Xbox Series X hardware review – the new console where nothing is new

GameCentral gives its verdict on the Xbox Series X - but is the world's most powerful console something worth buying into straight away?'

[LordoftheCritics]

Burn worthy title.

The issue with the xbox is that you could label it HP Black box or Razer Carbon and it would be very believable.
Just another well made hardware iteration.

PS5 may have a little wonky exterior but a lot about its features feel new and unheard of till now. Its very playstation.

[lelo2play]

You have got to be kidding?

Xbox Series and PS5 bring nothing new to the table that's noteworthy, beside more power and faster loading times. They are basically updated consoles from last gen.

[garos82]

you are my favourite x box guy. ill give you an A for effort

[xTonyMontana]

Haptic feedback controller, people who have tried it so far have nothing but positive things to say about it.

[SpeedDemon]

@Tony
Haptic feedback in controllers have been around for awhile.

[Lore]

I’m usually not one for lists, but let’s take a gander at exclusives coming through 2021 (Even though the article is regarding hardware, most of these games will take advantage of the new hardware features):

Demon’s Souls
Sackboy: ABA
Destruction Allstars
Godfall (Timed)
Ratchet & Clank: ARA
Horizon Forbidden West
Returnal
Gran Turismo 7
Spiderman: MM
Bugsnax (Timed)
Etc. (There are plenty more)

That’s over 10 bangers (for whomever prefers those genres - to each their own). Not including what they put out this year this far in 1st party content:

Ghost of Tsushima
Last of Us Part II
Dreams
Nioh 2
FFV Remake (Timed)

Show me another publisher that has put out “half” of that

[lelo2play]

@Lore

We are talking about Hardware... not Software.

[darthv72]

This is the first new hardware gen where Im more excited about the hardware than the launch games.

I have no new games pre ordered as Im going to spend the first year chipping away at my backlog using the new systems and their improvements to experience these games to their fullest.

God of war 2 and halo infinite are coming next year... i got plenty to tide me over till then.

[Ron_Danger]

Lelo2play’s comment is the perfect example of what it looks like when a fanboys only idea of what the competition has is based off of what other fanboys have said in their echo chambers.

[northpaws]

@lelo2play

XBox Series X provides more power and faster loading times and nothing else, that part you are correct.

PS5 on the other hand, provides more power (a little less than XBox Series X), fastest loading time (first consumer product to have that kind of optimization throughout the whole I/O system to eliminate bottleneck), first controller to have haptic feedback (it is not HD Rumble, you can pretend it is to talk it down, but it is not), adaptive trigger, new UI, new game store, new 3D audio system with AI from their audio division (which consistently put out the best audio headphone), actual first party launch titles, liquid metal cooling...etc

[Rimeskeem]

Tempest engine? Dualsense? Pretty pivotal parts of the PS5.

[ScootaKuH]

DualSense?

[bouzebbal]

Ps5 is bringing stellar exclusives never seen before.. How about this??

[SmokinAces]

That's completely untrue, PS5's controller alone brings plenty new to the table, it is hardware and it is being raved about by pretty much everyone who goes hands on with it.

[Ju]

Brand new user interface? Activities? Fast-launch into various saves from the "desktop"? Nothing new? Really (+ whatever was said above)

[dcbronco]

@Lore

Godfall is on PC. It's not exclusive at all. Timed or otherwise.

[Dragonscale]

@lelo, software makes hardware worth buying. In xbox case not so much.

[Whitey2k]

Sony always brings something new to the console

First to have metal liquid cooling

First to have heptic feedback mic on controller adaptive triggers

First console to have high frequency gpu

First to have fastest ssd
that aint available on pc as of yet

The console design is different and better each time

[SamTheGamer]

Or you can call it Dell Optiplex 3070

[SatanSki]

"[...] but a lot about its features feel new and unheard of till now. "
"Haptic feedback controller, people who have tried it so far have nothing but positive things to say about it."

Yeah, a lot features, like few haptic feedback enabled triggers, lol. You Sony tools here are pathetic

[NEXUS-6]

At the moment it industry praise - have a crack at them.

