Gamers around the world were on their toes since last month, after an accidental leak through a games forum about a new Xbox came in. The speculation then turned red when Microsoft confirmed the existence of the console and gave us an official glimpse at the Electronic Entertainment Expo event in Los Angeles. Today the company finally announced that the Xbox One S will officially roll out starting August 2.
The initial release version of the new console will come with 2 TB of internal storage. Pre-orders for the device have already started and you can order one through microsoftstore.com and select retailers. Microsoft takes pride is stating that demand is high and so you may have to check for availability before ordering. You will also be able to buy 1 TB and 500 GB versions of the console later this year.
The device will initially be available in 25 markets including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and the United States. It will see release in other markets by the end of this year.
Features
The Xbox One was one of the bulkiest gaming consoles out there. And while features made up for it on most fronts, it was still a mammoth. Taking this into account, Microsoft boasts that the Xbox One S is the most compact Xbox yet, 40 percent smaller than the original Xbox One. Not just this, the console also offers many goodies that make it worth the while.
The One S (not to be confused with a number of smartphones sharing this name) comes with a built-in power supply which is great, to say the least. Also, one of the three USB ports on the back as well as the pairing button has been shifted to the front of the console to improve accessibility. It’s also the first Xbox to come with built-in support for 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (HDR).
The graphics have also been enhanced to give true light to dark contrast ratios and provide better colour depth.
Gamers will also love to know that the Xbox One S will also come bundled with the new Xbox Wireless Controller featuring textured grip, improved Xbox Wireless signal and added Bluetooth support. This will be available as a standalone item for just under $60 and will roll out with the One S.
