For Xbox, the changes have been coming in thick and fast.

Under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Microsoft's gaming division has already made a flurry of pro-consumer changes to the platform. From the return of feature updates for Xbox Series X|S, the revival of Xbox FanFest shows, to the reversion of the wildly unpopular 50% Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price hike of last year. Sharma has the Xbox community energized in a way that I haven't seen in at least a couple of years.

Yesterday, Asha Sharma and content lead Matt Booty published a blog post on Xbox Wire detailing the division's new mission statement. "Microsoft Gaming" is dead; we're now returning to Xbox, and Asha and the team spoke on re-evaluating various aspects of its business.

Microsoft has done some deep damage to Xbox with its decision-making in recent years. A disastrous 30% margin demand from Microsoft corporate effectively had Xbox running on austerity measures, at a time when competition is more aggressive than ever. I understand that margin pressure has now been lifted, and Microsoft has (at least for now) indirectly admitted that its profit goals were ridiculous and unprecedented, frankly.

This gives Asha Sharma a decent amount of breathing space to improve Xbox and prepare it for the next phase of its life cycle, whatever that may look like. It's with that in mind that I present this: a list of the biggest issues I think Xbox is facing today, both from my own perspective and inspired by community sentiments I read every day across social media and in my DMs. Xbox has already identified most of the issues quite adeptly, but there's a lot of context that I feel should be out there.

For sure, Asha Sharma and the team have made all the right moves so far, but difficult decisions will lie ahead. She might just have the most difficult job in all of gaming right now.

Xbox marketing (and lack thereof)

One of Asha Sharma's recent moves was to kill the anti-Xbox "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign, which paradoxically suggested that users shouldn't buy Xbox products. Instead, it advertised competitors' platforms and systems, including Google's Android of all things, to the detriment of Xbox hardware.

It's probably no shock that Xbox hardware has been in free-fall decline over the past couple of years. It's not entirely attributable to this marketing cycle, but for me, it certainly doesn't help that Xbox hardware marketing is practically non-existent.

RELATED: Xbox needs to stop apologizing for its existence

Perhaps there's not much point in marketing Xbox Series X|S at this point, but with Grand Theft Auto 6 on the horizon, it's insane to me that Microsoft hasn't made more of an effort. This is going to be a major, landmark, console-exclusive game (at least for a time), and Microsoft's hardware marketing presence capitulation is going to quite effectively hand over an entire generation of younger gamers to PlayStation.

For a very basic example: Microsoft owns Call of Duty; it owns Minecraft. It makes zero effort whatsoever to tie these absolutely massive brands to its console hardware. This needs to change immediately for the brand's visibility, in my view.

Xbox PC presence and discoverability

Microsoft identified Xbox's PC presence as a major pain point, and a pain point it indeed remains. The Xbox PC app has improved by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years, but sadly, it's still nowhere near where myself and many others would like it to be. It's still at times disgustingly slow and unresponsive, especially on gaming handhelds like the Xbox Ally. And navigability and discoverability are relatively poor through it, too, compared to Steam.

I don't think the Xbox PC app does a good enough job at showcasing games at a glance, either. The console-like tiled interface doesn't do enough to leverage mouse navigation or desktop use, where platforms like Steam, for example, make finding new games and content very easy with mouse-over glanceable information, superior community tools and curation, and perhaps more crucially, solid performance.

The Xbox PC app may need some kind of overhaul to get to where it needs to be, throwing out the sluggish codebase they have now for something more responsive. I'm not sure what the answers are here, but if the next-gen Xbox Helix is indeed a full-blown Windows PC, as I expect, the Xbox PC app as it is today cannot be the standard interface. It's still not good enough.

Furthermore, organic developer support is also not good enough. It can't be the case that Xbox PC users are consistently second-class citizens in this ecosystem. Whether it's on sales (often Microsoft's own games are on sale on Steam but not on Xbox PC), content and developer support, or general performance — a lot of work needs to be done here.

Developer back end systems

Perhaps Microsoft could win some more organic developer support if the back-end systems were more robust.

One thing that really, really bugs me about being an Xbox-first "game journalist" is the fact that developers often skip out on Xbox review codes. I'm told part of this revolves around difficulties generating codes vs. Steam or PlayStation. If you ever wonder why there are so few reviews for Xbox versions of games on Metacritic vs. other platforms, the ease of access to codes is at least part of it.

I'm no developer, but I'm told through various conversations that Xbox's developer environment is a weird mishmash of old systems and overlapping processes. Developers tell me that Xbox certification is among the most aggressive and slow, making shipping games more difficult in the Xbox ecosystem. Developers also can't set up and manage their own sales easily on the store, and even big publishers struggle to set up Xbox Play Anywhere entitlements and things like that, owing to their complexities.

Microsoft has already been doing some great work in this area, but I suspect Asha Sharma's dev tooling and platform background will help here. This is in addition to reduced margin pressure, allowing Asha and the team to more deeply invest.

The AI angle, and keeping Microsoft "happy"

At a recent event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described how he's all-in with Xbox gaming for the long haul, donning an Xbox hoodie in the process. But you have to wonder to what extent in reality.

Microsoft is a company dominated by its share price and shareholders, much like any other publicly traded entity. The current hotness in tech is AI and adjacent computing paradigms. Microsoft was an early investor in OpenAI, but its own consumer-grade AI projects haven't really seen much, if any, real traction with the public.

Copilot has found its way into government ops and big corporations, but the gaming audience, especially, generally seems to hate AI anything these days. Even if the monthly active users for the tech are in the billions.

Asha Sharma has an AI tools background within Microsoft. There's doubtless some sort of "AI play" for Xbox in amongst all of this down the road, whether it's AI super resolution upscaling tech or something we have yet to even conceive. Sharma is nailing the basics right now. But Microsoft has this uncanny knack of stepping on rakes. Will there be a point when Microsoft's c-suite shows up to ask how Xbox plans to somehow contribute to its "AI" vertices?

Customer support (and lack thereof)

I remember back in the Windows Phone days when Microsoft had a retail store presence and a pretty, actually great customer service layer. When I had issues with my old Surface Book 1 or Surface Pro 3, Microsoft support was pretty adept at getting them solved promptly. You could talk to humans fairly easily via chat interfacing, too.

These days, you're lucky if you get to talk to a human at all. The same is true across Microsoft's service game-oriented subsidiaries as well, including Blizzard and Bethesda.

This isn't necessarily an Xbox-specific issue, since Microsoft joined practically every big company on earth in outsourcing and hamstringing its customer support operations. Its retail stores have all been closed, save for a couple of flagships, and human-led customer support is skeletal and underfunded. If you have an issue with your Microsoft Account, a Kafkaesque maze of AI robots and canned responses awaits you.

At least weekly, often twice weekly, I receive DMs from people who have been banned from Xbox Live and Microsoft's entire ecosystem by extension. Many tell me stories of how Microsoft's support acknowledges that a hack or breach has taken place, but offers no help or support in regaining access to accounts. For many, this often represents thousands of dollars in digital games or decades worth of lost digital photos and documents in OneDrive.

I'm actually planning a larger article on this point, but Xbox, and honestly, Microsoft all up, could do with some serious investment in this area.

A global Xbox

Another point of contention pertains to how Xbox shows up in non-English regions.

Microsoft is a U.S. company at the end of the day, but its Anglo-centricism has been an issue across its entire stack for a long time. Microsoft products and services are staples in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and so on, but even just finding an Xbox at a retail store in Germany has always left me confused.

Microsoft has painfully underinvested in Europe, Asia, and other major markets across Xbox's entire life span. There have been efforts to change that, but none of it goes anywhere near far enough.

Finding stock of Xbox Series X|S hardware outside of the U.S. and UK has often been a point of contention. Social media presence and supply for the Middle East, Latin America regions, South and East Asia, and other major markets have been anemic. We all know about Xbox's battles in Japan, too.

If Xbox is going to be world-class and compete with the best of them, more effort should also be focused on regions where Xbox can potentially win support. Xbox FanFest going global is a great start, mind.

Xbox hardware and ecosystem desirability

The Xbox Series X|S roared out of the gate when it launched in 2020, and even managed to beat PlayStation in certain months in the U.S. when supplies were constrained, but those times are over.

Over the past few years, Xbox has posted near free-fall declines in its console hardware ecosystem. Xbox isn't exactly suffering in a vacuum, though, as other companies have also seen declines in interest. Youngsters simply aren't coming into the ecosystem at the same cadence they once were, with new users effectively stagnant for the segment. Roblox and other cheap forms of entertainment, such as TikTok scrolling, have eaten into interest in video game consoles. But even among enthusiasts, Xbox hasn't exactly been showing up as well as it could be.

There's been little to no marketing of Xbox Series X|S consoles. Microsoft has also joined other consumer electronics companies in struggles to keep costs down, owing to tariffs and other supply chain issues emanating from the United States' current administration. But that hasn't stopped PlayStation and Nintendo from quite adeptly outselling Xbox in the United States, which should be its home turf.

I'm not sure exactly how I would solve it. There's a big desirability gap between Xbox and its competitors. For many, though, it starts with exclusive games.

The Xbox exclusive games issue

Last year, Microsoft effectively ripped the soul out of Xbox by announcing its most iconic home-grown character, Master Chief, would appear on competitor platform PlayStation for the first time.

We all knew it was coming, but it was an inflection point for the Xbox community, and represented, wholesale, Xbox's decline as an ecosystem, a community, and a brand.

There's not a ton of real evidence that exclusive games would help Xbox hardware to sell. But if not exclusive games, then what?

I can't help but feel like if Xbox had stayed the course, and spent at least 5 years advertising high-quality, exclusive content, it would have had a net positive impact on Xbox's competitiveness against other gaming platforms.

Assuming the games are actually good, Xbox had a real opportunity here to show up strong in 2026. Halo Campaign Evolved, Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and Gears E-Day could've and should've been an opportunity to showcase what Xbox is willing to do for users who show up in their hardware ecosystem. Marketing against Call of Duty, a big 2026 Showcase, 25th anniversary celebrations, and co-branding with Blizzard at BlizzCon. Advertising the Xbox Series S as the "most affordable" way to play GTA 6.

Xbox could've done a lot with content recently, but instead, it spent the last couple of years helping PlayStation and other platforms make more money instead. Fallout 5 and Elder Scrolls 6 being exclusive to Xbox absolutely, surely, would sell consoles. Right? Well, maybe not.

I don't have all the data Microsoft does, and maybe it wouldn't work. But it's still the hottest topic being discussed among Xbox fans right now. And it's something that Asha Sharma and the team at Xbox will struggle to keep ignoring long-term. Sharma says she's "re-evaluating" Xbox's approach to exclusive content, but whatever form that takes has clear pros and cons for the business.

I think ultimately Microsoft needs to compete harder for the types of players that exist today, given that youngsters are patently disinterested in the medium for whatever reason. At the very least, compelling exclusives could convince people to pick up an Xbox as a companion device, and then world-class features and services might gradually win them over into regular users on top.

But for those users, Microsoft needs to answer this: Why buy an Xbox if PlayStation offers the same content, in addition to Sony's exclusive games?

That's the biggest and most simple question Asha Sharma and Xbox need to answer for me, and most likely the wider market.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

We all love the Xbox round these parts, but where we may differ is on which one we think is the best of the bunch.

On a purely hardware level, there's no denying the current Xbox Series X is the most impressive, but that's not what I'm polling for here.

Inspired by this Reddit thread asking if the Xbox One X is the most "aesthetically pleasing" of Microsoft's console designs, I thought it a good chance to find out what you think. Oh, and for the record, yes, the Xbox One X is the best-designed console ever.

Opening the Xbox One X on launch day (I sprung for the Project Scorpio edition) was such a treat. The Xbox One S may have slimmed down from the original, but the One X was something else.

It was so sleek and reassuringly heavy. Feeling like it was crammed full of the performance we were promised before even turning the thing on. All matte, no gloss, it was just such a nice thing to look at.

Let's also throw a little shade at the competition while we're at it. I also had a PS4 Pro, Sony's beefed-up console of that generation, and it felt like a toy. The design was atrocious, the plastics horrible, and the power and eject buttons felt like they'd snap off every time I touched them.

Of course you don't have to agree. Many would put a strong case together for the current-gen consoles. Or perhaps that amazing Crystal version of the Xbox that started it all?

As long as you don't come in here saying the launch Xbox 360 was the best at anything, I'll take it as a valid argument.

We're lucky to have seen iterations on every Xbox console that came after the original and special edition designs through every generation, albeit less so with the current hardware.

So, hit up the poll above with your favorite, and drop into the comments below and share with all of us why you're dying on that particular hill.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Xbox Wire has dropped its latest blog post outlining new updates across Xbox consoles, the ROG Xbox Ally, and more, detailing a wave of new features and quality of life improvements.

Kicking things off, console players can now enjoy 1440p streaming on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X, and Xbox One S. It is genuinely impressive to see hardware this old continue receiving meaningful upgrades, especially one that enables higher resolution cloud streaming for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members.

So what else is changing? Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the updates below.

Xbox PC App updates

We actually covered this previously, but Xbox is now highlighting it properly in their latest blog.

The Xbox PC app has added new UI navigation sounds when using a controller, making the Xbox App feel more console-like by using the same UI noises that Xbox consoles use.

These can be toggled on or off in Settings > Audio within the app.

Xbox Ally updates

This is something I can get behind. As an Xbox Ally X owner myself, these are genuinely useful updates.

Removable storage formatting has been improved, making it easier for those who prefer installing and running games from microSD cards. More importantly, the new Advanced Shader Delivery Indicator lets players know whether a game’s graphic shaders were pre-compiled, which should mean smoother first launches for supported titles.

Xbox also says it has made several additional improvements based on user feedback. However, at the time of writing, I have not been able to find detailed patch notes beyond those published in November 2025.

Other updates across Xbox

Xbox is also highlighting its new Postgame Recaps feature, which is now available to Insiders. We covered this when it was first announced earlier in the month, but it essentially gives you a clean summary of your gaming session once you are finished, which is a pretty neat addition.

We also get another small look at the updated Xbox Cloud Gaming web experience currently being tested in public preview. We covered that in more detail previously, but it offers a noticeably improved user experience and could hint at the direction Xbox is taking its UI for future hardware.

It's not the biggest of updates, but some nice features for people who use Xbox hardware, devices, and apps.

🗨️ What do you think of Xbox's February Xbox update?

Are these upgrades meaningful for you, or just nice-to-haves? We’re curious how this February update actually lands in the real world — whether 1440p cloud streaming and the other tweaks change anything in your day‑to‑day gaming, or if it all feels more like background noise.

Drop your thoughts below, especially if you’re still rocking an Xbox One. Tell us what’s working, what’s not, and what you want Xbox to tackle next.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Xbox Social Clubs was a feature introduced to help players meet like-minded people. It allowed users to chat, play games, and share content within dedicated spaces, effectively giving them the tools to build their own communities.

However, starting in April 2026, Xbox will shut down Social Clubs across Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Xbox hasn't really provided a detailed explanation for the decision, though it has pointed players toward alternatives such as Discord integration, party chat, messaging, and Looking for Group features.

What happens to existing clubs and communities?

According to Xbox, Official Clubs are not currently affected by this change. Users can still access Official Clubs accessed through an individual game’s Game Card.

Community-created clubs, however, will close in April 2026. That includes the removal of the Clubs tab from the Friends and Community Updates tab.

If you still want to find like-minded players, Looking for Group remains available. It allows you to post sessions, set requirements, and join existing groups. Xbox also points players toward features like party chat, messaging, and Discord integration to stay connected.

For sharing content, the activity feed will remain active. Players can continue posting game clips, screenshots, and achievements there or share them to external social platforms.

Clubs may have been a niche feature, but it is still disappointing to see it go. For the players who relied on it, it offered a simple way to build and maintain small communities.

At the time of writing, it is unclear whether existing club content will remain accessible after the shutdown. If you have posts, screenshots, or shared media you want to keep, it may be worth saving copies now, just in case that content is eventually removed.

Did you ever use Xbox Social Clubs, or have you already moved your communities elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

When we're covering new Xbox games in these parts it's pretty much always focusing on the Xbox Series X or the Xbox Series S. Both are approaching their 5th birthday next month, so truthfully, there's no reason not to. But occasionally something big comes along that is still getting a release on the Xbox One.

Such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. I'll admit that this completely skipped my attention. On one hand, it's noble, supporting players who haven't been able to upgrade. Especially in a world where Microsoft has cranked up the price of the current gen consoles.

But is it actually something worth playing on the older console? I dug out my trusty old Project Scorpio edition Xbox One X to have a look before the Black Ops 7 beta was finished, and, yeah. I don't think it's a good idea.

Playing Black Ops 7 on an Xbox One is hard work

It's not all bad, but if Activision is serious about this, then there's plenty of work still to be done. Starting off, the version for the Xbox One is smaller than on the Series X|S, so that's a result.

Despite this, and the obvious limitations to graphics over the new consoles, it looks pretty good. There wasn't a single second where I thought that it looked bad. Call of Duty is hardly the most graphically intense game out there, but it's absolutely fine on the old gen console.

The problem is the frame rate. I can't tell you what it actually is, but I can tell you it's not 60 FPS, and it's not remotely stable. Sure, it's a beta, but compared to the Series X, it's a whole world away.

Things start out ok, leaving spawn for the first time is smooth and seems to be 60 FPS, or close to it. But give it a few seconds or actually start doing something, and it all falls apart.

I'm a very average Call of Duty player, but playing on the Xbox One X made me change my style of play. I found myself not using the new wall jump ability at all, nor doing as much sliding about.

