, as well as the lighter Hollow Knight: Silksong.

The Nintendo Switch 2 powered up in 13.13 seconds, with the ROG Xbox Ally X close behind at 14 seconds. It also rebooted faster (18 seconds versus 30.93 seconds). The Switch 2’s battery lasted 127 minutes while running Cyberpunk 2077 and 210 minutes and 20 seconds during Hollow Knight: Silksong. The Asus device lasted 119 minutes in Turbo Mode (25W) when running the CDPR title and 278 minutes and 46 seconds with the Team Cherry game. In Performance Mode (17W), it lasted 183 minutes and 5 seconds with Cyberpunk 2077 and 278 minutes and 48 seconds with Hollow Knight: Silksong. Load times were also significantly shorter on the ROG Xbox Ally X in Hogwarts Legacy, Cyberpunk 2077, and Star Wars Outlaws (10, 10, and 13 seconds compared to the Switch 2’s 15, 27, and 17 seconds, respectively).

When it comes to resolution, the Nintendo Switch 2 makes excellent use of Nvidia DLSS to deliver sharper visuals that the ROG Xbox Ally X’s AMD FSR can’t quite match in titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy. In Star Wars Outlaws, the Switch 2’s dynamic 635p resolution produces noticeably cleaner images than the Ally X’s static 635p output, especially for distant details that Nvidia’s upscaler handles more effectively. In terms of graphics settings, the Switch 2 delivers results roughly equivalent to medium PC settings—impressive considering the hardware gap between the two systems.

The ROG Xbox Ally X does enjoy a performance edge, though not as wide as expected. In Hogwarts Legacy, for example, the performance difference is marginal, particularly in open-world environments where the Switch 2 maintains a steady 30 FPS cap. The Ally X can surpass 40 FPS in Turbo Mode but barely stays above 30 FPS in Performance Mode. The comparison becomes even more intriguing in Star Wars Outlaws, where the Ally X requires Performance Mode and frame generation just to achieve around 30 FPS on low settings—underscoring how well-optimized the Switch 2 port really is.

Despite a few differences, both the Nintendo Switch 2 and the ROG Xbox Ally are exceptional handheld gaming systems that deliver modern experiences on the go.

Source: WCCFTech