The Xbox Series X interface introduced no substantial changes and was almost indistinguishable from that of the Xbox One. This was either a bad or good thing, depending on the user asked, because it dampened the novelty of moving to a new console generation but also made the transition more seamless. This was different from the PlayStation 5 UI that introduced major visual and user experience overhauls from the PS4 and took a bit of getting used to for some users.
The Xbox Insider Program allows members to receive system updates before they become available to the wider public so that they can provide feedback to the Xbox development team before the changes go live. There are a few tiers or rings to the program, with the base level open to all Xbox gamers. The Alpha Skip-Ahead ring is an invite-only tier that gives members a preview of future Xbox OS releases, while the invite-only Alpha ring provides a preview of the next Xbox OS release.
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The latest Xbox Update Preview coming to the Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead rings is Build 2109.210813-2200, which launched on August 16. This update will allow Insiders with an Xbox Series X console connected to a 4K TV or monitor to begin testing a new UI with an increased resolution. The update will display the Home screen, Guide, and other areas of the UI at a higher native resolution, thereby increasing sharpness and readability. The fact that this is being rolled out to both Alpha and Alpha Skip-Ahead Insiders means that this addition is likely to be included in the next OS update pushed to the general public.
Some players were glad that the Xbox Series X UI remained at 1080p because it made the text larger onscreen and also conserved RAM usage for games, where it’s generally more important. However, according to Jason Ronald, Director of Program Management at Xbox, this UI update will have no impact on the amount of memory available for games. It will also presumably be an optional change, meaning those who prefer to keep their UI at a lower resolution can do so.
Despite the general impression that nothing changed between the Xbox One and Xbox Series console interfaces, there were some slight tweaks to the Xbox Series UI that aren't immediately evident. Most obvious is the ability to now sort the game library by console generation and customize the buttons that appear when hitting the controller’s Home button. Some of the other “changes” were actually available on the Xbox One for years to Xbox Insiders, but it seems that regular users didn’t have access to these options that are now standard on Xbox Series consoles. These include setting the Home Screen background to a custom image, switching the interface to Dark Mode, as well as pinning or reorganizing apps and games on the Home screen.
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Source: Xbox Wire
