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The Xbox One X is aspirational in the purest sense of the word
The Xbox One X is aspirational in the purest sense of the word. It's Microsoft's direct response to people saying that the standard Xbox One wasn't powerful enough compared to Sony's PlayStation 4. With six teraflops of processing power and a raft of other specs that have already given fanboys plenty to lust over, that's no longer the case. But what's it like to actually play around with the console? I can't actually tell you. Microsoft's Xbox One X Experience at E3 this year was a hands-off theater presentation. The company had mock-up consoles outside of its demo area, but inside, everything ran on developer kits. Yes, those really cool-looking white boxes with LCD displays on the front. While I didn't get to pick up a gamepad myself, Microsoft tried wowing the press in its hands-off demo area with Forza Motorsport 7, Gears of War 4 and Minecraft running in 4K. The most impressive of the trio wasn't car porn, however, nor did it involve chainsawing aliens in half. Forza and Gears look great, but the same can be said for their 1080p counterparts too.
A closer look at the Xbox One X
Here it is, in the flesh: the Xbox One X. Billed as the "world's most powerful console," and formerly known as "Project Scorpio," the new member of the Xbox family has finally made its debut at E3 2017. And while Microsoft is placing huge emphasis on things like 4K/HDR gaming and that custom eight-core AMD CPU, it's also worth noting how sleek and small the Xbox One X is. The launch model features a minimalist rectangle design with a matte black finish, complemented by a subtle touch of glittery accents throughout the console's shell -- but won't notice them from a distance.
The Xbox One X vs. the original Xbox One: What's changed?
While Project Scorpio was teased at last year's E3, it was only yesterday that we finally got a good look at Microsoft's latest console, now named the Xbox One X. It's the company's answer to Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro, bumping up the system's graphics capabilities while making a few other design tweaks in the process. For a better idea of all the key changes check out our chart pitting the three iterations of the Xbox One against each other, and check back later this year for our full review.
The Xbox One X will be great ... next year
Who wants to buy the Xbox One X, most powerful console ever made? Microsoft will have no problem persuading hardcore gamers to shell out another $500 on November 7th. But, as we've argued, it's a tough sell for most shoppers. There simply isn't a compelling reason for existing Xbox One owners, or anyone who doesn't have a 4K TV, to take the plunge. And even if you're 4K-ready, there's still a clear lack of Xbox One X ready titles on the horizon. Fast forward to 2018's holiday season, though, and things should look a bit different.
Who wants to buy Microsoft's Xbox One X?
$499. No matter how many games Microsoft showed (42) and which specs flashed across the screen (teraflops! ram!), most of the reaction to its One X unveiling at E3 focused on that. It's not the $599 debacle that Sony faced with its PS3 unveiling over a decade ago, but the "most powerful console ever" has a large hill to climb when it's also the most expensive console available, topping the 1TB PS4 Pro by $100.
Watch Microsoft's Xbox One X reveal in 14 minutes
After months of teasing it's fancy new console, Microsoft officially revealed Project Scorpio... er, the Xbox One X, here at E3 2017. The company packed a nearly two-hour event with specs, availability info and a ton of games. If you missed any the big announcements, don't fret. We trimmed down all of the news to a 14-minute clip so you can catch up on your coffee/tea break. Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!
Microsoft's existing games will play in 4K on your Xbox One X
You won't have to spring for new games to take advantage of the Xbox One X's 4K prowess. Microsoft is updating several of its own games to play in 4K on the newer console. In addition to the already-announced Minecraft upgrade, you can expect to see the higher resolution in Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, Killer Instinct and Halo Wars 2 (what, no Halo 5?), among others. Unsurprisingly, all of the updates will be free -- Microsoft wants there to be as many One X-ready titles as possible.
'Minecraft' makes the leap to 4K this fall
Minecraft isn't just getting unified online play this year -- it's also receiving a huge image quality boost. Microsoft and Mojang have unveiled a Super Duper Graphics Pack (no really, that's the name) that will give the building game a major visual upgrade, including 4K resolution, high dynamic range, sharper textures and loads of special effects (including light rays and fancier water). Logically, you'll need an Xbox One X or a beefy Windows 10 PC to get the 4K HDR experience. The add-on is free when it arrives this fall, and the developers are quick to stress that it's strictly optional -- you can stick to the regular graphics if the Super Duper pack feels blasphemous to you.
'Metro: Exodus' brings post-apocalyptic gameplay to Xbox One X
Microsoft has plenty of Xbox One X exclusives to show at E3, but here's one you might not have expected: a brand new Metro game. 4A Games has taken the wraps off of Metro: Exodus, the next installment in the post-apocalyptic franchise. There's precious little to know about the plot line at this point, but it's clear that the game will make good use of the One X's hardware -- even the devastated Russian landscape looks gorgeous. The title is a console exclusive on Xboxes, and it'll also be available for Windows 10 when it arrives sometime in 2018.