That's not a bad thing on its own, but with the state of modern Call of Duty, it makes it very hard to compete against the movement demons out there. You're more of a sitting duck.

I had to avoid all of this as much as possible because it's simply harder to see opponents and lock onto them. If feels like you're playing on a sandy beach, with every footstep labored, every movement more exaggerated. It feels exhausting.

I did manage to get some good performances out, which is shocking enough in itself, but I had to be resigned to playing more like I would in the original Modern Warfare days. SMGs are out, I'm keeping as much distance as possible and playing from range with an assault rifle. But I wasn't enjoying it nearly as much as I have been on the Xbox Series X.

The video clip above shows a very basic comparison using clips recorded on each console. It's clear that the last-gen version is nowhere close to the current-gen just in being smooth, stable, and reaching 60 FPS.

You cannot expect to enjoy Call of Duty below 60 FPS, it's tiresome, and each game feels like a slog. You're not going to be able to keep up with better players playing a game in this state.

I am pleased to see, though, that being on Xbox One doesn't exclude you from an FOV slider. I was able to play at my preferred 110 FOV on the Xbox One X just as I do on PC or the Series X.

You also have the ability to use FidelityFX sharpening, but I'm not sure it makes too much difference. Likewise, you can do things like turn off depth of field, but even turning everything I can off, it doesn't help the stability.

It's time to say goodbye once and for all to the Xbox One

Bearing in mind I was playing on the more powerful Xbox One X, I dread to think what it could be like trying to play Black Ops 7 on a standard Xbox One. Loading times aren't bad considering the old hat mechanical hard drive inside, but once you're in, it's just not good enough.

At least it's not in the way things stand as of the beta. The game doesn't come out until November 14, so there's time to work on it. But I'm not holding my breath.

Even for a less-demanding title such as Black Ops 7, the Xbox One is really showing its age now. I cannot in good faith tell anyone who is still using any of the Xbox One family of consoles to buy this game, or subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to play it.

Even just spending a couple of hours with it, I never want to do it again. But I will, at launch, to see if it got any better.

If you are on an Xbox One still and really want to play Black Ops 7, my advice would be to turn to the cloud. I haven't tried it myself yet, but looking at the video above from Cloud Gaming Battle, it looks pretty good.

You'll get 60 FPS gameplay on Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is the crucial part, and even with slightly higher latency than playing natively, chances are you'll enjoy it more than the janky mess you get on the Xbox One.

I can only assume there were still enough players of Black Ops 6 on Xbox One to make this worth doing at all. It might well generate some additional revenue for Xbox, but personally, I'd be much happier if those players couldn't buy this game at all.

It's not like they're getting something worth their money, the state the Black Ops 7 beta plays in. I'm ready to be proved wrong if it launches, and it plays well, but I think the bigger point is that it's time we stopped bothering.

Don't be putting out sub-par products for people to buy. It's been five years, it's time to let the Xbox One go.

What you need to know

• Xbox has revealed a collaboration with Barbie to coincide with the release of the Barbie film.
• Forza Horizon 5 will feature two new vehicles; the 1956 Chevrolet Corvette EV Corvette and the 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup.
• You can win your own Barbie-themed Xbox faceplate or Xbox Series S.
• Get lucky, and you could hold one of ten Xbox-themed Barbie dolls with complete Xbox accessories.
• Meet the creators behind Forza Horizon 5, and learn some of their memories connected to Barbie.

Xbox has announced a new fabulous partnership with Barbie. Ranging from in-game content for Forza Horizon 5 to their own lineup of Barbie dolls. It looks like Barbie is meeting Xbox on the runway in numerous forms.

Their blog post announcing the content states, "This Barbie is a gamer! Together with Warner Bros. Pictures and Mattel, Xbox is excited to invite fans on a fun, fashionable, and inspirational ride this summer to celebrate the much-anticipated release of the new movie 'Barbie,”'premiering in theaters on July 21. Bringing Barbie’s signature flair to our gaming platform, we’re honoring all that there is to love about this iconic role model: her persevering optimism, wide-ranging career journey and never-ending capacity for self-discovery. Audiences of 'Barbie'will follow the heroine to the furthest reaches of Barbie Land and beyond, and now fans can follow in her high-heeled footsteps with exclusive Forza Horizon 5 in-game content, an inspiring video about careers in gaming with a Barbie touch, the first ever Xbox Barbie dolls, and our most stylish custom Xbox hardware yet."

Race like Barbie and Ken in Forza Horizon 5 

Both vehicles featured in the film will be freely available for download. These vehicles include a more classical 1956 Chevrolet Corvette EV Corvette and a modern 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup. Simply check the in-game messaging system; you should see both vehicles available.

“Racing at the intersection of style, speed and self-expression, “Barbie” fans new and old can find the inspiration to follow their own road and get in the game."

It's common for gamers to have figures related to their favorite games; how about a Barbie to match? Xbox also announced fans could win one of ten specially designed Barbie dolls featuring Xbox gear and accessories via international sweepstakes

"To celebrate our commitment to being a place for everyone, we’ve rounded up ten Barbie dolls that are reflective of the Barbie line, which is the most diverse doll line on the market. We outfitted them with the latest Xbox Gear fashion, as well as accessories including an Xbox Series S console, Wireless Controller and an Adaptive Controller. Fans can win the dolls as part of an international sweepstakes."

Dream Console, Meet Dreamhouse

In a separate sweepstake, starting July 10th, players can wager points on Microsoft Rewards to win exclusive faceplates and a Barbie-designed Xbox Series S console that "has been built into the glamorous Barbie DreamHouse." The controller faceplates were designed after Barbie and Ken’s distinct on-screen outfits.

From Xbox, "Young girls thrive when they have someone to look up to, and Barbie has exemplified their limitless potential for decades. With over 200 careers, Barbie continues to reflect new movements. Movie-going audiences will see themselves represented in the film’s Barbies, who are thriving in professional roles ranging from physicist to President. In collaboration, Xbox is spotlighting some of the dolls’ real-world counterparts in the gaming field with a video. Hear about the different careers in gaming as those who work on the Forza franchise speak about their own career journeys, motivations, and personal Barbie connections. Fans can also see the video debut as part of a very special livestream on July 14th from the World of Barbie, where fans can learn about “Barbie” and see our hosts race in Barbie and Ken rides from the movie, in Forza Horizon 5."

Xbox and Microsoft are no strangers to partnering with brands outside the Dorito ecosystem. One of which included an Oreo partnership that included ways to obtain free Oreo cookies. These collaborations are always fun, if not humorous, as things like Barbie are never expected. Here's to a hopeful collaboration with Heinz so our editor Jez can get some free beans.

Ultimately the battle between the Xbox One S and One X boils down to whether you have a 4K TV to go with it. If you have a 4K television or monitor, an Xbox One X will provide the best visuals the video game industry has to offer outside of a high-end gaming PC. Even on 1080p sets, many games support Xbox One X-exclusive 60 FPS modes, but you'll be paying a premium for the privilege.

However, the real answer is: Don't buy either. Really. The next-gen Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are here, and they have far more power than either of these consoles, with better loading speeds, faster processing, next-gen graphics features like ray tracing, and much, much more. Additionally, supplies of these consoles are short, and Microsoft has ceased manufacturing them entirely. The Xbox Series S replaces the Xbox One S, and the Xbox Series X replaces the Xbox One X.

At this point, the only reason to buy an Xbox One X or One S is for collecting, or if you can get one extremely cheap via eBay, specifically for older games. The next-gen Xbox Series X and Series S can run ALL Xbox One X and One S games, often with performance enhancements for free. There are stock shortages of the new 4K Xbox Series X console, but the cheaper, less-powerful Xbox Series S is easier to get a hold of and is arguably better than the previous-gen 4K Xbox One X anyway.

• Related: Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S
• Related: Is the Xbox Series S more powerful than the Xbox One X?

Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S: Spec showdown

Xbox One X vs. S: HD vs. UHD

With the Xbox One X launching for around $200 more expensive than the Xbox One S, it was fair to expect some massive gains. Microsoft delivered. The Xbox One X packs hundreds of visually enhanced games over the Xbox One or Xbox One S, taking advantage of the console's impressive 6 teraflops (TF) of graphical power. By comparison, the Xbox One S only has around 1.2 TF, which often struggles to handle games at a native 1080p resolution. But what does all of this mean?

4K is referred to as "UHD" or ultra-high definition because the images contain many millions of additional pixels (8,294,400 to be precise) versus standard high definition (2,073,600). Each pixel represents a single point of colored light, which combine to create the images on-screen. More pixels mean sharper images, more detail, and, thus, more immersion. Both consoles also support HDR, which allows games to achieve more vivid colors and leverage more realistic light tones and contrasts, producing spectacular effects.

It's hard to replicate what 4K truly means without viewing the images on a 4K screen (and with our website's image compression...), simply because the display doesn't have enough pixels to show the images natively. While it doesn't do true 4K justice as the pictures are squashed, you can see in the above slider that the 4K image is far crisper than the 1080p image, especially when you zoom in using your web browser. Pay attention to details in the background textures, the trees, and so on. In modern AAA games like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the difference is quite huge.

Fallout 76 is an excellent example of the differences between 4K on the Xbox One X and HD-level visuals on the base Xbox One S, showing how resolution bumps could instantaneously enhance visual quality. It isn't all about raw resolution, however, and even owners of 1080p TVs can get in on the Xbox One X action to some degree. Many games support 60 FPS modes exclusive to the Xbox One X, which you'll be able to enjoy on a 1080p set. Fallout 76, for example, will have far better detail in its trees and environments, even on a 1080p TV, when using an Xbox One X.

Many games on the Xbox One X enhanced list won't output at native 4K resolution. Instead, they will either use checkerboard rendering techniques or use sub-4K resolutions, using computing power to add physical details and improved effects (or in addition). Even if they are using UHD resolutions your HD set can't accept, the Xbox One X will use a technique called supersampling to take the 4K image and improve its visual quality at an HD level. You'll also benefit from faster loading speeds, due to the X's upgraded HDD.

The new-gen Xbox Series S doesn't have the raw graphics power of the Xbox One X, but it does beat the One X on speed. It beats the One S on both speed and power, too, meaning that games will not only generally look crisper, but they'll hit higher frame rates for a smoother gaming experience. The argument, at this point in 2022, once again boils down to skipping Xbox One-gen consoles, and simply going for either the Xbox Series S for 60 FPS 1080p gaming, or Xbox Series X for 4K 60 FPS gaming.

However, these comparisons are more relevant in the debate between the modern Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X consoles, given that the Xbox One range is no longer in production. The Series S is the "HD" version, with the Xbox Series X as the "4K" version. Both consoles can outperform the Xbox One X and S for frame rates owing to their superior CPUs. Even if you have a 4K TV, getting a cheaper Xbox Series S may provide a better overall experience than an older Xbox One X. 

Xbox One X vs. S: Additional features

So, we know that dozens and dozens of games will look significantly better on the Xbox One X, but what about other features?

The first thing to note is that the Xbox One X is slightly smaller than the S. It's not so much smaller you'll choose based on that fact alone, but it's worth being aware of. Both consoles can also be positioned vertically with an additional vertical stand.

Both the Xbox One X and One S run incredibly quietly, despite the X's slim form factor. The X comes with advanced cooling features to help with this, which no doubt, in part, has impacted its price point.

Both consoles support HDMI IN for TV passthrough, meaning that you can connect your cable box or TV receiver to your console, and use it to navigate channels and TV schedules. Previously, you could use the Xbox One's TV tuner accessory, you could eliminate a separate TV set-top box in some territories, but Microsoft has deprecated the feature in updates owing to low usage. Both consoles also have an IR blaster to communicate with other devices, such as televisions, sound systems, and remote controls.

The fact the Xbox One range support IR blasters and HDMI-in are two aspects that were removed from the Xbox Series X|S range, again, owing to low use and the desire to shave some $ off the asking price. On the new consoles, you can use HDMI-CEC to control your Xbox using practically any remote control, circumventing the need for an IR blaster. The only downside is that you can no longer control an external sound system with the same level of ease as you could with the Xbox One range, although it's still a bit of a niche use case. 

None of the more recent Xbox consoles have ports explicitly tailored for the (now dead) Kinect, sadly, but you can pick up a Kinect USB adapter for that purpose on an Xbox One S or X. The Xbox Series X|S consoles do not support Kinect at all by comparison. 

Since the October 2018 Xbox update, the Xbox One S and One X and its successors can be controlled using an Amazon Echo voice speaker, which is an excellent replacement for Kinect. As for other peripherals, both the X and the S have the same number of USB ports: two in the back, one in the front.

The Xbox One S was updated with support for 1080p 30 FPS game DVR clip recording, after years of being restricted to 720p. The Xbox One X, however, supports full 4K 60 FPS video recording options, complete with HDR. With current technology, the best 4K capture devices are either PCI-e based (for desktop PCs), or professional grade-standalone solutions that cost hundreds of dollars.

Additionally, the Xbox One X supports FreeSync variable refresh rates — Xbox One X enhanced games could offer options for frame rates between the standard 30 and 60 FPS without screen tearing. This will provide a smooth experience even if developers decide to offer sub-60 FPS frame rates to achieve 4K or other visual enhancements in their games.

The Xbox Series S and X feature all of the above, albeit without support for Kinect. The Xbox Series S does not have a Blu-ray drive either, as it focuses entirely on digital media playback and digital games. Both the Series X and Series S support VRR too, which combined with the best TVs for Xbox, produces a smoother gaming experience in general.

Xbox One X vs. S: Why you shouldn't buy EITHER

Which should you buy? Honestly: neither. You should look into picking up an Xbox Series S or a more powerful Xbox Series X. Both of these systems are in the next-generation console family for Xbox gaming, and are future-proofed for at least the next five-plus years. The Xbox One consoles have ridden off into the sunset, with fewer and fewer games being made for them.

If you absolutely are intent on getting an Xbox One console, and not a Series X|S console, the main issue here is whether or not you have a 4K television. There are gains to be had by using the Xbox One X with a 1080p set, but they will be nowhere near as pronounced as they would be with a 4K display with HDR. I would argue that, unless you're going to get a 4K TV or monitor shortly, you could probably stick with an Xbox One S. However, as time has gone by, it feels like developers are increasingly deprioritizing the development of the Xbox One X versions of games. At this point, even people with 4K TVs should probably opt for an Xbox Series S to play modern games, which overlook the Xbox One range completely. 

If you're on the fence about whether or not to join the 4K resolution revolution, it depends on what you want from your console experience. If you're the type of console gamer who buys all the latest, biggest games and wants the best visual experience possible, the Xbox One X with a 4K TV is the best option by far this year. If you're a content creator, the Xbox One X will provide you with 4K video clips and screenshots as a bonus.

However, if you're a little more casual and are more interested in maybe just picking up one or two games per year and occasionally playing in the evenings after a hard day at work, consuming media on the side, the Xbox One S might be a more cost-effective solution. But the truth is, it isn't, because it's no longer being manufactured. The only people buying an Xbox One S at this point should be collectors, given that you can get a more powerful Xbox Series S for less. 

If you already have an Xbox One S and just feel like playing casually, you can always invest in a 4K TV and an Xbox Series X|S later, since all games and all accessories will be fully compatible across both devices. With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can also stream modern games from the cloud on an Xbox One S (or X) to expand its lifespan. 

The Xbox Series X is a remarkable console capable of playing games at 4K resolution up to 120 frames per second (FPS). But what if you want to share your high-resolution gaming exploits with the world? The console can capture footage internally, but for the best quality and control, you'll want one of the best Xbox Series X|S capture cards, meaning one that works with this powerful console.

As is the case with most capture cards, you will need to either install or externally connect these devices between a computer and your Xbox Series X|S in order to record images and video from the console. Here are the best picks right now.

Best Overall: Elgato HD60 X

As our own Jez Corden stated in his Elgato HD60 X review, this capture card is "ideal for gameplay streamers who have a FreeSync-capable TV or monitor in their setup." It features both VRR and HDR passthrough to work better with the latest monitors and TVs. VRR in particular minimizes screen tearing and stuttering while HDR allows images to come through with a whole lot more color and depth. It's the latest and greatest from an established and trusted capture card company. Having said all that, if you don't have a monitor capable of VRR or HDR then there are other capture cards out there that will suit your needs better at a lower cost.

The Elgato HD60 X is a step up from its HD60 S+ predecessor, capable of running 4K/30FPS and 1080p/60FPS capture smoothly and steadily. Our top pick also features 4K/FPS, HDR video passthrough that is equally smooth. You won't notice any horrible lag while using it. Like the HD60S+, it connects to a computer externally via HDMI cables rather than needing to be installed within a tower. This means it's a whole lot easier to set up than many other capture cards out there.

Simply plug one end of an HDMI cable into your computer's HDMI OUT port before plugging in the other end into the capture card's HDMI IN port. After that, plug another HDMI cable into the Elgato's HDMI OUT port and connect the other end of it to your chosen screen or monitor's HDMI IN port. Once all that's done and power has been supplied, you're good to go.

Now, Elgato does offer its own capture software, but it honestly isn't as good as my go-to: OBS Studio. Fortunately, the HD60 X works perfectly with OBS, so just download this free streaming software and get streaming or recording.

Runner-up: Elgato 4K60 Pro MK2

Elgato's previous version of this capture card was a little too expensive and feature-lacking compared to the competition. The improved MK2 version offers not only HDR10 support for capture but passthrough up to 240 FPS at 1080p if you like to play on PC. The price is now also much more reasonable, which for some, might be enough to make it the one to get.

