Oh, goodie, the ROG Xbox Ally X just gained a new Game Bar widget that lets you adjust display and future Auto Super Resolution settings on the fly. Hold up, I forgot that Windows 11 likes to troll me any time a new update drops, and rather than letting me check out what should have been an easy-to-access feature in peace, it decided to once again remind me why I try to avoid using the operating system.
Upon catching reports by ROG Ally Life that an Xbox Ally Game Bar update that will include Auto SR options has landed, I knew I'd have to try it out. While the AI upscaling feature for DirectX games is supposed to be a big reason to pick up the best gaming handheld contender, I feel like the feature lurks in the shadows a bit. However, upon ensuring the portable was up-to-date, the new widget was nowhere to be found, kickstarting what would become a painful troubleshooting process.
The issue was that, despite being enrolled in all the right Windows Insider branches for the early Xbox app and updating Windows 11, there was no sign of Game Bar version 7.326.326.0. The solution? Apparently, it was expecting me to uninstall everything Xbox App-related and reinstall the latest OS version before finally getting the widget patch to kick in.
I'd love to say this was a one-off, but I often dance this dance with both the ROG Xbox Ally X and my main gaming PC. All it takes is for something nonsensical to happen it the background to seemingly throw the whole update process off, and the fact you have to jump between the Microsoft Store, Xbox App, and ROG Armoury Crate for installations really doesn't help.
ROG Xbox Ally | $499.99 at Amazon
Xbox Ally X | $999.99 at Best Buy
Simply put, while the new Xbox Full Screen Experience helps Windows 11 handhelds feel a bit more console-friendly, the illusion is shattered when it comes to updates. Yes, I know the latest Xbox App patch is for Windows Insiders and comes with beta caveats, but that doesn't excuse the temperamental nature of the OS that will frequently force you to use desktop mode and stare at settings pages, wondering what went wrong.
FYI, I eventually managed to get the Display widget to appear in the Xbox Game Bar. It's not what I'd describe as an exciting update, but being able to tweak multi-screen options without going into desktop mode is nice. There are dropdowns for resolution and refresh rate too, but those toggles are already available in the Game Bar thanks to Asus Armoury Crate.
If you want to try the new Xbox Ally Game Bar display widget for yourself, you'll need to sign up to be a Windows Insider and fetch the app from the Microsoft Store. While there's no guarantee the updates will automatically kick in even with all the right options enabled, you'll need to opt into the "PC gaming" and "Game Bar - SDK Development" previews. This will ensure you'll get new features before they enter the public stable branch if that's your jam, but everyone should end up with the perks eventually.
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