Xbox Series X has simply established new benchmarks in the gaming community and the world of gaming consoles. This game beast offers true 4K gaming, prompting you to buy a lot of other hardware equipment in the meantime to make the most out of its performance.
Just like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X is also powered by the same generation of AMD’s Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architecture. It offers an immersive gaming world that demands your attention. With 12 teraflops of processing power, it overpowers its Sony counterpart by 1.7 teraflops.
Backed with Direct-X Ray Tracing, this console has the juice to deliver ever better graphical performance, displaying real-life shadows and reflections to replicate the real-world. This latest generation Xbox not only features higher performance but also offers superior cooling and a tangled-free gaming experience.
The design is curated to maintain the flow of air in both horizontal and vertical modes. Xbox Parallel Cooling Architecture dissipates the heat generated during the action with ease. It is backed by 3D spatial audio to put you at the center of the action. Backing up this performance is its SSD storage, offering a lightning-fast boot and gaming loading times.
Unlike the previous model supporting external hard drives, this time you would need a pre-designed expansion card. It is directly inserted onto a different slot without the hassles of running more wires through your setup.
Bottom line:
You must have the best Xbox Series X accessories to get the best from this brand new console.
What Accessories Come With Xbox Series X?
Xbox Series X comes with some essential connectivity cables needed to make your new beast up and running. In the name of accessories, you will get only a two-point charging cable, an HDMI cable, and a controller.
That’s not all, Microsoft also bestows its kindness by offering two AA Duracell batteries within the Series X. All these three accessories have been upgraded just like the Xbox.
1. Two-point power cable
It’s nice to see Microsoft listening to consumers and doing away with the need for a big charging adapter. This new Xbox Series X comes with an internal power adapter pre-configured inside the Xbox. All you need is to connect the socket to your outlet and another end of the cable to your Xbox Series X
2. Ultra-High speed HDMI cable
Since Xbox Series X can churn out 60 frames per second in 8K gaming and 120 frames in 4K gaming. A high amount of data needs to be shared with the display unit. To prevent bottlenecking, it becomes mandatory to use the 2.0 HDMI cables dubbed as ultra-high-speed HDMI cable.
3. Controller
The controller with Xbox Series X is a lot like the previous generation with no major changes. You get a new D-pad with a cross pattern lying on top of a plate design, theoretically offering more precise inputs. The design element of this new controller has also been tweaked a bit.
The triggers, bumpers, and grips all come in a textured pattern, which offers a superior grip during gaming.
This controller has a more matte surface and comes with a new share button on it that lets you record gameplay and take screenshots without pausing. There are no major modifications to the controller.
7 Best Xbox Series X Accessories
When talking about the best Xbox Series X accessories, it is important to note Microsoft’s habit of following their proud tradition of making it work with all generations. It will support most of the accessories that are supported by the Xbox one console. Microsoft also unveiled a new, designed Xbox logo, to inspire confidence in buying accessories.
If you are worried about out-of-stock Xbox Series X consoles, you can alternatively buy the console directly from Walmart, Amazon, GameStop, or through these direct access links.
Let us quickly talk about the must-have Xbox Series X Accessories you should get to elevate your next-generation gaming experience.
1. 4K Display
If you have already picked up the Xbox Series X consoles, the next most important thing to purchase is a 4K television with at least 120 Hz refresh rates. Xbox Series X can render a very high graphic output of 4K with 120 frames per second.
You can consider this brilliant 4K LG CX OLED TV that delivers excellent gaming performance including <1ms response time and low input lag. It handles blacks better than most other gaming TVs you will find on the market.
The CX series is a bit expensive but this is our top recommendation regardless simply because it combines class-leading performance with its brilliant display quality.
For a more budget option, consider the Hisense H9 range. Response times are under 5ms and you get native refresh rates as well. True that the hue depth and richness are some way behind the LG, yet these Hisense TVs somehow manage sufficiently high contrast ratios and blacks to keep you gaming.
Either way, a 4K display is a must-have Xbox Series X accessory.
2. Wireless Xbox Controllers
While you get an upgraded Xbox Series X controller right out of the box that works with two AA batteries. The battery does offer a backup of 40 hours. Now imagine you intend to play a multiplayer game with your friend or relatives. You will need another controller.
This new-gen console is backward compatible with all the previous generation accessories. But in case you want new ones, you can get your hand on a cheaper Series X controller, available for less than $60!
If you are not satisfied with the performance or the overall aesthetics of the Xbox Series X controller, you have another option of going ahead with the Elite Series 2 controller.
Priced under $180, this controller pushes deeper into gaming hardware than the basic Xbox controller. It offers a bit more customization and functionality with rear pedals and a faceted D-pad.
You can even change the thumbsticks and D-pad with different variants that come with it for better gameplay.
The customization on this controller extends beyond aesthetics with the Xbox Accessories application. Here you can remap buttons and pedals for better responsiveness. It even comes with a USB Type-C cable to play in wired mode with either the Xboxes or Windows 10.
