Xbox Series X review (2024): Unfulfilled potential

The Xbox Collection X was the proper alternative for Microsoft to run far-off from its tumultuous Xbox One years and in the direction of an period of real 4K gaming, ray tracing and Sport Cross abundance. However it was not meant to be. The PlayStation 5 has outsold Microsoft’s new consoles by two to 1, in response to a VGChartz gross sales comparability, a replay of the battle between the PS4 and Xbox One. Now, Microsoft merely appears to be operating down the clock of this console era.

Once I initially reviewed the Xbox Collection X, I discovered it to be a strong console that surpassed the PlayStation 5 in some methods. However it was clear that Microsoft had a significant downside at launch: Video games. 4 years later, not a lot has modified, regardless of spending practically $69 billion buying Activision Blizzard. Whereas Sony and Nintendo constantly delivered unique system-selling video games — even on the ageing Swap! — Microsoft has stumbled.

It is no surprise Microsoft needs to name so many different gadgets Xboxes. Should you look too exhausting at its flagship console, you possibly can’t assist however be dissatisfied.

Do you have to purchase an Xbox Collection X?

Usually, I would sort out the query of shopping for a tool in the direction of the top of a overview, however this can be a re-overview so it is value asking up entrance: Who’s the Xbox Collection X for? It has been round for 4 years, and, other than the $450 model with no disc drive, there have not been any main {hardware} modifications. Past the Xbox trustworthy, I would wager most avid gamers could be higher off placing $500 in the direction of the rest.

For anybody dipping their toes into fashionable console gaming for the primary time — a mum or dad grabbing one thing for his or her child, or a former gamer making an attempt to reclaim their pastime — it makes extra sense to go for a PlayStation 5 as an alternative of the Xbox Collection X. Sony’s console has a wider array of noteworthy exclusives, extra revolutionary haptics with its DualSense controller and its digital version is often cheaper than the disc-less Collection X.

In fact, should you’re a Halo fan the Xbox Collection X is just about your solely alternative for a premium console (although the $300 Collection S is a stable possibility for secondary TVs, particularly when it is on sale). Microsoft additionally launched a particular $600 2TB “Galaxy Black” mannequin this yr, however I am nonetheless half-convinced that is some form of sick Tim Robinson-esque joke. It has to be when the extra highly effective and fascinating PlayStation 5 Professional is just $100 extra, proper?

{Hardware}: The head of 2020

The Xbox Collection X remains to be powered by an 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2 GPU, much like what’s contained in the PlayStation 5. It additionally has 16GB of GDDR6 RAM, 10GB of which runs at a better bandwidth than the PS5’s reminiscence. The Collection X’s bigger GPU gave it a slight edge over Sony’s console early on, however in apply that did not quantity to a lot. Sometimes some third-party titles would run a bit extra easily on the Xbox, however each consoles nonetheless had hassle balancing the calls for of visible constancy and efficiency.

As an alternative of being the era of no-compromise consoles, the Xbox Collection X and PS5 incessantly pressured avid gamers to decide on between taking part in video games with ray tracing and graphical upgrades at 30fps, or forgoing them to succeed in a easy PC-like 60fps. That is the primary purpose Sony threw a extra highly effective GPU into the PlayStation 5 Professional — the usual PS5 {hardware} simply could not reduce it.

The Xbox gross sales droop made it clear why Microsoft did not attempt to compete with its personal mid-cycle refresh, however it’s nonetheless unhappy to see the corporate draw back from any form of innovation, just like the leaked {hardware} that by no means arrived. The redesigned 2TB all-digital “Brooklin” Collection X would have been a helpful alternative for the bottom mannequin. It additionally would have included a revamped controller, codenamed “Sebile,” with improved haptics (possible much like Sony’s DualSense) and a direct cloud connection for enjoying streamed video games. Microsoft even floated the concept of bringing 1TB of storage to the $300 Collection S.

