What can xbox one besides games. Games and entertainment. Xbox One X - Specifications

Andrey Pismenny

Xbox 360 is a true champion of longevity among game consoles. Appearing on sale in November 2005, by November this year, he will celebrate his eighth birthday. It was the first of the seventh generation consoles, and with both Nintendo and Sony making their moves on the eighth, Microsoft's announcement was long overdue and high hopes were pinned on it. And now, finally, it became known officially: a new one is in a hurry to replace the “three hundred and sixtieth” Xbox One. What is he, and what to expect from him?

Xbox conquers TV

The screening did not start with games: before an Electronic Arts representative came on stage to show new series football simulator FIFA, Microsoft spoke for half an hour about the television capabilities of the Xbox One. No wonder its appearance has something in common with a VCR: One has as much in common with video equipment as with game consoles.

Microsoft's goal was to "make the TV smarter," and here it seems to have succeeded. On the stage, it was demonstrated how a TV connected to the Xbox One can be turned on by voice (or rather, the set-top box is turned on by voice, which, in turn, activates the TV). The user is greeted with a “personal home screen” that is both similar to the current Xbox 360 start screen and the new Windows 8 interface.

Tellingly, games on the Xbox One start screen are not even listed as the first item in a row of possibilities. My Pins (Stocked), Home, and Trending come first, followed by TV Shows & Movies, Music, and Apps.

Most of all, in the Microsoft presentation, they emphasized that the Xbox One will make it much easier to control the TV: thanks to the set-top box, it will respond to voice commands. It is enough to say “Xbox, watch TV”, and the set-top box will switch to television, and in response to the question “what is currently on such and such a channel?” TV guide will be displayed. The only thing that is still unclear is whether the set-top box passes the signal through itself or whether we are talking about IP-television. However, in both cases, there is very little hope that the shown television functions will work in Russia.

Xbox One outside and inside

Unlike Sony, which decided not to show the Playstation 4 during the first announcement, Microsoft has everything ready here: not only photos were shown, but also a working prototype. Some of its characteristics are also known.

The Xbox One processor has eight cores and a total of "five billion transistors". Its frequency is not specified, but it is known that this time the architecture is quite ordinary: like PS4, Xbox One will work on a chip of the x86-64 family. It also has 8 GB random access memory, 500 GB hard drive, USB 3.0 ports, Wi-Fi 802.11n support, Blu-ray drive, HDMI input and output. It will probably be possible to connect some other video console to the input and be able to voice ask the Xbox One to display an image from it.

Included with the console will be a new version of the Kinect sensor, which is now equipped with a camera with a resolution of 1080p. It is alleged that Kinect will now be able to take into account the slightest movements, and even read the pulse during charging.

The standard controller has also undergone changes - and although it looks very similar to its predecessor, Microsoft counted as many as 40 differences. In particular, the D-Pad has undergone changes (it has allegedly become more accurate), the triggers are now equipped with a recoil system, and the compartment where the batteries are placed is no longer removed. It also seems that the controller now has a built-in gyroscope and games will be able to use information about its tilt in one way or another.

A few words about software

Microsoft representatives shared a terrible secret with the public: Xbox One has not one operating system, but three - Xbox OS, the Windows kernel and the third kernel, which is designed to switch between them and provide multitasking.

Was it worth fencing such a complex system? On the one hand, all this looks categorically inelegant, on the other hand, if there is no difference for the user, then why not? The Windows kernel is clearly meant for apps, while the Xbox system is meant for games. The only pity is that this did not allow for backward compatibility with the Xbox 360, but even here it is not difficult to explain the reasons: switching to x86 excludes running applications written for PowerPC.

But Microsoft is proud of how quickly the new console allows you to switch between different activities: watching a movie is replaced by a game literally in one moment, the same thing in the opposite direction. The screen can also be split into two parts, like in the tablet version of Windows 8. This feature is called Snap Mode, and its best use is probably using Skype while playing a game or watching a movie.

Xbox Live

The service was also given special mention at the presentation. Xbox Live. It has several functions at once that deserve all praise, and one is very dubious.

First, about the good. If earlier consoles did not even allow you to take a screenshot, now both Playstation 4 and Xbox One will allow you to record video and share it with friends via Xbox Live. The Xbox One will have a dedicated interface for recording and editing video, a “game video recorder,” as Microsoft has dubbed it. The second useful thing is the storage of game shipments on the server. Previously, this option also existed, but was part of a paid membership to Xbox Live Gold.

