Xbox Series X

So, yeah, new generation of hardware from Microsoft but can I talk about that box? Because that was a spectacular way to jump into the next Xbox.

You open the box up and there is the Series X all wrapped up like it’s in a treasure chest. It was great! I actually had to take some video of it because it was above and beyond what I expected from unboxing a new console. So good job on that!

I’m upgrading from an Xbox One S and from that perspective, it was definitely time to upgrade. I’ve got this 4K TV without a system that properly utilizes it! I held off on getting a One X because I knew the next Xbox system would be coming out soon enough.

And here it is.

Visually speaking, I’m not really noticing TOO much difference from games on the One S. There are some added details on some of my old games to upgrade them to 4K and I notice some effects that weren’t there before. Everything is less fuzzy. So that’s good. It’s just not the same as the visual jump from the NES to the SNES. Or the Playstation to the Playstation 2. But it IS close to the leap from the Xbox 360 to the Xbox One. The difference there was only noticeable a few years after the fact for me. I imagine the same will be true here, especially since most of the games I’m playing right not are Xbox One games upgraded to 4K and not native Series X games, beyond Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

And that details the biggest drawback to getting a Series X at launch: lack of a strong exclusive library of games. While the Playstation 5 has Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Godfall, and Sackboy, there isn’t anything on the Xbox that can’t be played on the PS5 except Yakuza: Like a Dragon (and that can probably be played as a PlayStation 4 game through backwards compatibility). With Halo Infinite being delayed, there’s no massive reason to upgrade your hardware.

Well… I SAY that but I also don’t regret doing so. I’m disappointed in the lack of exclusives but the 4K is still very nice. And it isn’t even the best part of the Series X. That would be the load times. With the new hardware and the new memory storage system, games load incredibly fast. I used to start a game up and then head into the kitchen to grab a drink or whatever while the console booted things up but those days are done. This thing zips along. That also applies while you’re in the game. Reloads and fast travels, even cut-scenes, happen swiftly. There’s a lot of power in this rectangular box. The Playstation 5 also has super fast load times so it’s not a selling feature if you’re comparing consoles but, on its own, it presents a compelling case.

It’s a lot of the “under-the-hood” features that build this system up as a good replacement for your Xbox One. The fact that it is capable of playing a large number of Xbox’s back catalog going all the way back to the original Xbox means you’ll have a huge library of games to play even if they aren’t brand new exclusives. I’ve got a serious backlog of titles so playing them in 4K and getting into my games faster is fine for me right now. If you are a Gamepass subscriber, you have a large library of games to choose from right out of the gate, including a lot of EA games added from their EA Play subscription service. I spent my first day just downloading everything I’m going to be wasting my time on over the next few months.

And, let me be clear: if you play on Xbox, do yourself a favor and subscribe to Gamepass. You get some great games and many of them are upgraded to take advantage of the Series X. It’s a good deal.

I’m happy with my purchase. I wish Halo would have made launch. I’m also happy they held it back so that when it releases, it’s worth playing. But, man, launch would have made this purchase a lot more palatable. In the end, it comes down to where your friends are. Mine are on Xbox so here I am. This thing is a powerhouse and I doubt I’m going to regret having it a year or so down the line.

But if you have to make a choice between this and the Playstation 5 and you don’t really do online gaming with your friends, the Playstation 5 makes a more compelling case this holiday season. Miles Morales looks really good.

But if Sony’s exclusives don’t move you, the third party games are all multiplatform. You can enjoy your Call of Dutys and your Assassin’s Creeds on whatever console you manage to get. In 2020, I think we could all use a win and I think there’s enough to keep you busy on both consoles to check that win box.

Oh! This thing also has a controller! It is pretty much exactly like the Xbox One controller which was a slight upgrade from the 360 controller… which was an upgrade from the Xbox S controller. This is my favorite controller layout and it feels as comfortable in my hands as the XB1 version. There’s a capture button now to take pictures and video which is something Sony added with the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo added on the Switch. So Microsoft is a little behind but it’s here now! I have not used it yet but I’m sure I’ll get around to it.

Anyway, welcome to the next generation of video game hardware. This thing is a beast of tech and should prove a worthwhile purchase. In time. Day one, you know what you’re getting: an I.O.U. note promising better things to come.

But, man, that treasure box opening is pretty great. 😉

En general la consola funciona como debe, la uso en mi región sin problemas la tienda, los juegos y la conexión a internet (es la versión internacional).
Es silenciosa y no se calienta. 10/10

O console é simplesmente incrível, a função de Quick Resume é ótima e os gráficos impressionam, além do tempo de carregamento praticamente não existir nos jogos e a velocidade de download ser muito superior à geração anterior, se possuir uma TV compatível com o poder do console vale muito a pena!

First, I’ll start with my cons: Amazon’s waitlist. I’ve been holding out to purchase an Xbox Series console until I weighed out what works best for me. When I finally decided on the Series X, I knew it might be difficult to get. I clicked the waitlist or whatever button to be deemed worthy of purchasing a Series X and waited. And waited. 4 weeks went by, nothing. 6 weeks went by, nothing. I randomly checked one evening to see if anything had changed and what do you know? Amazon showed it as In Stock! No text, no email, no notification from Amazon. I hurried home to check from a computer in case my eyes/phone had been deceiving me and they did not. So I ordered it right then and there.

With that out of the way… The XSX really is just an upgrade in almost every way possible. Love that backwards compatibility is always on the checklist for Xbox. Love that the UI is the same no matter what platform I access it from (Xbox One, Android App, XSX, PC app). Love that once I power it on, sign in, I am ready to go.

While I don’t have any true “next gen” games (ahem, Starfield…), the games I do play were met with improved fidelity and 60 fps. That alone was a game changer for Fallout 76… and the 1-2 second load times… I can no longer set my fast travel, go grab a beer, a snack, pet the dog, and come back and grab the controller. I literally stood up from the couch the first time and I was at my destination… took some getting used to, but in a totally good way.

Now that I’ve got a XSX, I’m waiting on Starfield. I don’t expect instant load times/fast travels, or steady 60 fps, but I do expect a fantastic experience from this console and games. Even though Playstation came before Xbox, the Xbox controllers just feel ‘right’ in my hands. The Xbox Live/Service is faster and more stable in my experience than Playstations (Sony has made huge strides, don’t get me wrong). While Xbox doesn’t quite have the exclusives some of the competition does, their platform for me has always worked better for me and my needs. So that’s where I play mostly. And before you start thinking we got an Xbox fanboy here… again, I’ve owned every Xbox generation to date, every Playstation generation to date, PC, Android, and Steam Deck. The only platform I’ve not used in recent generations is Nintendo (last I owned was the NES)… they’re just not for me.

If you are on the fence about the Series… get off and pick one! But if you do pick the Series X and it’s out of stock, be aware of the waiting through Amazon.