You would think that with a powerful console like the Xbox Series X, that the simpler things like the built-in dashboard would be 4K right out of the box, right? Well, that actually isn’t the case. At least, not yet. The dashboard is only 1080p at the time of writing this and has been since its launch. Only now, Microsoft is starting to tinker with upping its resolution to something more fitting for its hardware.
Some of the reasoning behind this is likely due to the multi-tasking the system works through when you are playing games or accessing apps. Technically, the dashboard is still running in the background. You could relate it to your desktop on any PC. No matter what you are doing, the background image, icons, and taskbar are still loaded in the background. Microsoft might have wanted to see how well the console did in the wild with just a 1080p dashboard to preserve resources before cranking things up a notch.
Regardless of the reasoning behind it all, the company is working on releasing the update shortly. At the moment, it is going out to users who are registered with the Alpha Skip-Ahead Insiders ring (part of the Xbox Insiders program). The update started to roll out at 2 PM PT this afternoon and Alpha Skip-Ahead ring members will get the prompt for it by tomorrow morning (3 AM PT). It is a risky level to be in within the Insiders program as it is most prone to bugs and possibly crashes. However, it means you gain access to some of the latest updates before the normal public gets a turn.
With a 4K dashboard, all of the text, icons, and thumbnails will be delivered to you with much crisper/detailed quality, providing a better overall experience while browsing through the sections and content. Assuming you have the console connected to a 4K display, at least.
If you get your hands on the update, feel free to brag about it below in the comments and let everyone know what you think. How much of an upgrade to the dashboard experience do you feel it is?
