Xbox One X Review: The Last-Gen Powerhouse Is Now a Bargain
7.5/10 — Microsoft Xbox One X
Pros
- Native 4K in many enhanced Xbox One games
- 4K Blu-ray player built in
- Quiet and well built
- Huge, cheap library of Xbox One and backwards-compatible games
Cons
- Slow mechanical hard drive by modern standards
- Discontinued, so second-hand only
- Won't run current-gen exclusives
- A Series S can be a better long-term buy
When it arrived in November 2017, the Xbox One X was billed as the most powerful console ever made, and for a while it was. It was Microsoft’s answer to a sluggish start for the original Xbox One: a premium, 4K-capable mid-generation upgrade. It was discontinued in 2020 to make way for the Series X, but it remains one of the best ways to play the Xbox One library.
Design
Despite its power, the One X is surprisingly compact: smaller than the original Xbox One and barely bigger than the One S, with a matte-black finish and an internal power supply. A vapour-chamber cooler keeps it impressively quiet under load, which wasn’t something you could say of every console of its era.
Performance
With a 6-teraflop GPU and 12GB of GDDR5 memory, the One X was a big step up from the standard Xbox One. Games updated to be “Xbox One X Enhanced”, such as Forza Horizon 4 and Red Dead Redemption 2, often run at or close to native 4K with HDR and sharper textures. On a 1080p TV, enhanced games still benefit from supersampling, giving a cleaner image.
Its weak spot is the 1TB mechanical hard drive. Load times feel slow if you’re used to an SSD-equipped Series X|S or PS5, and big installs take a while. An external SSD over USB can help noticeably.
Media
The One X includes a 4K Blu-ray drive and supports HDR and Dolby Vision streaming, so it doubles as a capable home cinema box. For many buyers today, that alone makes it a good-value purchase.
Buying one today
Prices on the second-hand market have fallen a long way, and refurbished units can cost a fraction of the original £449 launch price. Check the seller’s returns policy and the condition of the controller, as well as the console. The main drawback is the future. New releases have moved to the Series X|S, and many new games won’t run on Xbox One at all. An Xbox Series S costs more but supports current games and has an SSD, though no disc drive.
Verdict
The Xbox One X was a superb piece of engineering and is still a lovely way to play the vast Xbox One and backwards-compatible library in 4K, with a 4K Blu-ray player thrown in. As a cheap second-hand console for older games and films, it’s excellent value. Just don’t expect it to keep up with new releases.