It doesn't have a hardware h.264 encoder like its smaller brother, the HD60 Pro, but it can still render footage at up to a 140Mbps bitrate to make sure it always looks its best. The very best Xbox One X games won't have a problem with the 4K60 Pro.

It's also worth pointing out for the more advanced creators out there; you can stack multiple 4K60 Pro MK2 cards into your PC, as long as your system can handle it. You can also now capture your feed in multiple apps at once, allowing both streaming and high-quality captures from a single card.

Best HDR: AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K

AVerMedia's flagship internal capture card, a PCIe one as opposed to a USB connection, is the company's first foray into a consumer 4K60 capable unit.

You get not only 4K capture at 60 FPS but 1440p capture at 120 FPS and 1080p capture at a mindboggling 240 FPS if you want to use it with a PC. As we discuss in our Live Gamer 4K review, it is also capable of capturing HDR content, which is a pretty big deal.

The connection is PCIe x4 Gen 2, and you get virtually no latency between what's happening on your console and in the RECentral companion app, or your favorite streaming software. You can capture in the efficient h.265 format, and the icing on the cake is an RGB light strip to really set it off inside your rig.

Best External: AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt

This isn't your average external capture card. What the Live Gamer Bolt is, in fact, is essentially a carbon copy of the Live Gamer 4K, but one that doesn't need to be inside a PC, which makes it perfect to use with small-form machines and gaming laptops.

Thanks to the bandwidth allowed by Thunderbolt 3, the Bolt can deliver 4K60 video, HDR, and up to 240 FPS capture and pass through if you step down to 1080p. The video is uncompressed, so when you're capturing with one of these, you can guarantee it looks its best.

It's also a thoughtfully designed product, easy to integrate into your setup, has its own internal cooling, and best of all, adds virtually no additional load to your system resources. It is expensive, though.

Best for Laptops: AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra

You may not be able to get 60 FPS at 4K, but this USB 3.1 card can grab 30 FPS at this resolution, which is still impressive. Like we mentioned in our Live Gamer Ultra review, this capture card can also pass through 4K60 video and HDR, though it can't capture the latter.

But at least your output doesn't suffer because you're using a USB capture card. And that's a pretty remarkable thing in itself given the bandwidth required for high resolution, high bitrate video.

Capture at 1080p can go up to 120 FPS, so it's also good to use it with a PC. But, if you're using a gaming laptop, so long as you meet the requirements of an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, 8GB of RAM, and a GTX 1050 Ti for 4K, you're going to get some great-looking video.

Best for Streaming: Razer Ripsaw HD

Enjoying your games in 4K while streaming to somewhere like Twitch at a lower resolution doesn't have to be expensive or require some kind of mammoth PC.

As covered in our Razer Ripsaw HD review, this capture card uses USB-C 3.0 for almost zero latency, which makes it perfect for streaming with, albeit the video, it can capture is limited to 1080p60. Still, it's uncompressed, at least, so the results are excellent.

It's also only $160, which makes it the cheapest here by some margin. Streaming doesn't go above 1080p60 anyway, yet for virtually all of us. The Ripsaw HD lets you enjoy your games at their best while producing a great stream at a great price.

Conclusion

If your Xbox Series X|S is connected to a monitor or TV that supports VRR and/or HDR, then you really ought to consider getting Elgato HD60 X. Its external connection means that you don't have to open your computer tower and install it. Plus, it provides lag-free captures in up to 4K, although if you want 60FPS you'll have to choose 1080p.

Another fantastic option is the AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K. It handles everything you could possibly throw at it, and a bunch more you hadn't even thought you might want to do. It gets the edge through its ease of use, its now lower price, and the fact it produces some really stunning-looking video. When it launched, it was ahead of the curve, and while others have caught up, AVerMedia still has the one to beat for now.

Whichever of these you choose, though, your games will look incredible. Modern capture cards are impressive technology, and whether you want to make videos or stream, you'll be in good hands.

Best Xbox Series X|S Capture Cards: Frequently asked questions

What you need to know

• The Xbox Series X, Series S, and One X can now switch the input source of a TV back to your console.
• The new feature just rolled out with an update that brings Xbox consoles to version 10.0.22000.4158.
• Xbox consoles can already turn TVs on or off and send volume commands to televisions.

Microsoft just released an update for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One X that allows the consoles to control the input of a television. Now, when you press the Xbox button on your controller, the console will switch the input source of your TV back to your Xbox. As a result, you can now swap from watching a TV show to gaming without having to use your remote.

Xbox's Larry Hryb showed off the feature on Twitter and shared a screenshot of the HDMI-CEC options for the console.

Controlling TV input is only the latest HDMI-CEC feature to roll out to Xbox consoles. Here are all of the ways you can control your TV from your Xbox, as outlined by Microsoft:

• Console turns on other devices: Turning on your Xbox console will also turn on your TV or AVR.
• Console turns off other devices: Turning off your Xbox console will also turn off your TV or AVR.
• Other devices can turn console off: Turning off your TV or AVR will also turn off your Xbox console.
• Console sends volume commands: The console can control the volume on your TV, AVR, or soundbar.
• Switch TV input using controller: Pressing the Xbox button  on your controller switches your TV input to your Xbox console (this allows you to quickly switch your TV back to console video without using your TV remote).

Of course, you'll need a TV that works with HDMI CEC to take advantage of any of these features. Many of the best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S support HDMI-CEC. In some cases, the feature will be disabled by default.

Why you probably shouldn't buy an Xbox One X in 2022

The answer to this is surprisingly complex, and I go into more detail in my Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S article over here, but that is ultimately the reason you shouldn't buy an Xbox One X in 2022: The Xbox Series S is better overall, for a lower price.

The Xbox One X boasts more teraflops (and thus, more raw graphics processing power) on paper. The Xbox One X was designed for the earliest generation of 4K television sets, and as such, outputs 4K resolution across a large range of titles. 4K UHD gives you a crisper image, with more finer details. On a 1080p game, that sniper off in the distance that looks like a blurry mass of pixels would appear more defined in 4K, potentially making them easier to spot, as a basic example. Of course, you need an appropriate 4K TV for your Xbox to get the most out of the Xbox One X. If you don't have one already, that could significantly add to the cost of entry.

Presumably, you'd be looking to buy an Xbox One X second-hand, since Microsoft itself is no longer manufacturing them. The current-gen Xbox Series X|S consoles are the entry point to the Xbox console ecosystem as of 2022, and ultimately, you should be looking to grab one of those if you can.

A question of trade-offs

The Xbox Series S is the "lower power" model, and is often compared to the Xbox One X. The Xbox One X often costs more than the Xbox Series S, but lacks in some key areas, most notably speed. The Xbox Series S has a better CPU, often meaning that games can hit 60 FPS more frequently than they can on the Xbox One X, providing a faster, smoother gameplay experience. In some cases, the Xbox Series S can even hit 120 FPS, which can provide a significant advantage in games like Call of Duty. Naturally, you need a 120Hz monitor or TV to take advantage of that, but almost all modern sets support 60 FPS at the least.

Many Xbox One X games don't support 60 FPS at 4K, and oftentimes they don't support 60 FPS at all. As we move further into the generation, fewer and fewer games will receive dedicated optimization for the Xbox One X too, leaving it in the past.

Xbox Series S vs. One X: Specs and size

The Xbox Series S also sports an NVME SSD storage drive, which leads to vastly improved loading speeds. The Xbox One X uses a slow mechanical HDD, which results in loading speeds in the minutes, rather than seconds.

There are a couple of advantages the Xbox One X has over an Xbox Series S. For example, the Xbox One X supports discs, whereas the Xbox Series S is digital-only. There's no way to play Blu-ray movies or disc-based games on an Xbox Series S. For that, you'd need the Xbox Series X, which starts at $499 vs. the Xbox Series S' $299, and the Xbox One X's $399. The Xbox One X also has a HDMI-in port, which has some niche use cases for those setting up media centers, but the Xbox platform's TV listings features and integrations are now deprecated, meaning that this feature is no longer particularly useful.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, the choice boils down to whether or not you have a 4K TV, but even then, you should still probably opt for an Xbox Series S, given that it can often output games at 1440p as well. The speed improvements for frame rates and SSD loading times on the Xbox Series X|S consoles are too good to ignore, coupled with the fact the Xbox One X is no longer "current," meaning that it won't get as many optimized games.

If you absolutely need a disc drive, the Xbox One X represents a decent upgrade from an Xbox One S, but in a perfect world, it would be better to save up for a full-blown Xbox Series X in that scenario. If you have enough to pick up an Xbox One X, you're pretty much halfway there already.

What you need to know

• Dying Light, released in 2015, built the foundations for Techland's latest adventure, Dying Light 2 Stay Human.
• Early this month, Techland released a current-gen upgrade for the original Dying Light on certain PlayStation consoles.
• On Monday, the studio released the same upgrade for Dying Light on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One X.
• The upgrade patch introduces three new graphical modes on Xbox Series X, and two new graphical modes on Xbox Series S and One X.

Thousands of players may be joining the vibrant and terrifying world of Dying Light 2 Stay Human, but the original Dying Light is still a title well worth revisiting, even in 2022. Techland made this assertion even more true with the release of current-gen upgrades for the first Dying Light game, starting with certain PlayStation consoles early this month. On Monday, the studio also dropped the current-gen upgrade for Dying Light on Xbox.

PS5 and PS4 Pro players can already enjoy the Dying Light current-gen upgrade, but now the additional enhancements and graphical settings extend to Microsoft's fastest and most powerful consoles. Techland is introducing three new graphical modes on the flagship Xbox Series X, while the smaller Xbox Series S and the last-gen Xbox One X both enjoy two new graphical modes. Dying Light's current-gen upgrades on Xbox consoles include:

• Xbox Series X:
  • Performance Mode achieving 1080p at 60FPS
  • Balanced Mode targeting 1440p at 60FPS
  • Quality Mode achieving 4K at 30FPS
• Xbox Series S:
  • Performance Mode achieving 1080p at 30FPS
  • Quality Mode targeting 1440p at 30FPS
  • Improved networking utilizing EOS solution
• Xbox One X:
  • Performance Mode achieving 1080p at 30FPS
  • Quality Mode targeting 1440p at 30FPS
  • Improved networking utilizing EOS solution

The Dying Light current-gen upgrade certainly isn't the most extensive, and isn't going to make the original title comparable to its modern successor, but it aims to make the game more enjoyable and visually appealing on newer and more powerful systems. Dying Light 2 Stay Human improves on the original in practically every way with a massive open-world and high stakes gameplay, and achieves a place on our list of best Xbox games for players looking to survive the zombie apocalypse — with parkour!

Why get an Xbox One?

Compared to its direct competitors — Sony's PlayStation 4 line of consoles — the Xbox One family has several notable advantages. Xbox One, which were designed for multimedia use, have the ability to play 4K Blu-ray DVDs and stream 4K video, whereas the PlayStation 4 does neither and the PlayStation 4 Pro can only stream 4K video. In addition, Xbox One is exclusively compatible with Dolby Atmos, giving Xbox users access to industry-leading spatial sound technology. The Xbox One family is also uniquely capable of transmitting your TV signal, which allows you to swap between watching television and playing a video game in seconds.

When it comes to gaming, the Xbox One is lacking in the exclusives department. However, this is offset by the excellence of both Xbox One Backwards Compatibility and Xbox Game Pass. Each Xbox One console is capable of playing most Xbox 360 games and even a few original Xbox games, meaning that if you used to own an older Xbox and still have your games, you can play them on Microsoft's latest generation of consoles for free. If your Xbox collection is small, Xbox Game Pass offers unlimited access to over one hundred Xbox 360 and Xbox One games for just $10/month.

The versatility and value of Xbox One is fantastic, but which specific console should you choose? Here's a breakdown of both.

Xbox One S

The Xbox One S is Microsoft's entry level machine this generation, and is an excellent option if you're looking for a modern multimedia experience for a good price. While it lacks the raw horsepower of its big brother, the Xbox One X, the Xbox One S can usually achieve a solid 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second, depending on what game you're playing. In addition, it is capable of playing 4K Blu-ray and streaming video content in 4K.

Compared to the original (now discontinued) Xbox One from 2013, the Xbox One S is also 40 percent smaller and can be used vertically, making it a great console to upgrade to if you happen to own the old Xbox One, or if you want something that won't take up a lot of space on your TV stand.

Xbox One X

The Xbox One Xis objectively the most powerful gaming console ever created. Powered by a six teraflop GPU and 12 GB of RAM, the Xbox One X is essentially a solid gaming computer in a console's shell. The Xbox One X puts this power to good use: almost all new games are able to run in 4K and between 30-60 frames per second. A lot of titles also offer a graphics setting that lets you swap over from native 4K to checkerboarding, which guarantees a higher framerate at the cost of a slightly worse looking picture.

Another excellent feature is how it makes games look better than they did on any other Xbox console. Games marked with an "Xbox One X Enhanced" tag have been tweaked by developers so that Xbox One X users will experience exclusive benefits like improved lighting effects, better anti-aliasing, and more. The X also provides all of the same multimedia features you would get with the Xbox One S.

The Xbox One X console itself is the smallest Xbox console ever created, making it a compact addition to your entertainment center that'll take up minimal space and offer maximum horsepower. Big things come in small packages, and that has never been more true than it is with the Xbox One X. It is pricy, however, so it's a great choice if money isn't a factor in your decision.

When investing in premium entertainment systems, there are several high-end features being offered by manufacturers. While 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision are among those delivering significant visual enhancements, sound is still a crucial component of any movie or video game. Dolby Atmos is an increasingly popular addition, which promises to offer one of the best overall audio experiences available today. Here's how Dolby Atmos works and how you can get it.

What is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos is a type of surround sound technology developed by Dolby Laboratories, which aims to produce one of the most immersive audio experiences available on the market today. When combined with Dolby Vision — the visual technology counterpart — you get Dolby Cinema.

Atmos technology has gained a ton of traction over the last few years as a high-end solution. Though it was first unveiled at a cinema in 2012, it's now available in the home, on premium mobile devices, and (still) in commercial cinemas. Ultimately, Dolby Atmos aims to deliver true 3D audio, providing accurate positioning, depth, and detail through supported content.

How does Dolby Atmos work?

While its implementation can vary, Dolby Atmos has some key traits to distinguish it from other experiences. The most notable of these is the object-based technology driving Atmos, which allows files to output sound within a virtual three-dimensional space. By mapping sound to a 3D area, objects can be positioned and moved precisely within soundscapes. Supporting up to 128 individual channels, creators have the freedom to track a vast number of sources.

Unlike traditional 5.1 and 7.1 systems, where sounds are restricted to fixed channels and positioning, Dolby Atmos dynamically configures individual speaker outputs as the content plays. With this approach, audio is rendered in real time and interpreted for the speaker setup.

This object-based technology also introduces vertical height to audio, by allowing overhead speakers to be utilized. Whether a helicopter flying overhead, a car racing by or simply creating an enveloping environment, Dolby Atmos 3D mapping can offer distinct positioning and clarity. With Atmos enabled, you're going to get a much closer representation of what the content's sound engineers want you to hear.

How can I experience Dolby Atmos?

One of the other beneficial traits of Dolby Atmos is its adaptability, with different form factors which provide varying levels of audio quality. Factoring in sounds and their positional data, setups can scale the Dolby Atmos output, regardless of the limitations of any particular configuration.

Whether experienced through a weak mobile speaker or a top-of-the-line theater, the Atmos technology attempts to harvest the best results from the hardware in use. This allows content to easily translate between professional systems, home setups, and other supported speaker systems.

These are the most common ways consumers can experience Dolby Atmos today.

Dolby Atmos commercial usage

To witness Dolby Atmos firsthand today, one of the best (and cheapest) experiences you'll find is at a cinema. Select movie theaters across the world have been equipped with additional surround and overhead speakers and offer full support for the technology.

However, between a high initial setup cost and lack of supported content, the current return on investment leaves many companies cautious in rolling out the required hardware. Other examples of commercial usage include Ministry of Sound's London-based club, which uses Dolby Atmos to power a 64-speaker, 22-channel setup.

Dolby currently offers a tool on their website to search for cinemas utilizing the company's technologies. If living in a relatively large city, this can be used to track down cinemas that support Dolby Atmos near you.

Dolby Atmos in the home

While you won't be getting the same quality as a full cinema Dolby Atmos setup without spending an astronomical amount of cash, it's still possible to achieve similar results in the home. A range of consumer hardware is already widely available in various forms, even if you'll likely be paying a premium price tag. Here's a brief overview of the hardware required to get a home theater setup equipped with Dolby Atmos technology.

• The one essential investment for a Dolby Atmos experience in the home is an audio/video (AV) receiver which supports the technology. Atmos-enabled AV receivers aren't hard to come by nowadays and don't come at a notably higher price point either.
• Surround speakers are also a major component of a Dolby Atmos setup; however, depending on your current entertainment center, the cost can vary. Atmos builds on the existing technology of 5.1, 7.1, and 9.1 systems, meaning your existing speakers can be utilized as a part of your setup with a compatible AV receiver. Up to 34 speakers can be supported with Atmos home systems (even if that sounds a little overkill.)
• To get the most out of Atmos, you'll also want overhead speakers integrated into your home setup. Provided you're happy climbing up to the ceiling and securing speakers on your ceiling, this can be an effective solution. If mounting multiple speakers on your ceiling seems a little complex, specially designed Dolby Atmos hardware is also available. Taking advantage of upward-facing speakers, these rebound sounds from the ceiling to emulate the effect of dedicated overhead loudspeakers.
• If using a Blu-ray player to power your entertainment center, there's no need to upgrade. Most existing Blu-ray players can support a Dolby Atmos output and don't require an "Atmos-enabled" tag. Microsoft's Xbox One X|S and Xbox Series X|S consoles also support Dolby Atmos, through both supported games and videos.
• TVs have jumped onto the Atmos trend, including those from LG, Sony, TCL, and Hisense. The built-in speakers do a decent job of providing a boosted audio experience, at least compared to what you usually expect from stereo TV speakers.

