10 Reasons to buy an Xbox One X this holiday season instead of a PS4 Pro

1. The Xbox One X has a 4K Blu-Ray drive.

If you want to play 4K Ultra-HD Blu-Rays (four times the resolution of standard Blu-Rays) you’ll be out of luck with the PS4 Pro. After dropping between $350 and $400 on the system, you’ll still have to go out and buy a 4K Blu-Ray player. With the Xbox One X you’ll be all set. The system packs a 4K Blu-Ray drive in its remarkably compact little box. While streaming in 4K is a viable option, for anyone with a less robust internet connection you’ll want to stick with physical media for now, and having your 4k Blu-Ray player and video game system all in one spot makes a lot of sense.

1. The Xbox One X is much more powerful than the PS4 Pro.

Microsoft wasn’t kidding when it said the Xbox One X was the most powerful console ever made. It blows away all the competition, with performance rivaling some gaming PCs. Unlike the PS4, some Xbox One X games play in actual native 4K without using any tricks. The fact of the matter is, the Xbox One X boasts 6 teraflops (a basic measurement of the system’s speed and power) to the PS4 Pro’s 4.2. That’s 33% more power and it shows in cross-platform games. This will continue to be a factor in coming years, as Xbox One X versions of popular games like Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed outpace Sony’s machine.

1. The Xbox One X is a better-looking console.

Your mileage may vary when it comes to console design aesthetics, but I’ve never been a fan of Sony’s PS4 design. Its tilted face doesn’t look terrible on the front, but it makes actually reaching inputs on the back a huge chore. The original Xbox One was even uglier—a hulking, awkward rectangle far too bulky for its specs.

The Xbox One X, despite being more powerful, is also more compact and way more stylish than the PS4 Pro or the vanilla Xbox One. It’s a great looking system with an internal power supply that remains remarkably quiet that will fit in with any entertainment center.

1. It’s the only console you can play Forza, Halo and Gears of War on.

There are two important factors to consider when buying a video game console. The first, if you’re going to play multiplayer games, is what your friends play on. If all your friends are on Xbox but you have a PS4, you may feel left out, and vice versa.

The second thing to consider is the games. As noted above, the Xbox One X will have the best-looking cross-platform games on the market. But there’s also console exclusives. The PS4 has a great line-up of console exclusives—I would argue, an unrivaled line-up. Of course, it really depends on which exclusives you care about most. If you’re into Halo or Gears of War, or racing game Forza, the Xbox One X is the clear winner. Upcoming games like pirate co-op adventure Sea of Thieves are also worth considering. And don’t forget the wonderful, challenging Cuphead.

1. The Xbox One has a better gamepad.

As with games, taste in controllers largely boils down to individual preference. Admittedly, the PS4 Pro’s updated gamepad is easily the best controller Sony has ever made. It’s just still not as good as the Xbox One gamepad (or the Xbox One Elite gamepad.) You may disagree, and that’s fine, but there’s a reason I use an Xbox One controller (and before that an Xbox 360 controller) when I play Dark Souls on my PC. It’s more comfortable, the weight is better, the thumbsticks are positioned better.

Oddly enough, I still think of the buttons in PlayStation terms (X,Y, Triangle, Square, R1/R2 L1/L2) but if I could magically transform the rest of the controller into an Xbox One controller instead, I’d do it in a flash.

1. Xbox Live is still better than PSN.

The PlayStation Network has gotten better over the years, but Xbox Live is still the best of the bunch. It’s more secure, more stable and has a better track record when it comes to hacks.

Now that you have to pay a monthly subscription to PS+ for online games, and now that even Nintendo will begin charging for its online service, the Xbox Live service isn’t the odd man out, either.

1. Backwards compatibility.

Unlike the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One has a huge and growing list of Xbox 360 and original Xbox games that you can play on your new system. There are literally hundreds of older games that you can play on your Xbox One X this way, whether you have the disc or buy them in the Xbox Live store. Want to play Red Dead Redemption before the sequel comes out? That’s only possible on the Xbox One.

1. Xbox One Games Pass.

Similar to the benefits of backwards compatibility, the Xbox One Games Pass is basically a fledgling video game Netflix. Right now there’s just over 100 titles you can play simply by subscribing. The monthly fee is $9.99 but you can get the first month for just $1 over Black Friday week. Games like Halo 5 or the original Xbox’s Ninja Gaiden Black are all on here. It’s also a good way to try out older sports titles or catch up on games you missed.

1. HDMI 2.1

Xbox One X is the first console to support the new HDMI 2.1 format. That doesn’t matter right now, but beginning in 2018 4K TVs will start using this new kind of cable. HDMI 2.1 has the same connector as the HDMI cables you use now, but it comes with some important changes including dynamic HDR, improved support for Dolby Atmos and, most importantly, Game Mode VRR.
This allows games to run with variable refresh rates similar to Nvidia G-sync or AMD’s FreeSync. Essentially, it means you’ll have a much smoother picture with none of the tearing and lag that you might see when frame-rate dips in current games. Note: You’ll need a TV that supports this, and those don’t land until 2018.
Nothing says video games more than a good old fashioned console war. And nothing gets you in the spirit of the console wars like knowing you own the most powerful console on the market. Hey, I know it’s a little petty and immature, but it’s the truth: The Xbox One X is the best of the best. Coupled with a 4K Ultra-HD TV with HDR, and nothing else can hold a candle to it. You’ll be the envy of all your vanilla Xbox One-owning friends.
There’s lots to love about all the video game systems on the market right now. Nintendo’s Switch, Sony’s PS4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One platforms have tons to offer and very few drawbacks. Ultimately, whatever you go with will be great because right now there’s just so many great games across the board.

1. Xbox Play Anywhere Lets You Play on Xbox & PC

There are a number of Xbox Play Anywhere games that allow you to buy the game once digitally and then play it on your Xbox or your Windows 10 PC. You can even play on both at the same time, which makes sharing games with a friend or sibling super easy.
With over 40 Xbox Play Anywhere games including big names like Forza 7, Halo Wars 2, Forza horizon 3, Cuphead and others there is a lot of added value when you buy an Xbox and buy one of these games digitally. State of Decay 2, Crackdown 3, Sea of Thieves and other games are coming soon to this program.
In addition to playing on PC or Xbox, the game progress carries over from one system to the next. Flying? You can take Halo Wars 2 and Forza 7 with you and keep your progress.

11.Xbox One has keyboard and mouse support that arrives with November update.

Microsoft has enabled mouse and keyboard support for its Xbox One console. Fortnite is one of the first games to enable this support alongside Warframe. Bomber Crew, Deep Rock Galactic, Strange Brigade, Vermintide 2, War Thunder, and X-Morph Defense will also support keyboard and mouse later the month of November 2018.
Developers will need to specifically opt-in to enable keyboard and mouse support in Xbox One games, and Fortnite in particular is only matching these gamers with the same inputs to keep play balanced. Most modern wired or wireless USB keyboards and mice will work on the Xbox One, and Microsoft is also partnering with Razer to launch a wireless mechanical keyboard and mouse set that’s designed for Xbox. Microsoft is promising more news on this at CES in January 2019
Alongside the mouse and keyboard support, Alexa users in the UK can now beta test Microsoft’s Alexa and Xbox One integration. The Xbox skill is now available in the Alexa UK store, and Microsoft is also adding the ability to close apps and games as an Alexa or Cortana command in the November update Amazon Music is also coming to the Xbox One today, allowing subscribers to stream music to Microsoft’s consoles.

For the reasons listed above, the Xbox One X is a great.