Review: Microsoft Xbox Series X – the next generation

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Note: This article is a world premiere (world embargo) in the form of an in-depth test of Xbox Series X (originally posted November 5, 3:00 PM). The article will be updated daily with new impressions as more games are released and receive optimization for Xbox Series X (up until the official release on November 10, 2020).

Looking for a review of Xbox Series S? Click here

Microsoft fell significantly behind last generation after a few uninspired decisions regarding Xbox One. This was eventually fixed but cost both time and market share (delaying the Xbox One by a full year in Sweden), causing Microsoft to fall further behind its main competitor, Sony and the Playstation 4. They returned with a show of strength two years ago with Xbox One X—the market’s most powerful console—which provided a significant boost to many games, though it became something of a niche product aimed at hardcore gamers who wanted the best graphics for multi-platform titles regardless of price. The confusingly named Xbox One X and the scaled-down Xbox One S are already being phased out of production, and the idea is for the new generation’s Xbox Series S (the “base model,” click the link to read its review) and Xbox Series X (the “high-end model”) to be the replacements. We have spent a couple of weeks with the powerhouse—Series X—and are here to give you all the useful facts you need to make an informed choice for the next-gen. Let’s dive in!

The Tech in Xbox Series X/S

Unlike Sony, which is releasing two similar models of Playstation 5 (one with and one without a UHD 4K Blu-ray drive), Xbox Series S and X are two very different machines, with completely different price points and target audiences. Both, like their competitor, are leaving behind AMD’s underpowered Jaguar architecture and moving to the latest, brand-new Zen 2 architecture, which looks very promising for the future.

Xbox Series S is the entry-level model, with an aggressive price of 3,595 SEK, made possible at the cost of a slightly slower processor, less and slower memory (10GB, which is less than the Xbox One X’s 16GB), no optical UHD 4K drive, and a 512 GB SSD of the new generation NVMe PCI 4.0 storage media. Series S targets 1440p resolution at 60 fps and goes up to 120 fps (with TVs that support 120 Hz and HDMI 2.1). The machine is estimated to push 4 TFLOPS (teraflops, a combined value for the GPU’s total ability to perform advanced calculations, where a higher number means better performance).

Xbox Series X costs over two thousand kronor more (5,695 SEK), but for that, you get a faster processor, 60% more and twice as fast RAM (16 GB), double the SSD storage (1TB), a faster GPU with more units working simultaneously, and an optical UHD 4K drive for disc-based games and movie magic. The machine aims for 4K resolution (2160p) at 60 fps and also supports 120 fps with a compatible display. With 12.15 TFLOPS, Series X is, on paper, clearly the best-performing console on the market (theoretically 20% more teraflops than the PS5 models).

Below is a summary for the spec enthusiasts (click for a larger version):

As you can see, Xbox Series X offers significantly more muscle for the extra money. Looking at the specs, Xbox Series S is almost underpowered, as its total TFLOPS are even lower than the two-year-old Xbox One X (which performed at 6 TFLOPS). But do all these measurements matter in reality? And for whom? In this test, we focus on Xbox Series X—but we will soon return with a review of its “little sibling,” Xbox Series S.

Backward Compatibility and New Features

Microsoft has fantastic engineers on the backward compatibility side. The Xbox One already impressed with support for both the original Xbox (from 2001) and Xbox 360. Series S/X continues this tradition and adds support for most games from the last generation, Xbox One. So, here you have a machine that spans a total of four console generations, which is nearly 20 years! This is impressive, as it includes thousands of games. However, not all games work (especially not on day 1, as support for more titles is added over time)—but the vast majority we’ve tested have played perfectly and with superb performance (more on that in the Games section below).

It’s practical that you can now dispose of old Xbox machines with a clear conscience (or move them to the kids’ room or summer cottage)—but one should also consider how much they actually play old games that haven’t been spruced up as remakes/remasters. This feature is very much a “nice-to-have” but not a “must-have” for most, since you either already own a backward-compatible Xbox One or, if you have a passion for old games, you can buy an old Xbox model today for very little money.

A new feature worth mentioning for Series S/X is Auto HDR, a technical refinement that provides HDR colors and contrast even in games that didn’t originally support it (or were created before the technology existed). The color palette and contrast of HDR, High Dynamic Range, is perhaps the single largest visible upgrade for the average person in the Ultra HD 4K revolution that started a few years ago (you can read more about HDR and how it works here). Some manufacturers are already talking about 8K, but resolution makes a much less visible difference for most normal users (who don’t have a 77-100″ screen). Furthermore, there is basically no real 8K content to consume today; everything is just upscaled (with varying success). Auto HDR provided a significant boost to certain games, especially those with a fairly consistent color palette (high contrasts and games set at night, such as the Batman Arkham games, for example). However, incorrectly set or inverted HDR can result in an overly bright and almost washed-out image, which kills detail in naturally bright areas like the sun, clouds, and the horizon. It’s no coincidence that the calibration image for HDR on Xbox Series is a still from an autumn day in the superb Forza Horizon 4…

New Generation SSD Storage

Next-gen consoles (finally) mark the end of mechanical hard drives, which have always been sensitive to shocks and wear, and over the years became noticeably slow for the amount of data expected to be moved lightning-fast in modern games, leading to increasingly agonizing loading times (it remains a mystery for future generations to wonder why 5400 RPM hard drives were still in premium consoles as late as 2018). Inside Xbox Series X is a Seagate SSD in the NVMe PCI 4.0 format. It can read 2.4 GB/s (gigabytes per second) of compressed data and 4.8 GB/s of uncompressed data—40 times faster than what the standard hard drive in Xbox One X could manage. This, combined with a new chipset and memory management, means that loading times are now essentially eliminated—both in Series X-optimized games and old, backward-compatible ones (see more in the Games section below).

