Josh Webb

Microsoft launched its newest console, the Xbox One X, last week. It features a faster processor and larger hard drive than its predecessors, as well as the capability to display games in 4K Ultra HD. Furthermore, the Xbox One X can play any game that the original Xbox One can play, and some games have added 4K compatibility exclusive to the Xbox One X.

With the Xbox One X, Microsoft hopes to have an answer to Sony’s upgraded version of the PlayStation 4, the PS4 Pro, which similarly introduced 4K support. The Xbox One X costs $499, compared to the PS4 Pro’s lower price at $399. Trusted Reviews has pointed out that the Xbox One X has a faster processor and more RAM (random-access memory) than the PS4 Pro, which may allow the X to perform better when displaying games at 4K resolution.

Some reviewers have complained, however, about whether or not the price point justifies the new features in the X. Microsoft’s existing console, the Xbox One S, is roughly half the price of the X at $279 and shares many of the same features.

The X displays native 4K, which is supposed to look better than the upscaled 4K used by the S, but as Techradar said in their review of the X, “Xbox One S does upscaled 4K so well that you might not even be able to notice a difference between the two.”

In addition, the included one terabyte hard drive is smaller than the hard drive in some versions of the S. Gamers who download many games may find out that the hard drive fills up quickly, because some games, like Halo and Gears of War, use up to ten percent of the console’s storage.

Yet, one of the biggest problems facing the Xbox One X is the selection of games. Many gamers prefered the PS4 because it has almost 150 exclusive games, many of which are very popular. Horizon Zero Dawn, for example, has a perfect 5-star rating from over 9,600 reviews on the Playstation Store.

While the Xbox does have exclusive games, it can be debated that they do not garner as much attention as the PS4’s games do. Microsoft is aware of this, and in its press release for the Xbox One X, the company made sure to showcase many upcoming exclusive games for the console, including games like Cuphead and Forza Motorsport 7. With their strong lineup of upcoming games, Microsoft may be able to bring the Xbox One X into the spotlight.

If Microsoft wants the Xbox One X to sell well, or even be competitive with the PS4 Pro, then the company needs to highlight the differences between the two consoles, as well as the benefits the X has over Sony’s console. With a $100 difference in price giving the edge to the PS4 Pro, the odds are not in Microsoft’s favor. It’s time for Microsoft to step up its game, or else the Xbox One series loses out on this generation’s console war.