Top 5 reasons to consider buying the Xbox Series X

Xbox Series X Reveal Source: Microsoft

The Xbox Series X is Microsoft'due south big next-gen console, built for speed and power, but also to address many learnings from the Xbox 1 generation. Information technology'due south no secret that the PlayStation 4 resoundingly triumphed over Microsoft in the panel space, selling well over 100 one thousand thousand units, to the estimated 40-l 1000000 Microsoft managed to shift.

The fact Microsoft was able to keep footstep at all is a attestation to the changes made under Xbox lead Phil Spencer and his team, putting the focus back on gaming and pivoting away from amusement and smart home features. Now, Xbox is more than focused on doing what it does all-time — gaming — and the time to come is looking brilliant.

Then, in five bitesize chunks, hither are five of the best reasons to requite the Xbox Series X some serious consideration, ahead of its planned Holiday 2022 launch.

More than investment in games than ever

More so than ever, Microsoft is doubling, tripling, and quadrupling its investment in home-grown games, following some intense criticism from gamers and even more intense competition from Sony and Nintendo, both of whom have been releasing critically acclaimed titles at an unstoppable stride.

Microsoft has had some success stories of its own of course, with Minecraft becoming the most pop game of all time, and games like Forza Horizon 3 and 4, which elevated the racing franchise to all-new heights. Ori and the Blind Woods also won information technology a heap of praise, with a sequel dropping in March 2022. Xbox fans asked for more, though, and information technology looks like more they will get.

Microsoft scooped upwards a legion of new studios, including Ninja Theory, Double Fine, Undead Labs, Playground Games, inXile, Compulsion, and Obsidian. Microsoft also began expanding its own, growing Rare, The Coalition, and 343i, while setting upward World's Edge for Age of Empires and the mysterious Initiative studio.

Xbox Game Studios list Source: Microsoft

From this vast stable, nosotros're expecting Hellblade 2 to showcase the total ability of the Xbox Series Ten, with the trailer above showcasing some seriously heed-blowing in-engine graphics. Forza ever tends to be a showcase for the ability of next-gen systems, with Halo and Gears to continue Microsoft'southward investment in shooters. Beyond that, Undead Labs is likely to take Country of Decay to all-new heights with its next installment, and Playground Games is rumored to be working on an RPG in the Fable franchise of yore.

Here'southward literally everything we (call up we) know nearly Microsoft's upcoming games portfolio. And what'due south more than, they'll all be available on the cheap and cheerful Xbox Game Laissez passer subscription from day i.

Ray-tracing is a game-changer

The Xbox Series X is a beastly 12TF organisation capable of running games all the way up to 8K resolution with 120 frames per second, although information technology's more likely in the curt term that most games will exist 4K60, taking reward of most contemporary TVs. Either way, that's a huge amount of overhead for developers to piece of work with, producing smoother and more detailed visuals than previously possible on a console.

Of all of this, the almost exciting aspect is DirectX ray tracing, set to be broiled into the Xbox Series X with hardware acceleration. Above is NVIDIA'southward RTX ray tracing example, which Microsoft is building for Minecraft on PC. You can expect similar visual results on the Xbox Series X when it launches later in 2022.

Ray tracing effectively replaces the tired lighting and reflection tricks of current-gen games with dynamic, physics-based methods. This adds a level of dynamism that has up to at present been only possible on higher-end PCs and in very limited segments of specific games on panel. Real-fourth dimension reflections, brilliant lighting and shadows will add a whole new dimension to games on console for the get-go time.

Loading screens be gone

Xbox Series X Source: Microsoft

Next-gen will identify a big emphasis on eliminating loading times, and to that stop, Microsoft is leveraging custom NVMe SSD drives to push the near-elimination of loading speeds. We've heard these storage devices can striking anywhere up to 2 GB/due south read speeds, and could even exceed that, taking games like Body of water of Thieves from a forty 2d initial load speed down to ii-five seconds.

The SSD tech besides helps in other areas. Microsoft will enable the Xbox Series X to fast resume from multiple games. You'll be able to leave your games in a suspended state, and instantly resume them at whatsoever time. Right at present, you can only exercise that with i game at a time on the Xbox Ane S or Ten.

Finally, nosotros've heard Microsoft is working to use Project XCloud game streaming to eliminate download times also. If you're downloading a big game from Xbox Live, you may be able to stream supported titles over your internet connection while yous expect.

Revamped controller for the social age

New Xbox Controller Source: Microsoft

As is typical tradition, Microsoft is iterating on the standard Xbox controller for the next-gen historic period. This new controller willl piece of work not only on Xbox Serial Ten, simply on Xbox One consoles and PC too, bringing in some much-requested upgrades.

Most notably is the revamped d-pad, which follows some of the stylings from the Elite Xbox controllers, which should make it more tactile and easier to employ. Additionally, (and finally, give thanks god), the Xbox Series X controller has a share button, bringing it in line with the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch controllers repsectively. You'll be able to instantly share your clips and screenshots to social networks far more hands than is possible right now.

It's also possible in that location are a few other tricks upwards this controller's sleeves. We'll have to wait to find out more.

Your entire Xbox One library goes with you lot

Xbox E3 Source: Windows Central Xbox caput Phil Spencer announces OG Xbox astern compatibility at E3.

Side by side-gen isn't simply nearly the Xbox Serial X, but also Projection XCloud and Xbox Game Streaming. The Xbox Serial X is designed with streaming in mind, allowing you lot to pull your games from your home network to a mobile device anywhere in the world, providing there'due south stable-enough net.

Additionally, Microsoft has pledged backward compatibility with all the OG Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games currently available in your library. Pervasive backward compatibility means that your entire library will movement into the future with y'all, without having to re-purchase annihilation.

Games tin can also be upgraded to accept advantage of the Xbox Series X'southward capabilities, like ray tracing, with many developers such every bit Microsoft and CD Projekt Carmine have pledged to provide these upgrades for free. Some, however, may opt to charge a fee.

One to picket

The Xbox Series X is shaping up to be an incredible panel if Microsoft can nail all of this potential. 12TF of power combined with refined features, insta-loading speeds and more investment in games than ever before makes for some seriously heady prospects.

The Xbox Serial X is slated to launch in the holiday season of 2022, and we can't await.