Attempting to insult an entire fanbase, when the other mob only added a button that was present elsewhere 7yrs ago.

Seems the fools are on the other side, tools is a tad nasty - but fools definitely fits the xbox gamer.

[Mr_cheese]

Not sure why you have to start calling people a tool when everyone is discussing in a fairly civil manner.

Shows youre lacking the intelligence for a mature rebuttal resulting in name calling.

Grow up.

[Minute Man 721]

Here on N4G Sony invented gaming. Didn't you get the memo.

[RememberThe357]

Here on N4G when you can't make arguments you say sarcastic bullshit.

[Minute Man 721]

Ohhh some Sony Only fanboys responded 😆

1st of all 357, you really a undercover Sony fanboy and I'm just having fun bro but when I'm ready to shut down the Sony Only I use nothing but facts. Disagree if I'm telling the truth

[East76lands]

I even seen blue tick Xbox fanboy accounts on Twitter admitting just how good this controller feels.

[Lore]

I think a lot of people here are simply gamers bro, not “Sony tools”

[Army_of_Darkness]

@Minute Man 721

Naw bro, Sony didn't invent gaming....They just made it better.

[KingofBandits]

Agreed. Im getting a PS5 at launch and will get a XSX later mostly for the backwards compatibility. MS just does not have a great library of exclusive software in the pipe yet. Also the scaled OS (loked at 1080p) that the XSX shares with all the other available Xbox platforms is honestly lame. I know why they did it but Xbox is not Windows 10 this new console should have new features unique to it. The controller is also a one extra button cookie cutter of the last gen one. The PS5 feels next gen, this feels like another Xbox 1X type of device. All of these factors made me skip launch for it, but its it great hardware so not trying to bash it.

[lifeisgamesok]

I'd say the Xbox Series X is the least impressive console launch ever. While PS5's launch seems to be one of the best

[LordoftheCritics]

It is not very welcoming that there is no next gen Xbox exclusive at launch.

PS5 feels much more festive in the next gen affair.

[lifeisgamesok]

Exactly and this is another reason why I choose Playstation, they seem to grasp why we enjoy console gaming more

[DaveZero]

I am not concerned about it to be fair,I still have a good catalogue to play on from this gen and the games will come.

At some point sony will have a dry point and if it's at the time xbox start getting there games, then xboxers will be enjoying there time and sony gamers will be waiting for there next fix of an exclusive.

[Baza]

I don’t even know what the Xbox exclusives are lunching with Series X.. It feels like a hardware refresh than the start of a new generation

[Tacoboto]

I want to want the Series X, because it has my largest library of games especially on disc. But... I'm ok at launch. Nothing will feel different

And the PS4 is still being supported, with both Spider-Man and Sackboy. But unlike Xbox, DualSense exists. They're not just prettier, they'll feel different, new, and impressive.

[xTonyMontana]

Not even that though, this is the first time a console has been reviewed without a single platform specific game to review alongside it. Everything showcased in reviews so far has been old games.

[Om4ever]

What are you smoking lifeisgamesok ???

[lifeisgamesok]

Prove me wrong

[Lilrizky]

I still think the 3ds was the worst from my experience (Street fighter IV was the marquee title for months until an OOT remaster came out and Nintendo rewarded us early adopters with 30 classic games as an apology lol), but this is a close second

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

IDK, I'd give the Xone the least impressive launch ever, although PS5 has definitely had great marketing this launch whereas Series X didn't build the hype the PS5 did.

[frostypants]

Atari Jaguar.

[DaveZero]

Oh dont be daft, tell me, please tell me what's so special about the ps5 launch that the series S and X doesnt have.

Now your going to say games, then I'm going to say well the xbox series has them as well. Then it will be exclusives on launch you will say and then I'll say how many and you will say 2 or 3 right?? Stop over hyping one console you, yourself favours for a console you dont all because one your getting and one your not. Did it ever occur to you that those who are buying the xbox series still have enough games to play on for the time being.

