The Xbox One X Is a Powerhouse, but It’s Not for Everyone

It’s exciting to hear a console described as the most powerful one out there, and that is what the Xbox One X is. It had to be, really, since it was released so long after the PS4 Pro. Chances are, the people who really want this console have been on the edge of their seats waiting for it for months and already have it sitting next to their TV. Understandably, there are others who may take more time to contemplate getting a $500 console that plays the same games as their Xbox One or Xbox One S. Perhaps this list of the major Do’s and Don’ts of buying the Xbox One X will help.

Do Buy an XBox One X if…

• You’re all about that power. If this describes you, then you’ve surely got a nice, big Ultra HD 4K TV. So getting a console that is 40% more powerful than any other is the next logical step. Of course, power is just a concept. The rest of the Do’s describe what the machine actually gives you as a gamer.
• Awesome graphics motivate you. The graphics are definitely more realistic and beautiful. First thing I did when I got my Xbox One X was to download a little game called Insects. It lets you switch both the HDR and 4K features on and off to really see the difference. Things like the patterns on the ladybug you fly around become apparent with the feature switched on as well as the colorful flowers you land on. I was impressed. More importantly, games from the Xbox One play with enhanced graphics. I’ve tried out Forza Horizon 3 and Assassin’s Creed Origins. These are two of the most talked about games as far as the enhancements go, and I really do notice the difference. It’s tough to really say if it’s worth the $500, but I understand those who think it is. Keep in mind not all Xbox One games have enhanced capability. Here’s the full list.
• You play busy games. I’m thinking mostly of fans of Call of Duty and perhaps racing games. The Xbox One X has superior processing power so that you’ll be able to experience higher or at least steadier framerates even in the heavy scenes (I’m talking helicopters, explosions, and intense crashes). These games aren’t my cup of tea so I haven’t personally experienced them. However, I’ve seen some good reviews, especially for Call of Duty: WWII.

Don’t Buy an Xbox One X if…

• You think it’s the next generation Microsoft console. It isn’t! Die hard gamers don’t blink an eye at it, but Microsoft has given their consoles confusing names. (Say what you want about Sony, but they made it easy for anyone to figure this stuff out with their simple numbering system.) Especially if you’re someone like a non-gaming parent looking for a console for your kid. An Xbox One X is essentially a juiced up Xbox One console (the most recent Microsoft generational console). Currently, it plays all the same games as the Xbox One and Xbox One S with select games having enhancements. BUT (there’s always a but), it could in the future have exclusives according to an interview Phil Spencer had with The Telegraph. It seems like a bit of a gamble to buy it based on that possibility, though.
• You don’t have a 4K TV. You aren’t going to get the amped up graphics to their full potential if you don’t have one. That’s not to say you’ll get no benefits from the console. It’s still more powerful after all, and you should notice faster loading times, better framerates, etc. But it’s not like people don’t get a quality experience with the Xbox One S on their non-4K TV. I suppose this one is your call if you want to fork out the extra $500 without the full 4K experience.
• You want to get an Xbox One for a bargain. Hey, good timing! Black Friday is just around the corner and Xbox One S console bundles are available for $230! That’s less than half the cost if you forget about that “X.”
• You want to use the Kinect. Actually, it’s not fair to put it that way. You CAN use the Kinect with the Xbox One X, BUT you have to fork out $40 for an adapter. A lot of fans were caught off guard with this and for some it was even a deal breaker. Honestly, the Kinect is considered dead at this point and likely won’t be used on the next generation console. However, fans that want to suck up what little life it has left with their Xbox One console should know about this ahead of purchasing the X console.
• You like having a lot of games downloaded on your console. Enhanced Xbox One X games take up a lot of space. So much that you likely won’t have more than a dozen games or so before that 1 TB of storage is spent. If you love scrolling through your My Games and Apps menu as much as I do, that kind of sucks. Of course, you can get an external hard drive if you don’t mind tacking on to the cost of that $500 dollar console.

This article only includes a somewhat simplified look on the technological capabilities of the Xbox One X, but you can always visit Microsoft’s website to see the actual specs.