Xbox Series S/X: Thread 02

[gware]

I’ve got mine but I can’t sign in, I guess the servers are struggling. This means I can’t download or play anything as I’m all digital on Xbox

[Ouenben]

https://support.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-live-status

Known issues with live

[nonny]

Servers are getting hammered.

Both my series S and X arrived within 20mins of each other just as the kids routine to drag their arses to bed got started... So I'll just likely be just setting up the Series X later on, if the servers let me.

[gambit6613]

I imagine Xbox Live serives are taking a massive hit now, especially as people are getting home from work etc not to mention people in US now starting to log in etc.

[hudson]

I'm not having any issues coz DHL still have mine lol

[MarioMark]

All set up. My Son is on his Series S on his TV but I have the painful wait of updating and moving files etc.

The consoles are so dense and built to a very high standard. They just feel like premium pieces of kit. MS are definitely selling these at a loss lol. I guess their plan is to make money on the subs and games.

[hudson]

All set up. My Son is on his Series S on his TV but I have the painful wait of updating and moving files etc.

The consoles are so dense and built to a very high standard. They just feel like premium pieces of kit. MS are definitely selling these at a loss lol. I guess their plan is to make money on the subs and games.

Looks great that Mark.

[MarioMark]

Thanks man!

[teddymeow]

Smyth's have stock of the Series S available to order right now.

EDIT: I just bought one.....

[CMcK]

My consoles arrived this evening so I’ve not had a lot of time with it but my first impressions are very positive. The packaging is quite nicely done it’s kind of like opening up a gift with the console itself front and centre of the box. The system is actually quite small at first glance, I can easily lift it from the top with one hand. Has a pleasing feel of weight. My temporary TV stand can’t accommodate it standing up though so it’s gone in gangsta style. Looks ok like that shame the logo light isn’t the correct way up.
Special mention for the setup process. It’s very easy the included instructions and the Xbox app on my phone were all I needed. Slick and simple.
As for the new controller it does feel a little different in hand initially but you soon don’t notice. The new d-pad is awesome. Feels great, nice and clicky too. I’m genuinely shocked how good this is. The face buttons feel slightly more clicky too.
My slow broadband and Xbox servers getting hammered have conspired to stop me from trying Gears 5 this evening so I just dug around some old favourites running from a external USB connected SATA SSD. Load times are vastly improved as is the console boot time. I can see me getting very used to this Quick Resume feature. It’s kind of like a save state in an emulator I suppose in that it drops you right back in where you left off. Switching brings up a splash screen for the game and a quick resume logo. Seconds later you’re right back in it. Very impressive.
I was curious about the AutoHDR feature and so far it seems quite effective. It seems to allow your TV to dig out more detail than you would have seen before. I would say the very brightest whites in Ghost Blade HD looked a little blown out though. I did use the HDR setup in the settings and all looked well there. My TV did give an incompatible format error after using the HDR setup but a quick trip to standby and back sorted that.
Tetris Effect looked stunning in all its 4K HDR glory. I really enjoyed it on my Pro / PSVR but can’t remember it looking this good before.

I was on a bit of a downer this afternoon due to circumstances at work but this has lifted my spirits. I’m tempted to open the wee man’s S just see how they compare but don’t want to ruin the experience for him.

That d-pad though....

[Digfox]

I hope everyone that got them are enjoying their new Xbox consoles, and hopefully any delayed units turn up soon.

As I know there's been a couple of mentions I've seen that it's finally been confirmed today that the Xbox Series X|S doesn't offer USB audio support, unless licensed (i.e. Steelseries, Astro etc.): https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...819fb44?page=1. Which has big impacts for headphone users (again HDMI AV units and multi-speaker setups are a different subject).

Massive shame and unfortunate but to be honest not unexpected. As much as everyone remarked that Optical/TOSLINK was 'dying' the reality is it's removal enforces licensing and additional revenue. Sony are similar although the early signs point towards PS5 supporting USB Audio Class 1 devices as PS4 did (so stereo USB output). Youtuber ACG mentioned this over at Resetera (before his PS5 failed). Given that Tempest 3D is 'baked' into the PS5 (like Dolby Atmos for headphones) either via USB or the Dual Sense, it may mean a driverless DAC/AMP can playback Tempest 3D via headphones. As ACG suggests.

I'm not sure how either XSX|S or PS5 deal with Dolby Digital output for older games. I'm probably going to rethink my headphone audio setup over the next few months as tonight playing around with my TV I've realised that Bitstream lags where as stereo does not. This means that Atmos etc. can be used tho. So I might start looking at changing to a new stereo DAC/AMP soon.

Also a market I suspect for Creative to license their DAC/AMP and bring successors out for their G6/X7 which can work with both consoles.

[BIG EDD]

Well picked my Series X up yesterday at lunch time and it’s still boxed up. Had about 3 hours sleep being on a night shift, spent 20 minutes in GAME queuing then went home and back to bed

Will set the machine up when I get home in 4 hours time. On the plus side, my copy of Dirt 5 finally turned up from Shopto and hopefully I’ll get Yakuza by the end of the week. Did get an email off Shopto that my copy of Call Of Duty has arrived in their warehouse and I’ll see if it turns up Friday/Saturday.

[Jaz]

Can someone with the system please let me know if this is correct:

Original Xbox games - I would be best just to run them from an external hard drive

Original Xbox 360 games - I would be best just to run them from an external hard drive

Xbox One games - do they gain anything from being on the internal SSD?

Xbox One games optimised for Series X (Forza 4) - do they gain anything from being on the internal SSD?

[hudson]

Yeah same questions as Jaz.

As the S has not a lot of space and I have a spare external HD, would I miss out on any benefits throwing older games on the external?

[nonny]

Can someone with the system please let me know if this is correct:

Original Xbox games - I would be best just to run them from an external hard drive

Original Xbox 360 games - I would be best just to run them from an external hard drive

Xbox One games - do they gain anything from being on the internal SSD?

Xbox One games optimised for Series X (Forza 4) - do they gain anything from being on the internal SSD?

I would keep all games on an external drive unless they're requiring the SSD speed. For small titles like old BC games it's not worth having them on the SSD.

For XBO games if they're enhanced in any way they might have to be on the SSD but otherwise it's a case by case basis. They'll obviously load quicker on the internal but space is a premium.

Echoing others I setup last night. It's pretty seamless setting up via the phone app and it remembered my old One X settings and loaded that in for me. All up and running in a few minutes.

Only played Valhalla so far but my, my... It loads fast as hell and that game looks great at 60fps.

The console itself I am shocked at how small it is. It has a weighty heft to it much like the One X but holding it the thing just seems smaller than it should? It's impressive for sure.

I'll be setting up my Series S is work (study) this morning