Xbox Series X – 1TB Digital Edition

The Xbox Series X is Microsoft’s most powerful and versatile console to date, delivering smooth, lightning-fast gameplay and an impressive library of both new and classic games. With Quick Resume, near-instantaneous load times, and the capacity for 120 FPS gameplay, it stands out as a console that caters to gamers looking for seamless performance and vast game variety. For those in search of the ultimate Xbox experience, the Series X combines power, speed, and a dedication to gaming excellence.

Pros

Cons

Features & Functionality

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The Xbox Series X is designed to elevate the gaming experience with features that prioritize speed, responsiveness, and seamless gameplay. One of its most revolutionary features is the Xbox Velocity Architecture, which combines a custom SSD with advanced hardware and software solutions to drastically reduce load times and improve performance. This architecture powers the Quick Resume functionality, allowing users to switch between multiple games almost instantaneously, picking up exactly where they left off in each title. This feature is particularly useful for gamers who enjoy jumping between single-player adventures, multiplayer sessions, and other experiences without having to endure lengthy loading times.

Another standout feature is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate integration. With a subscription, players gain immediate access to a vast library of games spanning four generations, from Xbox Original to Series X, with a growing selection of Xbox Series X|S-optimized titles. Through Game Pass, users can play both new releases like Starfield and Forza Horizon 5 on launch day, along with beloved classics and indie gems. Game Pass Ultimate also enables cross-platform gameplay and streaming, meaning players can start a game on the Series X and continue it on a PC or mobile device, taking their save data and progress with them.

The console’s hardware setup also brings DirectX ray tracing to the forefront of its graphical capabilities. This feature enhances in-game realism, producing life-like reflections, shadows, and lighting that bring environments to life, whether it’s a sprawling open-world adventure or an intense first-person shooter. In combination with 120 FPS support, the Series X offers smoother, more responsive gaming experiences, especially in titles designed to maximize these features. For competitive gamers, the ability to play at 120 FPS (with compatible TVs) offers a tangible edge, as higher frame rates can improve reaction times and overall gameplay fluidity.

Finally, the Series X’s backward compatibility ensures it’s the most versatile Xbox console to date. Players can access thousands of titles from Xbox’s rich history, with enhanced load times, graphics, and sometimes even FPS boosts for older titles, breathing new life into games from previous generations. This commitment to compatibility not only appeals to loyal Xbox fans but also broadens the appeal for newcomers who want to experience games from Xbox’s deep catalog, enhanced with the latest hardware.

Design & Build Quality

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The Xbox Series X’s design is straightforward and industrial, resembling a small desktop PC. Standing at 11.9 inches tall and weighing nearly 10 pounds, it’s a large, hefty device that may require dedicated space in your setup. While some may find the design boxy and uninspired, its minimalist, monolithic look is clean and unobtrusive, blending well into a gaming or living room environment.

One aspect where the design shines is cooling. The Series X’s vertical layout maximizes airflow, drawing cool air in from the bottom and venting warm air through the top. This design contributes to an exceptionally quiet performance, even when running demanding games. There’s a small touch of green inside the top vent, adding a subtle visual effect without over-the-top lighting or flashy elements.

The console is designed for both vertical and horizontal orientation, though many find it more aesthetically pleasing standing upright. For those using it horizontally, a set of rubber pads ensures stability. The front is simple, featuring a single USB port, a pairing button, and the Xbox’s signature glowing power button, adding a touch of familiarity.

Power & Performance

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With a powerful AMD Zen 2 processor and 12 teraflops of graphical processing capability from its AMD RDNA 2 GPU, the Xbox Series X is a true powerhouse. This console achieves 4K gaming at 60 FPS with ease, and in some titles, it’s capable of pushing up to 120 FPS for an incredibly smooth experience. For games that support 120 FPS, the Series X provides a marked improvement in responsiveness and visual fluidity, making it one of the best consoles for fast-paced, action-heavy titles. Compared to the previous Xbox One X, the Series X showcases a significant boost in power, delivering enhanced textures, smoother frame rates, and a much shorter loading time, which improves the overall user experience.

Load times are one area where the Series X truly shines. Thanks to its 1TB NVMe SSD and the proprietary Xbox Velocity Architecture, loading into games can take mere seconds—a far cry from the longer waits on older consoles. For example, large open-world games like Red Dead Redemption 2, which could take over a minute to load on the Xbox One X, can start up in under 40 seconds on the Series X. This reduced loading time extends beyond startup, too; the SSD allows the console to quickly render high-quality assets in real-time, even as players move through dense, highly-detailed environments. Games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Gears 5 highlight how the Series X can maintain consistent visual quality and frame rates, even when rendering large, complex environments.

The Series X is built to handle demanding games, and that includes many of the latest titles which feature dynamic 4K scaling. This capability ensures the console can maintain frame rate performance without sacrificing visual fidelity during graphically intensive scenes. In games like Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite, which push the boundaries of console graphics, the Xbox Series X leverages its power to deliver both beauty and performance. The use of dynamic scaling means the console can adjust the resolution based on in-game activity, ensuring smooth gameplay without significant frame drops or tearing—a feature critical for immersive, action-packed gaming experiences.

Microsoft has also implemented machine learning and AI-driven features that enhance the visual presentation of games. These tools allow for the optimization of textures and lighting, helping games appear as if they’re rendered on higher-end hardware without compromising performance. For example, enhanced games from previous Xbox generations, such as Gears of War 4, look markedly better on the Series X, with improved textures and faster load times. The console’s cooling and quiet operation, even when running graphically intense games, add to the performance experience, as users can enjoy gaming sessions with minimal noise distraction.

Compatibility & Connectivity

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One of the Xbox Series X’s greatest strengths is its backward compatibility, offering support for thousands of games from previous Xbox generations. The console optimizes many of these titles, delivering smoother gameplay, enhanced graphics, and faster load times. Gears 5, for example, runs at 4K and 60 FPS, achieving a fluidity that the Xbox One X struggles to maintain.

In terms of connectivity, the Series X includes HDMI 2.1, enabling high-resolution gaming with HDR on compatible TVs and monitors. The rear ports include two USB 3.1 slots for external storage and an Ethernet port, but Microsoft has opted out of adding optical audio, which may limit options for some high-end sound systems. The console also lacks the HDMI-in port found on the Xbox One, though this likely won’t be missed by many users.

To expand storage, Microsoft offers a proprietary expansion slot compatible with 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSDs, designed to match the speed of the internal SSD. While these expansions maintain high performance, they come at a premium, adding to the console’s overall cost. Despite this, the Series X’s SSD combined with cloud saves makes storage more manageable for users with extensive libraries.

Conclusion: Should You Buy the Xbox Series X?

The Xbox Series X gaming console is a stellar choice for dedicated gamers who want access to cutting-edge graphics and performance, along with a vast library of games. Its Quick Resume and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate make it ideal for players who want variety, while its backward compatibility caters to those with extensive game collections from past Xbox generations. Although the bulky design and limited storage expansion options may pose minor inconveniences, the Series X’s overall value and high performance make it one of the best consoles on the market. For users ready to invest in a console with exceptional longevity, the Xbox Series X is a smart, future-proof choice.