• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
TechMicrosoft

Microsoft Xbox One X Review: Everything You Need to Know

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 15, 2017, 2:03 PM ET

In the world of video game consoles, Microsoft’s Xbox One X is tops—when it comes to power.

Over the last several days, I’ve been using Microsoft’s latest home console, the Xbox One X, to see how it performs. I’ve tried out more than a dozen games, analyzed its 4K video performance with Planet Earth II, and tried some streaming apps.

Ultimately, I found the Xbox One X, which costs $500, to be an impressive device—if you have some money to burn. Add that to the price of games ($60 each, in most cases) and the fact that your best visual experience will come from a pricey 4K television, and you can expect to spend some serious cash to get the full Xbox One X effect.

But if that doesn’t worry you and you like the idea of having the latest and greatest console technology, Xbox One X is definitely for you. Here’s our look at the key things you need to know about Microsoft’s new Xbox One X:

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

What Is Xbox One X, Anyway?

Xbox One X, released on Nov. 7 is Microsoft’s latest home game console.

Technically, it’s part of the same lineage as the Xbox One in 2013, the successor to the Xbox 360. Xbox One S, a console that has a smaller and lighter design than the Xbox One, was introduced in 2016, and is also part of that family tree.

Xbox One X is the best looking of the bunch with its matte black finish, streamlined edges, and living room-friendly design, and has the most power.

What Makes It Special?

If you’re familiar with the Xbox One, you’ll find that the Xbox One X comes with the same software, works with the same controllers, and has a decidedly “Xbox” feel in navigating its operating system.

However, my time with the Xbox One X really felt special. It’s the most powerful game console I’ve ever used, making it capable of playing today’s most sophisticated games, like Call of Duty: WWII and others. It’s also a true 4K machine, which means its games and other compatible content can all be played in the ultra-high-resolution format.

Many of the games you can play on Xbox One X, including Call of Duty: WWII and Madden NFL 18, look downright gorgeous in 4K. And if you want to see nature, pop in Planet Earth II into the device’s onboard disc drive to experience a magical visual experience. Yes, it’s that good.

Why Does 4K Matter?

To be clear, you can connect Xbox One X to any HDMI-enabled television. That means you can play games and watch content in full-HD rather than the 4K Ultra HD format. However, 4K (and high dynamic range, or HDR) makes it much better.

With 4K, video game characters on the Xbox One X seem far more life-like. The environments you find yourself in are far more detailed. It wasn’t uncommon for me at times to see parts of a 4K game and think it was reality. The visuals were stunning.

The 4K content is bolstered by the console’s support for HDR, which provides a wider band of colors, making video and games more vibrant.

To get all of this, however, you’ll need to have a television that’s compatible with 4K and HDR. While you can get some cheap 4K-HDR televisions, many of the good ones will cost you $1,000 or more, depending on the size you want. And some high-end options from companies like LG and Samsung could set you back several thousand dollars.

If you don’t want to spend money on a new television, consider holding out on Xbox One X until you’re ready.

What Kinds of Games Are There?

That’s a bit of a difficult answer. The simple answer is that every game you played on your Xbox One is compatible with Xbox One X. And you can even transfer those games from your old Xbox One to the Xbox One X at no cost.

However, there are some games that are optimized for 4K, and a growing number have been what Microsoft calls “enhanced.” Those are older games that have been updated to work with 4K televisions.

I’ve played games that were both built for 4K and were enhanced. The verdict? They all look great.

Here’s a handy list of Xbox One X enhanced titles.

How Much Does It Cost?

You’ll pay $500 to get your hands on the Xbox One X. The console comes with an HDMI cable for connecting it to your television, as well as one controller.

Should I Buy Xbox One X?

Over the past week, I’ve been digging into every nook and cranny inside the Xbox One X to try to determine whether its features warrant its $500 price tag. And as someone who owns a 4K television, plays games often, and likes the idea of having access to services like Netflix and others that support 4K programming, I found it to be an outstanding value.

To me, the Xbox One X is not just a home game console; it’s a home entertainment hub. One minute I can be playing a game, and the next, I can switch over to Netflix or Amazon Prime Video to watch movies, Spotify to listen to music, and ESPN to catch up on sports. And if the kids want to watch some movies we have on disc, it’s as simple as popping a movie into the console’s disc drive.

But I realize that at $500, the Xbox One X is pricey. And its total cost of ownership over time, which could include game purchases, subscriptions to the Xbox Live online play, and a 4K television, is a problem.

That’s not to say that the Xbox One X is overpriced—this is a state-of-the-art home game console, after all—but we should acknowledge that the prospect of owning an Xbox One X may hurt your wallet.

But with the holidays coming, I would be awfully happy to see an Xbox One X turn up under my Christmas tree.

Here’s a link to Fortune’s affiliate link policy

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Why is it so hard to get ROI from AI? Because building from first principles isn’t easy
NewslettersEye on AI
Why is it so hard to get ROI from AI? Because building from first principles isn’t easy
By Jeremy KahnJune 11, 2026
4 hours ago
SpaceX lowballed its bankers on fees. Goldman Sachs has another way to win big
Startups & VentureFinance
SpaceX lowballed its bankers on fees. Goldman Sachs has another way to win big
By Shawn TullyJune 11, 2026
5 hours ago
Three ways that Asia’s enterprises are adopting AI—and where they are falling behind
CommentaryOracle
Three ways that Asia’s enterprises are adopting AI—and where they are falling behind
By Garrett IlgJune 11, 2026
7 hours ago
Dr. Shiv Rao speaks
Startups & VentureHealth
Abridge wants to be the operating system for medicine—and NVIDIA and Eli Lilly are helping build it
By Lily Mae LazarusJune 11, 2026
9 hours ago
Silicon Valley insiders warn U.S. defense supply chain is unprepared for modern warfare
AIBrainstorm Tech
Silicon Valley insiders warn U.S. defense supply chain is unprepared for modern warfare
By Sebastian HerreraJune 11, 2026
9 hours ago
Exclusive: Consumer device giant LG Electronics to launch blockchain to place and sell ads
CryptoBlockchain
Exclusive: Consumer device giant LG Electronics to launch blockchain to place and sell ads
By Jack Kubinec and Ben WeissJune 11, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
1 day ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
14 hours ago
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
3 days ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.