One slightly outdated thing is the choice of USB ports: they are using the old versions (USB-A) with 3.1 support, presumably to maintain maximum compatibility with old accessories. But (at least) one USB-C connection would have been a nice-to-have and would have opened up even faster transfers for the future (perhaps coming in an upgrade in two or three years, the Series X2?)

I’ve got (hand) control

The controller should also be mentioned. To be honest, very little has actually changed there, but as usual, it sits comfortably in the hands and responds quickly. Microsoft has taken inspiration for the D-pad from the Elite Controller, and the trigger buttons feel even tighter and more precise than before, perhaps because the textured side provides a slightly better grip. Conservatively enough, the controller is still powered by two AA batteries, and while that’s a matter of taste, we think batteries in controllers are starting to feel dated. Sure, the advantage is that you can quickly swap batteries when they run out (if you remembered to charge the spares), but a Li-ion battery pack would simply feel more modern and could provide the same “weight” to the controller (the risk of forgetting to charge the controller between sessions is the same as forgetting to charge the extra batteries). Regardless, this is a really nice controller; there’s hardly any point in looking at dedicated, more expensive alternatives like SCUF Prestige.

Smart Delivery – one patch to please them all

One game, one release, one unique patch per system (Xbox One, Series X, and S) = Smart Delivery. You buy the game for “Xbox,” and whatever is needed to optimize it for your version of the machine is downloaded. It’s smart—but could it mean a glass ceiling for Series X? Some games will be built from the ground up for next-gen, for example Madden 21 and NBA 2K21—where dedicated versions are released specifically for Xbox Series S/X and PS5. These versions will obviously not work with last-gen (PS4/XB1) and theoretically remove the bottleneck of sharing the same foundation as the previous generation. On the other hand, Microsoft does not allow any Series X-exclusive games, which means the Series S (which we will return to for a practical test) sets the floor (Playstation 5 has the same performance in both models). How much will this hinder the potential of the Series X? Well, only time will tell. It’s not all about higher resolution textures or extra content; the lowest common denominator—such as available memory and its speed—could become a real ceiling for the experience. We’ll just have to see and return once we have a Series S and more games to test on both machines.

Xbox Series X – The Games

Old games feel (almost) like new

The internal SSD in Xbox Series X is 1TB and brutally fast, partly because it uses the latest PCIe 4 standard, but also thanks to Xbox’s new Velocity Architecture where storage and memory interact uniquely to provide incredible speeds and Quick Resume (the ability to have multiple games running simultaneously and switch between them instantly). If you need more internal storage, however, any PCIe 4 stick won’t do—you have to buy an officially licensed expansion from Seagate, which costs an eye-watering 3,000 SEK for an additional terabyte. The built-in terabyte goes quite far, even though 198 GB—almost a fifth of the space—is reserved for system functions (unconfirmed rumors say Xbox Series S gets 364 GB available out of its 512). At the same time, internal storage speed is overkill for backward-compatible games.

Here we at Senses want to offer two cost-effective suggestions that leave your old external hard drive solutions far behind (yes, you can technically disconnect your old drive from the Xbox One and plug it into the Series X and run it directly—but that will likely be a real buzzkill for the next-gen experience).

We like Kingston’s SSDs. In our experience, they are reliable and offer good performance for the price. We used the KC600 as an internal SSD for the PS4 Pro, and here too, the 1TB version comes in handy. With a top speed of 550 MB/s, it’s more than enough for backward-compatible games and has a fair price. Just make sure to connect it via a SATA cable that allows for full speed; sure, a “real” 2.5″ case looks nice, but these cases can have seriously limited transfer capacity. We like the StarTech USB 3.1 Gen 2 adapter which provides up to 10 GB/s transfer (in case you want to plug in something even faster than the KC600 in the future). And yes, it’s perfectly fine for the hard drive to lie “naked” near your console; SSDs have no moving parts that need protection but are basically a memory chip surrounded by a hard plastic shell. With this solution, you get away with half the price of Seagate’s official expansion. Although this is slower and intended for backward-compatible titles as mentioned, you can get by for a long time by reserving the internal space for Xbox Series X’s own games.

An even faster alternative is to get an NVMe SSD in the m.2 format (which basically looks like a DRAM memory module). The 1TB Kingston KC2500 (or larger, if budget allows) is a good choice, reaching up to 3.5 GB/s read and 2.9 GB/s write speeds. Not quite as fast as the internal speed, but not far behind either (though max performance is limited by the USB port itself). This SSD is easiest to connect via an NVMe dock. The ASUS ROG Strix Arion is an excellent option, providing a bit of RGB glam, good, necessary cooling for the circuit, and up to a theoretical 10 GB/s thanks to USB 3.2 Gen 2. This package will cost you around 2,000 SEK in total and gives you brutally good performance.

Note that the limitation of only being able to connect one external storage device via USB at a time unfortunately remains on Xbox Series X. So keep that in mind when you buy storage space—don’t buy too little.

So how big is the difference in loading times? Put it this way: a notoriously slow-loading game like Final Fantasy XV takes about 16 seconds to load from the internal SSD. It takes 17 seconds from an NVMe via the ASUS adapter, 20 seconds from the 2.5″ SSD via the StarTech adapter, and nearly 55 seconds from a classic mechanical Seagate hard drive (5400 RPM). This is a massive difference of several hundred percent, and it’s not just for one load, but recurring. Witcher 3 could bore us to tears with loading screens that took almost a minute to get past every time you died, for example. These are now down to barely 10 seconds from external SSDs on Series X. So the Xbox Series X doesn’t just benefit greatly from high-quality external SSDs, it’s also a machine that can handle and utilize data in a way we’ve never experienced before. Incredibly impressive—we’re almost there, folks—no loading times (like the old cartridges)!

