ASUS ships the ROG Xbox Ally X20 on 15 October 2026, and it is the first Windows handheld that boots into an Xbox shell instead of the desktop. Microsoft built a Full Screen Experience on top of the Xbox app that borrows a lot from SteamOS: a controller-first launcher, quick settings for TDP and refresh rate, and one library view that pulls Game Pass, Steam, and third-party stores into the same grid. The hardware is faster than the first Ally, but the software is what changed. This guide covers the best apps for the ROG Xbox Ally X20, the ones worth installing the first hour you unbox it. Eight picks, tested against the Xbox shell and Big Picture side by side.
What to look for
- Works cleanly inside the Xbox Full Screen Experience, not just on the desktop.
- Exposes TDP, GPU clock, and fan curves without you dropping to a command line.
- Handles controller mapping across launchers, not just the one it came from.
- Aggregates launchers into a single library so you stop bouncing between Steam, Epic, and Xbox.
- Falls back to cloud streaming when a game is too heavy for the APU or when battery is thin.
- Updates itself without pulling in the wider ASUS bloatware stack (RGB apps, driver managers you did not ask for).
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | Library and Big Picture mode | Yes | Free | Handheld UI polished across years of Deck feedback |
| Playnite | One library across every launcher | Yes | Free (open source) | Big Picture-friendly grid for GOG, Epic, EA, Ubisoft |
| Xbox app | Game Pass and cloud streaming | Included with Windows | Game Pass from a modest monthly fee | Powers the Ally X20 Full Screen Experience |
| Handheld Companion | TDP tuning and controller emulation | Yes | Free (open source) | Per-game profiles for wattage and stick response |
| Heroic Games Launcher | Native Epic and GOG on a handheld | Yes | Free (open source) | Controller UI Epic never bothered to build |
| GlosSI | Steam Input in non-Steam launchers | Yes | Free (open source) | Injects the Steam overlay into anything |
| Armoury Crate SE | Fans, firmware, hardware profiles | Preinstalled | Free with the device | Ships with the streamlined handheld build |
| Battle.net | Diablo, Overwatch, WoW installs | Yes | Free client | The only supported path into Blizzard titles |
The apps
1. Steam, best for library and Big Picture handheld mode
Steam is the default target for most PC libraries, and its Big Picture mode has spent the Steam Deck years turning into a genuine handheld shell. Text is legible at arm’s length, the on-screen keyboard is fast, and downloads pause without dumping you back to desktop. On the Ally X20 the Xbox Full Screen Experience now competes with Big Picture for the “main shell” job, so you get to pick which one boots by default and which one you launch on demand.
Where it falls short: Big Picture and the Xbox shell fight over focus, and switching between them still occasionally lands you on the Windows desktop for a split second.
Pricing: Free client, per-game purchases.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Install first, always. Even if you make the Xbox shell your home screen, Steam is where most of your library will actually run.
2. Playnite, best for one library across every launcher
Playnite is a free open-source launcher that pulls Steam, GOG, Epic, EA, Ubisoft Connect, Battle.net, Xbox, and a few dozen more into a single grid. The Fullscreen mode is built for controllers and reads like a console dashboard, which suits the Ally X20’s form factor much better than tabbing between four store apps. Source on GitHub at JosefNemec/Playnite if you want to audit or contribute.
Where it falls short: Extensions do a lot of the heavy lifting, so the first-run setup takes an evening. Not every launcher’s cloud saves surface through Playnite.
Pricing: Free, open source.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Playnite
Bottom line: The right pick if your library is spread across four stores and you are tired of remembering which one owns which game.
3. Xbox app (Full Screen Experience), best for Game Pass and the shell itself
The Xbox app ships with Windows, but on the Ally X20 it doubles as the handheld shell. The Full Screen Experience is Microsoft’s answer to SteamOS: a controller-driven launcher that surfaces Game Pass installs, cloud streaming, and your combined library from Steam, Battle.net, and Epic. Cloud play through Xbox Cloud Gaming is the fallback when a title is too heavy for the APU or when the battery is thin.
Where it falls short: The library aggregation is newer than Steam’s and still misses some titles. Cloud streaming needs a strong connection to stay above 720p60.
Pricing: Included with Windows. Game Pass Ultimate carries a monthly subscription fee and covers cloud streaming.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Xbox app
Bottom line: You do not really install this so much as accept it. The Full Screen Experience is the reason the Ally X20 feels different from a first-gen Ally.
4. Handheld Companion, best for TDP tuning and controller emulation
Handheld Companion is a free open-source utility from Valkirie that gives you what ASUS’s own software mostly hides: sliders for TDP, GPU clock, and fan curves, plus a per-game profile system so the wattage drops on 2D indies and climbs on Cyberpunk. It also converts the Ally’s controls into an Xbox 360 pad, which fixes older games and emulators that refuse to see the native controller.
Where it falls short: The controller emulation layer occasionally conflicts with Armoury Crate’s own mapping and needs a reboot to sort out. First-time tuning is not point-and-click, you need to read the wiki.
