Game console MICROSOFT Xbox One S 1TB + 2 gamepads (234-00608) It has a memory capacity of 1 TB, so it allows you to install many applications, as well as store information about existing accounts and various media content. The eight-core AMD Jaguar processor is responsible for high performance and speed when loading most programs. The Radeon graphics card ensures smooth transitions between frames in dynamic scenes. Thanks to the significant amount of RAM memory, the system operates without lag.
The MICROSOFT Xbox One S 1TB + 2 gamepads (234-00608) game console supports various playback formats, thanks to the HDMI connector, you can connect the device directly to a home theater or TV. Using the USB port, the model is connected to PCs or laptops. The audio output for acoustics will make the sound spacious and deep. A built-in Wi-Fi module and a LAN connector are used for data transfer. The package includes a pair of joysticks, as well as a Game Pass subscription, through which you can play many games for a month for free.
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The launch of the new generation console from Microsoft turned out to be incredibly blurry: the controversial Always Online policy was changing before our eyes, the Kinect 2.0 sensor was made mandatory, and vague positioning proclaimed the console “the next water cooler.” So many things were “wrong” that it became obvious that sooner or later all this would be abandoned
Well, Microsoft came to its senses in time and significantly improved its position. Conclusions have been drawn, measures have been taken, those responsible are punished: the notorious Don Mattrick is now engaged in fun farms at Zynga, and the stern Phil Spencer is in charge of the Xbox gaming division. Keen gamers can breathe a sigh of relief and think about buying an Xbox again, because a new version of the Xbox One S has arrived on our market, which brings together all the improvements over the past years. We'll tell you everything in the full review!
Specifications
Design
The new Xbox One S is noticeably different in design from its predecessor, and it’s not even due to its reduced size. Aesthetics and ergonomics come to the fore: the console looks beautiful and neat, and most importantly, it has finally gotten rid of the huge external power supply that has been an eyesore since the days of the Xbox 360! This bold innovation completely changed the perception: you look at the little white console, from which only HDMI and a standard power cable stick out, and you can’t believe your eyes. It's as if it has not only become 40% more compact, but also got rid of unnecessary ballast.
There are no complaints about the quality of materials - white matte plastic (color name - Robot White) is pleasant to look at and to the touch. In any case, it will not collect micro-scratches as easily as the black glossy surfaces on the cases of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 of the first version. The assembly also inspires confidence: nothing creaks, there is no play, and in general, the body feels monolithic and weighty - 2.9 kg after all. The ventilation holes set an interesting theme: holes of different sizes adorn the snow-white device.
There is something in this from Scandinavian design and other Bang & Olufsen. True, if the first Xbox One received the comic stigma of a “VHS player” from sarcastic gamers, then the Xbox One S from the top angle turned out to look like... a Soviet radio! It’s as if there’s a speaker hidden in the round hole on top, not a cooling fan.
By the way, according to our feelings, the noise level when operating the Xbox One S has become slightly higher than before. Apparently, the fan of a smaller diameter and a different grille have an effect. But there are no problems with heating, despite the denser packaging of the filling. If you look closely, you can see through the ventilation that the insides are cooled by a large aluminum radiator - and it copes with the task quite well. After a couple of hours of gaming, the temperature of the console is not at all alarming, even if it is installed vertically. Let us remind you that the previous Xbox One could only be used in a horizontal position.
Interfaces
The connectors on the rear panel are lined up: there is power, two HDMI (input/output), two USB 3.0, an IR blaster output, an optical audio output S/PDIF and Ethernet. There is a third USB port hidden at the bottom of the front panel.
An important difference: since Kinect 2.0 no longer plays a significant role, the dedicated port for it has been removed from the console. You need to connect the sensor via a special USB adapter, which is purchased separately. In truth, this inconvenience will affect few gamers, and regular Xbox One owners who have upgraded to the new console can contact Microsoft for a free adapter.
Hardware improvements
The general characteristics of the Xbox One S have remained virtually unchanged: the basis is still a single-chip system consisting of a 64-bit 8-core AMD Jaguar CPU (1.75 GHz) and an AMD Radeon GPU with 12 computing units. But there are changes in the details: the 28 nm process technology has given way to a thinner 16 nm FinFET, so the chip has become more compact and energy efficient.
To realize 4K HDR, additional power was needed: the GPU frequency increased from 853 to 914 MHz. Of course, you shouldn’t expect an explosive increase, but tests show that the increased frequency allows the Xbox One S to produce 1-5 fps more in some games - this is just enough to prevent frame rate drops. As a result, heavy games run a little smoother on the updated hardware.
An updated gamepad is included with the console. Offhand, you won't notice any differences in it, except for the signature Robot White color, but it now supports Bluetooth in addition to the standard protocol. It can be easily connected to Windows 10 devices - computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones, bypassing any adapters. This is great news, because the Xbox controller has many loyal fans who consider its layout to be the most convenient.
