In less than a week, Microsoft will launch the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, which will officially kick off the next generation of gaming. Up to this point, there has been a lot of discussion regarding teraflops, SSD speeds, and dynamic resolutions, but soon gamers will be able to see how those components and features come together in their home gaming experience.
Game Rant has had the opportunity to use the Xbox Series X for over a week now and has tested the console considerably. Of course, with any console launch, there is a lot more than just testing out the hardware, and in that respect, there is still plenty more to be said about the Xbox Series X. Some games are still under embargo because they haven’t yet released, and some games have yet to receive their optimization update in order to take full advantage of the next-gen hardware.
Even so, there is a lot to discuss about the Xbox Series X and plenty of reasons for gamers and Xbox fans to be excited. Microsoft didn’t break the mold with its design choices of the console and its peripherals, but when it comes to features and game experiences, the Xbox Series X makes quite an impression.
When it comes to the Xbox Series X controller, Microsoft has opted for minimal changes. The fit in the hands feels mostly the same as the Xbox One controller, with some textural improvements to the material. The grips on the Xbox Series X controller have a subtle texture that helps keep it in-hand without slipping. There’s a similar texture (basically tiny raised bumps) on the triggers that improves on the smooth, glossy material that was featured on the Xbox One controller.
Outside of that, though, the Xbox Series X controller has tried not to mess with an (arguably) winning formula. In fact, Microsoft has made the smart move of allowing Xbox users to connect their old Xbox One controllers or Elite controllers to the Xbox Series X, if they prefer the feel on those iterations. There’s a dedicated “Share” button this time around that allows for capturing screenshots or short clips while playing, but that’s the only element of the device that’s genuinely “new.” Where other new consoles seek to try to reinvent or rethink the input device, Xbox trusted the feedback from its audience and made slight tweaks instead of large, sweeping changes. What is included in the box is a better controller than the last generation, if only slightly. But for those that have invested in the Xbox ecosystem that seems to be what they want.
Much of the approach to the controller extends to the rest of the console and its feature set. Xbox has chosen to take the ideas that it felt were popular and expand or improve on them, but not to stray too far from what has been successful thus far. One key example of that is the Xbox Series X Quick Resume feature.
A form of quick Resume has been a part of the Xbox ecosystem since the Xbox One, but for the next-generation the feature has been both improved and expanded. Thanks to the Velocity Architecture – Microsoft’s name for the tech powering its storage drive (SSD) – the Xbox Series X can boot up lightning fast and jump into any game in less than a minute. Mileage may vary as far as how fast a game can load on the Xbox Series X, but the difference between the experience on Xbox One is significant. What could have taken minutes on the prior generation, usually only takes about 30 seconds on the Xbox Series X.
Microsoft has also expanded Quick Resume to “pocket” three games at a time, so players can jump between them instantaneously. This is more of a luxury than it is an essential feature, but there are plenty who will find Quick Resume is one of the Xbox Series X’s greatest strengths. Being able to hop between three games has a lot of use cases, like for the family console or the gamer who regularly migrates from singleplayer to multiplayer games. For every title that supports Quick Resume, the switching is seamless and effortless. It’s a feature that isn’t even part of the gaming experience, but it helps reinforce what the next-gen can offer.
The Xbox Series X doesn’t look like the average gaming console. In fact, it looks more like a PC and that feels by design. A general theme with the Xbox Series X seems to be keeping things simple and wowing players through smart implementation of new features and careful iteration on established ones. The Xbox One X was an unassuming rectangle that was whisper quiet and had good thermals, and the Xbox Series X is just a bigger, boxier console that does the same.
The one touch of character on the Xbox Series X is a painted detail on the top vents that makes it look like there is a green glow coming from inside the console. Again, it’s nothing too ostentatious and it definitely won’t be noticed by a casual visitor, but it is a nice design touch nonetheless.
That function over form approach seems to have paid off well for Microsoft, as the Xbox Series X is extremely quiet and has great thermals. Holding one’s hand over the vents at the top of the console does illustrate how warm the internal components can get, but it never reaches a temperature that is uncomfortable. And even after long gameplay sessions the fan inside the Xbox Series X never reached a volume that it was noticeable.
For how powerful that the Xbox Series X claims to be, the focus on a simplistic design that values the user experience is a huge plus. It might not look like much, but the Xbox Series X design hits all the notes that it should. The one genuine gripe with the design is the material tends to pick up fingerprints a little too well. It’s by no means a dealbreaker since most will unbox the Xbox Series X, place it in their entertainment center, and never touch it again, but it would have been nice if the console material was a little more smudge-proof.
