Joe Hindy / Android Authority
TL;DR
- An accidentally unredacted file has revealed Microsoft’s refreshed Xbox consoles.
- The documents detail Microsoft’s refreshed Xbox Series S, Series X, and controller.
- It looks like the new Series X console will drop a disc drive as well.
It’s not uncommon for console manufacturers to reveal a refreshed model in the middle of a generation, featuring a different design and/or smaller chips for improved thermals. However, an unredacted legal filing has given us a detailed look at Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Series S and Series X refreshes.
The FTC uploaded unredacted documents from Microsoft (h/t: ResetEra), showing off the refreshed Xbox Series S (codenamed Ellewood) and a refreshed Xbox Series X (codenamed Brooklin). The documents have since been redacted, but not before X users and media outlets grabbed images.
For starters, we’ve got a look at the upgraded Xbox Series X, featuring a cylindrical design this time. The new console will lack a disc drive but offers 2TB of internal storage and a 6nm chip for reduced power consumption (down from 7nm). The console is set to cost $499, in line with the current Series X. Check out the image below.
Meanwhile, the refreshed Xbox Series S model looks identical to the current Series S console. But Microsoft will offer 1TB of internal storage (up from 512GB). The refreshed machine will apparently retail for the same $299 price tag as the current console. Check out the image below.
The two consoles will also share Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, and a brand-new $69 controller codenamed Sebile. This controller will pack an accelerometer (typically used for gyro input) along with Bluetooth 5.2 support, quieter buttons and sticks, and lift-to-wake functionality.
Finally, the unredacted documents point to a June/July 2024 announcement, followed by the refreshed Xbox Series S releasing in August 2024 and the refreshed Xbox Series X coming in October. The new controller is set to launch in May 2024. Microsoft’s documents also mention a $199 Black Friday 2024 promotion for the current 512GB Xbox Series S model.
What do you think of Microsoft completely getting rid of a disc drive?
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Either way, we’re a little bummed that the refreshed Xbox Series X will drop the disc drive. Aside from requiring a disc drive for physical Xbox Series discs, there are some retro Xbox games that are only backwards compatible with a physical disc. So people with a huge physical game library or those who care about game preservation might want to get the current Series X instead.