For those looking for a much simpler setup process, dedicated Dolby Atmos soundbars are a much more minimal, but equally effective hardware route. Integrating upward-firing speakers into a traditional sound bar, a single self-contained unit can emulate the vertical height and depth of Dolby Atmos technology. There are also Dolby Atmos headphones that make a great impression while gaming. The Xbox Wireless Headset is a prime example.

Dolby Atmos on laptops and mobile devices

The adaptable nature of Dolby Atmos also extends to laptops, tablets, and other mobile devices, through both headphones and external onboard speakers. Lenovo was quick to jump on the trend after the Huawei MateBook X Pro got things started years ago; a bunch of the best Lenovo laptops feature Atmos, including the Yoga 9i 14 with rotating soundbar hinge.

The Dell XPS 13 and the Surface Laptop Studio both offer Atmos support; our collection of the best Windows laptops has more information. Watching content compatible with Atmos on these devices takes the listening experience to another level, even without a specialized external speaker setup.

Plenty of tablets and phones have also begun including Atmos, though it's generally reserved for flagships or upper-end offerings. The Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, and modern iPhone lineups come to mind in this arena.

Of course, having a device that is compatible with Atmos won't matter if you can't find any Atmos content; that leads us to the next question.

What Dolby Atmos content is available?

The first Atmos-enabled title was Pixar's Brave in 2012, and hundreds of theatrical releases have touted their improvements since. Film production with Atmos involved has exploded, working its way down to Blu-ray versions of most of your favorite modern movies. You can check out an official list of movies with Atmos on the Dolby website.

Video streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, and more can deliver Dolby Atmos, and some cable providers are even offering Atmos support if you buy the right subscription.

The music industry isn't to be left out, with Amazon Music, Apple Music, Vibe, Tidal, and more getting in on Dolby Atmos Music. Again, Dolby's website has an official list of music in Dolby Atmos to help you find what you like. Amazon's Echo Studio speaker was the first to officially support Dolby Atmos Music, though any device that can handle general Atmos content should work fine.

In the gaming industry, Atmos adoption is slowly becoming more common. It's mostly found in major AAA games, including Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Battlefield.

The race to make the best game capture card has been heating up in recent years with its two main protagonists, Elgato and AVerMedia, each continuing to innovate and push the boundaries for content creators. One of the biggest leaps forward arrived when both Microsoft and Sony started to push 4K gaming into the mainstream, and now, we're getting ready for the next generation.

The Live Gamer Bolt is AVerMedia's latest, and most impressive external capture card to date. It was first revealed almost a year ago back at Computex 2019, but now it's finally ready to go on sale and blow the minds of gamers everywhere.

With Amazon Prime Day on the horizon there's a chance to get a deal on one of these too. The regular price is $449 and even before the big event there's a $90 saving on that available. Gaming is always a big area of focus at big shipping events like this so there will be savings to be had. In this case, they've started early. Be sure to check the details below in the review however, because only certain systems will be able to use this.

AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt tech specs

The hardware and requirements for the Live Gamer Bolt are virtually identical to AVerMedia's current king, the Live Gamer 4K internal capture card. You don't need a monster PC to use one, but you'll still need some decent hardware, particularly on the GPU front since it's your GPU that will provide the encoder.

Here's the rundown on what you get and what you need.

Specifications

• Interface: Thunderbolt 3
• Input: HDMI 2.0.
• Output: HDMI 2.0 with lag-free passthrough (cable included) with HDR support.
• Supported resolutions: Up to 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS, 1440p144 or 1080p240 and 140Mbps bitrate.
• Format h.264 and h.265
• Dimensions: 120 x 120 x 29.3 mm
• Weight: 348g.

System requirements for 4K60 HDR capture

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: 6th Gen Intel Core i5 and above / AMD Ryzen 3 and above
• GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 5700 and above
• RAM: 8GB dual-channel

System requirements for 1080p60 capture

• Processor: Intel Core i5-3330 or above (i7-3770 recommended)
• GPU: NVIDIA GTX 650, AMD R7 250X or above
• RAM: 4GB

For the purposes of this review, the Live Gamer Bolt was attached to my own gaming PC running a Ryzen 5 3600X, AMD Radeon RX 5700 and 16GB of RAM.

AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt: Simple design, impressive performance

In virtually every way, the Live Gamer Bolt is as impressive as the Live Gamer 4K, a capture card I've recommended to all and been using myself for the past couple of years. On the face of it that might not sound that impressive, after all, we're two years on and it performs the same as something much older?

But this isn't an internal capture card for one, so the benefits of using a PCIe x4 connection aren't there. Internal capture cards hit the magic 4K60 first because it's just easier when you don't have a USB cable to act as a bottleneck.

That's where the Thunderbolt 3 connection comes into play on the Live Gamer Bolt. On one hand, it's going to be one of the main barriers to entry for a number of people, especially those using AMD Ryzen systems. Unless, like I am, you're using one of only two current AMD-based motherboards you won't be able to use this capture card at all. Without Thunderbolt 3 it won't even power on. But it does make it a perfect mobile solution for folks using a number of current and future gaming laptops.

The magic of using Thunderbolt 3 is that insane performance and essentially zero latency. OK it's not zero, but at 50ms it's so close you'll never, ever notice it. The Live Gamer Bolt tops out at 4K resolution at 60 FPS with or without HDR. It delivers uncompressed video, with a choice of h.264 or h.265 at a maximum bitrate of 240mbps. That part is system dependent though, and on my PC I was only given the option of 100mbps as a maximum.

What it does is deliver all of that without breaking a sweat. The actual physical unit is incredibly simple, albeit loaded up to the gills with RGB but also thoughtfully designed. Inside there's a cooling fan, it's fairly quiet, but you can certainly feel it if you place your hand over the top. And it seems to do a tremendous job keeping everything cool. You can feel a slight warmth around the edges after longer sessions, but nothing even as hot as your phone would get after some intense gaming.

All the ports are located on one side, making it neat and easy to implement into your setup without having to worry about cables flapping about everywhere. And all you get are the essentials. There's an HDMI 2.0 input and output, the Thunderbolt 3 connection and a line-in jack if you need to use it for something such as party chat.

The effect on your PC is also, well, virtually non-existent. The Live Gamer Bolt relies on GPU encoding which means you'll see virtually no degradation in your system performance while using it. Running a capture at the maximum settings I was allowed on my PC, I observed no noticeable impact on either CPU or GPU load and as soon as the recording is stopped the file is right there, ready to go.

So how good does the video look? I wish I could show you the RAW files without any form of online compression because the footage looks insane. I've embedded a couple of samples below taken at 4K60 on the Xbox One X in Forza 7, one with HDR on and one without (if you don't have an HDR display you'll get an SDR copy instead), both recorded at the maximum bitrate allowed on my PC of 100mbps in h.264 using the AVerMedia RECentral application.

One thing to remember is that these files are huge. Each of these 5-minute clips came out just shy of 4GB each, and that'll be higher still if you're pushing the bitrate to the outer reaches of what's possible. If you're streaming, then you're not going to be bothered by this, but for other content creation, as long as you have the storage you'll have some truly incredible looking footage to build your videos from.

The Live Gamer Bolt is well suited for the next generation consoles where we expect 4K60 to be the norm. Even if you're a streamer or not actively capturing, the lag-free passthrough is important, and for PC gamers getting up to 240 FPS passthrough and capture is a win. Even if you can't really do much with 240 FPS video right now, the Live Gamer Bolt is ready for whatever the future may have to offer.

AverMedia Live Gamer Bolt: The included software

While streamers will most likely use XSplit, OBS or Streamlabs OBS, for just capturing footage the RECentral 4 app is your best bet. There's a one-click way to enable or disable HDR capture, as well, if your game and output support it, and if you're not sure it won't enable at all.

Visually, it's still a little dated, with the same user interface now for multiple years. But it's easy to use and packed with features, including the ability to stream to multiple services, as well as stream at 1080p while also capturing a full-fat, full-resolution clean copy of your footage.

Everything is really easy to set up. There are some pre-installed settings you can use, or you can set up a custom profile with your desired resolution, frame rate, bitrate, whether you want to use h.264 or h.265 and how good you want the audio to be. It's also a good idea to dive in and make sure you have HDCP turned off if it's going to cause any interference. I've had issues in the past with the PS4 in particular in how it handles this stuff, and it's particularly useful if you're going to capture anything from a mobile device.

The performance of RECentral has been much improved in recent times, no longer feeling sluggish to use, and it's also important to use if you want some kind of customization to the RGB on the capture card. And yes, if you don't like it, you can turn it off.

AVerMedia has also nowadays got an app it calls "Assist Central" which will ensure you have the latest software, drivers and firmware for your Live Gamer Bolt. It's important to run this at least once, because without the right drivers you won't be able to see the capture card in any software on your PC.

Should you buy a Live Gamer Bolt?

So, the age-old question: Should you buy one of these? The answer is a resounding yes but obviously comes with some caveats. The first of these is that you have access to Thunderbolt 3 and a sufficiently well-powered PC to get the best from it. Many Ultrabooks have Thunderbolt 3, but without a decently powered GPU, you won't get very far.

The other caveat that goes hand in hand with this is the price. At $449 it's currently the most expensive consumer capture card out there. So you need to be absolutely certain you're OK with the price and that you can run it, because it's a significant investment.

Is it worth that asking price? Only you can truly decide, but as a technical feat, it's astonishing. This is an external capture card that delivers performance identical, better even in some areas than AVerMedia's own internal 4K capture card.

That alone is worthy of recognition. It's also beautifully designed, with real thought put into both the internal and external aspects of the device. And it's as easy to live with as all previous AVerMedia capture cards, with no dramas in software and importantly, no added load on your system.

It absolutely won't be for everyone, but if you're shopping for the ultimate capture card this is about as close as you'll find right now. Especially if you're getting ready for Xbox Series X.

When it launched in 2007, the original Crysis shook the gaming industry with its advanced lighting and rendering technology. In many ways, Crysis paved the way for the future of video game graphics — and now, 13 years later, developer Crytek has remastered its visuals up to 2020 standards. But while Crysis Remastered is beautiful in many ways (and even innovates just like the original did), performance issues and a stylistic departure from 2007 Crysis makes this new coat of paint feel disappointing.

What you'll love about Crysis Remastered

Undoubtedly, the best part about Crysis Remastered is its lighting. Crytek completely overhauled Crysis' lighting for the remaster, bringing oodles of realistic illumination to the game's dense forests, sandy beaches, and military compounds. Lighting in interior areas has been massively improved as well, which is a big deal considering that poor interior lighting was one of the original game's weak points. If you choose to run the game in ray tracing mode, you also get to enjoy the benefits of realistic light reflection in environments as well as visible reflections on water, glass, and metal.

You do have to reduce your resolution and framerate to 1080p and 30, respectively, instead of the quality mode's 4K resolution and 60 framerate, but nevertheless, the fact that there's ray tracing at all on current-gen consoles is awesome. It's not as advanced as what you'll get with hardware-accelerated ray tracing that's available with the best graphics cards or the upcoming Xbox Series X, but it still looks great.

Secondly, Crysis Remastered is also sporting some excellent new textures, with landscapes, foliage, and the iconic nanosuit in particular looking gorgeous. In an age where many "remasters" just feature a bump in resolution and simple post-processing effects, it's really nice to see Crytek go all out with the textures along with the lighting.

Finally, I'm impressed with Crysis Remastered's special effects. From the massive explosions that occur when you blow helicopters out of the sky to the sparks, dust, and water droplets kicked up by stray bullets in firefights, Crytek paid a lot of attention to detail in this department.

What you'll love less about Crysis Remastered

While Crysis Remastered seems awesome based solely on the visuals, that sadly isn't the case due to the game's performance issues. Stuttering, frame drops, screen tears, and texture pop-ins were all semi-common occurrences regardless of which mode I was playing the game in on Xbox One X. In particular, I recommend avoiding the quality mode right now, as these issues seem to happen even more frequently when everything is rendered at 4K. The game is far from unplayable, but these problems make it difficult to get immersed.

Next, the foliage physics, which was smooth in the original, is incredibly choppy and strange. The best way I can describe it is that when you walk into the game's flora, the leaves and branches look like they're moving at a lower framerate compared to the rest of the game. It's really jarring, and it's sad to see considering the foliage physics is one of the coolest parts of Crysis.

Thirdly, the overall artistic direction of the remaster misses the mark for me. Whereas the original Crysis was more realistic in its presentation, Crytek opted for a very vibrant and saturated look for Crysis Remastered. It still looks good, but it feels more like Far Cry than Crysis.

Finally, the Ascension level from the original is missing in the remaster. This level involved piloting a dropship and dogfighting with alien aircraft. It was a controversial level due to its rough controls, which is probably why Crytek didn't include it in the remaster. Still, I would have liked to see it.

Should you buy Crysis Remastered?

While Crysis Remastered is technically a much better-looking game than the original, the oversaturated art style doesn't sit right with me. In addition to that, the numerous performance issues with Crysis Remastered on Xbox One X make it hard for me to recommend it right now. Crysis is still a blast to play all these years later, but not when you have to deal with screen tearing and immersion-breaking texture pop-in.

Make no mistake: what Crytek has done with Crysis Remastered's ray-traced lighting and textures is nothing short of an achievement. However, when performance bugs get in the way, none of that really matters. I recommend picking Crysis Remastered up when it's more stable, but for now, you should hold off.

How big is the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S? Previously, we were extrapolating from the size of USB ports, but with all consoles' measurements now fully out in the open, we can create very close approximate 3D models of how these bad boys stack up. So before you hit up our Xbox Series X and Series S preorders page, take a look below to see how they might fit into your set up.

Our 3D printing team whipped up some three-dimensional models based on the official measurements of the Xbox Series X, Series S, and PlayStation 5 (PS5). The below embeds show how the Xbox Series X and Series S stack up when compared side by side to its contemporaries.

These embeds are all interactive, and you can manipulate them using your mouse or touch screen. Click and drag with the left mouse button to rotate the camera, use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out, and use the right mouse button to reposition the camera. Typical touch controls should work on mobile devices, too, including tap and drag for rotating the camera, with pinch to zoom, and two-finger dragging to move the camera.

If the embeds aren't visible, you may need to disable ad-blockers to get them to show up. They may also take a little time to load on slower connections.

3D size comparison PlayStation vs. Xbox models

While the overall volume of the Xbox Series X is around twice that of the Xbox One X, it's not as huge as some of the epic memes suggest. Stacked up side by side, you can get a better view of how it might fit into your setup.

The Xbox Series X can be positioned either vertically or horizontally. When positioned vertically, it's not far removed from something like an Amazon Echo Plus or a compact desktop PC.

The Xbox Series S is perhaps the more incredible story. Sixty percent smaller than the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Series S packs several times more power than the PlayStation 4 and original Xbox One, while being half the size. That's pretty impressive.

Xbox Series X 3D model

If you want a closer look of Xbox Series X stacks itself, we embedded a separate file above. The form factor is designed for maximum airflow, and you'll need to ensure that it has clearance at the top air vent to prevent overheating.

Xbox Series S 3D model

The Xbox Series S is the smallest Xbox ever made, with a slimmer and shorter profile than that of the Xbox Series X. The Xbox Series S is also narrower than the Xbox One X even, and roughly about as tall as the Xbox One S when laid flat. The large grill you see is for cooling and airflow.

So, what say you?

What do you think of the design? Let us know in the comments, and also let us know if you'd like us to try and compare the Xbox Series X to any other well-known devices.

The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S launch on November 10, 2020. And we can't wait.

Xbox Series X/S

Main

• Xbox Series X: Everything we know
• Best games coming to Xbox Series X/S
• List of Xbox Series X specs
• What is the Xbox Series X release date?
• How much does Xbox Series X cost?
• Why you can't preorder Xbox Series X yet
• Best Xbox Series X Headsets

What you need to know

• Crysis Remastered is coming to current gen consoles like the Xbox One and Playstation 4, with the Switch version already released.
• It's an impressive upgrade over the original, but a big surprise is how ray tracing will come to the Xbox One X and Playstation 4 Pro.
• Crytek is using clever software technologies to enable ray tracing without the necessary hardware, albeit with a performance loss.
• Digital Foundry took a look at the implementation, and came away very impressed with what Crytek was able to pull off.

Crysis Remastered is coming to Xbox One and Playstation 4 consoles on September 18, and a new report from Digital Foundry reveals an impressive facet of this remastered game: ray tracing running on current gen consoles like the Xbox One X. Suffice to say, Digital Foundry's early look shows an impressively good looking game that uses software tricks instead of hardware acceleration to pull off ray tracing.

Digital Foundry was able to get a good look at Crysis Remastered running in an early build on the Xbox One X, with ray tracing turned on in all its glory, and true to its name the game was able to pull off realistic reflections and shadows using nothing but software techniques baked into Crytek's Cryengine. It looks fantastic, and shows that the Xbox One X (and the Playstation 4 Pro) both still have some oomph to speak of. There are some limitations, however.