Another good news would be the ability to play games without changing disks in the drive: it is enough to install each of the games once, then put it back in the box and not get it again - the data copied to the hard disk will be enough. But there are rumors that such a scheme will have an unpleasant downside: after copying to disk, the game will be tied to an account, and it will no longer be possible to install it on another account. Perhaps Microsoft will offer to pay a certain installation fee for each subsequent account.

In this case, you should also prepare for the fact that installing games will require an Internet connection. However, an even more terrible rumor was popular earlier - about the need for a constant connection to the Network, but at least it turned out to be wrong.

Interactive Entertainment

Microsoft has been talking a lot about how Xbox One TV will be much more interactive, allowing viewers to chat with friends as they watch. However, they did not show exactly how and boasted only of various amenities that American football fans can surround themselves with.

The real sensation was caused by another announcement: a television series with some interactive features will be filmed in the universe of Halo games. The project is being produced by Steven Spielberg, and although no details were revealed from the stage, Halo fans (who are the majority among Xbox owners) were very pleased.

And games too

Players, of course, are primarily interested in looking not at TV gadgets, but at new games with realistic graphics. Here, alas, the presentation was not so exciting. In addition to sports games, EA showed Forza Motorsport 5 races, a short trailer from the new Remedy project called Quantum Break and announced Call of Duty: Ghosts.

To see what the graphics will look like in real games, the public was given only a glimpse, and even then, for the most part, it is not clear from short screensavers where the game graphics are and where the pre-render is.

In the screenshots of Ghosts, the equipment and faces of the soldiers, as well as the jungle, look very impressive and detailed. It's clear that this is a huge step forward compared to the previous generation of consoles, but don't expect the Xbox One to do anything out of the ordinary in terms of graphics. It is similar in performance to the Playstation 4, and besides, competing consoles now use processors with the same architecture, and developers will have another reason not to distinguish between versions of games for different platforms.

In total, Microsoft promises fifteen exclusive games at the start of sales of the console (that is, before the end of this year), and half will be new franchises, not regular sequels. More details about the games will be told at E3 in mid-June, and it would be better for Microsoft to have time to prepare a shock performance for the remaining month. This is the only sure way to please gamers, and no TV features can replace it.

So, a miracle happened. All three (or, for some, two) next-generation consoles are featured. One is already being sold in stores, although it suffers from a lack of power and poor third-party support. FROM Wii U It is not that simple. And here is the new one Xbox there will be no such problem. All major publishers have already announced support for powerful consoles, loud statements have been made about unique services, and exclusive projects have been announced. All players are known, a full-fledged battle of the titans will begin at the end of the year. About the system nintendo you already know, many of them probably even have it. ABOUT PlayStation 4 and its games, we have also already managed to tell. The time has come for a new Xbox.

Which, contrary to all rumors, received a name different from Xbox 720 And Xbox Infinity. It's simple - a new prefix Microsoft got a simple but memorable name Xbox One. A modern universal home entertainment system - this is how the console is positioned by its creators themselves. What will we, the players, be dealing with over the next 6-7 years?

Presentation Xbox One

As promised, presentations of the game console Xbox One happened on May 21, 2013. It began at 21-00 Moscow time in the state of Washington, in Redmond. It was immediately stated that the technologies embedded in the console would be enough for the next ten years. It should immediately be stated that, in addition to the games themselves, Xbox One will be able to show movies, broadcast television programs, sports events, listen to music, communicate via Skype etc.

"Xbox One brings the next generation of popular games, TV and entertainment to a fast and versatile device," said Don Mattrick, Head of Interactive Entertainment. Microsoft. The system's unique state-of-the-art architecture delivers unparalleled ease of use and a revolutionary ability to instantly switch between games and entertainment."

That is, in fact, in the new generation of consoles will become even closer to PC than in the previous one. Of course, it will not do without an advanced online service that integrates everything that has been invented in general lately. Want to see what's on TV, which games are coming out soon, and which ones are already available? Please, all on the screen of your TV that the console is connected to Xbox One. It will also give you the opportunity to communicate with friends by voice.

