We all know that the Xbox Series X is a very powerful console. Microsoft’s next-generation flagship performs very well along with its younger brother, the Xbox Series S. Although it lags behind PS5 when we look at the sales figures in 2021, the course of this race may change this year. What is unknown about the Series X is some of its hidden features. We’ve dived deep into the console and prepared 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Xbox Series X for you.
This entire list consists of the features that Microsoft has made available with the new generation. Therefore, we will not talk about the technological infrastructure, power or design of the Series X. Instead, we will list the features that you probably do not know and want to use from now on.
FPS Boost on Xbox Series X
We know that backward compatibility is very important to Microsoft. For this reason, hundreds of old-generation games are automatically supported on Xbox Series X. Not counting the remakes that have been released, this support is a great feature for gamers who want to play old games on the next generation. But what if you want to take this feature even further?
Xbox Series X has an extra feature called FPS Boost. Hundreds of games support this feature, including Alan Wake, Gears of War, and FEAR. This feature simply makes older games run more smoothly. Moreover, it is very easy to understand whether a game supports this feature or not.
You can either check the regularly updated list on Major Nelson’s blog or check out the game from the Xbox Series X interface. To do this, press the Xbox key while in the game and select Compatibility Settings. If your game supports FPS Boost, select it from this menu and restart your game.
That’s it. Now you can play old games more fluently. Don’t forget to update your Xbox Series X to be able to use this feature.
Night Mode Display
If you’re bothered by bright colors and white-heavy themes, we’re guessing you’ve already used Dark Mode in different apps. This feature, which is especially used in mobile phones, reduces blue light in dark environments and makes your eyes less uncomfortable. It’s on the Xbox Series X too, and it’s super easy to find.
While on the home screen of your Xbox Series X go to Settings and select Preferences there. You will see Night Mode on this screen. After selecting it, you will find many settings that you can customize according to your wishes like Filter Blue Light, HDR, and more. The thing to remember is that the changes you make here will affect everything. So when you enter any game, these color settings will be valid.
Xbox Series X’s Night Mode settings do not affect the screenshots you take or the clips you share.
Using Double Tab on Sync Button
Whether you use the standard Xbox Series X controller or the Elite version in the photo above, the Sync button has a different feature than you know. When you press the button twice that you normally use to pair with a device, it connects to the device with which it was previously paired.
Let’s say you disconnected the Xbox Series X controller from your console and paired it with your PC. To connect it to the console again, simply press the Sync button twice quickly. So you can quickly switch between different Xbox devices. You will quickly get used to the practicality of this method after using it a few times.
Sharing Screenshots via Xbox App
One of the things Microsoft has made very easy with the previous generation is sharing screenshots and clips you take in-game. You can easily share it with the click of a button. But there’s an easier way to share them anywhere, not just on Xbox: the Xbox App.
Install the Xbox App on your phone and sign in with your account. Now all screenshots and clips you take while playing games on your console will be automatically available on your phone. In other words, you can send the clip of the your headshot while playing Warzone to your friend on Whatsapp within seconds. For this, simply check the My Library > Captures section in the application.
Xbox Remote Play
You can think of Xbox Remote Play as another version of cloud gaming technology that is seen as the future of games. With this feature, you can play games on your PC, phone or tablet using your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One. What you need to have for this is quite simple:
- A compatible phone, tablet, or PC Android with 6.0+, iOS 10+, and Windows 10/11
- Xbox Series X, Series S or Xbox One
- Compatible Xbox Wireless Controller with Bluetooth
- Xbox App
- A Microsoft account with Xbox profile
- Last but not least, Internet connection with 5Ghz Wi-Fi or mobile data connection 10Mbps
If you have the above, you can play games on your Xbox console fluently on any device.
Custom Installation
As you know, you can connect an external SSD to Xbox Series X. In this way, it is possible to expand the storage space of your console. But let’s say you don’t want to do that or you want to play specific modes of some games. It is now possible to choose which part of a game to install on your Xbox Series X.
What does this mean? For example, if you only want to play the single player story of Halo 4, you don’t need to install the Multiplayer mode. By doing this you can save dozens of GB of space. Although not all games support this feature, we predict that it will be included in many games, especially in 2022.
Spotify on Xbox
Good old Spotify. You can freely listen to Spotify while playing games on your console, which is also an occasional Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offer. Although this is not preferred in competitive games, this feature can increase your enjoyment in games where you do not need to hear the sound of the game that much.
To do this, open the Spotify application inside your Xbox Series X and log in. While playing any game, press the Xbox button and launch Spotify. You can now change songs on your console using the Spotify app on your phone. Isn’t it great?
Auto HDR
Another feature that Xbox Series X supports is Auto HDR. There are some changes you need to make in order to use this feature, which makes the colors in the games look more vivid and sharp. Many players do not even know that this feature exists, as it does not turn on automatically.
You must have a TV with HDR10 to use this feature. If so, turn on your Xbox Series X and follow this path directly:
- Profile & System > Settings > General > TV & Display Options > Video Modes > Auto HDR
After turning on Auto HDR, you can play the game you want without any further action. Note that not all games support HDR.
