The next generation of the Xbox, called the Xbox One S, or the Xbox Slim, is coming August of this year, as confirmed by Microsoft at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It is not much of a wait anymore, but many are wondering if the change will be worth it. Other than a sleeker look, what else does the Slim have to offer?
As Engadget notes, the original Xbox One was available for $499, while the Slim will be priced at just $299 - however, the current price of the original is currently at $299 as well. When it comes to output resolution, the Slim offers 4K HDR above and beyond the 720p, 1080p of the original. Storage in the Slim is also improved, as a 2TB option is made available. The power supply in the Xbox One S is already internal and comes with a redesigned wireless controller that is capable of supporting Bluetooth.
The company is also looking to launch another console by the end of 2017, currently nicknamed Project Scorpio.
Xbox chief Phil Spencer had an interview with The Verge where he said the most important thing with the Scorpio is that it was a big step for the company in terms of hardware capability. Indeed, with the improvements in terms of virtual reality and 4K running games, there has been a lot of development in the tech world. Xbox wanted to take all these improvements and put in a console, which they believe will be ready for release by Christmas of next year.
The publication also notes that games on Scorpio will be feature improvements on the games because of the more developed hardware. In other words, "[Games are] going to run at maximum resolution the whole time."
Making an announcement this early is a little taboo, but Spencer confirms there is are no hidden agendas and Xbox just wants to be more transparent with their customers. Other then releasing a unit year after year, with users having to constantly upgrade, the company would rather give their clients an overview of the plans so they can make a smarter and more informed decision.
No price has been given for Scorpio at this point.
