How The Xbox Series X Improves Load Times
With this week’s launch of the Xbox Series X we wanted to take a deep dive into how the new hardware can delineate quality of life improvements. While graphical bandwidth may be the hot marketing rubric, it is everything else that is going to make our lives easier. The Xbox Series X boasts an eight-core CPU. In addition to a boost in computing power, it has a custom M.2 NVMe SSD. As well as 10 GB of RAM. For some people that may just be a bunch of numbers and letters. Although in reality, what it really means is a huge boost in reducing load times.
To determine how this new hardware will accelerate load times for the Xbox Series X, I started with the Xbox One X. I took seven games, a mix of both Smart Delivery and not. All seven games were tested from the Xbox home screen to the game’s start menu. Then a second test from another loading point within the game. I have tabulated the numbers below in minutes, seconds, and then tenths. This is completely removing smart delivery from the picture. These are fresh game loads straight from the home screen. With reboots between tests.
Xbox One X Load Times
| Game | Launch to Start Menu | Sequence Part 2 | Sequence Part 2 Time |
| Dirt 5 | 1:09:02 | Start a career race | 0:48:07 |
| Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order | 1:16:04 | Continue from main menu | 0:33:07 |
| Halo: Combat Evolved | 0:31:04 | Resume Halo CE level: Halo | 0:21:04 |
| Sniper Elite 4 | 0:21:08 | Start a new game | 0:14:01 |
| Doom Eternal | 0:47:03 | Continue campaign level: Exultia | 0:28:08 |
| Resident Evil 7 | 0:37:01 | Start a new game | 0:09:04 |
| Gears Tactics | 1:03:04 | Start a new game | 0:46:07 |
Xbox Series X Load Times
| Game | Launch to Start Menu | Load Sequence Part 2 | Load Sequence Part 2 |
| Dirt 5 | 0:27:03 | Start a career race | 0:13:02 |
| Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order | 0:54:02 | Continue from main menu | 0:18:03 |
| Halo: Combat Evolved | 0:09:07 | Resume Halo CE level: Halo | 0:07:09 |
| Sniper Elite 4 | 0:08:07 | Start a new game | 0:02:05 |
| Doom Eternal | 0:36:08 | Continue campaign level: Exultia | 0:05:09 |
| Resident Evil 7 | 0:16:07 | Start a new game | 0:03:07 |
| Gears Tactics | 0:16:06 | Start a new game | 0:08:01 |
The Difference Between Xbox One X and Xbox Series X Load Times
| Game | Launch to Start menu % Difference | Load Sequence Part 2 | Load Time Two % Difference |
| Dirt 5 | -60.82% | Start a career race | -72.91% |
| Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order | -28.97% | Continue from main menu | -45.50% |
| Halo: Combat Evolved | -70.65% | Resume Halo CE level: Halo | -66.06% |
| Sniper Elite 4 | -61.59% | Start a new game | -85.14% |
| Doom Eternal | -23.20% | Continue campaign level: Exultia | -81.69% |
| Resident Evil 7 | -56.46% | Start a new game | -65.63% |
| Gears Tactics | -74.47% | Start a new game | -82.62% |
| Average | -53.74% | Average | -71.36% |
What we found with the Xbox Series X is pretty amazing. Completely disregarding quick resume, as well as future optimizations, we are seeing extraordinary different load times. Launching a game from the Xbox home screen, brings you to a game’s start menu more than 50% faster on average. In-game load times and level loads are over 70% faster on average. This is all without removing potential sequences, animations, and splash screens that games often use to get us through load points.
