Image via: XBOX
Image via: XBOX
Downloading games on Xbox Series X|S can feel painfully slow. Thankfully, the Microsoft-owned gaming giant has finally fixed it with its smart download client introduced on July 22, 2026.
The goal of the new feature is to essentially optimize download and update speeds for video games. It starts working as soon as your game download begins.
It will check which content servers provide you with the fastest connection speed. Once a server pool with the fastest speeds is detected, it will quickly connect your Xbox to it.
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"The speed test will rerun periodically during the install or update to ensure that the client continues using the fastest available connection." The update note also reads.
The moment it drops, the smart client will reevaluate and find the next fastest connection for you.
In this way, game downloads and updates should become drastically faster for Xbox players. The update also fixed the issue where some apps and games just wouldn't complete installation.
Many would agree that the download speed issue has persisted since the Xbox 360 days. Downloading the same games on Steam or PlayStation would result in drastically higher download speeds.
What's worse is that game download and update sizes have only ballooned since the days of the older consoles. Higher speeds have become a necessity because players don't want to wait hours just to begin playing.
Therefore, this update, though not groundbreaking, was certainly long overdue for many die-hard Xbox supporters. It's also one of the many positive changes the company is making in recent history.
Xbox has introduced various new features in recent history
Xbox's momentum does not stop. First, it introduced a version of the Game Pass on Meta Horizon+, which allowed subscribers to play games like Fallout 76 and Grounded on their headsets.
Later, it extended its backwards compatibility to select titles on PC Game Pass. This added classic Xbox titles such as BLiNX: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, and more to the desktop.
Given modern standards, the classic games will also have enhanced graphics with the same original gameplay. The console giant also promised to bring Xbox achievements to PC for select titles.
Now, it has finally fixed an age-old problem. Xbox's strategy is clear: fix pain points to rebuild player trust.
Do you think this will help it win the console wars? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Prit Chauhan