As an alternative of these purposeful upgrades, although, we bought a barely cheaper all-digital $450 Collection X, that overpriced 2TB mannequin no one will purchase and a $350 1TB model of the Collection S. These costs are all no less than $50 too excessive if Microsoft genuinely wished to maneuver consoles. I would argue the corporate would profit from going even cheaper to undercut Sony, however that might additionally dig into the corporate’s already slim revenue margin. I am certain Microsoft is not desirous to lose extra money on Xbox.

In use: A ok console

Even with its ageing {hardware}, the Xbox Collection X can nonetheless make fashionable video games look nice. Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, for instance, seems stable on the Collection X, with easy 60fps gameplay and ray tracing options. Whereas it is operating at round 1800p as an alternative of 4K, it is nonetheless fairly sharp on each my 4K OLED and 4K Formovie extremely brief throw projector. Positive, the sport performs noticeably higher on my RTX 4090-powered PC, however I can not simply play that in my house theater. (In line with Digital Foundry, even the Xbox Collection S can run The Nice Circle at 60fps, albeit at simply 1080p with variable-rate shading.)

It is nonetheless disappointing that Microsoft caught with its traditional Xbox controller design for the Collection X, although. Once I reviewed the PlayStation 5, its DualSense haptics felt transformative. It made taking part in Astro Bot or Returnal really feel not like any console gaming expertise I had earlier than. Controller-wise, taking part in something on the Xbox Collection X does not really feel a lot totally different from the Xbox One and even the Xbox 360.

Microsoft poured all of its innovation expertise into delivering a barely quicker machine than the PS5, however it seems that did not matter a lot in the long term. Along with having extra noteworthy video games, Sony’s console looks like a real improve from the PlayStation 4. The PlayStation VR 2, flawed because it was, additionally demonstrated that Sony wasn’t afraid to take some dangers this era.

The place are the unique video games?

After hanging out with middling exclusives like Redfall and Starfield, the brand new Indiana Jones recreation is a uncommon feather in Microsoft’s dusty fedora. However even that benefit will disappear finally — the corporate already plans to deliver it to the PlayStation 5 subsequent spring, alongside different former Xbox exclusives like Hello-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves.

Given the sheer quantity of growth expertise at Microsoft from its many acquisitions (and regardless of an obscene variety of layoffs), the corporate has now change into probably the most essential publishers within the gaming world. However proudly owning a preferred multi-platform sequence like Name of Responsibility hasn’t translated instantly into Xbox gross sales.

Past exclusives, Microsoft’s Sport Cross subscription is the strongest argument for proudly owning an Xbox. However even that has gone by its personal type of enshittification this yr. The corporate elevated the month-to-month worth of the “Final” plan to $20, which incorporates day-one entry to new titles and a big library of video games for Xbox and PC. The brand new $15 a month “Customary” plan does not get day-one entry, however does embrace a library of a whole bunch of video games, whereas the $10 a month “Core” possibility presents a restricted library of 25 titles alongside multiplayer assist.

The Sport Cross Final plan additionally feels much less, nicely, final today because of opportunistic early-access pricing for brand new titles. For instance, subscribers may have paid an extra $35 for the “Digital Premium” version of Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle to play it three days early. That timing included the weekend earlier than the sport’s December 9 launch, so I am certain many impatient Sport Cross subscribers upgraded simply to clock some uninterrupted playtime. It looks like a backhanded method for Microsoft to deal with its most loyal gamers, regardless of not being overtly evil.

Sony’s competing PlayStation Plus subscription is not as sturdy as Sport Cross (there aren’t any launch day titles), however it nonetheless presents a big array of older video games and cloud streaming assist. Whereas I wasn’t an enormous fan of the PlayStation Portal handheld initially, it is definitely a compelling accent for PS Plus clients now that it could possibly entry cloud titles.

Oddly sufficient, Microsoft hasn’t promoted Sport Cross cloud streaming a lot over the previous few years. It just lately began testing the flexibility to stream a handful of video games that you simply personal, outdoors of the Sport Cross library, but that is additionally a function that ought to have been applied years in the past. The cringey “That is an Xbox” advertising and marketing marketing campaign is a uncommon try at making mainstream gamers conscious of Xbox cloud streaming, however even that feels prefer it’s coming method too late.

