- Windows handheld PC owners have found a way to get Microsoft’s new Xbox mode running early on their devices.
- Xbox mode frees up about 2GB of memory that can be used for gaming.
- You’ll launch straight into the Xbox app with your full library of PC games from Steam, Battle.net, Epic, and other storefronts.
About a month from now, Microsoft will be launching its ROG Xbox Ally devices. These Xbox-branded gaming handhelds are technically supposed to be the first to debut Microsoft’s new gaming mode for Windows 11. I say technically because it looks like some Windows handheld PC owners found a way to get the highly-anticipated Xbox mode running early on their older hardware.
If you’re not in the know, Xbox mode is a new gaming mode for Windows 11 that’s optimized for handheld systems. It was a feature Microsoft announced along with the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X earlier this year. This special configuration suppresses unnecessary background processes and doesn’t run Explorer, allowing devices to save about 2GB of memory, which can be redirected toward gaming.