Amazing features of Xbox One

Like search algorithms google, operating system Xbox One will be teachable and offer you what you love. That is, if you are a fan of role-playing games, then it is about them that you will be shown information in the first place. They will be recommended as well. The capabilities of the console are described in great detail in the official press release. Microsoft:

• Television on Xbox One. Browse TV channels from a cable TV company, a telecommunications company or a satellite operator using Xbox One.
• Enable by voice. Just say two words: "Turn on Xbox" and enjoy the home screen with your favorite games, TV and entertainment programs.
• Parallel work. Do two things at the same time on the biggest screen in your home. Use the side-by-side feature to jump into a multiplayer battle while watching your favorite movie, chatting with friends on Skype, watching TV channels, getting TV news about your favorite team while watching an important game, and more.
• Skype for Xbox One.Xbox One allows you to chat with your friends Skype, and make group calls using your HDTV.
• Popularity Ratings. Stay up to date with the hottest shows on TV: See what shows are popular with your friends and the Xbox community.
• One Guide. Quick voice search for your favorite entertainment programs by TV channel, name or broadcast time in your personalized program guide.

Well, quite impressive. However, about everything the same is or will be in PlayStation 4. Copying ideas from three set-top box makers has been the norm in the past generation. As for the performance and operability of all the above-mentioned services, a high level can be achieved by using three operating systems at the same time: one is responsible for interacting with Windows services, the second controls the set-top box itself, and the third is used to link one with another. Well, 5 billion microtransistors (an approximate figure) level out any delays - switching between programs, games and television will occur instantly.

Specifications

Detailed specifications consoles are still unknown. But in general terms, we can already talk about what will be inside. Just like on PS4, in Xbox One 8 gigabytes of RAM will be installed. The central processor will also be 8-core. The minimum hard disk space is 500 gigabytes. And as a carrier for games will be used blu-ray(yes, yes, after all, he and only in this generation in the case of Microsoft). How Sony, and Microsoft until they decided on a fully digital distribution. Perhaps it will happen, but obviously not in this and perhaps not even in the next generation.

The set-top box will connect to the TV via HDMI and will be equipped with USB 3.0 outputs. Of course, not without Wi-Fi. As for the network service, it will be an advanced version Xbox Live, supported by 300 thousand servers. So the stability of work should be on top from the very first days after launch Xbox One. Also, the prefix will make it possible to use a function similar to Share on PS4, that is, the most interesting moments from the games will give the opportunity to share directly during the gameplay directly.

Xbox One will use cloud technologies to the fullest. This will allow both segmented installation of games, the ability to play while downloading, and faster downloads from the network. And most of the data can be stored in the cloud so as not to take up space on your hard drive Xbox One. Fortunately, there is something to fill it with. Games of the new generation promise to be extremely "big". And yes, a subscription. Xbox Live can be transferred from Xbox 360 on the Xbox One. As for other features, the new network service will allow:

• Advanced partner search. You almost never have to wait!
• Game recording. Games can be recorded, saved to the console, in the cloud, or sent to friends or communities. Some games - large MMOs for example - will download add-ons while playing. That means you don't have to stop! Player score from Xbox 360 can be transferred to Xbox One.
• Xbox SmartGlass- an integral part of the Xbox One - allows you to quickly draw content directly on the console.
• Simultaneous connection more devices.

Kinect One

Concerning Kinect next generation, this advanced camera will come with Xbox One. That is, you do not have to buy it separately. As far as permission is concerned, Kinect One will have 1080p, and the sensor will be able to process up to 2 gigabytes per second. This will allow you to instantly recognize commands, including voice ones. Moreover, without any additional sensors Kinect One will be able to read the player's pulse! Finally, you should know that Kinect On will be in permanent mode.

No, he will not eavesdrop on your conversations and pass them on to the special services, but will limit himself to waiting for commands. Yes, the console can be turned on by voice. A kind of electronic dog-"ball" that understands the instructions of the owner. I wonder if it will Xbox One to see dreams!?

But most of all the players were worried about the issue of backward compatibility. Benefit library Xbox 360 more than impressive. Alas and ah, but it will not be. The reason is too big differences between consoles. The architecture does not imply or allow backward compatibility.

Games and exclusive projects for Xbox One

There will be many exclusive projects. So, in the first year of the console's life, 15 exclusive games will be released, of which 8 will be completely new. Probably the most anticipated project on this moment, which is known to be Forza Motorsport 5.

• Forza Motorsport 5- the latest series of the main competitor Gran Turismo. Stunning graphics, amazing detail and more. All this already at the moment of launching the console! More details - we have and in the upcoming full-fledged preview.
• Call of Duty: Ghosts- new generation call of duty with completely unique gameplay and stunning graphics. Soon!
• FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, NBA Live 14, UFC- a must-have sports line from EA Sports powered by the new EA Sports Ignite engine.
• Quantum Break- a new adventure from the creators Max Payne And Alan Wake. We have on the forum -.