The place does Microsoft go subsequent?

It is not as if Microsoft has an empty gaming plate forward. The corporate confirmed off a little bit of its Excellent Darkish and Fable reboots this summer season, alongside a tease of a brand new Gears of Conflict. We simply noticed a trailer for The Outer Worlds 2 at The Sport Awards, the Dishonored fan in me is hyped for Arkane Lyon’s Blade, and I am desirous to study extra about Hideo Kojima’s OD. However all of these video games will possible be obtainable on Home windows PCs, and plenty of may even head to different consoles.

There is not any doubt 2025 goes to be a busy yr for Xbox — it is only a disgrace that it possible will not assist Microsoft catch as much as the PS5’s gross sales lead. However who cares, proper? Every thing will be an Xbox should you imagine exhausting sufficient (or have a browser to entry Sport Cross cloud streaming).

Again in February, when Microsoft confirmed it might be bringing Xbox titles to different consoles, Engadget Govt Editor Aaron Souppouris argued that the corporate ought to exit the console enterprise fully. Whereas that makes a specific amount of sense for Microsoft, a software program firm that has usually struggled with {hardware} outdoors of the Xbox 360 (and even that had its points), I am not satisfied the corporate must go that far.

For one, it might go away Sony and Nintendo as the one remaining console makers. Sony would additionally successfully have a monopoly on highly effective console {hardware} and graphically intense video games, no less than based mostly on what we’re listening to concerning the Swap 2. Much less competitors doubtlessly additionally means much less innovation down the road — Sony may simply coast if it was the one highly effective console maker round.

Very similar to it did with the unique Xbox, Microsoft may doubtlessly reduce its losses and attempt to jump-start the subsequent console era sooner than Sony. If Microsoft may produce {hardware} that is extra highly effective than a PS5 Professional and ship it at a comparatively reasonably priced worth, it has an opportunity at peeling away Sony loyalists. That is significantly true if it could possibly guarantee fascinating exclusives are literally obtainable for launch.

Microsoft also needs to work in the direction of making its current Xbox advertising and marketing marketing campaign extra of a actuality, as an alternative of inserting its bets totally on costly consoles. Make cloud streaming quicker, sharper and simpler to entry. Make folks conscious that they will recreation on their telephones, tablets and nearly any laptop. Revive the streaming dongle accent and make it low-cost so you possibly can flip any TV into an Xbox, and likewise preserve engaged on bringing Sport Cross apps to all TVs.

Hell, produce that real Xbox transportable system and make certain Home windows is best optimized for third-party portables. It is best to be capable of spin up your Xbox video games from virtually wherever you’re sitting, regardless of the system in entrance of you. (And whereas I am on this cleaning soap field, why not let folks flip the Xbox Collection X and S into Home windows PCs? These methods are all mainly PCs already, and they might make pretty mini desktops or servers down the road.)

The console wars of the longer term received’t be fought like these of the previous. Microsoft ought to plan accordingly.

Wrap-up

If you have already got an Xbox Collection X, or discover one obscenely low-cost someplace, it’s nonetheless a stable method to play Microsoft’s titles, common third-party video games and all the pieces Microsoft has obtainable on Sport Cross. However should you had to decide on between shopping for the Collection X or PlayStation 5, it’s exhausting to disclaim that Sony’s console is a wiser buy.

Maybe the subsequent console era might be an Xbox 360-esque revival for Microsoft, however the firm must look intently at what Sony and Nintendo are doing proper. And actually, it simply comes right down to having extra video games folks wish to play. Now that it’s flush with so many notable builders, Microsoft might lastly be capable of remedy that downside. There’s little doubt that staying within the console enterprise could be dangerous and costly, but when there’s one firm that may justify sticking round, it’s the one printing cash from the cloud.