3. Controller Charging Station
Let’s say you get your hands on an Xbox Series X controller. But even with two of these controllers, you are unfortunately stuck with double-A batteries.
Power A is a cool dual charging station that allows you to charge up to two controllers at a time using rechargeable batteries. This recharging device comes with two 1100 mAH rechargeable batteries and four battery doors that fit, right into the Series X controllers.
Powered by an AC adapter, it works without any USB connections. It also comes with a two-year limited warranty. You can find the terms and conditions of this warranty on their official support page. This device is officially licensed for Xbox Series X/S or even the Xbox one controllers.
This stylish charging dock also sports LEDs to let you know the battery status. When charging, the LED will glow amber light. Once the battery has recharged completely, you get white light. The only downside of using this product is that you cannot play while the controller battery is charging.
Or you will have to charge them using a Type-C cable alternative. But this wired changing in the middle of a game is nothing more than a hassle.
4. Xbox Series X Gaming Headset
Sound is a significant aspect of gaming, especially in first-person shooters and multiplayer games. You need to be aware of the surrounding action in the game and for that, having a good headset is a must. SteelSeries 9X offers an immersive experience in the top tier of gaming headsets that you can get your hands on.
The multi-platform support of Arctis 9 X is an added advantage for personal as well as gaming use. You get a retractable mic and a 40-foot wireless range. 9X uses a bidirectional design, used by aircraft crews for active noise cancellation to provide a natural and clear sound.
Arctis 9X features a clean, simple, and matte finish. The steel frame makes this headset lightweight, durable, and flexible. Another noticeable aspect of its design is the soft band that holds the headset in place.
The retractable mic will allow you to use this headset even out on a walk. The breathable ear-cups are a great feature for those using headsets for hours and complaining of pain.
This headset can work in tandem with its 2.4 GHz wireless connection and Bluetooth, allowing you to enjoy music from your smartphone while you are actively playing games.
It even offers direct control to turn off your headset and use TV or PC speakers.
Want more? You even get an equalizer to set the base and tremble as per your needs.
If you want to see more headset options for your Xbox Series X, you can read our article here.
5. Xbox Series X External Storage
Game sizes have been increasing at a rapid rate these past few years, and there is no reason to believe that it’s going to stop. Developers are making bigger games that look better and often come with dedicated gaming engines.
As such, you are going to need plenty of storage on your consoles, and the Xbox Series X comes with a 1 TB SSD built-in storage. But still, Xbox needs some storage for its operating system and offers you only a meager 802 GB of storage space.
It becomes a challenge when you intend to keep the older games. With the amount of space at hand, you can save 5-6 full-size games optimized for Series X.
On the Xbox, the external SSD storage is not going to come cheap. Unlike previous versions with HDD internal storage, using an external HDD is out of the question as it can’t work without disrupting the overall performance.
Microsoft has again partnered with Seagate to release official 1 TB expansion cards.
This expansion card is specifically designed to work with Xbox and plugs directly into the console. All you need is to insert this storage solution at the designated port.
This expansion card takes complete advantage of Series X’s Velocity Architecture. In terms of speed, this card is technically the best solution and works identically to the internal SSDs. Hence, offering a similar game loading time.
An external storage option is a must-have Xbox Series X accessory. You can go for a more budget alternative like this WD 2TB external HDD. Although you will be missing out on a few seconds or minutes of game loading time and game transfers though!
6. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
After purchasing the latest generation Xbox console, the most apparent thing needed to enjoy this console’s performance is the best Xbox Series X games. Now, these games will set you back by an average of $100 today. Just get an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate instead.
There are a lot of Xbox users who like to maintain a serious gaming collection, but that is not always the cheapest option. Most objective-based games end within the week, which makes this Game Pass a viable option. The latest offer on Microsoft’s website gives this pass for just $1 at a hefty discount of 93%.
There’s more:
You also get 2 free months of usage. But this offer is available only for first-time users. Lucky you?
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate combines both Game pass and Xbox live gold into an on-time subscription pack. It will give you direct access to more than 100s of downloadable games across the Xbox Series X and older versions for a monthly subscription of just $15.
Imagine the number of games you can access with this pass.
7. Xbox Rechargeable battery with USB Type-C cable
In case you wish to go with a budget approach, one that allows you to play wired while charging the battery, we have just the thing – an Xbox Rechargeable battery.
This device costs around $25 and comes with two components including a 1400 mAH lithium-ion battery and a Type-C cable.
Once the battery discharges, you can plug in the USB Type-C cable with the console. It will only charge the controller battery in 4 hours, but also allow you to simultaneously play while charging.
As the Series X controller is designed to work both wired and wirelessly, this budget approach will save you a lot of money. Moreover, there won’t be any e-waste with this device.
Conclusion
Accessories are an essential part of any gaming setup, be in console or PC gaming. But since the new Xbox Series X has some top-of-the-line features, most of your older accessories won’t work with this console. Getting a 4K display with at least 60-75 Hz refresh rates is necessary to enjoy the 4K output.
These are the best Xbox Series X accessories, and must-haves for any individual who wants to get a serious gaming experience and utility.