As mentioned, real time ray tracing is only coming to the "flagship" consoles, as in the Xbox One X and Playstation 4 Pro, and there will be some compromises. The Xbox One X restricts the resolution to a dynamic 1080p and tries to hit 30fps, while the Playstation 4 Pro has to go even lower to sub-1080p levels in order to pull off ray tracing.

There will be other modes to choose from, with a "visual" mode hitting 4K resolutions and 30fps on the One X, and ~1800p resolutions on the PS4 Pro. There will also be a "performance" mode that is the standard 1080p resolution on the base consoles, but with an unlocked framerate to take advantage of more powerful hardware.

It's still early days, but if Crytek is able to enable real time ray tracing on current gen hardware using software, who knows what will become possible once the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 become the new norm.

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Xbox has revealed three unique custom Xbox One X consoles themed after costumes in Wonder Woman 1984.
• One of them features 24-gold carat leaves and is being auctioned off for charity.
• Another is being given away via a Twitter sweepstakes.

Today, Xbox unveiled three one-of-a-kind custom Xbox One X consoles themed after the upcoming film Wonder Woman 1984. While the console and controller designed around the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 were the last official mass-produced custom Xbox One X made by Xbox, these three have been specially designed for some upcoming giveaway and charity opportunities.

These three consoles are each emblematic of one of the designs in Wonder Woman 1984. The Wonder Woman Golden Armor Xbox One X Console is based on Diana's golden suit of armor and actually features 24-carat gold leaves while the Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth Xbox One X Console features her iconic lasso and the Barbara Minerva Xbox One X Console is meant to resemble the villainous Cheetah. You can take a closer look at each console below.

Source: Microsoft

The Wonder Woman Golden Armor Xbox One X console will be auctioned off, while the proceeds will be donated to Together for Her. Meanwhile, the Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth Xbox One X console will be given away in a sweepstakes on the official Xbox Twitter account.

If you haven't seen it yet, here's the latest trailer for Wonder Woman 1984:

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

According to publisher tinyBuild‬, Hellpoint is a dark and challenging action role-playing game (ARPG) set in an atmospheric universe where the line between science and occultism is blurred.

Once a pinnacle of human achievement, the Irid Novo space station has fallen. Its ruins are now overrun by cruel interdimensional entities acting as puppets of the malevolent Cosmic Gods. You have been created by the Author, organically printed on Irid Novo, and sent on a mission to find out the unholy series of events that led to the catastrophic incident known as the Merge.

Just like FromSoftware's games, Irid Novo is a massive interconnected world full of hidden passages and secrets. However, the focus here is more on science fiction than what we've seen in other ARPGs in the genre.

Hellpoint is available for digital preorder on Xbox One for $35 at the moment, and it features Xbox One X upgrades. The Microsoft Store doesn't tell you this, but a spokesperson for tinyBuild confirmed that it ran at 1440p resolution on Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro. While we would've liked to see a greater resolution jump, especially on Microsoft's machine, it should look crisper than what you get on base consoles.

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• CrossfireX is a popular first-person shooter that's coming to Xbox One.
• A beta may start on June 25.
• The Microsoft Store listing also says it's 4K on Xbox One X.
• You'll be able to download the beta through the Microsoft Store.

CrossfireX is a popular first-person shooter that's making its way to Xbox One soon. Today, Twitter user "WalkingCat" spotted a listing for the beta on the Microsoft Store. It's hitting the system on June 25, and is Xbox One X Enhanced.

According to the Microsoft Store listing, the game runs at 4K on Xbox One X. It's unclear what the frame rate is at the moment, but we're hoping for 60 frames per second since it's a first-person shooter. We'll keep you posted as soon as we receive confirmation. You can take a look at some of the gorgeous screenshots below.

Are you excited for CrossfireX on Xbox One? Will you play it? Let us know. Remedy Entertainment is also working on a campaign for the project!

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

Is it always safe to stand up an Xbox One console?

It's a common question: Is it really safe to stand your Xbox One vertically? Consoles are generally a rectangular slab, most often designed to sit horizontally for whatever reason. Perhaps it's because disc trays are easier to design when they're flat. After all, there's no need for additional engineering to make discs safe to use on a vertical angle. If you use your original Xbox One in a vertical position, it can cause some serious problems. But is that always the case?

No way, no how.

If you want to use a vertical console to save space or otherwise, here are a few scenarios when you can safely stand your Xbox up.

Is it safe to stand up an Xbox One (2013 model)?

The original Xbox One is not designed to be placed vertically in any scenario, according to Microsoft. It doesn't have the appropriate weight distribution to maintain stability when on its side, and it has ventilation requirements on both of its sides. If you place it vertically, you're not only going to block some crucial airflow, but the discs will come loose while in the console and potentially break your entire Xbox. (And, yes, I've seen this happen.)

But is there zero hope if you want to place the OG Xbox One up on its side? In theory, as long as you somehow keep the ventilation underneath clear, you could use your original Xbox One vertically as long as you play your games digitally rather than using discs. You'd have to be really careful to keep it steady, though, because it's not designed to have any balance on its side. We simply don't recommend it.

Is it safe to stand up an Xbox One S?

The Xbox One S is an entirely different story.

This is a console that was designed from the ground up to be placed in a vertical position, whether you're using it digitally or with discs. The only downside is that you need to buy a vertical stand that comes separately from the console. The stand is just a piece of plastic designed to give the lower side a larger footprint. Microsoft sells its own stand for around $15, but you can buy cheaper ones from third-parties that work just as well.

Beyond the vertical stand, you can also pick up an Xbox One S wall mount kit for around $30 from companies like HideIt. This allows you to actually attach your Xbox One S to the wall while leaving plenty of space for ventilation. If you want to keep your play area as tidy as possible, this could be a great option if you're willing to do some drilling. Executive Editor Daniel Rubino reviewed a HideIt wall mount in the past and found it to be remarkable.

Is it safe to stand up an Xbox One X?

Microsoft's Xbox One X is also designed for vertical play. Despite the fact Microsoft said that the limited edition stands that came with the Project Scorpio edition would be sold separately, they never seemed to materialize. Thankfully, third-party companies have stepped in to fill the void.

I'm using a cheap basic stand like this one from Younik, and haven't had any issues whatsoever.

What you need to know

• The Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X bundle is available for purchase.
• This bundle reportedly contains a secret message.
• Cyberpunk 2077 is set to release on September 17, 2020.

It appears that the new limited edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X has a hidden message for its owners to find.

As reported by Eurogamer, this special bundle includes the message "Uniform Victor Michael Echo" on the back, with the first letter of each word highlighted to spell "UV Me." Reddit user Eversmans037, who has acquired one of these limited edition consoles, took a UV light and shone it on the console. This revealed the secret phrase "Many languages, one message" as well as "Thank you" spelled out in 15 different languages — one message for each language the game can be played in at launch.

This is certainly a fun easter egg for collectors of the console. For anyone interested in grabbing one, I wouldn't recommend waiting too long, as only 45,000 have been made.

If you're looking forward to more of Cyberpunk 2077, you'll want to tune into the upcoming Night City Wire event, which is set for June 25. Cyberpunk 2077 is scheduled to release on Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4 on September 17, 2020.

The Xbox One X Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition Bundle, a hotly-anticipated collaboration between Microsoft and CD Projekt Red's upcoming role-playing endeavor, is now on sale. The futuristic spin on the flagship console received its unveiling back in April, pitched as one of its most exclusive releases to date, with just 45,000 units worldwide. This industrial-styled box preludes the debut of Cyberpunk 2077 later this year, starting as low as $299 in the U.S.

The Cyberpunk 2077-themed Xbox One X takes inspiration from the game's dystopian universe, featuring distressed paneling and laser-etched detailing throughout. Exposed circuitry and corporate branding dominate the design, including glow-in-the-dark graffiti reading "No Future," and Samurai logo. The look also boasts the first instance of side-mounted LED lighting, helping convey its high-tech setting.

The bundle also includes the limited-edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One Controller, which first hit store shelves in April as a standalone release. Inspired by Johnny Silverhand, played by Keanu Reeves, the controller features the same industrial visuals and grip etchings.

While Xbox Series X lies on the horizon, the Xbox One X still represents the pinnacle of Xbox One gaming midway through 2020. That includes top-tier console hardware pushing 4K resolution gameplay, HDR support, and other staples of the modern Xbox experience.

The Xbox One X Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition Bundle is now available for purchase from the usual retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Gamestop. The console remains unavailable from Microsoft and Best Buy at this point in time. However, pricing appears to vary, with Walmart already discontinuing the console to $299, despite a $399 retail price.

What you need to know

• BioShock: The Collection is a first-person shooter compilation.
• The games were just upgraded for Xbox One X.
• They run at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second.
• You can purchase BioShock: The Collection for $50 on the Microsoft Store.

BioShock: The Collection is composed of BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite for Xbox One. The titles launched on the console many years ago, and ran at 60 frames per second (FPS). It was one of the few collections to do so and it looks like it received another upgrade this week.

Today, when I turned on my Xbox One X, I noticed that BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite all had updates. I naturally assumed that it was just to fix bugs and performance, but when I launched them, I realized that they were Xbox One X Enhanced. It's unclear when the updates rolled out, but they're available right now if you own BioShock: The Collection.

The games appear to be running at 4K resolution, or a resolution that's very close to 4K in the case of BioShock Infinite, because they're incredibly sharp. While the menus are a little blurry, the game looks amazing. It's retained the 60 FPS presentation so playing BioShock: The Collection is an absolute treat.

According to an analysis by VG Tech, the first BioShock renders at native 4K resolution on Xbox One X and 1440p on PlayStation 4 Pro. The team is conducting other analyses on the remaining titles and will post their results soon.

BioShock: The Collection was a part of Xbox Game Pass, but it's left the service. Sometimes, titles return so you never know. You can always purchase it for $50 on the Microsoft Store if you don't own it already. The Microsoft Store is also now showing that the games are Xbox One X Enhanced.

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Cyberpunk 2077 is an upcoming first-person shooter from CD Projekt RED.
• The game was delayed to September 2020 recently.
• Microsoft also unveiled a special edition Xbox One X for the title.
• A Microsoft Store listing places the price at $2,000 at the moment.

Updated May 21, 2020: According to Xbox's Social Marketing Manager for Consoles and Accessories, this is a mistake and more details will be revealed in June. Huge shoutout to Anthony Rivera for getting confirmation.

Cyberpunk 2077 is an upcoming first-person shooter from The Witcher developer CD Projekt RED. Recently, Microsoft revealed a stunning limited edition Xbox One X that features a custom design and an even better controller.

Gamers have been asking when it's going to go up for preorder, and the answer is it's available right now, but there's a catch. It seems like there's a placeholder price of $2,000 on it. We've reached out to Microsoft for comment, but we're thinking this is a mistake since the listing wasn't supposed to go live early. Usually, Microsoft does this, but the prices are in the hundreds of thousands.

Are you interested in the Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X? Let us know.

Having an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is pretty important when you're an Xbox gamer. Not only can you access all the features of Xbox Live Gold like online multiplayer and free monthly game downloads, but you also score Xbox Game Pass in the process. With over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 games to play whenever you choose, gone are the days of having to buy a $60 game for something new.

Right now, new members can score a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just $1. The membership usually costs $14.99 per month, though today's deal is even better than that as Microsoft is also extending all members the chance to sign up for a six-month Spotify Premium subscription for free.

To score your free six months of Spotify, you'll just need to activate the offer separately via the Game Pass Ultimate Perks section on the console or the Game Pass Ultimate app once you've signed up. Current and previous subcribers of Spotify are not eligible for this offer. If you've already been a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber in the past and can't purchase the $1 subscription, you could use this discounted 3-month membership on sale for $21.59 instead.

This week, the Xbox One X is on sale as well. You can pick one up for as low as $285 today at Target or $299.99 at other retailers.

Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft's subscription service that offers complete access to over 100 games. You can download these to your console to play in full for as long as you're a paying subscriber or the titles in question remain in the Game Pass library. Better yet, if a Game Pass title also supports Xbox Play Anywhere, you get access to play those on your PC, as well, as part of your subscription. The new PC-specific Game Pass subscription has its own list of games, some of which are a crossover with the console, but many are exclusive to PC.

Xbox Live Gold provides you with a number of perks. The first is access to online multiplayer in any Xbox One game, so if you want to play with friends you need Gold. More than that, though, Gold gives you four free games every month that are yours to keep. Gold subscribers also get exclusive discounts on games from the Microsoft Store, as well as additional discounts during special promotional periods.

Learn everything you need to know about Game Pass Ultimate and see all the games available for Game Pass for PC. Game Pass adds new games all the time and will include new ones as they get released, like titles Red Dead Redemption 2, DayZ, and a bevy of games from the Final Fantasy franchise.

What you need to know

• SnowRunner is a challenging trucking simulator from Saber Interactive.
• The game looks great on Xbox One X already.
• It's getting a 4K texture pack on the console soon.
• You can purchase SnowRunner for $50 on Amazon.

SnowRunner is a challenging trucking game from Saber Interactive and Focus Home Interactive. According to the SnowRunner development team, on the Focus Forums, a 4K textures pack is planned for PlayStation 4 Pro (PS4 Pro) and Xbox One X. You can read an excerpt from the post below.

SnowRunner already looks incredible on Xbox One X and the 4K texture pack should make it even better. I can't wait to see what this brings to the game.

In my SnowRunner review, I wrote, "Overall, SnowRunner is a great simulation game and the driving mechanics are challenging, but fair. You have to have patience and drive carefully at all times. One mistake could cost you and you'll have to reset the mission."

What you need to know

• Hotline Miami is an incredibly popular top-down action series.
• It's available on Xbox One after all these years.
• The game is Xbox One X Enhanced and runs at 4K resolution.
• You can purchase Hotline Miami Collection for $25 on the Microsoft Store.

Hotline Miami is an incredibly popular top-down action game that has garnered quite the following in recent years. While it's available on almost every platform out there, it wasn't available on Xbox One until now. Yes, you're read that right. The entire Hotline Miami Collection is now available on the console. The best part is that both games are available for $25.

Hotline Miami

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

Are you going to pick up the collection? Let us know. If you're an Xbox One owner, this is a must-have title in my opinion. According to the Microsoft Store, it's Xbox One X Enhanced and runs at 4K resolution on the system.

For years now, I've been asked if console gaming on a projector is a viable option. How do factors like input lag, image quality, colors, and built-in speakers affect the experience? There are many different devices on the market, but we tested out the affordable ViviMAGE Explore 3 that costs $200 and the mid-range BenQ TH585 that comes in at $600. While both perform admirably when you're viewing films, shows, or other content, they don't quite match other affordable TVs with low input lag like the TCL 6-Series R625. With that said, a massive image takes immersion to unprecedented levels.

Both the TH585 and Explore 3 are 1080p projectors. We decided against using 4K ones, as many start at the prohibitively-expensive $1,500 range and go up from there. That's a lot more expensive than many 4K TVs with low input lag, which is, in my opinion, the most important metric when it comes to gaming. Low input lag results in more precise controls, which, in turn, results in a much more pleasant gaming experience.

The TH585 projector features a brightness of 3,500 lumens, a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, a built-in speaker, 15,000 hours of lamp life, a dual-voltage power supply, so it'll work all over the world. However, the highlight of the device has to be the "Game Mode." It appears to tighten up the input lag and response time, making your controller actions feel much more immediate and precise.

I played Anthem, Destiny 2, Doom Eternal, Gears 5, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps on the TH585 using an Xbox One X. While 60 frames per second (FPS) games like Doom Eternal, Gears 5, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps performed really well – with minimal input lag – Anthem and Destiny 2 were a little difficult to aim because they run at 30 FPS on the console. If you're going to be using a projector, I'd recommend sticking to 60 FPS titles.

The Explore 3 projector features a comparable brightness to the TH585, includes a dual-voltage power supply, but has an 8,000:1 contrast ratio. However, it makes up for that by offering great surround sound speakers and 60,000 hours of lamp life. The image quality on the Explore 3 isn't as good as the TH585, particularly the vibrancy of the colors, but the price is $400 less.

Just like the TH585, I played Anthem, Destiny 2, Doom Eternal, Gears 5, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps on the Explore 3 using an Xbox One X. Again, 60 FPS games like Doom Eternal, Gears 5, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps performed well – with minimal input lag, though more than the TH585 on Game Mode – but Anthem and Destiny 2 were a little difficult to aim because of their low frame rate on the console.

I personally wouldn't recommend playing 30 FPS games on a projector because they feel incredibly choppy. 60 FPS titles fare much better, but 4K televisions still have the upper hand when it comes to input lag. Everything is just a little bit smoother and more responsive on the TCL 6-Series and the Sony X900F. The next generation of consoles is launching this holiday season and games appear to be targeting 60 FPS at a bare minimum. Hopefully, that's going to be the end of 30 FPS games.

Now, you might ask, "can you really tell the difference when it comes to input lag?" Well, the short answer to that is "yes." Even games like Destiny 2 – that run at 30 FPS – feel much smoother on a 4K display with low input lag than they do on the Explore 3 or the TH585 with Game Mode enabled.

Higher input lag figures don't render these projectors unplayable by any stretch of the imagination, but you do have to wrestle with the controls a little bit. The precision to get on a 4K display isn't there when you're gaming on a projector. The difference is slight, but it's noticeable.

However, there's one area where TVs can't compete, and that's immersion. The benefit a projector offers is the ability to scale up the image dramatically. When you're playing on a 120-inch screen, or larger, it just feels more immersive. You can't beat the experience, no matter if you're on a 65-inch 4K display.

