Right on cue, Microsoft has announced the Xbox One S, following up on the leaks from earlier today. It’s a lot smaller, but also bit more powerful.
Hardware wise, the Xbox One S is built to be 40 percent smaller, and can be used vertically unlike the original. Perhaps the best bit of news is that the power supply is internal – so no more ginormous power brick.
There’s now a 2 TB storage option, and a USB port in the front.
The most notable feature is probably the partial 4K support. It won’t play 4K games, but it can stream 4K content from Netflix, for instance. There’s also HDR support for both games and video, which should mean richer colors with more vibrant contrast.
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There’s also an improved standard controller. Most importantly, it has bluetooth, making it really easy to connect to your PC without an adaptor. There’s also an improved thumbstick design, twice the wireless range, and a textured grip.
Pretty much the only con versus the original console is that the Kinect port has been dropped – you’ll need a separate adapter for that. The 500 GB model will retail for $299, and 1TB for $349 – no word on the 2 TB model yet. The controller is included with the console, but you can buy extras for $59.99
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