HiGame

Microsoft announced two major console initiatives at its E3 press conference. The Xbox One Scorpio, billed as the most powerful console ever, will arrive for holidays 2017, but the new Xbox One S will launch in August, with a significant number of updated features of its own. This version of the console is the typical type of update we’ve come to expect from companies like Microsoft and Sony — improved features and capabilities, but without any fundamental changes to the CPU or GPU.

The Xbox One S is 40% smaller than the Xbox One, with a starting price of $300 rather than the $500 that the original Xbox debuted at in 2013. The power supply is integrated into all versions of the Xbox One S chassis, making it the first Xbox to offer this feature. The 500GB version will sell for $300, a 1TB flavor will be $350, and a 2TB Xbox One will cost $400. Frankly, customers are better off buying the 500GB flavor and adding their own external drive. Internal drive upgrades are possible on the Xbox One, but since the platform doesn’t exactly make that easy, it’s probably simpler for most people to just use an external HDD (a 3TB external WD drive is $114).

This new version of the Xbox One will also support 4K video and Ultra HD Blu-ray, with an updated Xbox One controller with a textured back, Bluetooth support, and extended range. The system also includes an IR blaster, which allows for TV control without a Kinect unit. Both the controller and a vertical stand for the Xbox One will supposedly ship separately from the $299 unit (no word on whether updated controllers are included in the $349 or $399 platforms or not).

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