So how do the games play once they’ve loaded?

Well, it varies, it must be said—but at its best, it’s absolutely brilliant! You’ll experience the greatest effect in old games with an unlocked frame rate—the aforementioned Witcher 3 is pure magic in 4K at a silky-smooth 60 fps, as are The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and the 2019 remake of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

But not all games take advantage of the Series X’s superior performance. Some games are completely locked by developers to 30 fps, and sometimes even locked to bizarre frame rates like 45 fps (Batman Arkham Asylum / Arkham City). Some games already played at 60 fps on Xbox One X at the highest possible resolution—rarely 4K, but for example, 1440-1800p. These receive no boost in resolution or frame rate, but you can see a noticeable increase in quality and better post-processing of the image, for example through increased anti-aliasing (sharpness and detail, one example is Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice). So don’t just stare at resolutions and frame rates; also check the quality of the graphics being rendered.

Rainbow Six Siege is a fun little experiment: it lets you completely turn off V-Sync—which we should warn can result in a completely torn image—but it also unlocks all the power you can get out of the machine (sort of like a PC). In that game, you can easily reach 120-130 fps, which is crazy good—but at the risk of significant screen tearing, since V-Sync’s job is to ensure frames sync into a vertical whole.

So, many old games both look better (Auto HDR, better details, higher frame rate—sometimes) and usually load significantly faster. But you shouldn’t count on any guaranteed or obvious improvements for old games, or that all games that performed poorly on Xbox One (X) will suddenly play flawlessly with 4K resolution and 60-120 fps by some magic. A lot depends on the game itself, what it allows the Series X to do, and whether Microsoft or the developers choose to give us patches (Smart Delivery) in the future to experience the games adapted for Series X and not just “max performance that can be squeezed out” (if the games even allow for such a thing).

We did a quick test with a game from the original Xbox era, THQ’s Red Faction II. It played very well, with no fuss, and reminded us of how extremely much better FPS games have become in the last 18 years… A classic from the Xbox 360 era, Halo 3, was also a pleasant reunion that worked perfectly (albeit with fairly long loading times compared to what we are used to on Series X). Halo 3 is, of course, available in a better-looking and better-performing Xbox One version in the excellent Halo: The Master Chief Collection (included in Game Pass), which will also receive a dedicated Xbox Series X patch in the future (perhaps satisfying the hunger for Halo: Infinite for a while?).

At the time of this article’s publication, the following Xbox One games had received improvements on Series X (via Smart Delivery) (click on the game’s name in the header to read a review of the games in our archive):

Ark: Survival Evolved

Studio Wildcard’s first-person multiplayer survival simulator was not a hit two years ago, and—despite “improvements” on Xbox Series X—is not a much better game now. The HDR implementation and sun lighting effects are superb, to be fair… but that’s about all you can put in the plus column. Because Ark: Survival Evolved is—despite its massive 112 GB download—still an aesthetically ugly and time-consuming game that looks like it came from the PS3/Xbox 360 era, not the last generation of consoles. Low-resolution textures on the horizon, a flat scaler (despite 16x anisotropic filtering), thin lines that noticeably crawl into jagged patterns, and occasionally broken V-Sync won’t make anyone happy, even if it all now happens in 4K and at a fluctuating 30-60 fps (which almost makes it even worse). From a distance, the dinosaurs look mighty, but upon closer inspection, they float about 10 cm off the ground. It’s just the nail in the coffin. But you can form your own opinion if you want, as the game is included in Game Pass.

Borderlands 3

Gearbox’s immensely popular looter-shooter also gets a Series X update on Day 1 (click the header for a full review of the game). The wonderful comic-book graphics in cel-shaded style get two options—resolution (4K) or a focus on performance (best frame rate). The first mode is clearly preferable, as the game is already so smoothly high-resolution (it holds a fairly steady 60fps), that the performance mode (which completely unlocks the frame rate) hardly increases the frame rate (without VRR) but, on the other hand, lowers the resolution quite significantly. Borderlands 3‘s cool aesthetic and quirky, R-rated humor fit perfectly with the Series X’s increased resources, making the game even wilder to experience. The sound is stunning, but the mix was wrong in the channels (when we fired missiles forward, the explosion was heard in the rear speakers?), but these may be teething problems being tweaked as we speak. A hilariously fun FPS with great style and almost some South Park-style biting humor at times. Must be experienced on next-gen!

CrossCode

A cute, very old-school JRPG-inspired game that was first written in HTML5 and then ported to Xbox. A treat for fans of old Square Enix games like Secret of Mana. It flows like a dream on Series X, of course, though exactly what is new or “optimized” in this version is highly unclear. It feels like overkill, to say the least, to have an optimized version on a monster console for a lo-fi game that could play just as well on a mobile. Still, it’s worth a shot for JRPG fans, and it’s included with Game Pass.

Dead by Daylight

The Canadian slasher-survival-horror game Dead by Daylight, where you can take on the role of both victim and perpetrator in multiplayer, has a growing fan base online. As a mid-sized game (“AA”), it’s not incredibly graphically advanced or extensive, but the patch at least gives us a steady 4K at 60 fps, which is nice and rather unusual in the first round of Smart Delivery updates, where some games get 4K at 30 fps instead—a bit of a disappointment given the Series X’s enormous resources. The sharpness and finer details are welcome, even if the boost isn’t as marked here as in major AAA games like Ori and the Blind Forest and AC: Valhalla. Included in Game Pass.

