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Streamlined interface plus performance improvements
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- Microsoft's Xbox Full Screen Experience is coming to all Windows 11 handhelds
- This is happening from today, at least for major vendors
- More minor players in the Windows 11 handheld market might take more time to roll it out, but in the meantime, support can be fudged
If you've been jealously eyeing the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) that came with the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, then here's some great news – it's now available for all handhelds.
As VideoCardz reports, during its Xbox Partner Preview broadcast, Microsoft revealed a bunch of new games, and also brought the news that the FSE is "generally available" from today, November 21, across "all gaming handhelds currently in market".
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As noted, initially this streamlined interface, which makes the UI much friendlier for a gaming device with a small screen, was showcased only on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally when it first emerged.
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Soon after, though, it was brought to the MSI Claw (in preview), but now we're getting it across all Windows 11 handhelds as a full release.
Microsoft further notes: "Plus, we're expanding FSE to more Windows 11 PC form factors through the Xbox and Windows Insider programs soon."
That's been taken as a hint that the rumored next-gen Xbox PC will be built on the FSE, which would be an obvious route for Microsoft to take, of course.
Analysis: FSE for all – well, almost, but some fudging may still be required for now
While you can fudge it so that an unsupported Windows 11 handheld runs the FSE, obviously it's much better to have the officially delivered version on your portable, and that's the case for everyone from today. Microsoft appears to be nicely ahead of schedule here, as it was initially believed that some gaming handhelds wouldn't get the FSE until early 2026.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.That's great news because the FSE isn't just about the streamlined interface that's easier to navigate with a controller, but it also saves on system resources (freeing up RAM), which is a huge bonus for handhelds in terms of games running more smoothly and granting them better battery life.
While I said that everyone gets the FSE now, that may not be the case quite yet for some gamers. While owners of a device from the major handheld manufacturers, which includes Asus, MSI and Lenovo, should benefit from the FSE right now (or imminently), it's not clear when this feature might debut with some of the more obscure brands out there – at least in terms of the general public – such as Ayaneo or GPD.
That depends on how quick those vendors are with their respective rollouts, and we'll just have to see, but for now, more enthusiast gamers (the typical buyers of these models) have been fudging support, anyway.
It's worth noting that the FSE is not a panacea for all the hitches that you'll run into using Windows 11 on a handheld, but it's nonetheless a sizeable step forward in terms of catching up with SteamOS.
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The best handheld games consoles for all budgetsOur top handheld picks for gaming on the go➡️ Read our full guide to the best handheld games consoles1. Best overall:Nintendo Switch 22. Best for PC gamers:Steam Deck OLED3. Best budgetNintendo Switch Lite4. Best for remote play:PlayStation Portal
TOPICS Windows 11 Darren AllanDarren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).
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