Should You Upgrade Your Xbox?
Should You Upgrade Your Old Xbox to the Series X (or S) Console?
This is a very exciting time for the gaming community! At this moment, current gen console prices are starting to fall. Right now you can pick up a brand new Xbox One X (1 Terabyte) console for only $300. You can also buy them preowned for only $279 at your local GameStop, but I am sure you can find them even cheaper by doing your due diligence and running to your local pawn shop or Facebook Marketplace.
The biggest question right now is should you run out and purchase the most powerful console on the market at this very moment, or pocket your money and save up for that shiny new Xbox one series X dropping this holiday? We are going to discuss the pros and cons of this debate, and hopefully help you decide on which decision you should ultimately make.
There have been tons of information leaked, to this point, about the Xbox Series X. We have seen all the specs and actual gameplay footage of the system running, even though the gameplay stream Microsoft provided us with wasn’t technically ‘gameplay’ for the most part. It still showed some impressive trailers which got me enthusiastic to see what this console can bring to the excited fan base. Under the hood of the Series X the specs sound amazing, and really gives game developers a lot to work with when it comes to next gen gaming. Although the series X sounds amazing there are some things to look to that may steer you away from buying the console on day one, or even in the first year or so of the console’s life cycle.
Issues with the Xbox Software
The first issue I have with the console is the software. Microsoft has been a complete let down when it comes to developing exclusives that make us gravitate towards purchasing the system itself. Microsoft has a few big named titles under their belt, such as; Gears of War, Halo, and honestly after listing those two I am drawing a blank. Microsoft themselves realized they were getting beat by the competition this past E3, when the head of Microsoft announced that they have bought 13 new studios to help develop brand new titles for their system. Within those 13 studios there were some pretty well-known names, such as Ninja Theory, Obsidian Entertainment, and a few other aforementioned companies. If Microsoft plans to come out the gate swinging with this new system and try to beat out Sony and Nintendo, they will need some serious titles to be mentioned along with the system when it is released.
price has not officially been announced yet, but there has been multiple rumors floating around. Some leakers have said the system will cost around $500, which is also what I am expecting. While another source said the system will release at $400 to undercut Sony’s PS5. Now while Microsoft could release the console at the $400 price range and take the loss, I do not see Microsoft willing to take a $100 price hit. What we have learned from these specs is that the Series X will be able to support up to possibly 8K. So along with the system you will probably have to go out and buy one of those ridiculously priced 8K TVs to fully utilize the power of the console.
Going back to my first issue, Microsoft has already announced they do not plan on releasing any Series X exclusives for the first two years of the system‘s life cycle. While I appreciate the reason they are doing this, I still believe Microsoft needs to deliver on the exclusive titles for this system to be successful on launch. Another important thing to remember when deciding between the two systems, is how the power of the One X was utilized during its life cycle.
Unreal Engine 5 was just reveled recently, showcasing the potential the engine can do for these developers on these particular next gen systems. While the presentation absolutely blew me away, and left me thinking how amazing these games could be for these next gen consoles. I always thought how underutilized Unreal Engine 4 was used when it came to creating games for the One X and PS4 Pro. There were a handful of games that looked incredible, like Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Last of Us, but there were very few games that I can say looked like a step up graphically when it came to upgrading from the original Xbox to the One X. There were other features that I enjoyed, like better frame rate, and loading times with the system. But was it worth the $500 upgrade and the 4K TV price?
Comparing the Xbox Series X|S to the Xbox One
I am not trying to drive you away from buying the next gen console, and honestly I will be a day one buyer when it comes the Series X release. I just wanted to give you some things to think about before you go out and empty your bank account, when my personal opinion would be to go ahead and buy the Xbox One X now. The Xbox One X is a great system to own and I feel like it will be relevant for at least another two years, at least until Microsoft proves they can bring some mind-blowing exclusives to the Series X.