And, of course, we must not forget about Thief 4, The Witcher 3 , Dragon Age 3, Mass Effect 4 and other multiplatform hits of the future. More details about the games will be told in the upcoming E3. The wait is not so long.

Interesting facts about Xbox One

In addition to games, Xbox One related projects will also be created. For example, Spielberg has already announced that he is the producer of the upcoming series on the universe Halo, which will contain unique content for those who will watch it through Xbox One. The NFL announces a multi-year partnership with Microsoft. This will result in the creation of a modern interactive TV platform NFL for Xbox One.

Appearance Xbox One

The design of the console can be treated differently. Some people like it, others like a VCR. The same goes for the sensor. Kinect. But in general, the prefix turned out to be very strict. However, like Wii U and most likely new PlayStation. Design refinements seem to be a thing of the past. Outwardly amazing devices are a thing of the past along with dreamcast, PS2, gamecube and original Xbox. The time has come for solutions that fit perfectly into the interior.

As for the joystick, about 40 innovations have been added to it, although the essence remains unchanged. Not surprising, given that the joystick Xbox 360 was recognized as the best of the generation by millions of players (most importantly, by fans PlayStation including). Price Xbox One not named yet. But it is known that the console will be released in 2013. For more details, as always, E3.

More about Xbox One you can read in our .

I have already talked about what you should pay attention to before buying a Playstation 4 in. To leave no gaps, let's take a look at the features of Microsoft's second next-gen console, the Xbox One. I advise those interested in this prefix to read with comments after use, and in this material accents are placed on the most interesting points that buyers of the next XBOX should know.

1. XBOX One package

Xbox One comes with one game controller, second generation Kinect sensor, HDMI cable, power supply and cable. In addition to the above, the set includes a headset (headset) for communicating with other players. It is worth noting that this headset was first wanted to be removed from the kit, as Microsoft was trying to stay within the cost of $ 499, and the headset did not allow this. As a result, potential buyers were not affected.

2. Mandatory update

Just like PS4 users, once you purchase and connect your Xbox One, you will need to download and install a mandatory update that will enable many blocked features on the console. The patch with updates for Xbox One takes about 500 MB. The time and speed of installation and download depends on the speed of your Internet connection (on average, this procedure takes 15-20 minutes). Without installing this update, you will not be able to play games, as the console requires it to be installed without fail.

3. Content upload and storage

Users will be able to buy almost everything with no regional restrictions, as is the case with the Playstation 4. The XBOX One has the ability to connect an external hard drive to the console to save purchased games - a useful feature when the Xbox One's internal hard drive runs out of space. In the new generation console, this is especially true, since absolutely all games require a full forced installation on the hard drive. Let me remind you that a 500 GB hard drive is integrated into the console without the possibility of replacing it with an HDD bigger size. By the way, at the beginning of sales, the ability to connect an external drive will be absent, but will become available in subsequent updates.

4. Games on XBOX One launch day

On November 22, along with the start of sales of Xbox One, 21 games will arrive in stores and the digital distribution service Xbox Live. 6 titles will be exclusive to this console: Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome, Crimson Dragon and only digital copies - Lococycle and Killer Instinct. Several multiplatform projects will also be available: Battlefield 4, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Skylanders: Swap Force, Need for Speed: Rivals, Just Dance 4, Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Madden 25, NBA 2K14, FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, Zumba Fitness World Party, Fighter Within, Powerstar Golf, Zoo Tycoon and Angry Birds Star Wars.

5. Using cable TV in XBOX One

The Xbox One has one HDMI input on board, which is required to connect an external signal source. For example, for a satellite receiver that will turn the Xbox One into a multimedia center. Also, the console has functionality that allows you to switch between the game and the TV show using the controller, gestures or voice commands, but first I recommend reading. There is also a built-in TV guide with the ability to select your favorite channels and assign each of them a unique voice command for quick switching.

6. Second generation Kinect sensor

XBOX One bundles will now ship with and without the Kinect 2.0 sensor. The Kinect camera has undergone significant changes:

• view of the room from a wider angle
• ability to work in total darkness
• Kinect face detector loads your gaming profile immediately
• voice recognition of registered users
• the sensor can detect your emotions and state
• the built-in Xbox Fitness app that lets you exercise exercise with the new Kinect.

