XBox One X is Future Ready
To those who own game consoles, you know very well why they should last a long time. Unlike smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops, which have 3 to 5 year life cycles, game console life cycles are estimated at 6 to 8 years. In my opinion, XBox One X just about got it right.
The high-end game console war is fairly between the PS4 and the XBox. Around twice or thrice or more within their console's life cycle, Sony and Microsoft may release slightly souped-up versions of their respective console models to re-spark the market's interest. When deciding which game console to buy, gamers opt for the platform that supports the games they want to play. If the games are available to both, the choice can ultimately boil down to the console that offers the best experience and the best value.
Forbes contributor, Erik Kain, says it all in his article "9 Reasons to Buy an Xbox One X Instead of a PS4 Pro", although it should be pointed out that the PS4 Pro is cheaper, has a bigger game library and can consume less power.
Focusing on the potentials of the console specs, Xbox One X has an advantage that can last far longer than PS4 Pro's life span. The true potential though lies in the hands of the game makers and their publishers. Although XBox One X can support the best possible performance now, game makers may opt not to do so (yet). If you can look ahead 2 or 4 years down the line, that may actually change, and XBox One X will be the console that is most ready for it.
Of course, there's always an excuse to delay your purchase. Unlike PS4, XBox One X is HDMI 2.1 ready. However, HDMI 2.1 is not in all 4K TVs yet. It is estimated that many new 4K TV models in 2018 would have HDMI 2.1 standard. You can upgrade your XBox now, or you can wait a few more months or even an entire year to create your own XBox One X + TV bundle. Granted, you still have 5 to 7 years before a new and better XBox One version is released. Regardless, if you'll always wait a year or so before upgrading to the latest and greatest, you are still guaranteed with a capable console 6 to 8 years total.
I estimate TV life to be well around 10 to 15 years. Although, it can be reasonable half way through to upgrade, move the old one to the non-gamer station, repurpose the older one and dispose the oldest one. If you follow this cycle, you can consider your game console purchase schedule to be the same schedule you also pick your new TV for your gamer station. We can be talking every 8 years, which in my opinion is fair and smart.
At a certain point, you may end up not upgrading, out growing the game console, so to speak. I'm not saying it happens to all gamers, but it can happen to some, if not many. Still, what you have is a capable entertainment console. XBox One X has built in 4K HDR Blu-Ray player. It can live as long as your TV can live. If you can keep it up to 15 years or more, the value it would've given in 15+ years of your life may as well make it pay for itself. Looking at it from this point of view, $500 for a console that can stay capable for more than a decade is not that bad really.
Value for money, the XBox One X wins. It is built to be future ready. It may in fact be worth every penny. Honestly, I'm not a gamer. I see the XBox One X as an entertainment console more than what it's really made for. You may choose a PS4 Pro for the rich game library it has today, and that's fine really. For me though, the XBox One X can be a purchase that will last for as long as a new TV can last in the household. That's how I see it. Have fun now? Or have fun for longer. I don't spend premium without maximizing it for what it's worth. If PS4 Pro is the best that Sony can offer today, all things considered, I have no doubt in my mind that Microsoft's XBox One X is the wisest choice.
The high-end game console war is fairly between the PS4 and the XBox. Around twice or thrice or more within their console's life cycle, Sony and Microsoft may release slightly souped-up versions of their respective console models to re-spark the market's interest. When deciding which game console to buy, gamers opt for the platform that supports the games they want to play. If the games are available to both, the choice can ultimately boil down to the console that offers the best experience and the best value.
Forbes contributor, Erik Kain, says it all in his article "9 Reasons to Buy an Xbox One X Instead of a PS4 Pro", although it should be pointed out that the PS4 Pro is cheaper, has a bigger game library and can consume less power.
Focusing on the potentials of the console specs, Xbox One X has an advantage that can last far longer than PS4 Pro's life span. The true potential though lies in the hands of the game makers and their publishers. Although XBox One X can support the best possible performance now, game makers may opt not to do so (yet). If you can look ahead 2 or 4 years down the line, that may actually change, and XBox One X will be the console that is most ready for it.
Of course, there's always an excuse to delay your purchase. Unlike PS4, XBox One X is HDMI 2.1 ready. However, HDMI 2.1 is not in all 4K TVs yet. It is estimated that many new 4K TV models in 2018 would have HDMI 2.1 standard. You can upgrade your XBox now, or you can wait a few more months or even an entire year to create your own XBox One X + TV bundle. Granted, you still have 5 to 7 years before a new and better XBox One version is released. Regardless, if you'll always wait a year or so before upgrading to the latest and greatest, you are still guaranteed with a capable console 6 to 8 years total.
I estimate TV life to be well around 10 to 15 years. Although, it can be reasonable half way through to upgrade, move the old one to the non-gamer station, repurpose the older one and dispose the oldest one. If you follow this cycle, you can consider your game console purchase schedule to be the same schedule you also pick your new TV for your gamer station. We can be talking every 8 years, which in my opinion is fair and smart.
At a certain point, you may end up not upgrading, out growing the game console, so to speak. I'm not saying it happens to all gamers, but it can happen to some, if not many. Still, what you have is a capable entertainment console. XBox One X has built in 4K HDR Blu-Ray player. It can live as long as your TV can live. If you can keep it up to 15 years or more, the value it would've given in 15+ years of your life may as well make it pay for itself. Looking at it from this point of view, $500 for a console that can stay capable for more than a decade is not that bad really.
Value for money, the XBox One X wins. It is built to be future ready. It may in fact be worth every penny. Honestly, I'm not a gamer. I see the XBox One X as an entertainment console more than what it's really made for. You may choose a PS4 Pro for the rich game library it has today, and that's fine really. For me though, the XBox One X can be a purchase that will last for as long as a new TV can last in the household. That's how I see it. Have fun now? Or have fun for longer. I don't spend premium without maximizing it for what it's worth. If PS4 Pro is the best that Sony can offer today, all things considered, I have no doubt in my mind that Microsoft's XBox One X is the wisest choice.
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