Topic: Could a Qualcomm Snapdragon X handheld be revealed?

Microsoft are heavily involved with Qualcomm, developing Windows ARM support and using the Snapdragon X as the first chipset to support their AI upscaling graphics technology.

Could the new Xbox handheld be a Windows based ARM device using the Snapdragon X Elite?
The latest Microsoft Surface Pro laptops are already using it.

When you look at the things MS has been saying as well as the way Hardware is evolving, I would think that is a distinct possibility. MS isn't really a 'Hardware' Company but do have their 'Xbox' and their 'Surface' Laptop/Tablets. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to 'merge' their Hardware division to create a Surface 'Xbox' Handheld PC to compete with RoG Ally, Lenovo Go, MSI Claw etc.

For around £500-ish - you can get a RoG Ally that will play EVERY Xbox game as they all release on PC as well as Stream via Game Pass and/or have Game Pass for PC. It even comes with 3months of Game Pass. Not only that, it has Steam, Epic etc as well as Emulation so can play Playstation and Nintendo games as well.

That could make a Handheld Xbox, locked only to Xbox games and requiring a 'Subscription' for Online (like Series S/X) seem like a worse deal - much smaller Library of games. The advantage though is that it could work with your 'Console' Library as many Publishers don't support Play Anywhere. As a 'console', it may play 'Console' games not the 'PC' version. If your Xbox 'Digital' library transfers to the handheld, it has an Advantage over 'PC' handhelds that require you to buy PC versions of the Games you have (not Play Anywhere titles).

MS had mentioned about bringing other 'retailers' like Steam/Epic to Xbox but if they make a Handheld Surface Gaming 'PC', those would be available as well as have Game Pass/Cloud and 'Xbox' on it.

I think it makes more sense to 'merge' their Hardware than keep their 'Console' (inc Handhelds) separate from their Surface but I guess we will find out soon. I don't know whether a 'console' would compete with all the Handheld PC's offering much greater Library of games inc all the Xbox/Game Pass games too. I'd rather have a RoG Ally than a Xbox Handheld - both can play Black Ops 6, Starfield, Fable etc, but only 1 will also play Spider-Man, God of War, Horizon etc too

@BAMozzy Great points!

Also - if its 'console' locked, you probably can't plug external GPU's into it for example and get DLSS, probably can't unlock frame rates or 'choose' to play above 30fps if games are 'locked' to console settings, but it's Plug and Play and Familiar to Xbox/Console gamers - PC's can seem intimidating - especially if something goes wrong, slows up or does some other unexpected issues....

I guess they could do 'both'. If they can make a 'Series S' in a Hand-held with a '720p' screen (so don't need the same 'power' budget to reach 1080p+ and keep costs down) that is a 'locked' Console and requiring at least Game Pass Core for 'online' access and Game Pass Ultimate for streaming, locked to MS store too - and sell for £300 ish to rival SteamDeck, they could ALSO make a very similar, but much more 'Premium' Surface Handheld Gaming PC for around £500-700 price with a 1080/120hz VRR display too to compete with other Handheld PC's. I think a £500+ Console Handheld is a tougher sell when you have 1st gen handheld PC's on the market and in a few years, will be cheap as 2nd and 3rd gen PC's arrive...

They have options but until they reveal what they are intending, we can but Speculate.