Xbox series X: does it live up to the hype?

Anthony Furtaw '21, Staff Writer

The long-awaited new-gen Xbox Series X has finally been released and is available for customers to order. It is by far the most powerful console I have ever tried and it comes with a ton of new features like top-of-the-line graphics, great connectivity, fast loading times and smoothness in all the different features.

There was a huge design change to the shape of the Xbox itself as compared to the Xbox 1 counterpart, as it is more cube-like. The Xbox 1 was flat and meant to lie on its side whereas the Xbox Series X can stand on either its side or bottom. This isn’t a deal-maker or -breaker, but it can affect your visibility of a TV depending on how your setup is laid out. You also get new controllers with the unit, but these are almost identical to the previous generation’s controllers besides the fact that they are a little bit more round.

When looking at the internal dynamics of the new Xbox, the storage has been upgraded greatly, and it seems to be much faster than before. Turn the unit off and leave for a little bit, then come back and turn it on and you will be able to load directly into the game you were previously in. It also cold-starts games much faster. When you are launching a game that hasn’t started in a while, depending on the game the loading time is cut in half in comparison to the Xbox 1 according to The Verge.

There is also a lot more power and quality in the gameplay, and all the new-generation games run cleanly and look nice as well. The graphics have improved significantly. It can run cross-platform games at a higher frame rate and higher resolution than any other console out right now, which is huge for people interested in different multiplayer games.

The new dashboard is very similar to the Xbox 1 and for some people, this may be a disappointment if you were looking for something completely new. For people who are used to the old Xbox layout and are comfortable with how everything runs, this will not be an issue and the new home screen will be suitable for your needs.

Additionally, with 4k resolution running at 120 fps, there will be no issues with your games being top-of-the-line in terms of how they look and feel. Obviously, this is the biggest advantage to upgrading to the new series as it can offer better longevity as well as a more emersed experience when playing. First-person shooters and different action games are going to have a much better feel to them compared to before.

There are of course a few bugs in the system such as corrupted display and other things, but this is to be expected with such a new console. Over time the bugs will be resolved and risks with buying the Xbox Series X will be minimized.

Overall I would give the Xbox Series X a 9/10. Despite the few bugs that are going around, I think this console offers everything a gamer would want if you are willing to pay for the upgrade. With the new specs and new games that are offered specifically for this console, I think it is worth checking out. I like how they kept the changes from the old console minimal, but at the same time improved the quality greatly with how smooth it is as well as all the new upgraded parts that it offers.