The Xbox Series X is the quintessential Xbox device, a gaming console that embraces its lineage as much as it lays groundwork for the future. The promise of Microsoft's latest gaming hardware innovation is to deliver speed in every way possible and pair it with four generations of Xbox game libraries.

This juxtaposition between old software and new hardware puts the timing and offering of the Xbox Series X, and its less powerful sibling, the Xbox Series S, in a rather peculiar space. What good are these next-gen features and sheer power if there are no new software applications that can truly take advantage of it? There are, after all, zero Xbox Series X exclusive games available at launch.

The vision of the Xbox Series X is a longer-term and broader one and while it will take time to see what innovation and visuals come from the higher standard of power the next-gen Xbox offers, there's still much value in the short-term to be had. The Series X builds on what the Xbox One's iterations (namely the Xbox One X) shifted toward in embracing 4K console gaming. In some cases, up to 120 frames per second and DirectX Raytracing are supported on the Series X, opening so much potential for the next generation of Xbox gaming even if it's not here yet and won't be for a while.

The Xbox Series X Is An Investment In Speed (And The Future)


The best and most important things that Xbox Series X can do can be felt immediately, and all console gamers, not just just long-time Xbox players, will be impressed by how fast it is. There are several ways the Xbox Series X accomplishes this to become the fastest console on the market.

The first and most obvious is the Xbox Series X's custom 1TB NVME SSD, a solid state hard drive that enables super fast loading and booting up of the console and its OS. Combined with an 8-core custom Zen 2 processor running at 3.8GHz (3.66GHz with simultaneous multithreading), 16GB GDDR6 memory, and optimized software integration, Microsoft has crafted what they've dubbed the Xbox Velocity Architecture. Buzzwords aside, together this speed is the most "next-gen" feature of the Xbox Series X. From the Xbox home screen and all of the interfaces finally working as fast as an Xbox user would want, to every aspect of using the console being slick and smooth, this is the foundation for everything the Series X begins to offer.

But the speed comes from elsewhere too, and the Xbox Series X takes this technology above and beyond in two ways. The first being the brand new Quick Resume feature, which lets users switch between applications and games, and then back again, immediately and picking up right where they left off. This only works for compatible titles and will be hindered by online-only games requiring check-ins, but in testing this with the likes of Forza Motorsport 7, Mortal Kombat XL, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, along with various apps, we were able to enjoy this amazing feature in action. We've bounced in and out of Ori in the same level several times throughout the week without a hitch. Even when unplugging the console and re-plugging it in a day later, the Series X let us jump exactly to where we had last paused.


Adding to that, the Xbox Series X has the fastest download speeds of all consoles we've tested thanks to what Harrison Hoffman, Xbox Principal Program Manager, calls "brand new advanced networking hardware." This is absolutely crucial as to keep up with the rest of the performance upgrades, and more importantly, to help combat the storage limitations of the next-gen Xbox consoles. The Series X only has 800 GB of usable free space to install games and apps. For context, if you install Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, its Warzone battle royale mode, and the new Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War, you've used over half of this space. By comparison the Series S is even worse off with only 346GB of usable space, a relative step back generationally in terms of available console storage versus increasing game file sizes.

The ability to remove and re-add games on the fly is therefore essential, and the Xbox Series X does this at an exceptional rate. While downloading Assassin’s Creed Valhalla which was listed at 47.48 GB, it took only 30 minutes to download and install, hitting speeds between 200 Mbps and upwards of 320 Mbps on a 1 GB internet plan. It took less than 20 minutes to download and install Mortal Kombat XL at 41.78 GB.

The Xbox Series X and S will realistically require the purchase of additional storage. Xbox recommends the very pricey Seagate Storage Expansion Card which plugs directly into a specially designed port in the rear of the console, adding 1TB of space at the same speed as the internal SSD. This added cost should be factored in for users planning to take advantage of the Xbox Series S | X.

Xbox Series X's Console Design & Wireless Controller


The Xbox Series X is presented as a premium product and and it feels that way from the packaging to the solid and sturdy design of the console itself. It weighs in at just under 10 pounds (9.8 lbs to be exact), a bit heavier than the Xbox One X's 8.4 pounds. The monolithic black form factor maintains a simple yet powerful presence, well-designed with a slick aesthetic even if it's less practical for traditional home entertainment setups due to its odd dimensions.

The Series X, unlike all prior Xbox systems, seems built to stand vertically and has a non-removable base stand which emphasizes that point. It can sit horizontally of course, and there are little grips to set it down that way, but given its proportions there may not be a reason to.

While running, the Xbox Series X is virtually silent but it does get very warm on top due to its cooling system venting out hot air through the fan at the top, pictured above. An innovation here, to deal with heat, is the Xbox Series X's split motherboard, a first for consoles which helps keep the internals temperature controlled.


The Xbox Series X ships with a single black wireless controller (the white Xbox Series S comes with a white controller) that requires a pair of AA batteries (included). At a glance this new controller appears the same as the standard Xbox One controller, and with good reason, since Xbox has been nearing perfection on the fundamental form factor for years - so much so that the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller even leans into that general shape.

The changes with Xbox's next-gen controllers however, are more subtle. The bumpers and triggers are more rounded and the grips more carefully sculpted to be ever so slightly more comfortable. There are tactile dot patterns on the triggers and grips as well. The most notable changes come from the D-Pad and the one additional button added.

The Xbox Series X controller's D-pad is now a hybrid of the simply defined 4-direction classic D-pad and the diagonal-friendly round dish design to support players who prefer either format. This was inspired by research from how the Xbox One's Elite Controller - which had a swappable D-pad - was utilized.