Forza Horizon 4

One of the best game series on Xbox (now also on Windows). Horizon 4 is a sandbox of fun racing with fantastic supercars, and on Xbox Series X, it speeds along without the slightest delay. Loading times are almost a thing of the past. Those who have played on PC with Ultra High Settings will recognize this: 4K, 60 fps with better details, shadows, and particle effects—though not entirely without compromises. Some shadows are missing in night mode (from headlights hitting trees, for example), and it’s a shame that almost no post-effects are applied to objects, making them feel a bit “placed there.” Likewise, your avatar is animated at 30 fps, for example. Small things to be sure, but still a pity—we hope this is further adjusted. Other criticism is that the gamma (brightness) and colors feel somewhat “milky”; more could have been done with the HDR (maybe a fix will come before the official release? Everything we test is early versions, both of the machine’s software and the games’ optimization patches). Regardless, it’s an absolute must, especially as it’s included in Game Pass. We shudder when we think about what a Series-dedicated Forza Horizon 5 will mean…

Fortnite

Epic Games’ immensely popular free-to-play Battle Royale game Fortnite naturally gets a boost on Xbox Series X as well. It now offers 4K at 60 fps, and they’ve made the environment more dynamic—trees and vegetation sway and respond to events like explosions—and the good news is that 60 fps is also maintained in split-screen multiplayer, which is a clear upgrade. Matchmaking has also been speeded up and loading times have been almost entirely eliminated (minus what’s due to the servers’ response). Fortnite is still based on Epic’s own Unreal Engine 4, but in 2021 the game will be ported to Unreal Engine 5, opening up some pretty awesome possibilities. Free to download and start playing, and hard to stop if our junior reviewers are to be believed. Bonus: Anyone who buys something for real money in Fortnite now (for example, V-bucks) gets two months of free Disney+ (valid for new subscribers only, not existing ones).

Gears 5

The latest Gears of War game didn’t please all fans, but our reviewer at Senses called it “one of the best action games in the world“. And Gears 5 is truly stunning on Xbox Series X. We don’t get true 4K, at least not all the time, but the resolution adapts dynamically between 1800-2160p depending on load (in motion, we claim it’s basically impossible to tell the difference)—even if, in extreme situations, it can drop the resolution all the way to Full HD (1080p, like on Xbox One X). Multiplayer has received support for 120 Hz refresh rates, which is super interesting and something we’ll return to in this year’s reference OLED TV test. Those who have played the game on a gaming PC with Ultra settings know what to expect here too—better lighting, nicer shadows, and more detail. The HDR is also brilliant (literally) and can be pushed to 4,000 nits (if you have a display that can go that high). Xbox Series X, however, gets a kind of ray tracing feature called screen-space global illumination, which wasn’t offered on PC at all. In addition to this, controller latency is reduced and the game also gains support for VRR (more on VRR below). This was one of the best-looking games of the last generation and it’s still extremely impressive to see now, with all the improvements. A must, especially as it’s included in Game Pass.

Gonner 2

Swedish-developed Gonner 2, from Raw Fury, begins with the text “press the jump button to die.” This game—on the verge of being called “old” since it came out two weeks ago—is another in a line of cool, lo-fi indies inspired by Super Meat Boy and the like; difficult but rewarding platformers. Gonner 2 is, however, a completely procedurally generated roguelike, so you can’t grind levels in the same way. Simply presented and charming, this is another in a series of games that would have fared fine on old machines and doesn’t need anything close to the performance of the Xbox Series X, despite being optimized for it (4K and 60 fps? Unclear). Included in Game Pass.

Grounded

A “game preview” that costs money (!) or is included if you have Game Pass. Microsoft-acquired giant studio Obsidian Games (South Park games) seems to have been busy with their first game under Microsoft Game Studios, interpreting the cult film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids into a semi-serious backyard simulator in the form of an FPS, where you are very small and the problems are very big (not least in the form of giant insects that don’t always want you well). A fun idea, currently presented as a kind of “early access” and difficult to judge as a finished product. It’s very good-looking regardless, with beautiful light effects from the sun shining through grass blades, beautifully colored bugs boosted by well-used HDR, and absurd situations that can arise in a large garden when you’re the size of an ant. 60 fps is a given and we guess that the 4K resolution is currently dynamically adjusted based on the situation (to always manage a steady frame rate, which we think is worth it).

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Edition

The hyper-violent fighter Mortal Kombat 11 already played well on Xbox One X. Now we get a patch for next-gen that gives us dynamically scalable resolution, aiming for 4K at 60 fps (though not locked). The game also gets cross-platform and cross-gen support, so you can play against everyone regardless of format (we imagine there must be advantages for whoever has the fastest hardware in a reaction game?). Countless DLC packs with bonuses and new characters are included for those who get the Ultimate Edition (releasing November 17). DLC Pack 2 gives us even more famous pop-culture figures, in addition to Spawn and RoboCop—including Terminator and Rambo! A must for the fighting fan (free upgrade via Smart Delivery for those who already own the game in any edition).

No Man’s Sky

Hello Games’ over-hyped, “infinite” space adventure never really stood a chance of living up to the unreasonable pre-release buzz, but it has nevertheless maintained a steady level of fans and development in the two years since its release. On Xbox Series X, patch 3.10 introduces an Ultra mode, which essentially means: more objects and larger bases, up to 32 simultaneous players, more advanced details and environmental simulation, and the choice between 4K at 30 fps or dynamic resolution at 60 fps. This update wasn’t incredibly impressive at the time of testing, although more could happen in the coming days. Included in Game Pass.

