The inside story of the Xbox One X

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To reap the benefits, loyal fans won’t just have to fork out £429 on the One X, they will also need a 4K TV. “I’m guessing that around half the people who buy a One X on day one will already have a new TV,” says Albert Penello, senior director of product management and planning at Microsoft. That guess is based on Microsoft’s faith in a small, but growing trend. In 2016, 50 per cent of new TVs sold in the US supported 4K. That figure is predicted to rise to 60 per cent in 2017 and 80 per cent in 2018. Unlike 3D TV, much-hyped but a commercial failure, Microsoft is confident 4K is a safe bet. But betting on a new technology that few can afford carries inherent risks. That’s why Microsoft has the Dream Killer. “It’s where we break designers’ hearts,” says principal design manager John Snavely, one of the leads on the redesign of the Xbox software interface. Hidden away in a side room, the Dream Killer is a reminder to all engineers and designers that many gamers don’t have the latest technology, even if they’re happy to shell out on a new console. “It’s a TV we should’ve thrown away a long time ago. It’s awful. We put a lot of time into making sure our content looks good on the Dream Killer,” Snavely says.

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*Warning long read*

Pretty cool article, especially the part talking about backwards compatibility and their vision. Currently gonna hold off bc I only have 4k in living room but man this thing is gonna be a beast.