By: Bryce L. Jackson

Microsoft let many review next-gen Xboxes out into the wild for review by larger press outlets and influencers in the tech space. After weeks of only bits of information and trickling out details about it in recent weeks, they began sharing their comprehensive reviews of the Series X.

The consensus so far is that the quick resume function is the leading “wow” feature of the console. Microsoft has promoted this feature as one of the console-defining features. Instantly switching in between games while preserving the play state they were left in last is a revelation that will be a hallmark of this console generation. Other positives include the impressive graphical upgrades of older games, the lack of issues with cooling, and ease of set up (including the peripheral mobile app).

In the negatives column, reviewers had issues with the lack of innovation with the XBOX user interface (UI), feeling too similar to the current-gen design. XBOX Series X seems to struggle to fully impress due to its lack of first-party titles for outlets to fully test the power of the system. With the delay of flagship franchise Halo Infinite, Microsoft had no next-gen first-party titles that they could test. Notable gaming journalist Jason Schrier of Bloomberg made a note on purchasing the console at launch.