I’m completely impressed by this homemade Xbox gaming handheld — But it makes me long for an official Xbox handheld
Redherring32 learned how to trim an Xbox motherboard in order to create this homemade Xbox gaming handheld.
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What you need to know
Handheld gaming has long been a popular method for enjoying video games, but it was only with the release of theNintendo Switchand shortly thereafter with theSteam Deckthat we really started to see a significant shift of AAA titles on these portable devices. Since then, we’ve seen additional PC gaming handhelds like theASUS ROG AllyandLenovo Legion Goalso enter the market to varying degrees of success. With this new focus on the on-the-go experience, many people have wondered ifXboxwill create its own Xbox handheld sometime soon. Our own Jez Corden even wrote about howAn ‘Xbox handheld’ isn’t just likely. For Microsoft, it’s absolutely necessary.
Ahead of any actual gaming handhelds revealed by Xbox orMicrosoft, X user (formerly Twitter),@Redherring32tweeted a post showing off an Xbox gaming handheld they had built, and I’m very impressed by it.
I built a portable Xbox.This isn’t a PC handheld, it isn’t emulation, this is a real motherboard from a real Xbox. It has a 9” 480p display, pure digital video/audio, 100W USB C charge and play, and I’m currently adding WiFi 6 for wireless Xbox Live functionality.Yes, really. pic.twitter.com/yK7p0vPqUnOctober 18, 2024
According to @Redherring32, this portable Xbox device features a 9-inch 480p display with pure digital video/audio, and 100W USB C charging. They also have plans to add WiFi 6 in order to makeXbox Livepossible. To create this Xbox dream device, Redherring “trimmed [an] original Xbox motherboard,” making it so the device can play all games within the Xbox library. Apparently, this process took over four months since “nobody had ever tried it before,” and it required “reverse engineering nearly the entire board” while using “12! (sic) different fully custom PCBs.” That’s really quite an impressive feat and something that would have taken a lot of time and effort.
As part of their post, Redherring32 also provided links to thePCBs on Github, as well as theXbox trimming guidefor anyone interested in checking those out.
An official Xbox gaming handheld seems very likely
It’s pretty clear that many people are interested in getting a portable Xbox gaming device, but is an official Xbox handheld in the cards?
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While consoles and traditional PCs continue to be popular, it seems likely that our shift toward handheld gaming will only grow as time goes on. Nintendo opened up the industry’s eyes when it released the hybrid Switch, which can not only play the company’s AAA games while docked to a TV in the standard way but can also be taken on the go and played anywhere. That convenience is something we’re likely going to continue to see as Xbox and PlayStation continue to release hardware.
And honestly, I’ll be very surprised if Xbox isn’t already deep into planning some kind of Xbox gaming handheld. After all, last year in anexclusive interview with our own Jez Corden, Xbox CEO Phil Spencerpreviously said, “I think about those handheld PCs, almost extensions of my Xbox console.” I myself have an ROG Ally and a Legion Go, which I frequently use to access the Xbox app and play myXbox Game Pass games. So, in that way, it really does feel like I’m playing an Xbox console on the go at times.
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Of course, during that same interview, Spencer also explained that he was traveling with his Legion Go, and that in and of itself tells me that he already keeping handhelds in mind and planning for what Xbox might do within that arena in the future.
I won’t be at all surprised if one of the next devices announced by Microsoft/Xbox is a gaming handheld. For all our sakes, I hope it’s one that incorporates a handheld-tailored OS similar to Steam Deck’s SteamOS, which is currently far easier to navigate thanWindows 11on handhelds. Depending on how the company goes about it, Microsoft could even make it so thatWindows 11 is easier to navigate on handhelds with a Windows 8-style tile design. We’ll have to wait and see.
Self-professed gaming geek, Rebecca Spear, is one of Windows Central’s editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn’t checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She’s written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her@rrspearon X (formerly Twitter).
