Reviewers give the Xbox One X positive marks, but they didn't have enough games to really test it (MSFT)

But many also said they couldn't give a definitive verdict on it. That's because they didn't have enough games to play on it that take advantage of the new console's capabilities.

The $500 gadget is due out November 7, and Microsoft allowed some game journalists to get an early look at it. The game machine's selling point is that it will play games that have been "enhanced," a term representing a grab-bag of different technologies and features, including 4K video resolution and high dynamic range (HDR). Many of the latest TV support both 4K, which delivers sharper images on bigger screens, and HDR, which provides a greater range of light and dark tones than you'd see on screens without it.

The problem is that there just aren't many "enhanced" Xbox games to play. So reviewers had a tough time evaluating the console.

Still, the reviewers did have some interesting notes from their tests of the Xbox One X. Here's what they had to say:

Reviewers liked the design of the Xbox One X.

Reviewers liked how smoothly the Xbox One X plays games.

Some said games looked great even on older TV sets.

The Xbox One X was designed for TV sets that support 4K and HDR. But you can still see a difference between it and previous Xbox One models if you plug it into an older, 1080p TV, thanks largely to its sheer power, reviewers said.

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But reviewers were mixed on whether the Xbox One X's support for 4K made a noticeable difference.

Likewise, reviewers had mixed takes on how quickly the Xbox One X loads games.

You'd think, with the Xbox One X's impressive specs, it would load games faster than previous Xbox One models.

In some cases that's true, IGN'some games faster than the Xbox One S. Microsoft's own games "get the royal treatment," he said.

But, Tyrrel noted, not all games load faster on the new console. And other reporters didn't see any differences at all.

But the big problem they ran into was having few "enhanced" games to play on it.

Plus, the way Microsoft and developers are handling game "enhancements" is confusing.

"Some enhancements could include better frame rates instead of 4K resolution, or HDR capability. Other enhancements might include 4K, HDR, and better frame rates," Warren wrote. He added: "It’s up to game developers to decide, and there’s not a clear pattern yet" for what "enhanced" will mean.

Meanwhile, games on Xbox One X are huge.

Overall, reviewers' assessments of the Xbox One X were positive but not definitive.