Pricing: Free, open source.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: Handheld Companion
Bottom line: The one utility that turns “sixty minutes of battery” into “three hours” once you set per-game TDP profiles.
5. Heroic Games Launcher, best for native Epic and GOG on a handheld
Heroic Games Launcher is a free open-source client for the Epic Games Store and GOG on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It ships with a Fullscreen mode that reads like a console UI, which the official Epic launcher still does not. Cloud saves, DLC installs, and free weekly claims all work without opening Epic’s own client, and GOG’s DRM-free installers integrate the same way.
Where it falls short: Not every Epic anti-cheat title launches through Heroic without a workaround. The Ubisoft integration is thinner than the Epic and GOG ones.
Pricing: Free, open source.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux.
Download: Heroic Games Launcher
Bottom line: Install if you have a serious Epic or GOG library. The controller UI alone makes it worth the swap.
6. GlosSI, best for Steam Input everywhere
GlosSI is a free open-source shim (source on GitHub at Alia5/GlosSI) that injects Steam Input and the Steam overlay into non-Steam launchers. That means the controller profiles you already built for Steam games extend to Battle.net titles, Xbox app installs, and standalone emulators, which is the difference between the Ally X20 feeling coherent and feeling like eight apps stapled together.
Where it falls short: The setup involves creating shortcut targets for each non-Steam game, and some launchers with their own overlay (Battle.net, EA) can double-draw the Steam overlay on top.
Pricing: Free, open source.
Platforms: Windows.
Download: GlosSI
Bottom line: The glue app. Skip if you only play Steam games, install if half your library is elsewhere.
7. Armoury Crate SE, best for fans, firmware, and hardware profiles
Armoury Crate SE is the streamlined handheld build of ASUS’s control panel and ships preinstalled on the Ally X20. The SE version drops most of the desktop-oriented panels and keeps what matters on a handheld: fan curves, RGB, firmware updates, and hardware-level performance modes that survive across reboots. Do not uninstall it, other tuning apps sit on top of the layer it manages.
Where it falls short: The UI still feels like a settings menu bolted onto a game launcher, and firmware update notifications occasionally interrupt gameplay.
Pricing: Free, preinstalled with the device.
Platforms: Windows (Ally hardware only).
Download: Preinstalled from ASUS.
Bottom line: Keep it. Handheld Companion sits on top for game-level tuning, but Armoury Crate SE owns the hardware layer.
8. Battle.net, best for Blizzard titles on the go
Battle.net is the only supported install path for Diablo IV, Overwatch 2, and World of Warcraft, and the desktop client runs fine on the Ally X20 with a controller once you pair it with GlosSI or Handheld Companion. The installer bundles cleanly with Handheld Companion’s default profile, so you can drop a per-game TDP the first time you launch Diablo instead of watching the battery melt.
Where it falls short: No native controller UI. Menu navigation before the game itself starts is still mouse-oriented, which is why the GlosSI pairing matters.
Pricing: Free client, per-game and subscription pricing.
Platforms: Windows, Mac.
Download: Battle.net
Bottom line: Install only if you play Blizzard games. If you do, the Handheld Companion profile is a night-and-day improvement.
How to pick the right combo
- If you mostly play Steam and want it to feel like a Deck: Steam plus Handheld Companion plus Armoury Crate SE. Three apps, done.
- If your library is scattered across every store: Playnite as the front end, Steam and Heroic underneath, GlosSI to unify the controller experience.
- If Game Pass is your main library: Lean on the Xbox Full Screen Experience, keep Steam installed for the games Game Pass does not have, and add Handheld Companion for battery tuning.
- If you want the longest battery life: Handheld Companion is not optional. Per-game TDP profiles are the single biggest change you can make.
- If you play Blizzard titles: Battle.net plus GlosSI plus Handheld Companion. Otherwise skip Battle.net entirely.
- If you want cloud gaming as a fallback: Xbox app with Game Pass Ultimate covers Xbox Cloud Gaming, and it lives right inside the Full Screen Experience so nothing extra to install.
FAQ
Do I need Steam if the Xbox shell already aggregates my library?
Yes. The Xbox Full Screen Experience surfaces Steam games in its combined library, but they still install and run through the Steam client underneath. Uninstalling Steam breaks those entries.
Can I replace the Xbox shell with SteamOS on the Ally X20?
Not officially. The Ally X20 ships with Windows and the Full Screen Experience is the intended handheld shell. Community projects to install SteamOS on Ally hardware exist, but they void the ASUS warranty and lose the Xbox integration that is the point of the device.
What is the best free launcher for a Windows handheld?
Playnite. It is open source, controller-friendly, and pulls every major PC store into one grid. The setup takes an evening but pays off every session after that.
Do I still need Armoury Crate if I install Handheld Companion?
Yes. Armoury Crate SE owns firmware, RGB, and the base hardware profiles that survive reboots. Handheld Companion sits on top for per-game TDP and controller tuning. They are complementary, not alternatives.
Can I stream Xbox games without installing them?
Yes, through Xbox Cloud Gaming inside the Xbox app. Game Pass Ultimate covers the streaming tier, which is the way to play heavier titles when the APU is throttled or the battery is low.