The Xbox Series X UI has also focused on improving existing architecture rather than making any major changes. Xbox One owners have already spent some time with the UI already, so it won’t be a shock to jump into the Series X. Gamers have many different feelings about the Xbox’s “tile” approach to its menus, but even those who don’t like the design shouldn’t have many complaints thanks to the SSD. With the Velocity Architecture at its disposal, the Xbox Series X menus are snappy and quick to get through. There are no hangs or loads, and it’s very easy to jump from cycling through games to purchasing a new one on the store.
Personally, the extra steps necessary to either set up a home screen or dive into one’s library of games feels a little restrictive, but the Xbox Series X at least makes the process faster. And hopefully, as the playerbase grows on the Series X consoles, Microsoft can start to iterate.
Evaluating the Xbox Series X’s gameplay performance is more difficult than the typical console launch because Microsoft doesn’t have that marquee fall title that is meant to show off the console. Halo Infinite was supposed to be that game, but after feedback about the visuals and gameplay, developer 343 Industries decided to delay the game’s launch. And with many of the Xbox Series X optimized versions of games waiting until the console’s official release, there weren’t too many new games to “test” on the console. Watch Dogs Legion, for example, is out, but the optimized version won’t be available until November 10th. Regardless, there are plenty of games to play and many of them showcase an advantage of the console in one way or another.
Because Backward Compatibility is not always a given with new consoles, it’s worth discussing with regards to the Xbox Series X. Microsoft has worked with publishers and developers to ensure that almost every game from the previous generation (as well as those from the 360 and OG Xbox era) can run on the new console. Mileage will vary, but features like Auto HDR, which bumps up an SD picture to be more vibrant and detailed, help make older games look better than they did on their original platforms. Then there is a whole other category of games that have been optimized for Xbox Series X, and those titles are where the first hints at the console’s power will be seen. Again, optimization is available now/will be available at launch, and other titles, like Destiny 2, will roll out their upgrades later.
Based on what is available, we can say is that the optimization efforts for legacy Xbox titles are very impressive. Gears 5, for example, looks incredible on the Xbox Series X, hitting 60FPS and 4K with top tier graphical detail. The multiplayer can also run at 120FPS if gamers have a monitor capable of supporting higher refresh rates.
What is somewhat surprising is that the options have not increased with most of the Xbox Series X optimized games. Usually, it’s either frame rate or resolution that is favored, with no middle ground offered. That may come with time, but as it stands players are either looking at 4K resolution and 60FPS (or sometimes 30FPS) or 1080p resolution and 120FPS.
For the most part, though, 4K60 seems to be the sweet spot for games, outside of a few exceptions. Every game that had been optimized for the Xbox Series X was vibrant and detailed and ran at a steady 60FPS. Some games will even exceed that margin, like Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
Even games that have yet to be optimized for Xbox Series X still benefit from better hardware. Games load much faster, they hit closer to 4K resolution (if not nailing it directly), and their performance is more consistent. Many developers like Bungie (Destiny 2) and Gearbox Software (Borderlands 3) have promised enhanced versions of their popular games, and those should be the best way to play those games on a console. But a lot of that is assumptions based on our time with the console on other games, not seeing any specific titles running their optimized versions.
By all accounts, the Xbox Series X seems to be powerful enough to bridge the gap between console and PC gaming, but so much is left unknown at this point. We don’t know how the Xbox Series X versions of the fall releases compare to their last-gen counterparts or even the PC version. Microsoft doesn’t have any genuine next-gen, Xbox-focused games to show, and so a lot of the comparisons are between current-gen or PC. In that regard, though, the Xbox Series X delivers stunning visuals and consistent frame rates such that this does feel like a significant upgrade for console gamers. It may only be the tip of the iceberg, but the potential is certainly there.
And that’s ultimately what the Xbox Series X can offer gamers – the potential of powerful hardware. From the games that we sampled, it’s easy to see how the console will benefit games moving forward, but so much of what is on display at launch are better-running and better-looking versions of current-gen games. Basically, these experiences more closely mirror what’s available on PC than on console. The Halo Infinite delay was a significant blow to Xbox, but the console can more than speak for itself.
In crafting its next-gen hardware, Xbox chose to try to focus on preserving the status quo with an unassuming console design, minimal changes to the controller, and no radical reinventions to the UI. Under the hood, though, the fast loading times, Quick Resume, Auto HDR, and 4K60 capabilities are what will seemingly put Xbox Series X into a lot of households. Microsoft has put together an impressive console that is going to be tough to beat when it comes to raw power.
The Xbox Series X releases November 10, 2020 for $499. Game Rant was provided a review unit for this coverage.
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