Observer: System Redux

This Polish cyberpunk tribute to Blade Runner and the great Rutger Hauer, who unfortunately is no longer with us, is something of an indie gem (which you can read more about in our review). On Xbox Series X, we get 4K, 60 fps, and ray tracing, which elevates the retro-futuristic design to new heights. A low-key, exciting, and well-written sci-fi journey that is worth taking in the best version we’ve ever had. And the Dolby Atmos mix is a real treat.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

One of the most beautiful games of the last generation had a shaky start at release but was soon patched to excellent flow and a beautiful HDR palette, with some of the most fantastic light and weather effects we’ve seen on Xbox One X. Now it’s getting a Smart Delivery patch that gives us 4K HDR at 120fps or 6K, supersampled at 60 fps. The result is absolutely stunning—(we will return to the 120Hz test), a game that was already painfully beautiful is somehow even better-looking and better-performing now. Where the Xbox One X version was slightly “soft,” the Series X is razor-sharp and the contrast is absolutely perfect, with the glowing little Ori as the natural lead. It’s like a Metroidvania dream. This is not a new game, but it hints at the power of the Xbox Series X and is a fantastic game, just like its predecessor. A definite demo game for the new Xbox generation and a must-play, especially as it’s included in Game Pass.

Planet Coaster

One of the oldest games to get Series S/X improvements on Day 1 is the amusement park simulator Planet Coaster, from 2016. Brilliant light effects, inviting water, and exquisite HDR frame a razor-sharp 4K image. Unfortunately, the frame rate stutters quite a bit throughout, and the game for some reason only wanted to play in Spanish—but hey, “nemas problemas” for the polyglots on the editorial staff (OK, joking aside—you really need to know the language to understand all the menus—but this is obviously a bug that will be fixed). Included in Game Pass, so feel free to test it in a week or so.

Sea of Thieves

Rare’s pirate adventure never really got the boost and impact it deserved, although it has developed quite a bit since it was released in 2018. The fact that you can’t play single-player still feels like a significant shortcoming, but for those who like the concept of playing with unknown (or even better, known) players, this is an immersive and pleasant little first-person pirate simulator with great aesthetics. On Xbox Series X, the animated presentation is elevated to new heights, with perfectly calibrated HDR you can set up to 4,000 nits. Furthermore, the frame rate has doubled from 30 to 60 fps, making the game significantly faster and smoother now than it was back then. The latest update, Fate of the Damned also gives some Monkey Island vibes with undead pirates. Included with Game Pass.

Tetris Effect: Connected

Another game that’s a couple of years old getting a makeover on Xbox Series X—it’s mostly “The HDR Effect” that hits you when you load Tetris Effect: Connected; the screen absolutely glows with light and cool particles! Tetris Effect takes one of the world’s best game concepts and adds a layer of transcendental meditation over it. Light effects, a great soundtrack, and perfect design work together in something that truly becomes an experience. That it’s now done in seamless 4K with a perfect frame rate and particles that feel like tiny supernovas only makes the experience so much stronger—the contrast between the black background and all the details is probably the best demo you can get for HDR’s excellence (on a great OLED with pitch-black blacks). Can be enjoyed by two players at once and also with and against opponents online. An absolute must, especially as it’s included in Game Pass.

The Touryst

Like a cute offspring of Minecraft and Animal Crossing, The Touryst (with the unique spelling, probably to avoid being confused with the Depp/Jolie flop) is another indie game included in Game Pass and optimized for Series X. And it certainly looks crisp and flows well; the game is actually unique in that it renders in 6K on Xbox Series X and then scales down to 4K, with the benefit of a kind of supersampling effect, completely without artifacts (a smoother and sharper image, almost like a CGI movie). Nothing that pushes limits, but the game has by a wide margin never looked as sharp and colorful as now. And it’s relaxed fun for both large and small players. Recommended.

War Thunder

The true elder of the Day 1 collection, War Thunder, was first released back in 2012 (before the Xbox One). The free-to-play MMO has rolled on through the years and is marketed as “a realistic, vehicle-based war game that primarily takes place during World War II.” The game supports cross-platform play between Xbox, Playstation, and PC, and the patch on Xbox Series X now gives us 4K at 60 fps with improved textures and details. And it certainly makes a difference—even if its age shows, you wouldn’t guess this is a game that first came out nearly two console generations ago (but which has obviously been updated in stages over the years). HDR boosts weather effects, and the sky with the clouds especially looks great here. Environments, house facades, and destructible objects all look good, if not spectacular. Definitely a game worth trying for the simulator, crisis, and WWII enthusiast. Especially since it’s free to start playing and contains in-game purchases for those who want to dive deeper. A second wind.

Watch Dogs: Legion

The third game in the Watch Dogs series raises the stakes and social criticism (somewhat) and is a pleasant and stunningly beautiful hacker thriller adventure. A nice touch is that on Xbox Series X, we get both 4K (at 30 fps) and ray tracing, which makes a big difference for lighting management in an already beautiful game, but we are also given better details, shadows, and Xbox Velocity Architecture, meaning faster loading times and a more seamless gaming experience. Face models feel a bit last-gen, however, and Watch Dogs: Legion thus becomes both a showcase and an interesting promise of what more we can expect on next-gen in terms of graphical upgrades. Worth picking up at release if you liked the previous games.

We Happy Few

The Orwellian nightmare scenario in We Happy Few perhaps didn’t live up to the high expectations of being a BioShock with social commentary/satire, but for the generous and patient, there are still nuggets to experience here. The patch on Series X gives us 4K, locked at 30 fps, and slightly improved details and environments. We Happy Few has never been a graphically striking game, so the last-gen foundation still feels noticeable despite the higher resolution. Not a game for everyone, but for those who give it a chance, it’s a different gaming experience where you get to test your own conviction about whether you want to take the “happy pill” or not. Included in Game Pass.

