The landscape of handheld gaming PCs has undergone significant changes since the initial launch of the Steam Deck. With the exception of hardware-related issues and technical specifications, your choices are largely driven by one of two fundamental factors.
While your system excels in terms of power efficiency and performance, allowing for several hours of uninterrupted gaming on-the-go, its reliance on SteamOS or a Linux variant severely limits its compatibility to only a select subset of video games, thereby precluding access to many popular titles. Alternatively, you’re presented with a compact Windows-based laptop masquerading as a gaming device, but forfeiting the groundbreaking advantages of SteamOS and Linux, along with their power-saving capabilities?
At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, a significant convergence of technology is unfolding, with Microsoft poised to capitalize on this momentum by exploring the next logical step in the fusion of these two domains.
Microsoft has publicly expressed its intention to develop a portable gaming console. Will Microsoft’s next move in gaming be a compact Xbox, a portable Windows device, or something entirely new? In order to provide a more definitive response, could you please clarify what specifically is unclear?
Following an AMD and Lenovo event at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft’s Vice President of the Next Generation, Jason Ronald, spoke with The Verge. Microsoft’s intentions to merge Xbox’s seamless console experience with Windows, rather than polluting it with desktop software and office programs, have long been suspected by many following the handheld area’s developments – a revelation confirmed by Ronald.
“We’ve been innovating in the console space for a considerable period, and as we expand our reach across the business, it’s about how we can effectively translate these advancements into meaningful offerings for both PC and handheld gaming platforms,” said Ronald.
While the exact details remain unclear, a pressing question remains: how will this development unfold? Ron’s reluctance to disclose specifics can be understood in light of the complex timeline surrounding the enigmatic Xbox handheld.
“We’ve spent two decades refining our Windows operating system, so it’s only natural that we’re bringing its perfection together with Xbox, unlocking its full potential on the console.”
There’s a unique significance to this particular occasion, worth retaining in one’s thoughts. The Lenovo Legion Go S premiered at this event, representing the company’s second-generation handheld running SteamOS, poised directly against the Steam Deck, and becoming the first non-Valve device to harness Valve’s customized Linux operating system.
The Xbox handheld is unlikely to support SteamOS, nor is it expected to dual-boot with Windows and Linux. What’s more plausible is that Microsoft has finely tuned Windows to make it functional and coherent on a handheld device. That’s actually what Ronald advised.
“We’re focused on streamlining this experience and making it more akin to a console-grade offering,” Ronald said of Windows’ capabilities on handheld devices. “Our goal is to position participants and their libraries at the forefront of our expertise, ensuring seamless integration with minimal effort required in the present moment.”
While Ronald aptly recognized that the Xbox OS is essentially a Windows variant, the notion of developing console-like experiences on an alternate platform doesn’t seem far-fetched or implausible, considering its derivative nature.
We’re excited to announce that several initiatives will be coming to fruition later this year, potentially even before we get our first glimpse of Xbox’s highly anticipated handheld console.
