Microsoft Xbox One X: Should you upgrade?

Microsoft’s Xbox One X is a properly premium console, packing in a huge amount of processing power to drive smoother, better-looking, and (sometimes) native 4K games. In fact, we gave it a full five stars when we reviewed it last year. What if you’re already playing on a 4K-capable Xbox One S, though? Here’s our run down of whether it’s worth making the jump up to the X.

Design: slim’s the difference

The Xbox One X splits the difference between the two previous editions. Rather than a mostly flat face, however, the top half juts out on the One X, and the dotted design is less prominent. It’s also black, like the standard Xbox One model. Somehow, even with all that power inside, it’s slightly trimmer than the Xbox One S – but looks alone aren’t a reason to make the switch.

Power: best there is

Here’s where things get interesting. The Xbox One X makes a big leap in terms of performance, with a super powerful octa-core processor and a world-beating graphics chip, paired with a massive 12GB of RAM. It can push more detailed graphics at native 4K resolution (potentially at 60 frames per second) – and it beats the PlayStation 4 Pro as the most powerful console on the market today. If you need the best of the best then, yes, you need the Xbox One X.

4K output: crystal clear

Forget upscaling: the Xbox One X has enough power to display many games natively in 4K and at a super fluid 60 frames per second (with HDR, too). Got a 4K TV? Want games to look the best they can? You’ll definitely want to switch to the Xbox One X. If, though, you’re more of a movie mogul and you’re already packing an Xbox One S, it’s harder to justify the outlay just for native 4K.

Games: more of the same

When it comes to games, the Xbox One X doesn’t have any exclusive games to tout over its lesser siblings – though a clutch of titles with the ‘Xbox One X Enhanced’ moniker have been made or remastered to look their best on the top-end console, including Forza 7 and Gears of War 4. You’ll be able to play the same games on your Xbox One S, so the real question is whether the enhanced graphics make enough of a difference to make the upgrade worthwhile.

Verdict: should you upgrade?

There’s no doubt about it: the Xbox One X is the most powerful game console ever created, and it represents the pinnacle of reasonably affordable, non-PC gaming today. If you absolutely must have the best of the best on your TV then it’s the one you want. On the other hand, if you don’t have a 4K TV, start by getting yourself a nice new screen and then think about buying the Xbox One X. Or, if you’re still happy with the Xbox One or Xbox One S, stick with it: Microsoft isn’t going to hobble either of those earlier boxes, and all games will be fully compatible with all three console editions.