WRC 9

A competitor to Dirt 5 at release, WRC 9 is rally with a focus on realism. You can’t drive like a car thief or like in Burnout here, because you’ll find yourself off the track or upside down faster than you can say “where is the brake?”. WRC 9 was released in early September for PS4 and XB1 and now gets a Smart Delivery patch that gives us… yep, you guessed it: 4K at 60 fps on Xbox Series X. Environments and weather impress, though they’re not quite as spectacular as Codemasters’ more arcade-leaning racer (Dirt 5). On the other hand, chassis destruction is more realistic and WRC 9 may have some of the best and most shocking crash sounds we’ve ever heard in a game. A razor-sharp presentation and engaging sound will make the dedicated Rally fan—who loves tuning everything on the car and following the real sport—happy (both teams and characters from around the world, of both genders, are licensed to be featured in the game). And those who already have the game can just upgrade it completely for free to next-gen.

(The list will be updated until Xbox Series X’s official release on November 10)

New Games, Optimized for Series X

Certain new games, such as Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla—which keeps the tradition alive of giving us a new Assassin’s Creed game with a new Xbox (last time around we got AC: Origins)—is a new game released on November 10. But it is at the same time the same game for Xbox One, Series S and X with a Smart Delivery patch meant to optimize each version (something that can make a big difference, as we see in Watch Dogs: Legion, which gets ray tracing on Series X via the Smart Delivery patch). Other games are rebuilt from the ground up, such as Madden 21 and NBA 2K21. It’s difficult to predict what will be “best” since this is all so new, but a qualified guess is that games built from the ground up for next-gen can dodge more limitations than those receiving patches from previous generation base games. On the other hand, a patch that provides new resolution and new graphical elements (like ray tracing) can feel like a significant enough boost. So again—time will tell.

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

One of the most talked-about games for next-gen beforehand is also one of the best. AC: Valhalla carries the legacy forward (for the seventh time in the series) and takes us to the Viking age, reintroducing the Brotherhood element that so many have missed. Eivor is the name this time for both the female and male (!) protagonist you can choose from, and those who are daring can alternate between playing as both. Stunningly beautiful, Nordic, snow-covered landscapes, horizons with magical light and cloud effects, and a thunderously good sound design work that you just have to experience on a proper home theater. The game targets 4K at 60 fps and manages this impressively well for the most part (there were some minor bugs in the form of pop-ins, dropped frames, and misplaced objects at release, but we are fairly sure these will be smoothed out quickly in the near future). Perhaps one of the strongest reasons to get or start hyping about next-gen. A must.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

A bit of a curveball, as this was technically released three days after the Xbox Series launch—but still within the same week. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the perfect game to celebrate next-gen with, as it’s a true generational leap compared to previous entries in the series. Series X gets absolutely brilliant HDR and ray tracing at 60fps, with dynamically scaled resolution up to 4K, or 120fps if you have the right screen and are ready to ditch ray tracing. It’s incredibly beautiful, smooth, and immersive—the Cold War of the 80s has never been so spectacular, and the flashback to the Vietnam War might be a future classic, not least for how incredibly well-made and unique it is to control a helicopter in dogfights and target ground marks. Zombies and multiplayer are the best they’ve been in a long time, thanks to the fluidity and short (almost non-existent) loading times. However, it also has a next-gen price tag (approx. 800 SEK) and no free update from last-gen, so you get what you pay for.

Dirt 5

Codemasters (which seems to be in the process of being acquired by Take Two) is releasing Dirt 5 just in time for the Xbox Series X release. And here we are truly treated to great off-road racing (built on the wonderful Onrush engine), with a good frame rate, sharp resolution, great weather effects, destruction physics, and a 120Hz mode. Local multiplayer is possible in split-screen (up to four drivers, á la Mario Kart), and you can choose between a 120Hz mode (which we’ll return to with HDMI 2.1), dynamically scaled 4K resolution, or a steady 60 fps (which seems to dip to 1800p). Our favorite among these was actually the 60 fps mode, as the game both looked great and roared along like a dream. Dirt 5 does a lot of things right and is really fun to play, even if it also reminds us that it’s a launch title and the first of its kind for next-gen. The future of racing on Xbox Series X looks very, very bright.

Evergate

When playing Stone Lanterns’ hand-drawn Evergate, it’s impossible not to think of Ori and the Blind Forest or Ori and the Will of the Wisps. The inspiration is clear, with a creature of light (a soul) trapped in a dark fantasy world (in this case, the afterlife) and a kind of Nordic fairy tale tone permeating the entire story. The game has previously been released on PC and Nintendo Switch, but on Xbox Series X on November 10, you can experience it in 4K with a velvety-smooth 60 fps. We look forward to testing games like this in 120 Hz soon, as the processing power should be there (if HDMI 2.1 is properly in place, more on that below). A pleasant platform adventure with a “control-a-beam-and-jump technique” that makes Ori seem simple… A somewhat frustrating puzzle layout, where the slightest misstep means starting over from the beginning, but on the whole, a nice little indie that borrows from Ori, Journey and other fine role models. Worth picking up if you’re not afraid of challenges á la Super Meat Boy and have already played through the Ori games. Costs around 250 SEK on the Marketplace.

The Falconeer

A passion project from game creator Tomas Sala, The Falconeer is an ambitious aerial action game where you ride a giant falcon, perform heroic deeds, and participate in lots of dogfights. With a stylish framing and almost fairytale-like approach, accompanied by a majestic soundtrack, the game flows silky smooth on Xbox Series X, either in 4K @ 60 fps or 1800p at 120 fps, both with tastefully balanced HDR. At its best, the game is reminiscent of classics like Journey and Panzer Dragoon (although this is not a rail shooter), but sometimes this indie wants a bit too much and the controls get messy when you have to both maneuver the bird and precision-shoot at lots of opponents in the air and on the sea. Overall, a nice flight worth checking out if you like the genre (the game is currently released exclusively for Xbox and PC, not on Playstation).