It's hard to describe how it feels when you're controlling the action from a projector that encompasses your entire wall. There's a sense of elation that I haven't experienced in a while since I mostly use gaming monitors or high-pixel density TVs. I wouldn't say gaming on a projector is better than a TV, but it's way more fun. If you do decide to game on a projector, just have some external speakers handy.

What you need to know

• Darksiders Genesis is a Diablo-like action game from THQ Nordic.
• It's coming to Xbox One on February 14.
• The game is already available on PC and Google Stadia.
• You can preorder Darksiders Genesis for $35 on the Microsoft Store.

Darksiders Genesis is a Diablo-like game from publisher THQ Nordic. Instead of featuring Darksiders III's punishing combat system, you're tasked with killing as many enemies as possible from the isometric perspective.

If you're interested in the game on Xbox One, you'll be happy to know that it's available for digital preorder. The game should launch on February 14 and costs $35 at the moment. The price will jump back up to $40 soon after launch.

We reached out to THQ Nordic to see if the game was Xbox One X Enhanced since it looked much sharper than the Google Stadia version we tested many months ago. The Microsoft Store doesn't mention that it's Xbox One X Enhanced. A spokesperson for the team simply responded, "Yes it is, but it might downscale in certain situations." It's unclear what the resolution is, but I would say it's either 4K or 1800p.

One downside is that it runs at 30 frames per second (FPS) on the console. There doesn't appear to be an option to turn the resolution down to 1080p and increase the frame rate to 60 FPS.

Leading up to the announcement of the Xbox One X, prominent analysts and commentators said that anything above $399 would be a death sentence for the console, despite all the technology crammed into the box. Even when you disregard the Xbox One X's $499 pricepoint, and when you factor in the price of the 4K television required to use it optimally, you know this isn't a console for everyone.

If you're looking to buy an Xbox One X, you can't just consider the 4K box itself. You also have to consider the ecosystem attached to it: games, media, and beyond. Unlike purchasing a gaming PC, with a console purchase, you're also locking yourself into a specific storefront. You're also trading the potential versatility of Windows for the out-of-the-box usability of a closed, standardized hardware ecosystem.

The Xbox One X and Xbox landscape are a whole lot different than the original Xbox One in 2013. If you're already a diehard Xbox fan, Microsoft knows you're going to buy this box. But for lapsed fans who left the platform for PlayStation 4 at the start of this generation, or Microsoft ecosystem users looking to jump in for the first time, the Xbox One X is by no means a guaranteed win. Here's why.

Xbox One X tech specs

• See at Microsoft Store
• See at GameStop
• See at BestBuy
• See at Amazon US

Hardware features and design

There's no denying how powerful the Xbox One X is. It's virtually impossible to create an equivalent gaming PC at this price point, even when you disregard some of the console's additional aspects like UHD Blu-ray and its uniquely compact design.

The Xbox One X is, in fact, the smallest Xbox ever made, featuring a slimmer depth profile than that of its standard HD brother. Like previous consoles, the Xbox One X's design is intentionally unremarkable. It's a black box, designed to disappear in among your other TV peripherals in your media center. The reverse has a grill to promote air flow, and the Blu-ray drive has changed position slightly from that of the S, hidden neatly under the larger top section.

Like the S, the X can be positioned vertically, but as of writing, there's no official stand for the standard edition Xbox One X, which might prove annoying for some. However, there are some third-party options already popping up. Overall, the most remarkable thing about the physical design is the amount of power Microsoft managed to squeeze into such a small space.

Microsoft pioneered new computing methods to get the most out of the X's hardware, boosting memory bandwidth and overall computing capabilities in the process. The customized chips help the X punch above its weight range, combined with powerful cooling techniques and some industry-leading design principles, ported across from Microsoft's billion-dollar Surface PC line.

Speaking of cooling, the Xbox One X is never blisteringly hot to the touch when it's running 4K games, and considering it has an internal PSU and 6TF of computational power, that's an achievement. The top portion gets a little warm, but it's by no means worrisome. The reverse vents dissipate heat well, just make sure that your X is going to be properly ventilated. At peak, you're looking at around 155 degrees F (68 degress C).

Despite all that cooling, it's also silent. My external HDD is louder than the console. My Razer Blade laptop, by comparison, sounds like a jet engine even running games at just 1080p, with the One X coming in at just 42 dBA during peak loads.

As far as ports are concerned, Xbox One S owners will find the Xbox One X familiar. Two rear-facing USB 3.0 ports are joined by a front-facing port. There's your standard glowing power button, an Xbox Wireless pairing button, SPDIF optical audio, a port for Ethernet, and the return of HDMI-in and -out. Like the S, there's no Kinect port, as Microsoft recently announced its support of the peripheral is coming to an end.

While the ports are familiar, some of the features, at least where HDMI is concerned, will be exclusive to the Xbox One X. The new box will eventually support HDMI 2.1 via a firmware update, which brings a potentially crucial feature in the form of Variable Refresh Rates (VRR). VRR over HDMI is going to be a staple of the next generation of TVs and displays, and several Xbox One X games are already advertised on the store as supporting VRR. While you won't really be able to take advantage of this on day one, the X is futureproofed for this standard.

What VRR does is synchronize the frame rate of the game directly with the display. At the moment, if your game isn't able to output frames at the speed of your display, you will either get a dropped or torn frame, known as screen tearing. VRR solves this by updating your display only when it receives an image from your console, leading to a far smoother, higher-quality experience. While we can't test this today, the Xbox One X will be the only console that does this for the foreseeable future.

Overall, it's hard to argue against the quality of the Xbox One X's physical attributes at this price point. But a console is only as good as its software and services.

Software and media

For the most part, the Xbox One X OS is identical to that of Xbox One S. You might think the beefier hardware in the X might lead to an even snappier experience, but if there are any performance gains, they're almost imperceptible.

The main difference between the Xbox One X and S in terms of OS features is a flashy new boot animation, which celebrates the Scorpio engine and the powerful internals Microsoft baked into this device. Additionally, the Xbox One X can record video games in 4K with HDR. Right now, the best solutions for achieving this functionality are often quite expensive or PCI-e based, designed for desktop computers. For Microsoft to include such powerful recording features in the X, which now supports external 60 minute captures to a separate HDD, is truly laudable. Sadly, you can still only share 1080p clips on Xbox Live, and the 4K HDR screenshots are difficult to work with, outputting as .JXR and .PNG files that need to be combined to be viewed outside of the console. Hopefully, Microsoft will fix this in the future, because it's pretty silly.

If you're unfamiliar with the Xbox One OS, it was recently updated to promote speed and usability. You can access a special Guide menu from anywhere, whether it's TV, movies, apps, or games, giving you access to friends lists, Xbox achievements and beyond. For Xbox One X buyers, the greatest feature is the fact you can back up your entire Xbox One to an external HDD, and simply move the whole thing to the X on launch day. There's no huge fuss during set up, except for an 800MB update.

Xbox One Fall 2017 Update Review

On the media side of things, Microsoft emphasized the amount of apps that now support 4K video. You have the UHD Blu-ray player obviously, and offerings like Netflix and Amazon Video. If you're in the U.S., there will be even more 4K-capable services. It is, however, incredibly annoying, that Microsoft itself isn't leading the charge on 4K digital distribution for TV and movies.

If you're someone who has been investing in digital movies from the Windows and Xbox stores for years, the amount of 4K content to purchase on those storefronts is anemic. You can count a number of 4K movies available to buy from Microsoft on one hand, as of writing, and there's little indication this is going to change in the near future. They're also ridiculously expensive.

It doesn't feel like Microsoft is as "all-in" on 4K content as it might like us to think. Apple recently announced that movies purchased through iTunes would be updated to 4K for free. In this case, Apple TV dominates the Xbox One X as a 4K media center. But ultimately, you're likely here for the gaming, not the media experience.

Xbox One X gaming

At the time of writing, there's only a handful of games available to demo with Xbox One X enhancements, but Microsoft is aiming to get around 70 titles up during launch week, with over 150 in the roadmap. We'll be focusing on the games we have had hands and eyes on, including Gears of War 4, Assassin's Creed: Origins, and Killer Instinct.

Make no mistake, with the right TV and the right games, the Xbox One X will blow your mind.

First, let's describe exactly how the Xbox One X handles its "Xbox One Enhanced" games, because it's not entirely straightforward. The first thing to note is it's up to developers whether games get enhanced specifically to take advantage of the Xbox One X horsepower. But that's not the full story.

Games that have been developed with change resilience in mind, namely dynamic resolution scaling, will have an edge on the Xbox One X, achieving their target resolutions and frame rates more often. The speedier HDD will also help with load times, so you will get a better experience from the X, even when a game hasn't been patched. Playing an unpatched Assassin's Creed Origins was noticeably better on the X, with more consistent frame rates.

Beyond that, the Xbox One X will enlist supersampling techniques to render more beautiful images on enhanced games, even on 1080p displays, and developers are taking advantage of the ability to include different graphics settings to boost things like frame rate and general quality over resolution, acknowledging that not everyone will have a 4K display.

At least for the games we have available now, the difference between a supersampled 4K image on a 1080p display is quite hard to discern, frankly. There are simply not enough pixels to showcase the full beauty of a 4K image on a 1080p display.

You will see improvements to textures, foliage density, and draw distances, when developers focus their efforts on physical upgrades, rather than flat resolution bumps. On 1080p displays, perhaps the best use of the X horsepower is when developers transform a 30 frames per second (FPS) game to 60 FPS, as we've seen with Rise of the Tomb Raider and Gears of War 4. It's far more dramatic a difference than the supersampled 1080p images, so hopefully developers will continue to offer 60 FPS modes where possible.

There's a lot of "hopefully," in this section, and that's because a lot of the features and capabilities of the Xbox One X rely so heavily on what developers do with the hardware. As a gamer, you will want to know whether or not your investment in the console is going to pan out in terms of support from third-parties, and it's hard to say at this point.

For the games that are supported, the Xbox One X achieves things previously only possible with higher-end gaming laptops and custom-built desktop PCs, such as native 4K visuals, occasionally with 60 FPS frame rates. Throw in HDR lighting on a high-quality TV, and games like Gears of War 4 simply look vivid, next-gen, and almost frighteningly immersive.

Higher resolution textures supported by millions of extra pixels create a sharper image across the board, particularly in the details of distant objects or intricate designs, such as the textures on enemies and weapons. HDR gives the game some truly dramatic lighting, which elevates the campaign's cinematic qualities far beyond what the standard Xbox One is capable of.

Another game that sports truly noticeable improvements, surprisingly, is 2008's Fallout 3. Microsoft is working to tidy up some of the Xbox 360's classic games, some of which really struggled on the old console. Fallout 3 on the X now looks like its maxed-out PC counterpart, which gives the classic title a new lease on life.

Gears of War 4 and Fallout 3 are both great examples of the Xbox One X's capabilities, but having played Assassin's Creed Origins at 4K, it is the best looking game I've ever seen, particularly since I've been slugging through the blurry Xbox One S version over the past few days.

The extra pixels pushed by the X produce crystalline scenery that showcases games at their absolute best. It's about the glistening, intricate architecture of forgotten catacombs in Rise of the Tomb Raider, the detailed reflection of the pock-marked moon as you trek through Gears of War 4's ruins, and the sand-blasted hieroglyphs on an Assassin's Creed Origins ancient temple.

The amount of raw potential in the Xbox One X is staggering.

It's hard to talk about gaming potential on the Xbox One X without mentioning virtual reality (VR), or in Microsoft's case, Windows Mixed Reality. Microsoft originally touted VR as a driving factor behind the Xbox One X's specs, but since then all mention of VR has gradually disappeared from the console's marketing. As of writing, there's no Mixed or VR content available for the Xbox One platform, and Microsoft says its focus for WMR is on PC right now. It's a safe bet we won't see VR on the Xbox One X any time soon either.

The 4K resolution makes such a huge difference, though, and that's frustratingly difficult to demonstrate in an article or a video unless you're viewing it on a large 4K display yourself.

So, the million-dollar question: Is it worth the price of admission?

Xbox One X review conclusion

Games on the Xbox One X, on a decent 4K display, are truly awe-inspiring. The big studios pushing the technology to its full utilization are ushering the next leap for console gaming, offering an experience that, up until now, was restricted to higher-end PCs.

That's the thing about the Xbox One X – it's remarkably gimmick-free. There's no Kinect, there's no VR or holograms. It's razor-focused on delivering the best console gaming experience possible, and as long as Microsoft is able to produce the full amount of developer support it claims to have, Redmond will have achieved its aims.

The biggest question marks hanging over the Xbox One X have less to do with the console itself, and more to do with the ecosystem. There is very little 4K video support on the Microsoft Store, from a company that seems increasingly risk-averse and unexciting in the consumer space, killing consumer products, services, and games with worrying frequency.

What will Xbox One X support look like in a year? What exclusive photorealistic games are on the way that will use the X to its full potential? Microsoft doesn't answer any of those questions, putting the onus on third-party developers and old (sometimes very old) games to do the heavylifting in the short term. There's 150 plus games on the way, but we don't have a definitive roadmap for launch week, and it's something you should be aware of.

Stalking Egypt in 4K in Assassin's Creed Origins or battling waves of grotesque monsters in Gears of War 4 proves the sheer genius of the Xbox engineering team, allowing console gamers to experience truly high-end gaming for the first time without an expensive gaming PC rig. The difference isn't big enough to make me want to go back and play old games though, and there's no concrete information on when more recent games on the enhancement list will get the 4K boost.

After experiencing a game with Xbox One X enhancements, particularly in 4K, it's simply hard to go back to standard HD. There are no doubts about the hardware potential. It's just that as of writing, it's hard to know for sure how much waiting you'll have to do to see the console and that expensive 4K display achieve their money's worth. And that's unfortunate. With the hardware totally nailed, it all depends on how much faith you're willing to put in Microsoft to deliver those games, and how long you're willing to wait for that promised 4K content.

Pros:

• Incredible 4K potential.
• Future-proofed for VR and FreeSync VRR.
• Amazing power in a tidy package.
• Xbox One X Enhanced games are relentlessly immersive.

Cons:

• Little 4K media in the Xbox Store, and what is there is expensive.
• Price of entry is high when combined with a 4K TV.
• The timing of future 4K game patches is unclear.

Xbox One X launches on November 7, 2017 for $499.

• See at Microsoft Store
• See at GameStop
• See at BestBuy
• See at Amazon US

This review was conducted using units provided by Microsoft.

What you need to know

• Phantasy Star Online 2 is finally coming to Xbox One.
• The closed beta can be pre-loaded right now.
• It will feature cross-play and supports 4K resolution on Xbox One X.
• It is expected to release on Xbox One this year.

Recently, we reported that Sega's Phantasy Star Online 2 made an appearance on Xbox's E3 2019 stage with the announcement that the beloved title was coming to Xbox One. It makes its way to the West for the first time with all content entirely free to play.

There's a closed beta taking place soon, and you can pre-load it already through the Microsoft Store. However, the biggest news from the closed beta announcement was that the game is Xbox One X Enhanced and supports 4K resolution on the system. It's unclear what the frame rate is at the moment, but we're going to guess 30 frames per second (FPS) because it's a third-person action title. Usually, third-person action games run at 30 FPS and not 60 FPS on Xbox One X.

Are you excited about Phantasy Star Online 2 coming to Xbox One? Will you play it or play the closed beta? Let us know. We're really excited because it's an absolute phenomenon in the East, and we're curious to find out what the hype's about! The game should exit beta on Xbox One on April 15, and the PC release should be exclusive to the Microsoft Store, so keep that in mind.

The Xbox One X remains Microsoft's leading gaming console, packing 4K gaming, HDR colors, and so much more. You don't even need a 4K TV to experience its benefits, far outpacing market rivals. Although the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition sounds promising in concept, the long-term costs can't be ignored.

Related: Xbox One S All-Digital Edition vs. Xbox One S

Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S All-Digital: What's the difference?

Microsoft's Xbox One home console takes various forms in 2019, primarily split by the entry-level Xbox One S and the flagship Xbox One X. Pushing 4K resolution and improved visual fidelity, the Xbox One X is pitched as the premium powerhouse touting sharper, fluid gameplay. The alternative Xbox One S is a cheaper, more popular setup, providing HD gaming alongside 4K video playback. The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is the new box on the block, dropping the optical disc drive, though it's otherwise identical to Xbox One S.

Primarily targeting enthusiasts with its industry-leading performance, the Xbox One X is the 4K gaming machine. Packing millions of additional pixels, games are sharper and more detailed than on other Xbox consoles, even translating to regular HD TVs. Both Xbox One consoles support HDR, too, delivering a wider color gamut and increased contrast ratio. Upgrades under the hood also help reduce load times, shaving vital seconds during gameplay.

Xbox One X retains full compatibility with other Xbox consoles, sharing its games and accessories. An ever-growing list of hundreds of games also packs tailored upgrades, including sharper visuals and smoother gameplay. Backed by 4K Blu-ray and streaming, it's a leading media center for the home. However, this doesn't come cheap, retailing for $500 in the U.S.

The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition targets a different gaming crowd, sold as the most affordable Xbox One to date. Sharing hardware with Xbox One S, buyers can expect equal compatibility and performance to the standard console. You'll get the Xbox One S usual offerings, meaning high-resolution 1080p gameplay backed by HDR colors. The only difference is the absence of a disc drive, priced at $250 for $50 saving.

