Xbox One X Reviews: Impressive Hardware Still Waiting to Be Used to the Fullest
The Xbox One X is almost here, and first impressions on the console are coming out online. On Tuesday, Nov. 7, Xbox fans worldwide will be getting their hands on Microsoft's new home console that may be just a little bit ahead of its time.
For now, at least, this compact device lives up to Microsoft's generous description of being "the most powerful console ever." The Xbox One X has more than four times the graphics crunching power of the Xbox One and can go toe-to-toe with the more expensive PC builds, as Ars Technica reviewed.
Microsoft has packed all these high-spec hardware in a slim package, a feat that's already an engineering marvel in itself. All this development effort had a clear goal in mind, and that is to bring "True 4k" resolution gaming and High Dynamic Range support to the living room.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
These are the same features, namely 4K and HDR support, that are expected to justify the $500 price tag of the Xbox One X. In late 2017, however, it is still arguable whether there are enough games that can take advantage of these advances.
For one, prospective Xbox One X owners will need a 4K HDR-compatible television to even see the results of Microsoft's efforts. Even with the needed equipment in place, though, there are still not enough "Xbox One X enhanced" titles to take advantage of the said feature.
Even the short list of games that are certified "Xbox One X enhanced" have some limitations in this area, too. For example, the updated "Halo 3" version only has partial support for HDR, and games like the Xbox One X version of "FIFA 18" still don't have the luminance data to make them really pop on HDR TVs.
Even the Xbox One X's own software is currently having trouble listing which games are enhanced for the new console. More work is being done by Microsoft to bring 4K HDR to more titles after the Xbox One X launches on Nov. 7.
