The Xbox One X is the world’s most powerful console and the gadget you need to own

IF YOU have purchased a 4K television and are looking for the ultimate hub for all of your home entertainment needs, look no further.

AS soon as I played Alex Kidd in Miracle World on my Sega Master System II, I was hooked as a console gamer.

Sure I was always told about the PC master race and why using a console was selling myself short, but I never seemed to care. I liked consoles, all my friends owned them too.

Year after year I saw the improvements consoles had to offer, often surprised by the graphics, connectivity and overall performance of the device.

This is why Microsoft’s announcement of “Project Scorpio” got me so excited.

Now known as the Xbox One X, the product is the world’s most powerful gaming console, jam-packed with all the cutting-edge hardware required for 4K gaming.

Having been on the market for a couple of weeks now, I have been lucky enough to get my hands on the Xbox One X. And here is why you should follow suit.

DESIGN

The Xbox One X doesn’t stray too far from the design of the previous Xbox One S and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although, it’s surprising given it has 40 per cent more power.

Colour is the biggest differential between the two, with the One X ditching the white for black — something that makes me happy because it now matches my PS4 Pro and set-top boxes.

Another change is moving the disc tray from the top-left side to lower on the front.

On the rear of the device there is a power connector, HDMI out, HDMI in, two USB ports, an IR out, an Optical Audio port and an Ethernet port.

There is no port for Microsoft’s motion-sensing Kinect camera, although this is likely not a downside for anyone.

Microsoft has also ditched the capacitive power button and gone with a more authentic feeling physical switch, with a single USB port and controller pairing button located below.

The cooling vents are on either side of the One X, although it can still be positioned upright with or without the aid of Xbox’s optional stand.

Xbox One X also ships with a controller that is exactly the same mechanically as the one that currently comes standard with the Xbox One S, except the directional pad has been made slightly darker.

Overall, the new console won’t blow your mind with a fresh new design, but if it’s not broken ...

It was hard to fit everything the Xbox One X needed, without comprising on style.

TECHNICAL SPECS

For the casual gamer, probably all you need to know is the One X is a 4K resolution console — offering four times the level of detail seen on Full HD.

To achieve this, it runs an eight-core processor with a 2.3Ghz clock speed, a proprietary graphics processor with a 6 Teraflop processing capability, and has 12Gb of DDR5 RAM in it.

Comparatively, the PS4 Pro runs an eight-core processor with a 2.1Ghz clock speed, and its graphics processor clocks in at 4.2 Teraflops, with the system backed by 8GB of DDR5 RAM.

This means the Xbox has the edge on a pure technical specification basis, with the console running faster and offering more RAM.

Although, both systems have similar processors under the hood and wireless internet connections.

If you are buying your console to watch movies, the One X is the better choice as it has a 4K Ultra-High Definition Blu-ray player, while the PS4 Pro only has a conventional Blu-ray player.

Both consoles also offer the ability to download streaming apps like Netflix, Stan and YouTube so you can watch 4K video content.

The Xbox One X also comes with a 1TB hard drive, but with 4K games sitting around 100GB per title, you will definitely need the space.

SOUNDS IMPRESSIVE, BUT DO I NEED 4K GAMING?

The benefit of 4K is its ability to offer more detail and sharpness through the use of an image that’s 3840 pixels across and 2160 tall.

Not only does the Xbox One X offer a greater pixel density, but it supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) rendering, which allows preservation of details that may be lost due to limiting contrast ratios.

So essentially, you get deeper blacks, brighter whites and everything else in-between.

Obviously the latest games designed to be played in 4K look amazing as a result of the power of the Xbox, with titles like Forza 7 almost appearing lifelike.

From the detail of the sun sneaking through clouds to the deep blue sky or green grass, the difference doesn’t go unnoticed.

And if you are someone who doesn’t want to drop money on a plethora of new games after purchasing the console, Microsoft has worked hard to ensure a number of titles already in your collection look absolutely stunning too.

Currently there are 168 games in that Xbox One X Enhanced list, which will all receive free upgrades in the coming months if they have not already.

Having tried both new and enhanced games on a Samsung Q8 and LG OLED, I can attest you will have zero complaints over image quality while gaming.

Sea of Thieves is an example of the detail offered from 4K HDR gaming.

WHAT IF I DON’T OWN A 4K TV?

You don’t have the money to buy the latest OLED or QLED, but plan on upgrading down the track? Well, you can still get benefits from the Xbox One X until your new TV arrives.

If you own a 1080p TV, the console will create better-looking images using a technique known as supersampling.

What this means is the game renders itself in 4K as it would on a compatible TV and will broadcast the higher pixel density to your 1080p TV.

While all of this data obviously can’t be displayed because of the set number of pixels 1080p offers, what you will get is a more detail-rich image.

FINAL VERDICT?

The Xbox One X isn’t for everyone. If you are someone who doesn’t appreciate the nuances a 4K gaming console can offer on premium TV’s like Samsung’s Q8 and LG’s OLED, the product likely isn’t for you.

However, if you are a casual or hardcore gamer looking to get better graphics, amazing performance and steadier frame rates, this is the device for you.

Sure you could opt for the cheaper Xbox One S, but why settle for upscaling when you can have an authentic 4K experience.

Likewise there is the choice to get the PS4 Pro but if you want the best performing machine on paper, it has to the Xbox One X.

With the ability to include all of the apps you need and some of the best games on the planet, I would find it hard not to recommended this piece of hardware.

While I am sad there is no virtual reality, I am still pleased with where Microsoft has managed to take console gaming. This truly is an amazing time to be alive.

Continue the conversation in the comments below or with Matthew Dunn on Facebook and Twitter.

Originally published as The Xbox One X is the world’s most powerful console and the gadget you need to own