Gears Tactics (Smart Delivery)

Gears Tactics might feel like an old Xbox game, but it was actually only released on PC when it came out earlier this year. Now it’s also coming to all current Xbox models on November 10, optimized for S/X, which on the X means the highest graphics settings from the PC version. We get 4K, HDR (up to 4,000 nits), and a steady 60fps like Swiss clockwork, while being treated to a variable scaler for shadows and major updates for the game (new content in the form of the robot Jack as a playable character, new enemies, and new equipment—”Jacked mode”) on all formats. A really fun turn-based strategy game, as we noted in our review last spring. Included with Game Pass.

NBA 2K21

NBA 2K21 is interesting and exciting as it’s one of the few games at release that is built completely from the ground up for next-gen (Xbox Series and Playstation 5). This means that, technically, it’s not limited by a last-gen frame, but also that it’s a completely separate “new” game and not a free upgrade for those who own the last-gen version. A massive 122 GB download is required to be saved on internal storage, which eats up a good portion of available space. The previous NBA 2K21 was released for last-gen a while ago (you can read our review of it here) and 2K Sports probably did well to choose this path instead of patching, although there is room for improvement. Technically, 4K @ 60fps with HDR is the goal, although holding a steady frame rate is hit or miss—something we hope will be optimized through updates in the coming weeks (major new releases are rarely completely painless). Some frames are dropped, especially in cutscenes, although the gameplay itself is more stable and looks really smooth, with high resolution, nice details like beads of sweat, and much more dynamic (realistic) crowds. 2K has also adjusted the Pro Stick function so it feels even tighter (but still hard to master) and added plenty of new AI players and more subtle adjustments such as body types (size and speed) and more contextual controls and dynamic commentators. If you have a MyTEAM save file, you can easily migrate it to this version. If you buy the Mamba Forever Edition, you get a lot of in-game currency to unlock things and honor the legend Kobe Bryant. But the price tag is also next-gen; expect to pay 1,000 SEK for it (which is not unusual for these types of collector’s editions with all the extras). It might not be a must-buy again if you already own the previous version, but if you like basketball and have a Series X, you should definitely check this out—it looks like a live NBA broadcast at its best!

Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Smart Delivery)

SEGA’s seventh (or is it eighth?) entry in the Shenmue spin-off about the Japanese mafia, Yakuza, was previously released in Japan but is new to the West, so it lands on this list. The series takes a big step forward—and in some ways back—with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Even more mature and violent, even funnier and more (melo)dramatic, it reintroduces classic turn-based JRPG combat (á la Persona 5) and, of course, it has never looked as beautiful as now. There are three graphics modes: High Resolution, High Frame Rate, and Normal. Normal is “only” at 1440p, aiming for a steady 60 fps with V-Sync, which works well for the most part. Turning on High Resolution raises the resolution to 4K (2160p), but the visible difference in motion isn’t huge and the game quickly drops its ambition to 30 fps, which is a much more noticeable loss. High Frame Rate lowers the resolution to 1080p (Full HD), which is intended to guarantee a steady 60 fps. This feels like a somewhat low ambition for a machine like the Xbox Series X (which surely has to do with the game’s own engine), and right now Normal is the best all-around option that both looks best and feels best to play, although we hope more games can optimize so we get 4K at 60 fps without problems once developers learn to properly optimize releases for the Xbox Series X. Regardless, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is one of the most fun and engaging games at launch on November 10; pick it up when you buy the machine—whether you’ve played Yakuza games before or not.

Since two of the major draws, Halo: Infinite and Witcher studio CD Projekt RED’s Cyberpunk 2077, have unfortunately been delayed until next year and next December respectively (Halo due to poor feedback on the preview version shown this summer), it must be admitted that the Day 1 lineup for Xbox Series X/S feels thin. There are some bright spots in the form of multi-platform titles and some significant upgrades for great old classics. But if you’ve already played through these old classics, then at least one Xbox-exclusive “killer app” (from Microsoft themselves?) at launch would have been nice. It’s perhaps not a catastrophe for the majority who forgot to pre-order in time and won’t be able to get an Xbox Series X at launch anyway. But it’s still a shame; it feels like something of a missed opportunity.

Movies in UHD 4K

The Xbox One already had a UHD Blu-ray player for movies, and Xbox Series X takes it further by offering Dolby Atmos sound, DTS:X (at the time of writing, only for headphones), and soon also Dolby Vision HDR (via a free update in 2021). You can now enjoy the very best movies and TV series in the very best format, with support for the best picture and sound directly on your home console. Just start browsing through the Nordic region’s largest archive of UHD 4K reviews and start collecting movies during the Black Friday sales coming soon.

Speaking of sound , two manufacturers early to the market with headphones for Xbox Series X are Corsair and SteelSeries. All old Xbox accessories are supposed to work with Xbox Series X/S, but of course, it’s fun to look at new accessories dedicated to the format. We’ve enjoyed using both sets of headphones during our weeks of testing, especially late in the evenings and nights. Starting with the Corsair HS75 XB, they are both comfortable and super easy to connect (just sync with the console like a controller) and they come with support for Dolby Atmos (optimized specifically for headphones in the Atmos app on Xbox). The effect is very convincing—clearly more vibrant and immersive than standard stereo headphones, even if it’s all done virtually and isn’t quite as engaging as a home theater with seven or more discrete channels. Costs around 2,000 SEK at release.

