The Xbox One X has been recently launched last Tuesday November 7th. And the reviews are in. Mike Fahey from Kotaku says “It’s a really good console that’s also a really hard sell.” and Gamespot says getting it “largely depends on whether you’d be happy with the console’s library of games.” But should PS4 owners like me be worried that the “most powerful console” is already out in the market?
Let’s take a look first at the specs of the Xbox One X:
- CPU: x86-64 2.3GHz 8-core AMD custom CPU
- GPU: 6 TFLOPS, AMD Radeon-based graphics clocked at 1172MHz with 40 compute units
- Memory: 12GB GDDR5
- Storage size: 1TB HDD
- External dimensions: 30x24x6 cm/11.8×9.4×2.3 in
- Weight: 8.4 lbs/3.8 kg
- Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray
- Input/Output: Power, HDMI 2.0b out, HDMI 1.4b in, three USB 3.0 ports, IR out, S/PDIF, gigabit Ethernet
- Networking: IEEE 802.11ac dual band (5GHz and 2.4Ghz), 2×2 wireless Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct
- Power consumption: 245W
From a hardware standpoint it really is very impressive. The power of 6 teraflops and the capability of rendering true 4K. If you’re really into high-end graphics, you are definitely looking at the right console to get. But of course, in order for you to enjoy all of this, you need to have a 4K TV as well. What is the point of having a console having such a power if you can’t even enjoy it right?
Sure very detailed graphics makes your gaming experience a whole lot better. It definitely is a far cry from the PS1 days. But as a console gamer, I’m really all about the game itself. The story and enjoyment it provides, regardless of its graphic capability. At this day and age, there are still people who would welcome a pixelated game like Star Dew Valley.
If you have the cash and the means then by all means go out there and get an XBox One X. If your enjoyment relies on heavy duty graphics and eye candy, sure this console is the way to go. This console has enough power to run games seamlessly as possible and eliminate longer load times. So that could be a factor as well.
But as a PS4 owner, I’m not really worried at all. The games I’m looking forward to are on the PS4, exclusively coming out on the PS4. And I’m fine with that. I am not fazed at the fact that the Xbox One X is out. It is essentially just an upgrade to the Xbox One and it runs the same games as the Xbox One. If you told me Last of Us 2 will come out on the Xbox One X then sure I might consider buying it. But the games is where most people should decide when they want to buy a console or not.
Whether you’re deciding to get a console or deciding to upgrade. You need to consider which games you’d want to play. Or why you’re even getting a console in the first place. You need to commit to the console gaming lifestyle. It is usually not about the hardware but it’s mostly about the games that it can run. If you’re just planning to play third party games, I would think buying a PC is a far better option since most third party games releases on the PC as well. You can just get as equally good a PC on the same price point and do more than just gaming.
In conclusion, Xbox One X is a pretty nifty console but in the end, that’s not where my games that I’m going to play are going to be launched. PS4 owners should be comforted at the thought that there are lot of very interesting games coming out in 2018 that we can all enjoy. But I won’t stop you from buying an Xbox One X. At the end of the day, it’s your money that you’re spending. Spend it where you want to spend it. I’m only here just stating my opinion anyway.