The problem with a console like playstation making it mostly a single player world with fantastic SP games is there is little to hardly no replay ability like there is in the vast world of box's multiplayer games. Tell me please how many times did you exactly repeat your single player exclusives?? While they are lovely at first they are not the be all and end all of gaming like the sony fanboys on this site like to make out they are, they soon wear thin on all platforms and it's good to have a balance between all Genres.

I think to be fair that all the consoles will have impressive launches xbox and playstation alike, there is something for everyone out there.

[lifeisgamesok]

I've probably beaten TLOU around 8 times and Uncharted 4 around 6-8 times

And to answer your question about what does the PS5 have that the XSX doesn't

Spider-man Miles Morales
Demon Souls
Astro's Playroom
Sackboy
The Pathless

[lukejd1088]

Good one

[S2Killinit]

Interesting take on xbox series x. I have been struggling with the idea of buying one but I find myself thinking that it doesnt offer anything i cant get elsewhere.

[melons]

Think you would be wise to wait until at least late next year before getting one, nothing really exclusive before then, even less if you're not a horror fan.

[Sitdown]

But if the price is the same a year from now, why but go ahead and enjoy at minimum the upgrade in games now?

[Kaedro]

"The new console where nothing is new" - xBSx summed up into a simple sentence.

[CaptainHenry916]

Yup

[Jericho1337]

Doesn’t dampen my anticipation for it at all. I personally never owned an Xbox one so will have loads of games on game pass to catch up on. I appreciate Xbox one owners probably aren’t in a hurry to upgrade yet though.

[RgR]

Yes. My thoughts exactly. People liked to point at Sony saying they're not showing their console.

But the playstation had a lot to show whereas the xbox showed everything in 1 day since there isn't anything new.

[NeoGamer232]

New doesn't make anything better. Gaming value makes things better in the console space.

I don't think either console has done a great job bringing gaming value in their new consoles.

On Sony we get a new UI that makes it more like XB. They have Demon's Soul (a remade game) and Destruction All-Stars as the big two first party PS5 exclusives. Souls has a following but it is not a 10 million copy game. it is more like 1-3 million. Destruction All-Stars just looks like a Rocket League type game.

On XB, the UI is an improvement for both XBO and XB Series. And there is only Gears Tactics. Again not a mainstream game maybe 1-3 million gamers.

In both cases I think the new gaming content is weak. I can play AC Vahalla, Watch Dogs, CyberPunk, Yakuza Like a Dragon, and Spider-man MM on one of my existing consoles. The thing to sell these new consoles is their performance. SSD, better resolution, better framerates, etc. But, for resolution they are not uping the resolution to 8K.... They are just getting these consoles up to 4K on games that couldn't do 4K before. Next year we will start seeing games, but it looks like two years before we see real next gen games. Just in previous generations they hid the transition more.

It is funny how the obsessive people were sucked into the marketing this coming gen. I look at it and think wait a year and either the price will come down or the storage of each console will go up and they will be more worth it. This year there is really no reason to move forward for either existing console owners.

[RgR]

Well you're missing a few things.

First is that there isn't anything very different this gen transition from previous transitions in terms of the consoles. So that's not a reason to downplay.

Second is that what is different with the playstation is the controller and quality of the launch titles. I'd take a remastered demon souls then crappy games with shiny graphics.

Third, the playstation has many titles to paly this holiday on ps5 that although may not be ground up for the ps5 it will show substantial improvements as is the case with miles morales.

4th ...the UI from playstation 5 is nothing like the Xbox UI. If anything the Xbox UI is copying the playstation ui. The new UI is a clear evolution from the current one.

5th, the new controller has proven to be quite impressive and revolutionary. Seems to be as evolutionary as the transition to joysticks.