SteelSeries Arctis 7X Wireless builds on the legacy of the acclaimed Arctis series, which means the market’s absolute most comfortable headphone design, with clean and clear sound reproduction. However, it lacks support for Dolby Atmos and requires connection via a dongle, which on the other hand provides lag-free 2.4 GHz transmission for those who value reliability and perhaps play e-sports or a lot of online multiplayer (there went the second USB connection…). Support for Windows Spatial Audio is included for PC gamers. Costs the same, around 2,000 SEK, and might be hard to find at release. Whichever of these two you choose, you’ll get a really good headphone to start your next-gen gaming.

The Sound of Silence

While many (luckily not us) have had major problems over the years with the fan noise level of the PS4 and especially the PS4 Pro, we can delight you with the news that the Xbox Series X is silent. As in completely silent. We tried to measure with a decibel meter in a quiet room—the room’s ventilation registered. It’s an impressive design that is compact yet dissipates heat effectively and silently. There’s no major heat development to speak of; sure, warm air comes out through the holes at the top (or side, if you choose to have the machine horizontal), but that’s exactly as it should be. The exhaust peaks at around 60 degrees, so it’s warm, but never crazy hot or so that you risk burning yourself, as some internet trolls have rumored. It’s obviously a great idea to keep the machine out of enclosed spaces in living room furniture and give it access to good ventilation to keep it running optimally.

Xbox Series X performs at a high level, emits the most heat, and can also draw the most power of all current consoles—370 Watts maximum, which is significant. But most of the time it stays around 200 W, which is even less than the old Xbox One X drew (at least for the moment, we’ll see in the future with more advanced games). Series X draws slightly more power in standby mode, however, so electricity- and environmentally conscious consumers can choose the mode where the machine shuts down completely. The disadvantage then is that the machine cannot be used for remote play from another location and updates cannot be downloaded automatically; you’ll have to do it every time you turn on the machine. If you have a fast connection and play often, perhaps it’s worth the savings?

HDMI 2.1 and VRR – what is it and do I need it now?

HDMI 2.1 has been in the works for a couple of years and is the next speed standard, nearly tripling the capacity for transferring high-resolution digital video and audio via HDMI cables (an ultra high-speed cable is required for this, which is naturally included in your Xbox Series X package). HDMI 2.1 is what is supposed to provide the bandwidth (48Gbps) to show 4K at up to 120fps and eventually 8K at 60 fps. HDMI 2.1 also includes VRR – Variable Refresh Rate, meaning the image source can optimize the refresh rate according to the material and not be tied to “fixed” values like today (for example, 24, 25, 30 or 60 Hz). This can mean that even games without optimal or consistently maintained frame rates can look much smoother and better with VRR.

All this requires new hardware for the HDMI connection, of course, since it’s such a big jump in technical capacity. Very few displays today have HDMI 2.1 fully implemented; some are prepared for it but lack the software (expected to arrive broadly in 2021), and some devices support parts of the standard, such as lower latency (ALLM), while other 2020 models lack support entirely. It’s a bit of a jungle right now and nothing that will really affect you as a consumer until maybe in a year or so when content is available. But if you’re buying a new TV or other display and know you’ll be using it a lot for gaming, you’d do well to check for HDMI 2.1 support (which is one reason why the LG CX OLED has become so popular recently). A word of warning: problems have been reported with the VRR function on this year’s OLED panels (they have difficulty maintaining correct gamma/brightness at shifting frame rates— and these do not seem solvable with firmware updates), so it may be wise to wait entirely until we know more (and especially have more content to use it with) during next year.

An offer you can’t refuse

This review is approaching 6,000 words, so we really need to summarize our impressions now, but it would be a dereliction of duty not to mention Microsoft’s brilliant All Access Pass concept. This is a kind of installment plan similar to mobile phones with subscriptions (currently offered through Elgiganten) where for a low monthly cost (299 SEK for Series S or 370 SEK for Series X for 24 months) you get the machine, Game Pass Ultimate (which replaces Game Pass + Live Gold) and EA Play. It’s an incredibly smart and value-packed package that is likely to attract many this Christmas—especially parents looking for a new console for the home who, instead of 6,000 SEK + games (which can cost up to a staggering 800 SEK each on next-gen!), get a machine and around 300 games to start playing immediately for a few hundred kronor a month. With the current extreme shortage of both Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 for Christmas, we believe this offer might entice many to choose the Xbox Series S—both out of necessity and because it’s unbeatable value for money. Great thinking, Microsoft—more of this, please!

Summary – Xbox Series X

There is no doubt that the Xbox Series X is a great game console whose potential is purring under a hood we’ve only test-driven and peeked at during these passing weeks. In the coming year(s), we’ll likely get to take the machine out on the Autobahn and see fantastic games at a level never seen before. With all of Microsoft’s acquisitions of game studios like Lionhead and Bethesda, there is almost certainly a plan for their own format, even if it seems to be taking a little while.

While we are impressed, we have to put some marks in the “potential” and “future” columns right now. Because what we actually have in front of us currently is an obviously high-quality machine with a few really nice, improved (old) games in its catalog (most of which are included in Game Pass)—but otherwise a rather modest launch lineup of new games. Halo: Infinite is very much missed, a bit like Nintendo releasing a new machine without a new Zelda or Mario. But even without Halo (which we’ve known since this summer would be delayed), we had hoped until the very end that Microsoft might surprise us, like a jack-in-the-box, with something, a unique first-party game from one of its twelve giant studios—a “killer app” that you just must buy at launch, one that you can’t play on competitors’ machines? This killer app is still conspicuous by its absence (but then again, there are five days left until launch… ;))

Since there are a few more major releases looming on the horizon until November 10, we are holding off on a final score until we’ve gathered all the impressions of available games in this article and can make a complete assessment. So please return every day until then to read about the news!

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