7. New Dashboard

As you already know, the dashboard is the name of the main menu on Xbox consoles since the Xbox 360. The main menu is now highly customizable. Users can customize the color scheme, pin the Home page to 25 of their favorite games, apps, series or movies for quick access to content. The console menu is the prototype interface for modern Windows 8 smartphones and tablets. Microsoft adheres to the Metro interface in all of its devices. To be extremely literate, the Xbox One runs on 3 operating systems that run in parallel:

• application launcher system
• video game launcher
• a system that links the previous two

8 Skype on XBOX One

Skype is integrated into the Xbox One at the OS level, just like in Windows 8.1. You can make video calls using your contact list and the updated Kinect sensor. At the same time, you move around the room, as the smart camera will focus on you until you leave its field of view. If there is no one in the room except you, Kinect will enlarge your face for the comfort of the interlocutor, and in the presence of the company, the camera will cover each person. You can play video games while talking on Skype or watch TV at the same time. Your interlocutor will be displayed in a smaller window on the right so as not to interfere with the gameplay or watching TV.

9. New controller for XBOX One

The Xbox One controller will contain more than 40 innovations, ranging from a recessed battery compartment (in the previous version of the gamepad, this protrusion interfered with some) and a slight redesign, ending with additional vibration motors that are built into the controller triggers. Now, while shooting in shooters, you will feel the recoil of the weapon in the form of distinct impulses under your fingers. Also, by popular demand from fans of fighting games, the so-called D-pad (cross) has been redesigned. The directional buttons have become more accurate in pressing and better separated from each other, in Start and Back they have been replaced by Menu and View. The gamepad itself has slightly decreased in size.

10. Sales start date and price

In Russia, the start of sales is postponed to September 5, 2014, according to Microsoft, the release was postponed, because for some countries they did not have time to complete the interface (including voice commands in national languages), and legal issues were not resolved. The Xbox One kit with the Kinect sensor will cost the residents of the Russian Federation27 499 rubles, which is 500 rubles lower than the price appearing in the recent information leak. If you do not want to spend money on Kinect, then you can only buy the Xbox One itself with a game controller. This kit will cost you20 999 rubles, which is as much as 2,000 rubles less than previously published figures.

With the release of two major new generation gaming consoles, numerous reviews have told readers about each of them, and it's time to ask the question, who is in the lead? Reviewers of the portal Cnet.com believe that the PlayStation 4 wins so far, although not by much. In the reviews on the site, both of them received 3.5 points, but the extended score for PS4 is 7.5 points versus 7 points for Xbox One.

Three and a half stars by Cnet standards is a good indicator that both systems have a good set of functionality and hardware specifications. However, she also says that reviewers see no reason to rush to buy any of the presented consoles as soon as possible, in their current unfinished state.

PlayStation 4 - left, XBox One - right

Design: Xbox One - 7.0, PS4 - 8.0

Design includes both the design of the hardware components and the case, and the design of the software. In both cases, the advantage is on the side of the PlayStation. From a hardware point of view, the main advantage is the power supply integrated into the console, while the Xbox One, like the Xbox 360, uses a large external power supply. This is especially noteworthy given that the PS4 is still smaller in size than its competitor.

As for the user interface, here everyone must decide for himself which one he likes best. The PS4 interface is an update to the previous version with support for features such as multitasking and a broadcast hub. The Xbox One has a very dynamic interface, however, at times you can feel lost in it (the same can be said about Windows 8). This is partly due to the tight integration of the Kinect controller and voice commands into the control process, which do not always work as perfectly as the developers intended. For example, the console does not always respond to commands, forcing them to be repeated again (in especially severe cases, forcing them to add some more non-printing expressions to them).

Ecosystem: Xbox One - 6.0, PS4 - 6.0

The set of games and applications available at the time of release of consoles is not at all amazing. At the same time, the set-top box from Microsoft has an advantage in the form of the number of exclusive games available on it. These are Dead Rising 3, Ryse: Son of Rome and Forza Motorsport 5, while PS4 has Killzone: Shadow Fall and Knack. There are other games for each console, but nothing particularly noteworthy among them. A number of notable games like FIFA 14 and NBA 2K14 are available on both consoles.

The big downside of both consoles is the fact that they currently lack compatibility with previous generation console games. The problem in this case is much bigger than it was when the Xbox 360 and PS3 arrived, which brought with them such a jump in performance that no one wanted to remember the old games. In addition, the PS3 was backwards compatible with the PS2, and half of the games for the original Xbox ran on the Xbox 360. Now, many of the games recently released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 are not much inferior to the games that replaced them consoles.

For Sony, the Gaikai game streaming service will have to solve the problem next year, but the company prefers not to talk about the details of how this will be implemented.

