Updated July 14, 2023: New thermal images of the OneXFly under gaming load.

Original July 14, 2023: OnexPlayer's OneXFly looks to pack everything I'm looking for in a modern handheld gaming PC. I'm waiting to get my hands on a review unit ahead of the launch of this new lightweight device, but I've got some new images that look much more portable than the likes of the Steam Deck and ROG Ally.

Using the same AMD Radeon Ryzen 7 7840U as the AOKZOE A1 Pro we recently reviewed, the OneXFly should perform about the same as the AOKZOE A1 Pro and ROG Ally. In other words, it should be a very high-performance mobile gaming slab.

The key difference, however, is that the OneXFly is encased in a much smaller chassis, making it theoretically easier to slip into a pocket (though we recommend wearing a belt, as well). Its small size is evident in the side-by-side comparison photo with the ROG Ally, which actually looks a lot like a small game controller that sticks to either end of a cell phone.

I never thought it was too big during my time with the ROG Ally, but the reduction in size is very welcome. I have been using the larger A1 Pro regularly since testing it, and while I like the device itself, it feels too chunky for something I would throw in my bag on my way out the door. It barely fits in the oversized Steam Deck carry case I co-purchased.

There seems to be no compromise on this scale. The spec sheet shows that the hardware is an improvement over Asus' high-end handhelds; the Onexplayer uses LPDDR5X-7500, which is a step up in terms of memory compared to Ally's LPDDR5-6400.

It also has a large 48Wh battery, as opposed to the 40Wh battery in the Ally and Steam Deck. Frankly, you won't notice much of an increase in battery life; the AOKZOE A1 Pro has a 65Wh battery.

But what I really look forward to checking out on the OneXFly is the screen. While superficially similar to the ROG Ally's 7-inch 120Hz 1080p display, OnexPlayer has gone with a much slimmer bezel on its new handheld, about twice the size of the OneXFly's 5.2mm bezel.

Peak brightness of 450 nits is not too far off from the ROG Ally's 500 nits. I was a big fan of this screen.

Another thing the OneXFly has over the Ally is connectivity; the OnexPlayer has a Type-A USB port, but the OneXFly also has Type-C USB 4.0.

However, there are concerns.

The most serious is about heat; the ROG Ally tended to be a bit noisier, though not as loud as the Steam Deck.

However, the ROG Ally also has the problem of generating enough heat to negatively impact the MicroSD slot on the bottom. Also, the OneXFly has a narrow frame, which does not leave much room for internal cooling. [but the OnexPlayer product team has released some images of an initial thermal test in which the OneXFly was used for an hour in-game at full 28W performance in a 25°C environment. The images show that the temperatures at the front and vents are up to 41°C (41°F), while the area where the hand rests is considerably cooler.

Compared to the thermal image of the ROG Ally under similar conditions, it appears to be running much cooler than the Asus handheld; the triple heat pipe design of the OnexFly can reach these temperature levels without spinning the single fan too much We expect that it will.

On the software side, the OnexConsole application on the A1 Pro was also not very user friendly. So I would like to see what has changed in the new release.

According to the OnexPlayer rep, OneXFly "has a frame rate adaptive power consumption feature that automatically adjusts power consumption based on the game environment it is running in."

That sounds pretty promising, unless the game is one that demands AMD's APU in every corner. However, this software does seem a bit clunky at the current stage.

Still, I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this new handheld gaming machine. Without a doubt, it looks like the most portable gaming PC I've ever seen, and as for the hardware, it meets all my requirements. The only remaining questions are price and availability, but hopefully we'll get those details soon.

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