By Phil Hayton

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Desktop PCs
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“Now I can take Steel Battalion with me everywhere!” – Hey gamers, I’ve found your Xbox handheld

Phil Hayton

17 September 2025

Hear me out, I’d buy this over an Xbox Ally.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: James Channel)

Are you mad about the fact that Microsoft’s first Xbox handheld is set to be more of a portable PC? Do you miss the days when mobile devices were just compact consoles with their own physical games and specific innards?

Well, I have just the cursed creation for you, one of my favorite chaotic retro console YouTubers, James Channel, just chopped up an OG Xbox and turned it into a working gaming handheld. Unlike those lovely 3D renders of fabled Microsoft portables floating around the internet, this abomination is effectively various bits of the original system held together by duct tape, and I absolutely adore it.
Naturally, this project is more of a gag than an actual pitch for an Xbox handheld. But, James Channel is pretty savvy when it comes to console repairs, and the process behind chopping away at the circuit board and ditching “unnecessary” parts is pretty ingenious

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I use this stylish retro mini PC as a living room indie games portal, and it’s effectively a tiny Xbox that rivals handhelds

“Built to game with Xbox” – Microsoft says these handhelds will get the same features as the ROG Xbox Ally, but I’ve got beef with its picks

I’m pretty upset about Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 cut songs, so if you need me, I’ll be at the skate part playing the originals on this handheld

I Made an Original Xbox Portable – YouTube

I’m still laughing at this Xbox handheld’s other innards, as it uses an old iPod dock that happens to boast an LCD screen, integrated batteries, and a set of speakers. Honestly, I fully believe that James Channel could have plucked out some nicer parts and made something I’d buy over the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, but I respect the decision to instead spend hours bridging tracers with wires to meld two bits of old tech together.

My favorite part of this project is undoubtedly the battery life. Keep in mind that the cells within the iPod dock are from 2006, and they’re tasked with driving the screen, the console itself, and a physical disc drive. I fully expected the setup to run out of juice within seconds, but James managed to play Halo for just under ten minutes.
Is this Xbox handheld a monstrosity? Well, its controls are literally an OG gamepad sawed in half, the disc drive sits whirring away right in front of your face, and it’s pretty much held together by hot glue, tape, and dreams. However, James proclaims, “Now I can take Steel Battalion with me everywhere!” after adding the extra controller ports back in to support its monstrous rig, and that’s something you can’t do with a modern handheld.

(Image credit: James Channel)
This isn’t the first time that James has chopped up a console to turn it into a handheld, as he’s already turned the Super Nintendo into a questionable portable. I’m fully aware that there are more serious attempts to make devices like this out there, too, but this specific project is making me wonder how hard it’d be to squeeze a Series S into something the size of a Steam Deck OLED.

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Do I think Microsoft should have created its own console-based handheld based on the Series S rather than getting Asus to make a portable PC? I mean, maybe, as it would have helped keep its proprietary hardware relevant and potentially helped make backwards compatibility with OG Xbox and 360 games more of a thing.
And, if James Channel proves anything with this bananas portable, it’s that there are always ways to chop things down. Whether that’s actually the case for the Series S is another matter entirely, but I’m still holding out for an Xbox handheld that can natively run console games rather than simply tapping into PC ports.
Anyway, thanks for making my week, James. Never change.

More gaming handhelds at Amazon
Asus ROG Ally (Renewed) | $489.99 at Amazon

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Phil Hayton

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Hardware Editor

Phil is the Hardware Editor at GamesRadar and joined the team in 2023. In the past, they’ve also contributed to the likes of TechRadar, The Daily Star, the BBC, and PCGamesN, but these days, they specialize in testing the latest gaming handhelds, monitors, TVs, and PC components. They’re also extremely nerdy about retro consoles and playing the classics on both new and old systems.

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I use this stylish retro mini PC as a living room indie games portal, and it’s effectively a tiny Xbox that rivals handhelds

“Built to game with Xbox” – Microsoft says these handhelds will get the same features as the ROG Xbox Ally, but I’ve got beef with its picks

I’m pretty upset about Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 cut songs, so if you need me, I’ll be at the skate part playing the originals on this handheld

GPD’s Strix Halo handheld will wear a weird battery backpack, but the idea isn’t completely giving me the ick

I miss when handhelds and phones had flip screens, so I’m eyeing up this Game Boy Advance SP dupe at its lowest price

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