Xbox One X packs powerful punch
It’s especially good with a 4K TV.
My first reaction to the Xbox One X, Microsoft’s latest high-powered gaming console: How did they make it so small?
The $499.99 update to this popular line of stand-alone gaming machines is only slightly bigger than the current Xbox One S, and a little heavier. But it packs a powerful punch — namely for players who plan on upgrading or already have a 4K TV.
The difference between playing a
4K-ready game in 4K vs. standard HD is eye-catching. For example, in the sci-fi action game Gears of War 4, players will see finer details on characters’ armor, and materials like metal or concrete look natural, very close to how they would in the real world. Combat also seems to flow a lot more smoothly.
The downside to buying the latest when it hits stores Tuesday: The price
($250 more than the Xbox One S). More than 160 games are expected to include Xbox One X enhancements like 4K over the coming months.
How it works
Setting up the Xbox One X is pretty straightforward. The only challenge is moving games from your older Xbox to the X.
Owners can download wirelessly through network transfer — having both Xbox consoles on and transferring through a local connection — or using an external hard drive.
A plus for the hard drive: To save time, you can boot up games direct from the drive instead of moving them over to your new Xbox.
To test Xbox One X, I used a Samsung QLED TV that supports 4K, and two older non-4K HDTVs.
In Super Lucky’s Tale, a Mario-style adventure game, the animated visuals look crisp and pop with spectacular colors.
There are some benefits to owning an X without a 4K TV: Games will load faster, compared to an older Xbox. Some older games will look better, according to Microsoft, although I found the differences were more subtle.
But your decision to update will likely hinge on whether you plan to acquire a 4K TV sometime soon, or simply want to future-proof yourself when you eventually make the jump.
That’s a decision many people buying an entertainment device will face this holiday season: buy a slightly older, cheaper model, or bust out the wallet for the state-of-the-art 4K version.
(Note: The prices of some 4K TVs have dropped below $400 — and you can expect deals on Black Friday — but if you want the best video, make sure it supports high-dynamic range (HDR) imagery.)