During the E3 event this year, Microsoft officially unveiled not only one but two future consoles. Xbox Project Scorpio will most definitely be the company's flagship, with a full 4K gaming and high-end PC style specs, but the first to be hitting the market is the Xbox One S. The Xbox One S is a bridge connecting console between the standard edition and the Scorpio, in that it has faster processing, as well as a 4K video output, but it stops short at full Ultra HD gameplay.
Xbox One or Xbox One S?
The Xbox One S is reasonably priced, especially when you consider that it also doubles as a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player, but is there really enough of an upgrade to consider a purchase over the original, especially as the latter has been hugely discounted for Black Friday and beyond? Here are some points to consider:
Design
The design is arguably the biggest and most noticeable change between the original Xbox One and the Xbox One S. The Xbox One S is much slimmer. Microsoft removed 40% of the body mass, making the console just over half the size of its predecessor. That means instead of having it lie flat and taking up tons of space on a shelf and having a bulky power brick lying next to it, it can now neatly stand next to your TV set with nothing but a couple of cables attached to it. The Xbox One S is clearly a much neater all-around package.
Controllers
The updated and improved Xbox Wireless Controller has also seen some welcoming changes. It looks similar to the original but, like the console, is noticeably a touch sleeker and now has a pretty refined finish underneath the handles to ensure that it stays in your hands and doesn't slip out. It now also has 2x the wireless range compared to its predecessor. You won't be having to huddle around your TV so closely. It also works with Windows 10 PCs, tablets and phones via Bluetooth too.
Features
Apart from its amazing design, the biggest change we see in the Xbox One S is that it's capable of rendering 4K. Not only can it stream some amazing 4K Ultra-HD content from Netflix and other online services, but the console also supports 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray playback.
Pricing and Availability
The Xbox One S is now available and is priced at £249 for a 500GB model and £299 for the 1TB version. A 2TB model is also available for £349 but is now sold out. In comparison, you can purchase current Xbox One in various bundles and deals starting from around £180.
Conclusion
If you're already in for some amazing 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player, then it's really hard to see a reason not to choose the Xbox One S. Even if you already have an Xbox One right now, it could be the only reason for you to upgrade. HDR gaming might also be something you'd like to have for your brand new 4K TV. And the entry level price of the S is reasonable, to say the least.
