The most powerful console yet, or a refrigerator? Reactions to Microsoft’s new Xbox Series X

by on

The design and power of the new Xbox Series X captured the attention of the internet in the wake of Microsoft’s surprise reveal of the next-generation console Thursday night.

RELATED: Microsoft’s next Xbox console will debut in 2020, with mini-tower design

The new device, which Microsoft calls the “fastest, most powerful console ever,” will be out in time for the 2020 holiday season, setting up a showdown with Sony’s PlayStation 5. There’s still a lot to learn between now and then, particularly the price of the new console.

For now, most of the focus is on the look of the device, which many observers described as “monolithic.” Twitter was rife with comparisons between the Series X and a certain household appliance.

The design inspired plenty of jokes, but it’s what’s under the hood that wowed observers. Gamespot reported that the device will be at least twice as powerful as the Xbox One X.

Microsoft’s gaming division is at a bit of a crossroads. Console sales are in free-fall, and the company has spent much of the last year talking about gaming beyond the console, primarily through the development and launch of its mobile game streaming service, Project xCloud.

As The Verge notes, these developments beg the question of why would anyone want to drop several hundred dollars on a new console when technological advancements are making it possible to play powerful games like Halo on a smartphone? Microsoft’s answer to that was by making the new Xbox as powerful as a PC.

“It’s clear what Microsoft has done with the Series X: it’s built a simple, easy-to-use gaming PC for the living room,” The Verge’s Sam Byford wrote. “The current Xbox One UI is not what I would describe as intuitive, but it beats dealing with Windows with a mouse and keyboard from the couch, and now the Series X should be able to compete on pure power as well.”

Xbox Series X adds to Microsoft’s already loaded slate of hardware releases in 2020, including a pair of foldable devices.

The Series X name suggests this won’t be the only console to come out of this generation. The Verge has reported on a smaller, less powerful version of the next-generation console that is under development.

The new device’s moniker was another detail that caught the attention of the internet. Microsoft hasn’t stuck with a consistent strategy for naming, a sharp contrast with PlayStation.

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.