The Vergecast The new Xbox is not an Xbox
230 snips
Oct 21, 2025 
Sean Hollister, a Senior Reporter at The Verge, delves into the controversial Xbox Ally handhelds, arguing that they don’t truly embody the Xbox spirit and face stiff competition from the Steam Deck. Hayden Field, an AI and technology specialist, examines how AI might be dulling our cognitive skills based on recent studies, revealing concerning trends like reduced neural connectivity among users. The discussion wraps with an intriguing listener question about hybrid devices, rekindling nostalgia for modular technology.
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Fix The Basics First
- To win handhelds, prioritize reliable sleep, better performance on handheld chips, and seamless Steam access.
- Fix these basics before layering Xbox features or charging premium prices.
Architectural Convergence Enables Handhelds
- Consoles and PCs increasingly share architecture, making cross‑platform handhelds more feasible.
- The alignment of x86 chips lowers barriers for handhelds to run console‑level games at reduced settings.
When To Buy A Steam Deck
- Buy a Steam Deck now if you want a working handheld; a Steam Deck 2 is not imminent.
- Expect it to run many older games well but not the newest AAA titles at good settings.
