The Xbox One S has been out for a couple days now, and is a welcomed upgrade to the original Xbox One. The console is 40% smaller, and beautifully sleek in its current ‘robot white’ iteration. The power supply is now internal, meaning no more brick sized pack hiding behind the TV, and the hard drive has been boosted to 2TB (with 1TB and 500GB models to come later in the month). It is capable of 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray & Streaming, as well as HDR (High Dynamic Range) Contrast, giving greater visual depth for games including Gears of War 4 & Forza Horizon 3.
So far we’re enjoying our time with the One S; the console is faster, looks amazing, and feels a lot more like a games console, and much less like a set top box (although I must admit I did like the look of the original console). The vertical stand really shows up the design of the console, and is a nice touch including it in the bundle box for the 2TB model (we’re looking at you Sony!). The upgraded controller design feels comfortable in our hands, and we’re liking the new textured grip. The controller is compatible with PC’s, tablets and phones thanks to added Bluetooth technology, and offers double the wireless range than the previous controller, though at this point there has not been a need to test this.
The 4K Blu-Ray and Streaming features are great for anyone with a new 4K TV, especially given the price of the native Blu-Ray players right now. HDMI 2.0 is present this time around, meaning 4K 60Hz output compared to 30Hz previously. 4K is there for games too, although only by way of upscaling from 1080p; if you want native 4K gaming, you’ll have to wait for Project Scorpio. So far only Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 & Scalebound are capable of this 4K upscale, none of which are out yet – we’ll all just have to wait to see how good these games will look. Setting up the HDR Contrast to our 4K TV was a bit of trial and error; there are a lot of settings to get right, in order to achieve the best picture. Once figured out though, the enhanced colours and contrast do come through, and paired with the 4K resolution on the few services that offer it (Netflix for us), gives for enjoyable viewing.
It’s hard to think why exactly Microsoft didn’t go with a console like this 3 years ago against the PlayStation 4, and only speculation will tell if it would have changed the company’s fortunes against its rival since launch. The being said, if you currently own an original Xbox One, and are happy enough with the aesthetics and lack of 4K visual capabilities (the updated controller works with both the old and new console) or aren’t desperately after a 4K Blu-Ray player, then it may be worth holding on to it and waiting for Project Scorpio due next year. The One S is a happy addition to the family, but best suited to those looking to buy an Xbox for the first time, compared to those looking for a vastly upgraded replacement.
By Matthew Timberlake
