With Microsoft having dropped the high-end model of their Xbox One (the Xbox One X) some time ago, many games have taken advantage of the more potent hardware, and the  Gears of War series is prime among them. Microsoft had a rough start with this generation of consoles, but the Xbox One X is one of several innovations that have breathed some life into its corner of the console market.
Gears 5 is also helping win hearts from all over, and just so happens to be one of the titles taking full advantage of the Xbox One X. So here is a list of the biggest differences between playing Gears 5 on the two platforms.
10 It's Optimized For The One X
The games that do take advantage of the One X often aren't making full use of its capabilities. However, Gears does use every inch of processing power the X has to offer, and it shows. From the crisp reflections to the highly detailed set pieces and draw distance, the game simply looks and performs better. The difference is practically night and day in terms of how smoothly the game runs.
9 Faster Loading Time On The One X
Since the Xbox One X has stronger chips in it, it allows for quicker loading times, translating into an easy advantage: less time waiting and more time playing! Even when playing the campaign, character models take time to load in and things aren't fully rendered on the base Xbox One. On the Xbox One X things are loading in full and animating as the player moves along.
8 Split-Screen Performance Is Better On The One X
Nowadays many games don't have split-screen, but it's a long-lasting tradition in Gears 5. But there is a slight catch for base model Xbox users in terms of FPS drops and a generally negative impact on performance.
On a smaller TV screen, this wouldn't be as much of an issue. But on a big-screen TV, playing split-screen on the base Xbox One can hamper the experience. On the Xbox One X, however, players don't need to sacrifice FPS or resolution to enjoy some couch co-op action.
7 HDR Capabilities
One main difference between the base Xbox (excluding the Xbox One S) and the Xbox One X is the HDR capability. The Xbox One X can do HD gaming whereas the base Xbox One can only do 1080p. With HDR, playing Gears looks different, brighter, and more vibrant.
The game presents itself a lot better on the higher-end console in terms of visual acuity. The transition between cut-scene to gameplay is rather difficult to tell because it looks nearly the same on the Xbox One X. But on the base model, the cut scenes and gameplay look more choppy because there's more pressure on the hardware.
6 Gameplay's Clunkier On The Base Xbox One
When going online or playing the campaign a lot of factors can make or break one's experience. When playing at a smoother and higher frame rate, it keeps the player engaged and immersed in the action. The Xbox One X player enjoys that because it's built around the Xbox One X, for the launch Xbox One owner it can be a struggle.
Drops in framerate and lag can deter people from playing Gears because it feels like a clunkier game on the original Xbox One. Since Gears 5 is a more demanding game like many other post-Xbox One X launch games, the game as a whole can struggle due to the original Xbox One's hardware limitations.
5 Online Play Feels More Balanced On The Xbox One X
These two versions are clearly different when it comes to the online portion. Players on the original Xbox version definitely suffer a bit due to slow loading times and framerate loss, putting them at a slight disadvantage against their One X peers.
This can definitely result in feeling as if you're not on a level playing field, which is a frustrating experience for any competitive online gaming aficionado.
4 The Campaign's More Immersive On The One X
The campaign, much like the online component, can also feel quite different on both versions. The fidelity of the facial animation is much more life-like on the high-end console compared to the original.
Large set pieces with massive boss battles look more "alive" on the Xbox One X, since the superior hardware in the console makes those action sequences smoother and less rigid. It feels like a proper next-gen Gears game on the One X, whereas launch Xbox One players might get quite the same experience out of it.
3 Animations Are Smoother On The One X
The animation quality between the two versions definitely differs, and as is the case with many of these entries, the framerate comes into play. We'll note the framerate differences in a little more detail later, but for now, suffice to say that it impacts the quality of the animations in a relatively jarring way when compared side-by-side.
2 Fewer Stability Issues On The One X
Simply put, better hardware means more stability. There's practically no such thing as a "crash-free" experience, but the best way to mitigate the possibility? Use better hardware. The Xbox One X features better hardware. Simple enough equation!
Players will (and do) experience some form of stability issue at one point or another regardless of platform, but with less stress put on more capable hardware, the Xbox One X is going to face fewer issues with overheating, freezing, and etcetera.
1 Framerate Differences
Granted, this has been at the crux of many entries so far, but the main point itself needs to be addressed. The original Xbox One can only do 1080 at 30 FPS. The Xbox One X can output 4k 60 FPS and when running Gears 5. It's simply a more fluid experience when players are able to play at a higher frame rate.
The game's framerate contributes in no small measure to most of the issues listed above. From visual animation quality to gameplay experience, the Xbox One X's boosted framerate capability with Gears 5 alone makes it the choice experience if you're truly looking to experience the game at full tilt.