Xbox Series X allegedly getting too hot, too hot to handle

Microsoft’s next gen Series X is bringing with it some spicy new hardware, that might just be a little too spicy for some.

The company recently sent reviewers early production units in order to test backwards compatibility. While the console performs great, many have pointed out that it gets worryingly hot.

Ken Bogard, from French games magazine Jeux Video, noted that the Series X runs quietly, but emits a significant amount of heat, comparing it to a fireplace. “You can heat up your flat with it,” he said in his review.

Giant Bomb’s Jeff Bakkalar pointed out that it gives off a lot of heat in standby mode as well. He even singed his fingers a bit while removing the storage expansion module while the system was still running.

Given the power envelope of the Series X, it’s no surprise that it might be running a tad warmer than last gen systems. NVMe storage is also well known for its heat output, which is why higher end PC models usually come with heatsinks.

While Microsoft has had issues with overheating hardware in the past, I don’t think we’re at the point of concern. Not yet anyway. It’s also worth noting that the cheaper Series S is unlikely to have similar issues.

However, given the way these things vent their heat, it’s all too easy for someone to inadvertently cover up the exhaust. Which would cause the system to overheat and shut down. So it’s not exactly an idiot proof design. After seeing Sony’s recent teardown of the PS5, it does feature some very heavy duty cooling in there. Hence its large size. So obviously they put a lot of thought into keeping thermals in check. Which is once again is giving me echos of the early 7th gen hardware.

The Xbox Series X launches in North America on November 10th.