Xbox Series X/S reviews are out, and they're pretty pretty good

credit: Xbox

I think there’ll be a lot of smiles going around Microsoft HQ, but it’s not a perfect release. But don’t blame the hardware:

In terms of performance, design, and power draw, the X/S combination feel like you’re taking the superior quality of PC gaming to console.

And it’s silent, writes AnandTech, with a typically technical deep-dive: “To put this difference in perspective, the new Xbox Series X is quieter playing Gears 5 than the Xbox One X is at idle. The attention to detail on cooling and sound by the Xbox team is really a homerun here.”

Now, that’s partly because it’s so big, and the heat coming out of the top of the vent is warm to very warm, but not hot. Still, you’ll want to make sure the top isn’t covered.

And it’s made for standing. Most reviews commented that you can lie it down horizontally, but it’s not really the aesthetic or the way the heating is set up: “When placed horizontally, it’s fair to say that the Xbox Series X looks like it fell over with the base permanently attached,” writes The Verge.

There is some hesitation on the cheaper, less-powerful Series S, though:

I’ll let Ars Technica take it from here, with a longer quote: “[The Series X] is a remarkable $499 machine. It's sleek, it's powerful, and its high-end games currently load at higher speeds than my own $1,000-plus testing PC can manage. Meanwhile, the X's diminutive cousin/sibling/homeboy, Xbox Series S, is remarkably efficient for its size, price, and power draw. We certainly haven't seen a "next-gen" gaming machine this small and quiet since the cartridge era, and in some ways, its emphasis on "next-gen, but lower-res" is a smashing success."

“But [...] I can't definitively confirm that the $299 Series S locks onto Microsoft's inherent promise: same gameplay as Series X, with the kinds of downgrades you can't perceive on a 1080p TV. Sometimes, that pans out exactly as advertised, especially with first-party software like Gears 5 and Sea of Thieves. But with one major performance outlier as of press time, and some concerns about its value compared to Series X, I wade into the Series S half of this review more reluctantly than I'd like.”

That performance issue was with Assassin's Creed Valhalla, where the Series S capped out at 30fps, vs the expected 60 fps on Series X. That’s a big problem if it’s not a pre-release bug, and makes the Series S harder to stamp as a success.

The good news is the switch from 30fps to 60fps is being called night and day, and older games running more smoothly will be great to replay.

But… The Day 1 library cupboard is basically bare. Engadget noted “...there aren't many compelling new games to make it a "must buy" $500 system,” thanks to the delays with Halo Infinite for one, and no pre-installed games on the system, like the PlayStation 5’s Astro's Playroom, which comes with every system.

It doesn’t mean the Series X won’t come into its own before long, but Xbox One X owners aren’t missing out. There’s no overwhelming monster title that has to be seen to be believed, just yet.

The not-so-secret weapon for the Xbox is Game Pass, or Microsoft’s “Netflix for video games.”

Game Pass is, of course, available on PC and Xbox now, but it’s now a key pillar for Microsoft, and the Series X can play all of these games run at max or almost-max.

A lot of the reviews are saying Game Pass is by no means required, but it is strongly recommended.

Given the verdict is so strongly positive, without some of the hiccups that can plague new releases, this feels like a pertinent final word from The Verge:

“There’s one big question that remains for me with the Xbox Series X: when will Microsoft’s 23 first-party studios deliver the next-gen games to truly show what this console is capable of? Powerful hardware and a sleek user experience are only part of the mix. Microsoft need the games to really make the Series X sense something brand-new.”

So, shall Sony have the upper hand with exclusive titles more readily available on PlayStation? Is the Dual AI controller really that good? What else will come between them to make purchasing decisions easier? We’ll know more when that embargo drops, probably towards late next week.

About Digital learning

Hey Readers and learners welcome you to all in my digital learning platfrom. here i provide you some knowledge about computer science related subject and current techical news regarding hardware and software. if you have some query please drop your message in contact us page. if you seem anything wrong pardon.