Xbox One X reviews round up: cast your eye over these analyses while you consider your budget this month

The Xbox One X hardware review embargo has lifted. What do extra-early adopters have to say about Microsoft's most powerful console ever?

Xbox One X has a lot to offer those of you really devoted to frame rates and ultra high resolutions - or at least, it promises to offer a lot. Does it deliver? Let's find out - together - through the medium of hardware reviews and other pre-release coverage.

Given the cash outlay involved and Microsoft's dithering over the past few years, even hardcore Xbox fans would be forgiven for wondering whether they really need that sweet 4K support. It's time to find out if the box, uh, does what it says on the box, and whether that's worth the investment.

You still have a few days to make up your mind, as Xbox One X releases on November 7, and Microsoft has sensibly provided hardware in advance so there'll be Xbox One X hardware reviews and solid performance information for you to ponder while you contemplate your credit card bill.

Alex has been fooling around with the sleek new box and his thoughts resonate with many of those you'll find through the links below - the Xbox One X is definitely better and faster, but maybe not essential unless you really care about its bells and whistles.

Well, read on. It's early days yet so we expect to add more Xbox One X hardware reviews analyses and other coverage as the days roll on. Stay tuned.

• Gamespot
  "If you have a 4K HDR TV, don't have a current gen console, and are looking to purchase one, however, the Xbox One X is a great choice."
• IGN [review in progress]
  "It’s hard to believe Microsoft exclusives like Gears of War 4 can look so good and run so smoothly on a box that costs less than half of what you’d pay for a high-end gaming PC."
• USGamer
  "It has to be said: $500 is a pretty steep asking price for what the Xbox One X has to offer."
• Digital Foundry [first look at Xbox One X enhanced games]
  "Running at a perfect 60 [fps] - and there's a lot going on here. It just doesn't buckle at all."
• PC Gamer [comparison with PC]
  "Microsoft's renewed attention to the PC means you really don't need an Xbox to play most games ... If you want a 4K Blu-Ray player, the Xbox is a great buy (though I think I'd go for the more affordable Xbox One S)."
• Destructoid
  "I'm still going to be gaming plenty on PS4 for exclusives, but in the meantime I'll probably opt for the X versions of multiplatform games."
• Dualshockers
  "If you’re a multi-platform gamer and the type of consumer who doesn’t mind paying extra for a premium experience ... the Xbox One X gets a ‘Buy’ recommendation from us."
• Engadget
  "The Xbox One X offers some major performance upgrades that gamers will notice ... It's exactly what the company promised: the fastest game console ever made."
• Neowin
  "If you're buying your first Xbox One... you should get the Xbox One X. If you have an Xbox One S and you're satisfied with it, you're still good for a while. Otherwise, take the plunge."
• Polygon [review in progress]
  "Undeniably the best console to play multiplatform games... but with the limited number of enhanced Xbox One X titles I’ve been able to test, I haven’t seen enough to be able to recommend the console in light of its high price."
• Ars Technica
  "Buy it if you're itching for select Xbox One games in 4K. Otherwise, look to cheaper console competition or a more versatile gaming PC."
• Gamasutra
  "The X is an attractive, powerful little console... [being] more expensive than the PS4 Pro puts it at a disadvantage, but on paper it is a more powerful console, for what that's worth."
• TrueAchievements
  "If you’ve not got a 4K set, you might want to hold off until you do; likewise if you’ve recently upgraded to an S... for everyone else, or anyone who just has to have the latest piece of shiny kit sat below their TV, this is a significant step up."
• The Verge
  "My biggest issue with the Xbox One X is a lack of stunning 4K games to really show why this is worth $499."
• The Guardian
  "Multiplatform titles will almost certainly look better on Xbox One X than on PS4 Pro, sometimes very noticeably, but is it worth the extra £100? That’s a conversation you need to have with your aesthetic standards and your wallet."

Spotted another review? Share with the class, we're all ears.