However, with the disc drive removed, the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition bars physical Xbox One games, Blu-rays, and DVDs. Without physical discs compatibility, all game and video purchases must be digital.

While the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition undercuts the Xbox family at a $249 retail price, it likely isn't the most affordable pick. Ditching the integrated disc drive comes with hefty consequences, locking the console down to Microsoft's in-house digital marketplace. It puts physical media off-limits, which spans Xbox One games, older disc-based backward-compatible titles, 4K Blu-ray, and DVDs. With digital gaming infamous for its higher cost, buying an Xbox One X could end up cheaper over time.

Which Xbox One is best for you?

While the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition poses a promising concept, associated long-term costs are detrimental to its money-saving promise. With the Xbox One X cheaper than ever, it costs only around $100 extra to experience the best of Microsoft's gaming hardware.

Packing 4K gaming (or 1080p supersampling) with discs and downloads, it's a winning combo in 2019. Unless desperate to save on the initial console cost, don't overlook Xbox One X.

What you need to know

• Digital Foundry took an early look at Capcom's next Resident Evil project, Project Resistance.
• Though the game is still in an early state, Digital Foundry confirmed it's running at 4K resolution on Xbox One X.
• This could change later, as there were noticeable frame dips and other issues during gameplay.

Earlier this year, Capcom surprised Resident Evil fans with the next entry in the series, a co-operative, asymmetrical multiplayer experience dubbed Project Resistance. The game is still in development, but Digital Foundry recently got its hands on the game and gameplay footage at Microsoft's X019 conference, and it's looking like it'll rank up there with the Resident Evil 2 remake and Devil May Cry 5 in visual quality.

According to Digital Foundry's analysis, Project Resistance is targeting and achieves at an even 3840 x 2160, or 4K, resolution on the Xbox One X. This is notable because the Resident Evil 2 remake ran at a lower resolution to hit 60 frames per second (FPS) upon release. Both are based on the RE Engine, so the same visual flourishes seen in previous games can be seen in this early iteration of Project Resistance. Though it sports a higher pixel count, Digital Foundry noted that the frame rate hovered mostly between 30 and 40 FPS, though it's currently uncapped up to 60 FPS.

It's still early days for Project Resistance, and there's much more randomness and variability inherent in its multiplayer design. It's likely that we'll see that 4K resolution target scaled back in the final release in order to maintain a steady framerate unless Capcom can pull a rabbit out of a hat.

Project Resistance looks interesting, with gameplay pitting one player against a team of three, commanding zombies and other enemies from the Resident Evil universe as the co-operative trio attempts to puzzle their way through a level before time runs out. The game looks very much like a Left 4 Dead-style experience, albeit from a third-person viewpoint.

Black Friday buyer's guide: 4K HDR TVs for Xbox One

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Terminator: Dark Fate is out now in theaters.
• Microsoft teamed up with Paramount to release a custom Xbox One X.
• You can win it by entering the Twitter giveaway.

Do you love custom consoles? Are you a collector? Well, you're in luck. Today, Microsoft revealed a custom Xbox One X that features a Terminator: Dark Fate theme. The highlight of the device has to be the amazing console that has a melting Terminator skull on it. The message Windows Central received from Microsoft said the following.

Starting November 1 and running through November 15, Microsoft will host a giveaway on Twitter for the extremely limited edition Xbox One X. All you have to do is like, retweet, and comment on which side of the fight you're on. Hopefully, you favor humanity, but, honestly, the way things are going, no one would blame you if you wanted the machines to win.

The winner will receive the console as well as a code for Gears 5: Ultimate Edition. However, the winner will also get a second Xbox One X so that they can display the Terminator console wherever they want.

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Trine 4 is the latest installment in the popular platforming series.
• It's only going to be Xbox One X Enhanced at launch.
• The team will look into PlayStation 4 Pro support after launch.
• You can purchase Trine 4 for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Whenever a popular game launches, gamers want to know how it runs on Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro (PS4 Pro). Trine is an incredibly popular platforming series that's coming to the consoles on October 8. According to an interview with developer Frozenbyte, the title will only be enhanced for Xbox One X and not PS4 Pro.

You can read an excerpt from the GamingBolt report below.

It's great to see that the Xbox One X is receiving special treatment. We've been playing the game on the console and it looks amazing on a 4K display. Just for comparison, the game runs at 1080p and 60 frames per second on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PS4 Pro.

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

One of the coolest things about gaming in 2019 is how seriously it is taken. And with that comes not only respect but fun celebrations of one of the most creative forms of entertainment around. The new Xbox One X Gears 5 Limited Edition Bundle ($499) is the first truly customized Xbox One X making it a bit of a hallmark. We managed to get our hands on one of them and while at its core it is still the same Xbox One X, on the outside, it's a gorgeous tribute to the new Gears 5 game.

This custom Gears 5 Xbox is not Microsoft's first rodeo with custom Xbox hardware commemorating Gears of War. One of my favorite Xbox One designs of all-time was the limited-edition blood-red Xbox One S from 2016. It launched alongside Gears of War 4 with a custom Xbox Elite Controller (sold separately).

For 2019, with Gears 5, it only makes sense for the game to get the same treatment but with the One X. After all, the One X and Gears 5 are 4K- and HDR-gaming capable so it makes sense to for it to get the best hardware.

Here is what you get with the Gears 5 Xbox One X console:

• Xbox One X (1TB) limited-edition console.
• Xbox One Controller featuring Kait Diaz.
• Full-game download of Gears 5 Ultimate Edition.
• Full-game downloads of Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of War 3 and Gears of War: Judgment.
• Month trial of Xbox Game Pass.
• Month of Xbox Live Gold.

It's a bit disappointing that this package didn't come with any unlockable in-game content. The Kait Diaz controller, Gears 5 Seagate Drive, and Gears 5 Kait Diaz Limited Edition Charging Stand have either a free supply drop or character skin. It would have been wild to have an original, exclusive, rare item to show in-game that you have the ultimate Gears 5 tribute console.

The free Gears 5 Ultimate addition is a $70 value (the old Gears of War games are part of that bundle). But factoring that into the cost, you're still paying about an extra $20 for this Gears 5 Xbox due to the customized design.

Xbox One X Gears 5 Limited Edition Bundle design

Microsoft pulled no punches with this Gears 5 console. The company's description sums it up nicely:

The Crimson Omen – the main symbol of the Gears of War franchise – is below the ice, but it's not some "use your imagination" design here. While it's hard to convey in pictures, the ice is actually a translucent layer with the Crimson Omen physically layered below it. It's an impressive effect, albeit one you will only see close up and at an angle.

Laser-etched cracks are one of the leading custom hardware changes Microsoft does with these products. With the limited-edition Gears of War 4 Xbox One S console and Elite Controller, those too had laser-etched claw marks, which looked (and felt) fantastic. The same here with the Gears 5 edition but instead of claw marks they represent cracks in the ice. The fact they are laser etched physically – instead of just a paint job – is one of those quality things you get here.

On the back (or bottom, depending on how you mount your consoles) is the Golden locust symbol. That symbol is revealed at the end of Gears of War 4 when Kait's mother gives it to her before her demise. The totem is part of the narrative for Gears 5, so it's a subtle nod to see it here as well.

Finally, one of the more subtle things Microsoft did that I am glad to see is a custom boot sound. The Gears of War 4 console did this too. When you turn on this Xbox One X instead of the typical Xbox boot audio clip it plays one from the game instead. While it's not a reason alone to buy this, it does serve as a daily reminder that you have a unique Xbox here.

Xbox One X Gears 5 Limited Edition Bundle final thoughts

This exclusive, limited-edition Xbox One X is strictly fan-service. Granted, it's a smidge more expensive, and it doesn't necessarily do anything else any other Xbox One X does (save for the sound and how cool it looks). But that's not the point.

When combined with optional accessories like the 2TB Gears 5 Seagate expansion drive, and charging stand for the included Kait Xbox One controller, you get a remarkable looking tribute to Gears 5. Luckily, the game has garnered some incredible reviews, so it's not like you buying into some bomb of a game either.

If you're a fan of Gears of War and have been yearning for some real 4K HDR gaming, this is the console to get. The tougher challenge is knowing that in late 2020, Microsoft will unveil its next generation console, "Xbox Scarlett." Where to put your money today versus tomorrow is always a hard choice, but down the road you could just put this sweet Gears 5 Xbox in another room. That's what I do.

Gears 5 review: An evolved formula brings home a big win for Xbox

Finally, if Gears 5 isn't your thing, there's little reason to think that Microsoft won't do something special for the next Halo game in 2020.

GreedFall is a role-playing game (RPG) that focuses on choices. Unlike many other titles out there, you can't complete every objective because everything is a choice. You can either help one person or the other. You can either approach a combat situation one way or the other. In order to experience it all, you'll need to play it multiple times.

If you're on an Xbox One X and are part of the Xbox One Preview Program, you may want to unenroll. It seems like those who are playing the game on 4K resolution and are Xbox Insiders can't launch the game. The workaround appears to be to set your console's output to 1080p or less and play the game, but that deprives you of the gorgeous high-resolution visuals which are either 1440p or 1800p on the machine.

We're in touch with Focus Home Interactive and a spokesperson told us that the developer was aware of the problem and working towards a solution. Unfortunately, it's unclear when a patch to fix the Xbox One Preview problem will hit the game. It may be a few days or more.

In Windows Central's review, Brendan Lowry said, "Despite the lacking dialogue system and the issues with the game's presentation and performance, I still think any fan of RPGs should check out GreedFall. It's an impressive title that manages to mostly achieve its goal of being a blend of several RPG design styles, and the result is an experience most players will enjoy quite a bit."

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

What you need to know

• Hunt: Showdown is a first-person shooter that focuses on slaying monsters.
• The game stealthily released on Xbox Game Preview recently.
• It's exiting the program in September with Xbox One X support.
• You can purchase it for $30 through the Microsoft Store.

Updated September 19, 2019: Hunt: Showdown has been delayed until September 20 due to a last-minute issue.

Hunt: Showdown is a first-person shooter which features a blend of competitive and co-op combat. As stated in our preview, "monsters have taken over the world, and in order to survive, humanity must hunt them as close to extinction as possible." At Gamescom 2018, Microsoft announced that the game was coming to Xbox Game Preview. Almost a year later, it's available on the console.

Recently, Crytek announced that Hunt: Showdown would launch on the three major platforms this year. The game was supposed to exit early access on PC and Xbox One on August 27, but due to technical issues, was delayed on Xbox One. Unfortunately, PlayStation 4 owners will have to wait until Fall 2019. Luckily, we now have a new release date for the Xbox One port and it brings with it some good news.

Hunt: Showdown will now launch on September 19, priced at around $40. There's going to be a Legendary Edition as well, but it's unclear how much that'll cost at this point. Both versions are Xbox One X Enhanced, so should feature better visuals. Hopefully, the resolution will see a massive boost on Microsoft's console.

Right now, the game looks absolutely terrible on Xbox One X so it's good that Crytek delayed the game. Hopefully, the wait will be worth it because, in my opinion, a lot of work needs to be done to elevate the console port. September 19 isn't that far away!

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

What you need to know

• Torchlight II is a cult classic that launched on PC in 2012.
• It's coming to Xbox One in September.
• The game runs at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second on Xbox One X.
• You can preorder Torchlight II through the Microsoft Store for $20.

Torchlight II is a dungeon crawler developed by Runic Games which came out for PC in 2012. This Diablo-like franchise is regarded by many as a cult classic, and it's making its way to Xbox One next month. The game is also coming to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, but Panic Button went all-out for the Xbox One X version. According to the Microsoft Store, the game runs at 4K resolution on the system. From reports that emerged from E3 2019 and Gamescom 2019, it looks like the title runs at 60 frames per second (FPS) on the machine as well. We were able to independently verify these reports.

While Torchlight II isn't a graphically demanding game due to its concept art-like visuals, the fact that it runs at 4K resolution and 60 FPS means that it looks amazing on modern displays. It's almost like watching a painting in motion. You'll have to experience it for yourself when it launches on September 3.

According to the developer, Torchlight II takes you back into the quirky, fast-paced world of bloodthirsty monsters, bountiful treasures, and sinister secrets. And, once again, the fate of the world is in your hands. It's also filled to the brim with loot and allows you to play with your friends online.

Torchlight II can be preordered through the Microsoft Store for $20. Luckily, the download is only around 2 GB. If you love the franchise or loved the game on PC, be sure to check out the console version.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

For long gaming sessions, you want to make sure that your console is staying cool and performing as well as possible. The AmazonBasics Vertical Stand for Xbox One X can help you do just that, and it is available at Amazon today for $2.64. Back in May we shared a deal when this stand dropped to $5 because that seemed ridiculously low at the time. Well, now it's half that price even though it was selling for as high as $20 in March.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

AmazonBasics Metal Laptop Computer Desk Stand - Silver, 6-Pack

$82.43 $104.98 Save $23 1588737600

AmazonBasics height-adjustable standing desk converter

$154.43 $180.13 Save $26 1543813200

AmazonBasics Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Adapter Computer Cable - 6 Feet, 10-Pack

$44.90 $49.56 Save $5 1595649600

AmazonBasics Metal Laptop Computer Desk Stand - Silver, 6-Pack

$78.47 $104.98 Save $27 1588737600

AmazonBasics DisplayPort to DVI Display Adapter - 10-Pack

$51.48 $54.60 Save $3 1596081600

This vertical stand doubles as a USB 3.0 hub and was specifically designed for use with the Xbox One X. It features four built-in USB ports which can both charge devices and transfer data to your console from what's plugged in, such as an external hard drive. There are non-slip rubber feet and its mesh base helps keep your console cooler by allowing for heat ventilation. It also offers protection against over-current and short circuits. AmazonBasics includes a one year warranty with your purchase.

Warhammer: Chaosbane is a hack-and-slash role-playing adventure, taking place in the regular Warhammer Universe. The title plunges the player into the heart of the "Old World," a continent marked by the "Great War Against Chaos." The Great War is a bloody conflict that has ravaged the "Empire of Men." You can play as a human, a high elf, a wood elf, or a dwarf, and discover iconic locations along the way, complete with Diablo-like multiplayer action.

Warhammer: Chaosbane gameplay and mechanics

Gameplay revolves around traveling to different regions – either alone or with friends – and hunting monsters responsible for the destruction. There are numerous twists and turns, and you'll have to battle hordes of terrifying foes to unravel the mystery.

The boss fights are some of the most memorable moments in the game, as it often pits you against towering creatures. The battle against "The Great Unclean One" gives you a taste of what to expect, but it gets even more challenging from there. Each one of these monsters appears to possess a human, and you'll have to knock down their health bar several times to vanquish them. As you get closer to killing them, they phase change, deploying new moves against you.

The levels before the boss fights can easily be completed on your own if you're playing on normal or hard difficulty. However, if you want to challenge yourself, you'll need to team up with friends.

Cranking up the difficulty offers better gear, but tackling normal enemies becomes a battle for the ages. Therefore, you want other players supporting you, tanking some of the enemies along the way.

Just like other top-down action games, Warhammer: Chaosbane relies on the thumbsticks to control your character. You can easily move around by adjusting the left thumbstick and execute special moves with the right one. The "A," "B," "X," "Y," and other buttons can be assigned to different attacks. The controls are simple yet powerful, and exactly what this game needed on consoles. Maneuvering your fighter feels natural and precise, and undoubtedly took cues from Blizzard's Diablo III.

Warhammer: Chaosbane loot and upgrades

Warhammer: Chaosbane features fair loot drops, that make dungeoneering all the more rewarding. After every mission, you'll want to check your weapon wheel to see which new items are better than the last. The decisions are relatively trivial, and you always feel confident about your choices. You'll either see a positive rating for attack or defense or a negative value. Usually, the gear you find will boost both statistics. However, sometimes you'll come across a legendary item which will require you to favor either attack or defense. Depending on your character type, you'll want to make sure you have the right armor more than anything else.

For example, if you're playing as a warrior – essentially a tank – you'll want a high defense rating because you're always surrounded by enemies. If you're a ranged character, you'll be taking enemies out from afar, so you should focus on boosting attack. Although there is room for different playstyles across each of the four archetypical classes.

Warhammer: Chaosbane also features a lot of replayability. After you complete a region, you can go back and play several scenarios like "Expedition" and "Boss Rush." Expeditions mostly focus on clearing out an area and earning rewards. Boss Rush is all about beating the region's boss again to gain more experience and loot. Both modes are quite a lot of fun, and they're a great way to acquire legendary gear.

Warhammer: Chaosbane environments and visuals

The game features a lengthy campaign, but the levels feel claustrophobic and eventually redundant. Unlike the Diablo series, you mostly go from copy and paste corridor to corridor, fighting hordes of familiar enemies around every turn. Almost all of the missions feature the same layout.

For example, let's say that in "Mission 1," you go from "Area 1" to "Area 2." However, instead of a new region, in "Mission 2," you'll go from Area 2 to Area 1. Warhammer: Chaosbane will simply switch the environment around so that it looks like you're in a different part of a town or castle. While this probably reduced development work, it can be quite jarring to encounter the same map for the tenth time.

Warhammer: Chaosbane looks great as it features natural lighting, excellent monster design, and imposing gothic structures. It also runs at a locked 60 frames per second (FPS) on Xbox One X. It's unclear if it's Xbox One X Enhanced or simply features an unlocked frame rate across all console platforms. The beta client was listed as Xbox One X Enhanced, but the final build doesn't have that designation.

