As you may or may not have heard - we have a new, redesigned, Xbox One console coming in on the horizon called the Xbox One S! We're extremely excited for the sleek and slim Xbox One S to arrive on August 2nd, 2016, and we hope to answer any questions each of you may have in this FAQ.
Q: What are the primary differences between the Xbox One and the Xbox One S?
A: That's a great, obvious first question you may have! Let's go through the goods:
- Sleek and Slim: The Xbox One S is 40% smaller than the Xbox One. In addition to the small form factor, the new Xbox One S can either sit horizontally, or be stood up vertically with the Xbox One S Vertical Stand! Words simply do not do this justice, just look at this beauty: Meet Xbox One S.
- More space: The Xbox One S, while being 40% smaller, now offers up to 2TB of storage. This will allow you to install more Games & Apps on your Xbox One than ever before!
- HDR: The Xbox One S also brings in High Dynamic Range support. HDR allows you to enjoy your games with a higher contrast ratio between lights and darks. This unlocked the true visual depth of your Xbox One games.
- 4K: Along with all of the awesome benefits mentioned above, the new Xbox One S brings in 4K support! With built in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ and 4K content streaming from apps such as Amazon Video and Netflix, you can enjoy 4K content in the clearest, most realistic video possible.
- No power brick: That's right, not only do you get a 40% smaller Xbox One console with the Xbox One S, but you don't have to worry about a separate power supply unit! The power is now located inside the Xbox One S, and all you need to worry about is a single power cable.
Q: What exactly is 4K?
A: 4K (also known as, 4K UHD, 4K Ultra High Definition) refers to ultra-high resolution content or displays/TVs. 4K packs in four times as many pixels as a 1080p display, which provides a sharper, more detailed picture.
In order to get the most out of 4K, here's what you'll need:
- A 4K TV/Monitor.
- A 4K supported device such as the Xbox One S.
- Content that supports
Q: Will all of my games & apps display at 4K?
A: When the Xbox One S resolution is set to '4K UHD' in the console's settings, everything including the Xbox One dashboard, games, and apps will display at 4K. Obviously this means native 4K content will display at 4K, but this also means content in other resolutions (such as 1080p) will be upscaled to display at 4K.
Note: Upscaling to 4K does not make lower resolution content appear the same quality as a content that is natively 4K. Upscaling 1080p content to 4K, in short, mathematically matches the output pixel count to the physical pixels.
Q: What does HDR do for gaming?
A: HDR (or High Dynamic Range) on an HDR compatible TV will display deeper colors and richer contrast. This will make your HDR supported games, including other HDR supported content such as movies, appear much more vibrant and realistic than they would on a regular high definition TV.
Note: An HDR compatible TV that at least supports HDR10 is required to take advantage of this feature
Q: I may be purchasing this for the TV capabilities, will I need an IR Blaster along with the Xbox One S?
A: Nope! The Xbox One S includes a built in IR Blaster.
Q: Will the Xbox One controller be getting an update as well?
A: Yup! The new Xbox One controller offers a textured grip, both Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth support so you can pair your controller to your Windows 10 PC, and increased range! Each Xbox One S console comes with a new Xbox One controller.
Q: I love the sound of this new controller, but I wish I could customize my own controller..
A: Your wish is our command. Our Xbox Design Lab is built to give gamers full control over the design of their new Xbox One controller with over 8 million possible color combinations!
Q: I own a Kinect 2.0 sensor from my original Xbox One console, am I able to plug my Kinect 2.0 into the Xbox One S?
A: While the Xbox One S does not have a Kinect 2.0 port, we will have a Kinect 2.0 USB adapter available. This adapter will be available for free to customers who have an existing Xbox One console, an Xbox One Kinect and an Xbox One S console. You will need the serial number for all three devices to get the free Xbox Kinect Adapter.
Once you have all three of those items, head on over to our Xbox One S Kinect Adapter support page to start that process (You can also get a head start by visiting Device Support to register your existing Xbox One console and your Kinect 2.0 sensor).
Q: Ok, I think I'm sold on the Xbox One S! What are my options?
A: Below you can find the different Xbox One S consoles you can pre-purchase through the Microsoft Store:
- 500GB Xbox One S: $299 USD
- 1TB Xbox One S: $349 USD
- 2TB: Xbox One S: $399 USD
Includes the Xbox One S Vertical Stand