Functionality: Xbox One - 8.0, PS4 - 7.0

In the name of Xbox One, the word One is present for a reason. In its console, Microsoft wants to combine all the user's multimedia entertainment into one node and provide access to them through a single interface. This is done using the sophisticated second-generation Kinect sensor and its many outstanding features. This is very different from the game-focused PlayStation 4, which removed support for standards such as DLNA, CD, MP3 and JPEG.

Instead, some new features were introduced, for example, support for launching PS Vita games using the Remote Play function, the ability to broadcast gameplay to live and share clips with viewers, plus it has its own camera for augmented reality games and facial recognition. Despite all this, the capabilities of the Xbox One feel more "futuristic". For example, this refers to the ability to instantly switch using voice commands between the game and watching TV, or you can simply display both images at the same time.

Microsoft's only problem is imperfect software. A Cnet review on the matter states the following. “After using the Xbox One for a few days, you begin to understand that Microsoft is determined to give the user the opportunity to combine all his digital entertainment in his console. However, it is also obvious that their plan has not yet been fully realized, and you constantly catch yourself thinking about the incompleteness of a particular function.

There is also a reason to criticize the capabilities of the PS4. The prefix should be taught to read files from USB disks, as PS3 can do, the absence of DLNA has already been mentioned. 3D Blu-Ray discs are also not supported (just like on Xbox One).

Performance: Xbox One - 7.0, PS4 - 8.0

If we compare console processors, then PS4 has a slight advantage, but in general the same games look the same on them. The biggest hit to Xbox performance comes when it comes to controls and navigation. She recognizes voice commands in about 75% of cases, which does not add any points to her.

Cost: Xbox One - 6.0, PS4 - 7.0

The PS4 costs $100 less, although the Xbox comes with a Kinect controller, while Sony has to purchase a camera separately. It costs $60 and is not such an obligatory component of the system. Do not forget that it is extremely difficult to do something on Xbox One without registering in Xbox system Live, and a one-year subscription will cost $60.

On PS4, online play will also require a $50 PlayStation Plus subscription. However, you can do without it and use third-party solutions such as Netflix. As a result, if all the features of the Xbox One worked as they should and without limitations, such as the lack of support for DVR, it would be easier to put up with the need to spend an extra $100 on it. Until Microsoft fixes all the shortcomings, which should happen sooner or later, the PlayStation 4 seems to be a more valuable acquisition. However, this is only the beginning, and if the PS4 has won the battle, then the whole war is yet to come.

Xbox One X is a powerful gaming console that offers games that gamers have never seen before. This is of greater importance, and separate problems.

A look into the past

When the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles hit the market, video game enthusiasts had a right to feel disappointed. They were significantly less efficient than their predecessors, offering disappointing hardware options. Especially in the case of Microsoft, whose Xbox One was slower than the PlayStation 4.

When the Xbox One hit the market, technical innovations were moving towards 4K resolutions. At the same time, the console from Microsoft barely reached Full HD. Although the situation has improved with numerous software updates and development tools, the hardware still renders many games at 900p resolution.

Sony was the first to solve this problem with the release of the PlayStation 4 Pro console, thanks to which new components made it possible to play at higher resolutions. Now Microsoft is doing the same with the Xbox One X.

Xbox One X successor to Xbox One or Xbox One S

It's like buying a car. The same model from the same year is available in several variants. Both cheap and economical engine, as well as expensive, much better performance. The same applies to the Xbox One consoles.

The Xbox One S is the cheaper gaming console in the series for less demanding people. With it, you can achieve success for a small price. The most expensive version of the Xbox One X costs twice as much. It has the same features as the S. It has the same games, the same system, the same available accessories, UHD Blu-ray drive, and 4K and HDR media support. What is the difference? Performance in games.

Unrivaled Computing Power

Xbox One X is 40 percent more efficient than PlayStation 4 Pro. Game developers have 6 TFLOPS graphics efficiency at their disposal, for this 12 GB GDDR5 memory with 326 GB/s and a 2.3 GHz, octa-core processor. What's especially nice is that all the processing power is packed into a box that's almost the same size as the Xbox One S. Even the port allocation (3×USB 3.0, IR, optical out, HDMI in, HDMI out) hasn't changed.

What is more pleasant, despite its small size, the game console does not make noise when it is visited by large loads. When you start a game that is not tied to its capabilities, it works almost silently. Only when you turn on something running in UHD will you hear the noise of the fans. Luckily, their quiet and neutral tone makes a huge impression on its own.

