The three new versions of its Xbox Series consoles that Microsoft unveiled back in June are available to pre-order now and will arrive on October 15.
Together, they offer more storage for all your games and apps (up to a whopping two terabytes), along with new colour options, including an exclusive cosmic variant that can only be purchased directly from the Microsoft store.
Xbox launched the consoles today to coincide with Gamescom, the gaming event currently being held in Cologne, Germany.
Xbox Series X – 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition price
At the top of the range sits the Xbox Series X – 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition, a £549.99 beast of a gaming machine.
Other than the added storage space and new specks of psychedelic green paint, it’s virtually identical to the original Series X from 2020, from the speed to the performance. At least the matching controller looks cool, though.
The custom AMD Zen 2 CPU is still here, with multiple cores for fast processing, along with a powerful custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU for high-quality graphics, and 16GB memory to support smooth gameplay.
Xbox Series X – 1TB Digital White Edition price
If that’s out of your budget, you can opt for the new Xbox Series X – 1TB Digital White Edition (£429.99). As its name implies, this model simply ditches the disc drive from its pricier sibling, meaning it can only play digital games, which typically cost more than their physical counterparts and can’t be bought second hand.
Still, that 1TB of storage should provide ample space for all your online purchases.
Xbox Series S – 1TB White price
Finally, Microsoft’s affordable (but pared back) Xbox Series S – 1TB White (£299.99) also packs extra storage space. It’s a solid alternative for those looking to play the latest games at a fraction of the cost of a Series X, or PS5 (£390), for that matter.
Still, if you’re looking to save money, you could just buy the original model with half the storage room for £250, or wait till it goes on sale again and get it for even less. If white isn’t your colour, a black version with 1TB of storage has been available for a while now.
How do they compare?
The main differences between the models is that Xbox Series X displays games at a native 4K and the Series S at a lower quality 1440p resolution. Until now, the X was only available with a disc drive, which also doubles up as a UHD Blu-ray Disc player.
Why storage space is important
With download sizes for popular live service games like Fortnite and Call of Duty inflating with each update, the lack of room on consoles is a source of frustration for many gamers.
It’s tempting to buy the cheapest model just so you can experience next-gen gaming but, sooner or later, you’ll need a storage expansion card for all your games and saved data. That is, unless you want to constantly delete older games to make way for new ones.
With consoles serving as our main sources for other forms of entertainment, you will also need room for apps like Spotify and Netflix, though they tend to be much smaller compared to games.
What’s next for Xbox?
The launch comes as questions are being asked about Microsoft’s commitment to its long-running Xbox console brand. In recent months, the company has released several previously exclusive titles on its rival Sony’s PlayStation console, including British developer Rare’s popular pirate adventure Sea of Thieves.
At the currently ongoing Gamescom conference, where Xbox has a massive presence, it was also revealed that Microsoft studio Bethesda’s upcoming Indiana Jones game will be heading to PS5 shortly after its Xbox release this December.
At the same time, Microsoft has increasingly been pushing its multi-device Game Pass subscription service. The strategy has led some to believe that Microsoft is positioning itself for a future free of consoles at a time when youngsters are increasingly playing on their mobiles and tablets.
