Microsoft’s Dave McCarthy Talks About Xbox One X

Come November there will be a new Microsoft game console out there for fans to play called the Xbox One X. The thing is that normally when a new console launches, there are new and exclusive games for players to buy along with it and you are talking about a new platform like the Nintendo Switch. The Xbox One X on the other hand is meant to play the same games as the Xbox One leading to some confusion about who the One X is targeting.

GameSpot talked with Microsoft’s Dave McCarthy about the new console and who it is aimed at. Microsoft says that the console is for people who want that 4K gaming experience an brags that the console is the most powerful ever made. McCarthy adds that people who want the very best will want the Xbox One X.

The console supports HDR and 4K assuming that the player has a compatible TV. I’m thinking that most of us on smaller screens won’t really see the difference between full HD and 4K resolutions. If you are playing on a projector based system with a massive screen in the 80-120-inch or larger range, the differences in resolution become readily apparent.

I used to have a theater room in an old house and differences between 720p and 1080p content were very noticeable on that large 120-inch screen. I would assume on such large images 4K and 1080p would look noticeably different as well. McCarthy says that the Xbox One X is all about customer choice and notes customers will see smoother frame rates and faster load times for current games.

Another challenge for Microsoft is justifying the price difference between the Xbox One X at about $500 in the US compared to the much cheaper PS4 Pro with its official price of $399.99. It remains to be seen if gamers will value the power Microsoft promises compared to saving $100 with the Sony console.