The console can work both horizontally and vertically. Appearance is a subjective matter. But, Xbox One S looks better, so One X seems less attractive to me. A sort of small black and expressionless brick.

Xbox One X - Specifications

• Dimensions: 30 cm × 24 cm × 6 cm
• Processor: 8 cores, 2.3 GHz
• Graphics: 1172 GHz, 40 CU, Polaris architecture, 6 TFLOPS
• Memory: 12GB GDDR5 @ 326GB/s
• Flash cache: 8 GB
• Memory capacity: 1 TB HDD
• Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray
• Power supply: 245 W, internal
• HDMI Output (Picture): 2160p@60Hz, AMD FreeSync VRR, HDR10, HDCP2
• Hardware codecs: HEVC/H.265, VP9, ​​AVC/H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part2, C1/WMV9, AAC, MP3, MPEG1, WMV, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos
• HDMI output (audio): Dolby Digital1, DTS Digital Surround 5.1, Dolby Atmos for home theater, PCM 2.0, 5.1 and 7.1, Dolby Digital Plus 5.1, 7.1, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-MA, DTS:X
• Wireless: Dual Band 2x2 IEEE11ac with Wi-Fi Direct, Xbox
• Wired: IEEE 802.3, 10/100/1000, 3x USB 3.0, HDMI 2.1, S/PDIF, IR Blaster

Every game changes on Xbox One X

Not all games will use the computing power of the new Microsoft console properly. Not every creator wants to update their work with new graphics assets and support a new GPU. But even these games will work better on Xbox One X. I had the opportunity to confirm this.

Games written for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Xbox will run on the One X as well, because Microsoft's game consoles are backwards compatible. But, on new console they will load faster thanks to a 50% more efficient hard drive. The Xbox One X will also bring more precise texture filtering and edge smoothing mechanisms, making the non-adaptive game a bit better.

The real power is seen in games adapted to Xbox One X

Many games have already been announced, over 140 of which, more than 70 have been available since release (November 7th), calling for accountability for the pace of adoption of PlayStation 4 Pro-enhanced games. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to meet everyone yet. The developers were waiting for the commercial premiere of the console with the release of patches for their productions. If you have any doubts: patches that enrich games for Xbox One X and they will of course remain free.

However, I spent many hours checking the ones that were already available. These were Gears of War 4, as well as Titanfall 2 and EA Sports FIFA 18. There were also less impressive ones like Diablo III.

It's nice to get into the world of expensive PCs

Too bad I can't show you their beauty because most of you will probably be reading this review on hardware without an HDR display and with noticeable quality compression that removes detail from the image. And also the sharpness and clarity of what's happening on a good TV is just amazing.

I connected my Xbox One X to the best LG OLED TV, as well as the brightest one available, Samsung QLED. What I saw on the screen leads to sagging of the jaw. And all this while maintaining a fixed, depending on the game, 60 or 30 frames per second, in 4K, with an expanded color palette.

Games don't just acquire liquidity, focus, and colors. Microsoft in no way restricts game developers on how they can use the power of the One X console (except for one condition: the game must work well on One S and One). Some simply increase the resolution and set the level of detail in the engine to the maximum. Others go a few steps further and provide brand new graphics, sharper textures, etc. as updates.

Some choose not to go with 4K, using intermediate resolutions and more image detail. An absolute delight is Forza Motorsport 7, which renders at 60fps at 4K resolution, active HDR and all graphics settings from PC version to max.

It's really impressive. Especially if you have a good 4K TV with HDR.

What if I have a Full HD TV?

I've read a lot of doubts online about the possible benefits of using an Xbox One X console if you have a lower resolution display, no problem. The One X upscales the image to 1440p, 1080p and 720p.

Because if the One X is connected to a Full HD TV, it still displays the image in 4K and then upscales it to 1080p. This eliminates the effect of smoothing, hence the lines on slanted objects. In addition, all other improvements and therefore more detailed information about graphics or faster memory still remain.

The Xbox One X console can do its part as a graphics boost even if you don't have an UHD TV. Of course, the best TV will have a special effect when it comes to picture quality. All this is complemented by the latest audio standards, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Windows Sonic.

And what besides games?

Xbox One X, like all Xbox One game consoles, runs Windows 10, which means you can install apps from the Microsoft Store. Not all, those whose creator decided to publish them in the console version as well. So there is no shortage of apps for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, ShowMax, YouTube or Spotify, although the YouTube app still doesn't support 4K and HDR.

