Microsoft has unveiled its next console, ‘Xbox Series X’

Yes, it looks a bit like a mini fridge and its name is quite confusing, but Microsoft’s latest Xbox promises to be ‘four times’ as powerful as the current gen systems.

Have you ever wished that Lord Farquaad’s castle in Shrek could be a video game system? Ever wanted your games to be played on a mini fridge? Yearn no longer, for Microsoft’s oddly named ‘Xbox Series X’ is here to fulfil all your tower-shaped needs.

The latest iteration of Microsoft’s console is set for a Christmas 2020 release date and, after much anticipation and rumours, we’ve finally been treated to a first glimpse of what we should expect out of the box – and it’s probably not what most were expecting.

Microsoft has taken a surprisingly left-field approach to the usually flat, standard console design, opting for a tower structure that’s the same width as a controller and three times as tall. The ‘Xbox Series X’ name is also just as bizarre, and implies that we could be seeing multiple versions of the console release in quick succession. Think Nintendo’s Switch Lite, or the PS4 Slim, but straight out of the gate.

Why should we be excited for Xbox Series X?

I know the new console looks a little bit like a giant upturned brick, but this new shape may actually be more convenient than it first appears. For one, storing the console in backpacks, cupboards, or on flat surfaces will be far easier than previous versions. We’ve no idea how heavy the system will be right now, granted, but it’ll be more portable and easier to transfer from place to place than the bulky, larger current gen systems.

It’s also promising to be a powerhouse of a console. It’ll support 8K gaming, 120 fps, variable refresh rate support, and will be using an NVME SSD, which ultimately means that loading times will be cut down significantly. Microsoft’s CEO, Phil Spencer, claims that Xbox Series X will have ‘eight times the GPU power of the Xbox One’.

Everything’s set to look better, run faster, and be optimised for cloud gaming, basically. A new controller is also on the way, which is slightly smaller than Microsoft’s current version but will still work on current consoles, Windows 10 PCs, and comes included with every Xbox Series X.

The only real grumble right now is the confusing name. Microsoft already has an Xbox One X console available, and naming the next one so closely to the last generation has the potential to confuse. Just ask Nintendo how its regrettably named Wii U fared in 2012 when most customers thought it was an extension of the Wii, rather than its own standalone machine.

Grandmas are going to have a tough time trying to find the right thing to buy next Christmas is all I’m saying.