Xbox Series X and Series S: silent, fast and unoriginal

Prior to the launch of the new Microsoft Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S gaming consoles, heise online had the opportunity to test the final models in detail. After many days full of measurements and long gaming sessions, we can say that compared to their predecessors, the new consoles are not only particularly powerful, but also extremely quiet. Our detailed Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S test shows: Gaming consoles usher in a new era of inconspicuousness, but not always in a good way. Because at least for the market launch on November 10, there will be no real and exclusive next-generation games that demonstrate the capabilities of consoles.

The Xbox Series X costs $ 500 and should display most games in 4K and 60fps. The console remains silent even during games – we only measured 0.1 sone each time – unless a Blu-ray (0.6 sone) rotates in the drive. Microsoft handled the cooling concept very well and made use of the relatively large case volume (15 x 15 x 30 cm). Waste heat is transported away efficiently, however, during installation, it must be ensured that the fan grille always remains free. Xbox Series S also remains pleasant and quiet while gaming (less than 0.2 sone). The maximum power consumption we determined in Gears of War 5 is around 200 watts (X series) or 90 watts (S series). When playing movies, the X series burned up to 80 watts, the S series about 50 watts.

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Fast loading, little space

The particularly fast SSD significantly reduces loading times for most games – some load up to a factor of 5 faster. Of the games tested, Forza Horizon 4 and Monster Hunter: World benefited most from the Xbox console’s SSD. Plus, there’s the handy Quick Resume feature, with which gamers can switch between games in seconds, thanks to the fast SSD cache. It worked in the test with up to eight games at once.

Unfortunately, storage space is a bit limited – 820GB can be used on the X series and only 364GB on the S series. Meanwhile, some games far exceed 100GB, such as Call of Duty: Warzone. When buying the new consoles, you need to keep this in mind and, if necessary, order the proprietary SSD storage expansion, expensive from 240 Euros. This is especially important for players with poor internet connections who cannot re-download a game “quickly”.

Almost all games that run on the previous One and One X run on Series X and Series S. Even without special adjustments, many benefit from the console’s new performance, such as using an anisotropic filter sixteen times to show sharper textures or more colors. beautiful using a more or less well-functioning Auto-HDR mode.

In order to use the new features such as 4K 120Hz or variable refresh rate, the game must be adapted to the technology and the television must be compatible. In the Dirt 5 test, the game felt smoother at 120Hz and remained sharper with fast movements, but the render resolution was lower and some detail was missing compared to the 60fps mode. At the time of testing, however, the game had not yet been finalized.

Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S outperform their respective predecessors, Xbox One and Xbox One X, in every way. They are faster, quieter and, thanks to modern features, offer a good foundation for games in the coming years. In the absence of true next-gen titles at the start of sales, there is still no urgency for Xbox One X owners to move to Series X right away. For Xbox One users, however, an update may already be worth it. worth it – after all, the power of the new consoles also gives many older titles a lot of momentum.

The complete test with all measurement results, thermal images and other results can be found on heise +:

Console in comparison: technical data

(mfi)