This does not change the fact that we can easily play media from popular services in full quality and from the network (via network drives, NAS) or from a memory connected via USB. In addition, the HDMI input on the game console allows you to connect a TV tuner, integrating it into the console interface. And, let's not forget the UHD Blu-ray player.

Microsoft's new game console also allows you to pause and rewind the TV signal (stores the last 20 minutes in cache) and records the last 30 seconds of the game in 4K video format with HDR (more only if you connect external memory). One X will stream Twitch and Mixer games and post recorded clips to Xbox Live or YouTube. The set-top box and our account can be controlled remotely thanks to the Xbox app on Windows 10, Android and iOS.

Xbox One X - ultimate gaming experience

Owners of powerful PCs will be right to refute this. A well-configured PC connected to a pad and TV is likely to offer more convenience and quality, as there are many fans of mouse and keyboard gaming compared to the One X controller.

However, you can't underestimate the sheer carelessness and attention to every popular gaming console. And Xbox One X is a console where almost every game will run faster and look definitely better than other competitors, or they simply don't exist for other platforms.

Many games not available on others include the Halo series, Gears of War, Forza Motorsport, Forza Horizon, Quantum Break, Ori, and more. While these exclusive productions are the most important to the console, market research confirms we spend the most time playing multi-platform games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Grand Theft Auto Online. And Xbox One additionally allows players to stream using a PC and a Switch.

All Xbox accessories are compatible with any version

And yes, I am aware of the popular belief that Sony has the best exclusive games. Subjectively, I disagree, although Uncharted or Horizon Zero Dawn were great, and a next-gen sequel to the brilliant The Last of Us is announced, which I'd probably envy PlayStation owners for. But, I'm definitely more connected to the Microsoft device series, and as a statistical player, I end up spending more time on multi-platform games.

Wolfenstein II, Assassin's Creed Origins and Middle-earth: The Shadow of War are in line for improvements over the next few weeks. Their creators, tormented by Microsoft for the One X claims, confirm that these games will look prettier and run faster on the Microsoft console.

I have another console, the one that is considered gaming

I've never understood this approach, probably because I don't understand the Nintendo Switch phenomenon. In my opinion, setting up games is very important. Maybe don't like the mechanics (I have some favorite indie games), but the setting of the game definitely affects its strengths or weaknesses.

I know there are things I don't need to understand. And if audio-visual setup is critical in gaming for you, then the Xbox One X is the console you probably shouldn't be considering. It's best to buy One S and save on a bundle of cool games.

The One X doesn't offer you anything - except for a shorter charging time, which benefits in another aspect. But, the One X console unlocks thousands of graphic Ultra emotes compared to the One S. And since we have decided that this is not important for you, there is no point in overpaying.

Xbox One X is the console that has more

In some elements, this will sound comical. For example, the hardware start-up sound, the dual-channel pipeline plays somewhat faster than the One S, and the console light emits harsher light (which isn't an advantage, though it's not dazzling).

Xbox One X costs about 40,000 rubles. In return, we get a TV with multimedia apps, a 4K Blu-ray player and the most powerful game console on the market, compatible with Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Xbox, with loyalty programs like Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Live Gold and EA Access. There's also a decent (free) database of exclusive games, a huge database of multi-platform games that always run fast and smoothly, in the most gorgeous of audiovisual environments.

Is the One X the best machine on the market to play with? No. Since some of the subjective concerns are not covered here, such as whether you like Sony or Nintendo games, I won't mention the convenience of the Switch console. However, looking objectively, excluding tastes and preferences - Xbox One X can only have a competitor in the form of a powerful PC. The developers of ARK: Survival Evolved benchmarked the hands-on PC-level performance of Microsoft's new console with the GTX 1070 and 16GB of RAM.

After a week of use, the Xbox One X was still a magical device for me. My new favorite toy that I try to spend most of my free time with. I have absolutely no doubts: this console will not disappoint anyone. It is far ahead of the competition in every respect, except for the price.

Outcome

I do not regret a single ruble spent on the purchase of this game console. I would pay even more. I had high hopes for the Xbox One X and it ended up exceeding my expectations.

At the same time, this is only the beginning, when game developers are just learning how to use their power, although I already feel genuine excitement. I really liked my One and One S, but I understand the legitimate criticism of these consoles. One X not only eliminates their shortcomings, but also opens up new opportunities for the creators we will meet in the coming years.

There is definitely no better time than now to join Microsoft's Xbox One family.

Video review of the most powerful game console Xbox One X