Let?s start with that system-level U.I. While not drastically different than the Xbox One or Xbox One X, it is far more responsive on the Series X. It?s pretty easy and painless to move between your apps and games, the store interface, settings, or any other menu options present. There?s no real delay or lag felt, which automatically makes it an upgrade compared to the U.I. in the previous Xbox generation of consoles.
For the enhanced games like Gears of War 5, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and many others, the visual and framerate upgrades are even more apparent. I wasn?t actually sure how well I?d adjust or even notice the difference between 60 frames per second or 120 frames per second in something like Ori, but the difference really did stand out to me. It?s honestly an amazing effect to see in a console and something that I?d encourage everyone to check out if they have a TV capable of displaying at that framerate.
The SSD drive for Series X might be one of the bigger game-changers for this console generation (also present on PS5) considering how drastically load times are now reduced. Playing through Assassin?s Creed Odyssey on an Xbox One X and then playing on a Series X makes for a dramatic improvement, with quick 5 to 6-second loads when jumping around between quick travel points on the map screen. This also applies to older, non-enhanced titles, eliminating the need for loading tip screens altogether. This won?t be new news for PC gamers, but for console players, it?s a big change.
As of now, my only real issue with the Series X is that it?d be nice to have some sort of ?killer app? at launch. With Halo Infinite getting pushed back, you?re sort of stuck with cross-generation third party releases for now, or the option to revisit older first-party titles from your library or Game Pass. There are plenty of things to check out and enjoy, but you also can?t help but feel a little bummed out by no big, first-party megahit to show off your fancy new hardware. Obviously, this will automatically get resolved as time goes on, but it?s worth mentioning if you?re on the fence about purchasing the console this year instead of waiting for more new games down the line.
Outside of that, I find myself very happy with the Series X, and I?m glad that I?ve got the opportunity to mess around with at least one new console this year. Now if I can just get to the checkout screen with a retailer when a PS5 drop happens, I?ll be set.
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