6th, what do next gen games look like exactly? Is it ray tracing? Is it better graphics? If that's the case then next gen games are coming all the time since newer games usually look better and shinier throughout a generation. What is attribute that you associate with next gen games? I don't believe next gen games are a thing. Consoles created the idea of new gen's through their iterations but on pc there aren't iterations. Do graphic cards bring next gen games? They don't. There are simply newer games that will take advantage of newer hardware. Therefore next gen games are coming to playstation and Xbox at launch. There is the difference of how each can take advantage of their hardware however.

[garos82]

ouch, that doesnt sound good

[Atticus_finch]

Seems like Xbox will be a pass for me this generation, again.

[Sitdown]

*gasp* This is a shocking revelation from you.

[Atticus_finch]

What can I say. I have standards.

[DaGR8JIBRALTAR]

Its just not worth it right now...

[Npugz7]

No point in buying it now if your already a one x owner there’s literally nothing taking advantage of that hardware. Maybe this time next year I’ll think about it.

[Sitdown]

Upgrade in graphics, why wait a year and potentially pay the same price?

[Kaedro]

If I want better graphics for multiplatform games I buy a PC.

[Popsicle]

Just spitballing here. Maybe the lack of 1st party content upon release is a calculated business decision in an effort to increase GamePass subs. If there is nothing new they realize GamePass is really the only logical option if you want get anything of value out of your new purchase. Not saying this is a smart decision on the behalf of Microsoft. It’s not the first time they miscalculated what gamers want. Remember TV, TV, TV, when they introduced Xbox One?

[Rich1631]

Lol what? That is a hell of a stretch.

You need exclusives to lure you into a platform. It is very simple. Obviously Microsoft's endgame is GamePass subscriptions and they don't care whether you buy an Xbox or not. They just want you to play their games on a phone/tablet via XCloud, or the console/PC via GamePass.

If anything, they need exclusives now more than ever. They are building a cross platform ecosystem and that won't work unless you lure people in.

[Popsicle]

Where did I say they didn't need exclusives to lure gamers to their platform? Of course they do. I actually said that this approach wouldn't be the first time they miscalculated what gamers want. Meaning that the lack of exclusive content is a mistake.

I often get the feeling that Microsoft is trying force gamers into the model that is most lucrative for them instead of actually providing gamers what they want. I think this approach is an error on Microsoft's behalf because listening to your customer is typically a much better approach for long term success when compared to trying to force things upon them they may or may not want. Like the TV situation. Microsoft wanted to be the "center" of every persons living room by providing a TV experience that gamers couldn't care less about. We see where that got them last gen, and I feel like they are doing a similar thing in not listening to what gamers really want this gen.

[Rich1631]

The 360 was sooooooooo great. The XBone was such a diaster, that I actually wondered if Microsoft gave up and would even bother with a new Xbox. It seemed like they didn't even try.

I just don't know what they are doing. They need new exclusives and new IPs. Why are they not addressing this very simple and apparent problem? I realize that Xbox is no longer a console but a platform via GamePass. You can play on a tablet, phone, console, or PC. But you still need something to draw people into that ecosystem.

Xbox has all these studios but they aren't exactly AAA talent. I don't even know why they bothered to aquire them. Ninja Theory? Double Fine? Compulsion? Etc. They are all B tier at best and C tier at worst.

I was a huge Xbot back in the day but they really lost their way last gen, and I went PlayStation. I want to see them make a comeback but they sorta fumbled right out the gate again with Halo being delayed.

This is the first gen where I'm completely disinterested in both consoles. Xbox launch lineup is non existent and the PS5 launch lineup is weak. I guess I'll hold onto the PS4 and see how things play out.

[Sarcasm]

"The fact that the dashboard is exactly the same as the Xbox One, and the controller has barely changed either, makes it easy to forget it even is a new console, let alone the most powerful ever made."

It's an odd disservice to their own system (which is a great piece of hardware), by not differentiating it more from the previous generation.

[StormSnooper]

Not a very good outlook. I wish MS believed in consoles more.