We tested out the game on PlayStation 4 Pro and encountered several stutters. Unfortunately, the game appears to only be running at 1080p resolution on both consoles. This gives it a blurry appearance on 4K displays, but given the fact that it's 60 FPS, it looks great in motion. It would've been nice to see a moderate resolution boost to 1440p like Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr. Warhammer: Chaosbane also features a "Variable Refresh Rate" on certain displays in order to combat screen tearing.

Warhammer: Chaosbane final thoughts

Overall, Warhammer: Chaosbane is a good game, but it would've been better had it featured expansive environments. The Xbox One X support is also lacking, considering the fact the similarly-styled Diablo III can achieve 4K 60 FPS, it feels as though the developers could've pushed this title further on Microsoft's new console.

Ever since Diablo Immortal was announced – much to the disappointment of long-time fans – gamers have been looking for similar experiences which nail the combat and addictive loot-based gameplay. Even with its problems, Warhammer: Chaosbane is a supremely satisfying adventure and an excellent addition to the genre, and represents a strong basis for further updates and improvements.

Excellent and affordable Xbox accessories

Up your Xbox experience with one (or all) of these budget accessories, all of which are approved by the gamers of Windows Central.

PowerA Play & Charge Kit for Xbox One ($15 at Amazon)

This charging kit keeps your Xbox One wireless controllers juiced up, and it offers batteries for two controllers. At just $15, this is hands-down our favorite budget charging companion.

ElecGear 4 Port USB Xbox One S Hub ($19 at Amazon)

This brilliant little USB splitter hub attaches perfectly to the side of your Xbox One S console. It's ideal for use with chargers, controllers, headsets, and more.

Controller Gear stand ($13 at Amazon)

Proudly display your Xbox gamepads with this stylish and functional stand. The licensed design is minimalist and black, and it has a hidden storage compartment, making the price of $13 a real steal.

Asher reviewed Warhammer: Chaosbane on an Xbox One X console with a copy provided by with publisher.

Gaming and work collide on this dude's desk. I do all my Windows Central work and all my gaming right from this rickety antique desk (that I really should probably replace at some point) armed with a ton of tech and Microsoft services. It has all served me well, and with a few adaptations, it houses all of the gadgets I use to get through my daily workload and my evening gaming sessions. Here's a quick run down of everything I have (and totally recommend).

Desktop display

I have a huge array of tech that I use here and there, but these are by far what I consider the "essentials," especially my Mei Nendo.

It's pricey, for sure, but the Surface Book 2 I believe truly represents the best of Windows, and while it can crush 1080p gaming pretty well, for the best visuals I defer to my Xbox One X. The new 4K Samsung QLED has added an extra dimension to my gaming too, owing to true HDR versus the clunky gen-1 HDR implementation on my previous 4K TV.

The Surface Book 2 is my favorite piece of tech for the simple reason that I use it the most, and it is the most versatile device for the job that I have to do on a day to day basis. If my TV or my Xbox fails for some reason, I can still game and work on the Surface Book 2, owing to its adequately powerful GTX 1060 GPU and Core i7 processor. The display is crisp and stunning with a 3:2 aspect ratio, complete with inking support and touch, and a precision trackpad that is the best money can buy. There's simply nothing to really dislike about this laptop, besides the price perhaps, but I feel as though I've gotten more than what I paid for out of it.

Some recent Samsung smart TVs such as the 2019 QLED Q60 series sets come with a range of "connected home" features, allowing for full integration between connected devices. One of those devices is our trusty friend, the Xbox One. Problem is, this feels like a version 1.0 experience, with very little flexibility. 

While it's super convenient to be able to control your Xbox dashboard and media using the Samsung Universal Remote feature, there's no way to stop it from automatically turning on your Xbox One, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S every time you boot up your TV. If you find yourself looking for the option to turn this off, look no further.

How to remove your Xbox from Samsung TV's Universal Remote

1. Grab your Samsung TV remote and hit the home button.
2. Navigate left to the sources section.

3. In the sources menu, move right to the Universal Remote section.
4. Here, you should see all the devices currently integrated with your TV.
5. Navigate to your Xbox One and press up to access the menu.

6. Hit delete.

If you ever want to add it back (if Samsung ever adds more options to make the feature less frustrating), simply go through the reverse process, adding a new device from the Universal Remote section instead.

Our top equipment picks

The Samsung QLED TVs are staggeringly awesome in terms of response rate, picture quality, and feature set. But when it comes to these "Universal Remote" connected features, Samsung still has a bit of work to do to make it all intuitive.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is the remastered version of Bulletstorm for Xbox One. The game not only features Duke Nukem as a guest character, but also upgrades the visuals and frame rate. The title runs at a smooth 60 frames per second (FPS) which makes shooting feel much more fluid and precise.

Many months ago, Gearbox Software promised that the game would receive Xbox One X support. Luckily, that patch finally rolled out today and significantly upgrades the resolution. However, during our testing, we noticed a lot of "jaggy edges" around character and gun models. This leads us to believe that it's running at a resolution of around 1800p instead of native 4K. Despite that, the presentation is incredibly crisp and locked at 60 FPS.

Were you looking forward to Bulletstorm's Xbox One X upgrade? Let us know.

In our review, we said, "If any game from a previous generation deserved a second chance, it's Bulletstorm. And that's just what Gearbox has given it with the Full Clip Edition. They fully remastered the visuals in Unreal Engine 4, bringing high-resolution textures and models to Xbox One with a... 60 FPS frame rate. You get all of the original DLC, too, and that's pretty much it."

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

Updated May 10, 2019: According to a new statement by Creative Director David Dedeine, the Xbox One X has an "upscaled version" of the game, and it's "not native 4K." Dedeine went on to talk about what he expects from next-generation hardware as well. Dedeine said, "As a player, I would like to be surprised and even more, entertained, connected to the world, as well as immersed in intense solo experiences. As a video game professional I'm looking forward to seeing how we will have to adapt the way we work to the new technologies, new control systems, new methods… It's a way to rethink our processes, our concepts, it's a huge source of motivation and creativity."

A Plague Tale: Innocence is an adventure game that blends action, adventure, and stealth. The title follows protagonists Amicia and her little brother Hugo, both orphans and on the run from the terrifying inquisition. Our young heroes will need to survive against an even greater danger, supernatural swarms of rats that appeared with the great plague, infecting cities and countryside alike.

While the game is shaping up to be an interesting experience, it's also Xbox One X Enhanced. Today, developer Asobo Studio discussed what players can expect on the system. As with many other titles nowadays, the team confirmed that it runs at 4K resolution on Microsoft's newest console. This means that the title should look incredibly crisp.

While the title runs at 4K resolution, it's unclear if this is a native 4K image or checkerboarded. Only a handful of games use checkerboard rendering on Xbox One X so chances are that's not the case here. We've reached out to Asobo for confirmation, and shall let you know as soon as we know more.

Are you interested in A Plague Tale: Innocence? It seems to be a compelling single-player game from what we've seen so far.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

Today during the Inside Xbox show, Microsoft announced that Ninja Gaiden II was coming to Xbox One backward compatibility. However, that's not all. The title will also be Xbox One X Enhanced, meaning that it runs at nine times the resolution on the system. Luckily, some existing games are also getting Xbox One X Enhanced like Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Splinter Cell: Conviction, and Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Fable II and Fable III are being upgraded for the system, too.

The Splinter Cell series follows Sam Fisher as he tried to prevent nefarious forces from destabilizing the United States. However, sometimes he becomes the target after he's betrayed by the officials he protects.

• See Double Agent at Amazon
• See Blacklist at Amazon
• See Conviction at Amazon

Ninja Gaiden II is an incredible action game and features thoughtful combat. Despite it's age, it still holds up even to this day, and it's clear why it's regarded as a cult classic. The title looks even better on a 4K display because now it's sharp and runs incredibly smoothly.

See Ninja Gaiden II at Amazon

Lastly, Fable II and Fable III are role-playing games which offer a lot of freedom. Fable II and Fable III may not be as memorable as the original game, but they incorporate excellent new mechanics which make them deeper experiences.

• See Fable II at Amazon
• See Fable III at Amazon

Are you excited to play all of these games at higher resolutions? Let us know.

Xbox accessories you'll love

Every one of these quality accessories is guaranteed to enhance your Xbox experience.

PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox One ($20 at Amazon)

PowerA's take on the Xbox One controller is an attractive pickup for budget-conscious gamers that nails all the basics.

Talon PDP Xbox media remote ($20 at Amazon)

The Talon PDP Xbox media remote is great for watching shows on your console.

Xbox One S vertical stand ($10 at Amazon)

Stand your console upright with this accessory.

Putting the Xbox One X to the test

Microsoft's flagship home gaming console, Xbox One X, is holding its ground with its top-tier silicon. Promising the hardware to drive a premium gaming experience, 4K resolution, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and improved framerates are all among the console's capabilities, entering the market as the most powerful console to date.

While the Xbox One X's advances are almost exclusively visual, the console has also been marketed to deliver shorter loading times. Microsoft attributes these gains to an improved storage setup under the hood, boasting an "up to 50 percent" increase in hard disk drive (HDD) bandwidth over the standard Xbox One X. While the 1TB drive at 5,400 revolutions-per-minute (RPM) isn't dissimilar from those in previous Xbox One consoles, various enhancements like SATA III support ensure the device fully leverages the drive's speed. Combined with significant leaps in CPU and GPU capabilities, improved loading times are a welcome by-product of this hardware leap.

With these claims in mind, we set out to test a limited range of games on the Xbox One X and Xbox One S, to see how these changes realistically translate between different game engines and genres. Using the internal drives of the two consoles, we looked to see how these claims stack up and whether the benefits are a worthy selling point.

To test games between the two devices, we attempted to create near-identical conditions on both consoles. While variations in game design meant that securing a consistent loading screen is challenging, we found points across chosen titles to capture comparable results. Precautions were also taken to restart games between recording times, to prevent cached data from drastically skewing results. After collecting 10 loads per game on both devices, results were compiled into a more consumable format.

How our favorites stack up on Xbox One X

The first of our titles trialed was Forza Motorsport 7, a game developed in-house by a Microsoft-owned developer, Turn 10 Studios. As one of its flagship franchises, the game's "ForzaTech" engine has been built up with Xbox One X in mind – and was even used to showcase the console's capabilities a while back under the "Project Scorpio" codename. With native 4K, consistent 60 frames-per-second (FPS) and other visual enhancements on Xbox One X, it's clear the game and console share a close bond.

Forza Motorsport 7 load times on Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S.

During our testing, we found Forza Motorsport 7 saw significantly reduced load times when played on Xbox One X. In some cases, the Xbox One X version was cutting loading times by a third, all while loading improved assets on the console. Even the Xbox One S's quickest load time failed to catch the Xbox One X at its slowest, drawing the gap in these two devices. The optimization for Xbox One X has clearly paid off, delivering shorter load times without comprising on visual upgrades.

Moving onto third-party game releases, we chose three games developed with the Xbox One X in mind – Assassin's Creed Origins, Call of Duty: WWII and Star Wars Battlefront II. Each of these is powered by in-house game engines developed by their respective publishers, which provides a better sense at how the vast majority of triple-A titles may fair on Xbox One X.

Assassin's Creed Origins load times on Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S.

Call of Duty: WWII load times on Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S.

Star Wars Battlefront II load times on Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S.

Between all three titles, we did see gains, however, only minor benefits on average across single-player activities. These cuts are welcome on top of Xbox One X enhancements, though their effect on the experience is realistically negligible. You'll be consistently knocking a few seconds off loading times by playing on Xbox One X, though ultimately there's little benefit — especially not $499 of value.

Beyond Xbox One X Enhanced games

While games are increasingly tailored for Microsoft's Xbox One X console, those yet to be formally upgraded should promise the best returns. Without the additional data of 4K assets to load, this is a showcase of how games can deliver noticeable benefits if simply running on the hardware.

First up was Mirror's Edge Catalyst, positioned among EA's open-world titles that missed an Xbox One X upgrade. Despite a lack of 4K assets, only minor improvements were proven on the hardware.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst load times on Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S.

One of the most impressive titles throughout our testing was Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V), a game notorious for its excessive loading times on other platforms. With a seamless open world absent of loading once in-game, first starting the game often comes with a longer wait. From start-up to Story Mode, GTA V showed the largest gain, both proportionally and in raw time.

Grand Theft Auto V load times on Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S.

On average the initial start-up time was 47 percent shorter; a figure that closely backs up Microsoft's marketing claims. While inconsistencies in networking made it harder to accurately measure GTA Online load times, these also reduce on Xbox One X. It's the best gain we experienced, highlighting how its storage can still bring benefits for titles lacking graphical enhancements.

Our most interesting find was when revisiting a few Xbox 360 titles, being played via the Xbox One's backward compatibility capabilities. Halo 3 was among our most-tested titles, among the "enhanced" for the Xbox One X. However, to our surprise, the game took longer to load on average, when on Xbox One X.

Halo 3 load times via backward compatibility on Xbox One X vs. Xbox One S.

It currently unclear what causes this minor increase in loading times on Xbox One, though is likely linked to the various upgrades in place for the system. Microsoft made minor software modifications to the Xbox 360 emulator to put these upgrades in place, essentially tricking the game to run at a higher than intended resolution. Neither Halo 3 or its engine were built with Xbox One X support in mind, which could contribute toward this extended loading period. Briefly testing other Xbox 360 games shows a trend doesn't appear to be in place; it just shows that not everything is better for the Xbox One X.

While the gains in loading times may not be revolutionary, the Xbox One X does live up to the promise of delivering improvements across most titles. Though these improvements may be minor at times, gains are still welcome, especially in conjunction with improved visual fidelity. It comes as no surprise that loading times don't sell the Xbox One X on its own, but still makes for another attractive aspect of an already promising package.

Apex Legends topped 50 million unique players in its first month which is, frankly, insane. That being said, the game is a lot of fun to play, and some of us here are a little obsessed with hill slides, portal jumps, and zip lines, maybe more than we should be.

The first Season Pass is said to be released sometime this month and, unfortunately, we know nothing about it at all. Respawn did, sort of, hide the game from the whole world though, so it stands to reason that they would be cagey about this, their first real expansion.

We are going to take this opportunity to talk about what we would like to see happen in the season pass, and what we don't want to see.

What we want to see

The first thing we want to see is some new characters. This seems obvious, but it is the most likely thing to come this Season and will make the biggest difference. It doesn't need to be lots of characters, one or two maybe, but they will need to be balanced. I think the base roster is balanced extremely well, so I'm not worried that Respawn will drop the ball on that

A nice addition to the game would be a new class of weapon. Not just new guns, though that is always welcome, instead, a new style of weapon altogether. Maybe traps, or a melee weapon, something to spice up the gameplay a little. Give us a chance to change the tactics that people are already starting to entrench into their gameplay.

The last wish from me, and several Twitch players I watch, may be a little overpowered, but boy, would it be fun. If we could dual-wield pistols and pistol shotguns the game would go crazy in the best way. Dual-wielding Mozambique's weapon as Wraith would be the greatest thing ever. EVER.

What we don't want to see

I do not want a new map. I know there are people already asking for one, and I understand the need for variety, but Battle Royale games work best on a giant map you can spend a lot of time in. The game has only been out for a little while, and there is still a lot more to explore in King's Canyon.

The other no-go for me is a load of new skins. We have so many skins already, and I'm pretty sure no one has managed to get them all for even one character, let alone all the Legends and all the guns in the game. We have plenty of skins, thanks Respawn. Let's concentrate on gameplay, not cosmetics.

What do you want to see?

Now you can speculate! What would you like to see in the Season Pass? Are we way off base with what we want to see, or do you think we hit we're on target? Let us know in the comments.

Why shouldn't you get the Ultimate Edition?

It can be easy to justify buying the most expensive edition; however, the Ultimate edition of The Division 2 doesn't offer anything that warrants an extra $20 investment above the Gold edition — and a whopping $60 more the than standard game.

Sure, the Ultimate edition has some new clothes and some of them look really good — the first responder gear looks amazing — but your outfit changes so rapidly in The Division 2 that outfits aren't worth spending real money on.

The Elite agent pack, which is only available in the Ultimate edition, may be worth your time if you want to get a bit of a leg up at the beginning of the game. It comes with an exotic rifle as well as a unique skill effect which actually help you in your quest to be the best, instead of just making you look good.

So, why choose the Gold edition?

The Gold edition is in that Goldilocks position of being "just right" for everyone. While it may be pricier than the Standard edition, it contains the season-one Play Pass which includes all of the first years downloadable content (DLC), new content, new specializations, new skins, and the preorder bonus that comes with the Standard edition.

And let's face it, all you really want from an extended edition is the season pass. The assumption is, the play pass will cost $40, so you are likely to make a $10 saving by purchasing the Gold edition.

Are there any other editions?

While the three mentioned above are the editions to really look at, there are several special editions that you may like. There is a steel-book case for the Gold, and the Ultimate editions — the Ultimate edition steel book is only available at Gamestop though — that includes all the same content but is wrapped up in a pretty metal box. The steelbooks are only $10 more expensive, so if you like a physical case, these could be right for you.

Lastly, we have the big one — the Dark Zone edition! This edition comes with an enormous amount of stuff with a pretty huge price tag. For $189, you get a whole lot of Division 2 paraphernalia, including:

• The Ultimate edition steel book.
• The preorder bonus.
• 1,050 credits to spend on the in-game store.
• The soundtrack on CD.
• A book of lithographs.
• A map of D.C.
• A 30-cm-tall figurine of an agent firing a flare gun into the air.

That's a lot of physical things for you to play with, but I speak from experience when I say, the physical things gather dust and are forgotten far too quickly.