For reasons still unclear to me, I somehow got my grubby little hands on an Xbox Series X and boy, oh boy, do I have some thoughts about it.
I love video games, like, a lot. But I’m also a cheap bitch who hasn’t owned a console since the PlayStation 2 (arguably the best console of all time), so I can absolutely understand the struggle of trying to decide whether you actually *need* the new Xbox Series X, or if you’re just a sucker for capitalism.
So, without further ado, I present to you – every reason why I would or wouldn’t spend a month’s rent on a gaming console.
CON: The Price
Before we get into the nitty gritty, we need to address the elephant in the room: the price. We’re in a pandemic, a bunch of us are out of work and money is tight, so dropping $749 on a console isn’t for everyone.
However, if you’re in the market for a new console, you’re almost definitely going to be better off investing the cash now, rather than having to upgrade again in future.
The Series X has twice the graphics power and is 4x faster, more efficient and more powerful than the Xbox One, according to Microsoft. And, on top of that, it turns basically everything in 4K as a standard, compared to the One, which only runs a handful of games in native full 4K.
Obviously, you can also consider the Xbox Series S, which is only $100 more expensive than the Xbox One, but I haven’t tested that one out, so I can’t give you an honest opinion.
PRO: The Aesthetic
Now, this is a controversial one because everyone seems to think she’s a big, boxy beast. But honestly, this is a nice console to look at. It sort of resembles one of those fancy speakers you’d find in a rich person’s house, but honestly isn’t as big as everyone is claiming it to be.
Personally, I’ve turned mine sideways and it fits perfectly fine on the shelf of my TV cabinet, but if you’ve got a more spacious setup, you could leave it out on display.
Fuck the haters, the Xbox Series X is hot and if you disagree, you’re wrong.
PRO: The Silence
You might as well call me Paul Simon because I bloody love the sound of silence, and hoo boy, the Xbox Series X is quiet as a mouse.
In the week that I’ve had to try my hand at this console, I have put it to the test and can confirm that even after hours of perfecting my zoo on Zoo Tycoon, followed by a lengthy Netflix binge, this baby is still silent.
This is probably a weird thing to be excited about, but if you care about excessive fan noise, you’ll be stoked to know that this beast doesn’t even sound like it’s on.
PRO: The Picture Quality
The picture quality of this thing is PHENOMENAL. This bad boy runs in 4K every day of the week, baby. And sure, that may not mean much when I’m tending to my animals in Zoo Tycoon, but when you’re playing a heavy duty game, or using it to watch movies, it really does madke a huge difference.
Personally, I didn’t think it mattered all that much at first. I’d never played anything in uber-good quality and honestly, I didn’t really *need* it. But hoo boy, once I started messing around in Sea of Thieves and got to witness virtual water that looks like the actual fucking ocean, talk about a game changer.
If anyone knows how to get 4K eyesight, please hit me up.
Image: Pure XBOX
CON: The PS5
The only other major con I can see here is that the Xbox Series X is due out at the exact same time as the PS5.
Unless you’re filthy rich, you likely won’t buy both, so it’s probably worth deciding if you’re Team Xbox or Team PlayStation *before* you drop a month’s rent on either console. Yes, I know, it’s a harder decision than Team Edward/Team Jacob, but if you can afford to buy both, I hereby declare that you have too much money and should give me some.
PRO: Quick Resume
Quick Resume is another one of those features you don’t think you need until you’ve got it. It’s sorta like how you don’t give a shit about heated car seats until you try it once, then your butt demands toasty warmth for the rest of eternity.
Basically, this allows you to jump between games, or even chuck on a movie, then get straight back to where you were.
Sure, it may only save you a couple of seconds-worth of loading, but honestly it’s really bloody helpful if you’re prone to forgetting where you were up to, especially in open world-style games.
PRO: Backwards Compatibility
Personally, this isn’t a huge dealbreaker for me because I don’t own any old games or controllers. But if you *do*, the Xbox Series X promises the best backwards compatibility the console has ever seen.
This is a huge bonus if you’re a long-time fan of the system, because all of your beloved games and even controllers won’t be rendered useless within a few years. HUGE, HUGE, HU-YUGE.
CON: The Fact That It’s Not *Super* Different
Sure, there are a tonne of clear reasons why the Xbox Series X is a solid upgrade from its predecessor, the Xbox One. But in saying that, it’s still an Xbox.
I bloody love video games, but I’m going to be real here: if you bought the Xbox One last year and you’re not playing it every single damn day, it’s probably not worth splashing out on the Series X.
There are really clear upgrades here, and I’d highly recommend buying one if you’re in the market for a new console. However, as somebody who bloody loves video games but also isn’t a diehard Xbox fanatic, there isn’t enough here to make me want to upgrade if I hypothetically already owned the latest model.
Honestly, it all comes down to your own values, and if the speed, silence and impeccable graphics are enough of a reason for you to upgrade.
All in all, this is a really bloody fantastic console and I could bask in the glory of its impeccable 4K quality all day long (trust me, I’ve been falling asleep watching the waves in Sea of Thieves for days now). But like all good things, it’ll cost you.