[Minute Man 721]

Pretty sure they just spent a billion or 2 designing, manufacturing just to give up on consoles. But if the sales results are the same like the One it will be M$'s last console

[chiefJohn117]

Lol XO was very successful and they confirmed they're already in the early stages of designing their next one. Idk where you came up with that BS. Just because PS curb stomped it in sells don't mean Xbox did poorly. It turned billions in profit

[Minute Man 721]

You can believe whatever you want but if the Series only sells 50 million consoles a next Xbox won't happen

[Fraggle1987]

Basically an upgraded Xbox one. Like the One X.

[Echone1]

Just another Steam machine with an Xbox logo

[strayanalog]

"All you can do is read the tech specs, listen to the promises, and hope." - Next generation hardware confirmed.

[QSPR]

ouch!

[anast]

The SX doesn't seem to be straight jank, but the launch was color by numbers at best.

[chiefJohn117]

Lol stop with the lies

[lukasmain]

Lol take off the blinders

[Thundercat77]

"The fact that the dashboard is exactly the same as the Xbox One, and the controller has barely changed either, makes it easy to forget it even is a new console".

After reading the reviews, I'm convinced the Xbox Series X is more like a mid Gen hardware refresh than a fully next Gen console. Not having a killer app or a big exclusive game also hurts.

[CBaoth]

MS said themselves around 2018 they didn't believe in "generations" anymore. Moving forward all new MS console launches will feel like mid-gen refreshes. I guess the silver lining is in 2024 when Xbox series X Pro releases, all these recent buys might have something to release alongside it

[lukasmain]

LOL

[Minute Man 721]

I respect this guy's opinion

[Deathdeliverer]

Damn... reading that was the realest review so far. It actually mimicked some of my post. I’m still getting it knowing full well the shortcomings at launch and potentially a long time after. It really does come across as “what the hell have you guys been doing all this time?” and there is almost Zero to currently celebrate. It’s, at launch, a One XX. If this is good or bad will vary from person to person, but as someone that’s been gaming since commodore and Atari (39) and have seen and had virtually every console at launch, this is disappointing. It’s truly the first mundane new console launch ever. The PS5 isn’t reinventing the wheel but it’s giving you new experiences right out the gate. The controller is critically acclaimed and it isn’t even out yet, the UI has advanced with cards taking you to exact places in the game to skip all the menus and get you where you want to be faster, Share play has been updated to include PIP so you can still do your own thing simultaneously, the game help might not be for everyone but it’s there, voice dictation right in the controller, and the best part? They haven’t shown everything. The switcher tab that is traumatizing me was in the first UI showing but not talked about? Quick resume called switching on PS5? Who knows. Point is there’s STILL things to know. I’m glad the systems come out a couple days apart because the series X may feel “been there done that” with a PS5 next to it. Exploring a new console and the new features is fun. It’s part of the excitement. With no new games to push the Series X it’s back to whatever you was playing before it came out and doing it the exact same way. Just faster. Like a Xbox XX.

[masterfox]

Thank you for such an accurate article title.

[Kekewei]

Wow this title is harsh...

[Binarycode]

The series X is not more powerful then PS5. It's about time you stopped following the blind.

That Calculation is one thing. Cu'sxclockspeed.= tflops.

That mentions nothing of i/o throughput, cache scrubbers, faster cache, faster ssd x3.

If you put the pieces together, the most powerful machine in the most area's is the PS5 by a large margin.

[gold_drake]

OMG haha xD most of these reviews just RIPPED into MS.

[The_Sage]

From the article.

"Reviewing the Xbox Series X as it stands today we’re left with relatively little to say. It’s the most powerful console ever made (in theory, there’s no way to tell by playing any of its games) and yet it’s been lurking under our TV for two weeks now and we’ve really not been sure what to do with it."

[Bismarn]

Better to have a high end system built on normal hardware than another Saturn/PS3 nightmare where its difficult to develop for or emulate in the future. No need to reinvent the wheel.

[DaveZero]

The title makes it sound like the console has old parts, pretty daft to be fair.

[Father__Merrin]

New console, new exterior, new controller, new UI, new games, new controller 🎮 there can only be playstation... If GT7 and God of War 2 hit next year its all over.