The 4K Blu-Ray optical drive is another big tick on the upgrade list. Even though this format has not even officially launched here yet, you should understand that household 4K Blu-Ray players are very expensive devices, at least $400. And here we have a full-fledged console with player functions for $299. It turns out that Xbox One S is one of the most affordable ways to join the ultra-high-quality movie format. It is curious that Sony never decided to install such a drive in the PlayStation 4 Pro, citing the fact that streaming is becoming more and more popular.
HDR image
Perhaps the main innovation of the Xbox One S is 4K HDR image output. Here we must immediately make a reservation: full 4K is supported only in online services like Netflix and in 4K Blu-Ray films. Games are rendered in 1080p with subsequent upscale on the console or TV side, depending on the selected output resolution. But for the first time on Xbox, HDR is being used in both video and games! We paid special attention to him.
The set-top box uses an HDMI 2.0a interface with HDCP 2.2 protection. This allows you to seamlessly connect to the latest 4K TVs at a maximum resolution of 2160p at 60Hz. Owners of older models are not forgotten either: they will be able to activate 2160p at 30 Hz if the TV only has HDMI 1.4. The set-top box automatically detects supported modes by EDID and selects the most suitable one, so in most cases you will not need additional settings.
The same cannot be said about TVs! If the set-top box stubbornly refuses to activate HDR, but you know for sure that the TV supports this format, look for a setting in it called HDMI UHD Color (Samsung), ULTRA HD Deep Color (LG), HDR (Sony, Panasonic) and turn it on to HDMI port where the console is connected. After these manipulations, everything should work as expected. By the way, the same is true for the PlayStation 4 - not everyone manages to launch HDR right away; the problem again lies not in the console, but in the settings described above. Read the instructions for your TV carefully - and you will be happy!
It is curious that in the main menu of the set-top box there is a special section that helps you configure the TV correctly. It seems like a small thing, but what a benefit: if you have doubts that there is something wrong with the image, you can always check it with clear prompts from the system. Nothing fancy, everything is done very simply and clearly.
We used the Samsung UE65KS7500 as a test screen. The TV belongs to the older SUHD series, has a UHD Premium certificate (1000 nits of brightness, wide color gamut, 10-bit color) and fully supports the HDR 10 format used in the Xbox One S. Many respected experts and publications called the KS7000/KS7500 models “the best choice for HDR gaming,” so we have to admit, our expectations were very high. Especially after the mouthwatering HDR 10 demo videos. Let's study the tricks using the example of Microsoft's main autumn blockbusters - Forza Horizon 3 and Gears of War 4!
Forza Horizon 3 is a beautiful game in its own right. Detailed car models, an open world, colorful locations - it would seem that there is no better candidate for transformation into HDR. Turn on the game, check the settings, let's go! Wait, but where is the wow effect? The image did change, but not too dramatically. You have to carefully look for differences: yes, there is a little more depth, but that’s probably all. Doubts arise, settings and firmware are rechecked ten times - but everything is correct, the TV “sees” HDR metadata and works in this mode.
Moving on to Gears of War 4 - this game was originally made in a darker color scheme, which is well suited for displaying HDR. We compare “before” and “after” several times, but again the effect seems insignificant. The insight comes from an unexpected direction: as soon as we dimmed the lights in the room, the difference between HDR and “non-HDR” became much more tangible! It was probably worth doing this right away, because HDR 10 content is initially made for very dark rooms with minimal background lighting - keep this point in mind.
The peak brightness in the rays of light is brought to the maximum without loss of detail, but the shadows are so deep, as if the TV backlight was turned on to a minimum - and this is the whole essence of the technology. A special tonal curve and 10-bit color allow you to “push” the dynamic range of the image, making brightness transitions more subtle and detailed. But this effect is quite limited on TVs with conventional edge lighting, which includes our Samsung KS7500. Some scenes look very convincing, but some still lack deep blacks and local backlight control. The main thing is that without any exaggeration we can say that the Xbox One S works correctly with HDR 10, but the final result very much depends on the capabilities of your TV and viewing conditions!
Conclusion
Xbox One S lived up to expectations and left only one rhetorical question: why, oh why couldn’t the console have been made like this from the very beginning? This is not just “the same Xbox One, only smaller,” as it might seem at first glance. This is a thorough work on bugs, which eliminated the main ergonomic flaws and made the device much more pleasant to use. As for technical improvements, support for 4K and HDR formats looks like something familiar and ordinary these days - however, it all depends on the capabilities of your TV, and the experience will vary markedly. If anything, the Xbox One S is ready for a near future where even toasters can upscale images to 4K.
The disadvantages of the console remained the same: for example, we did not like the installation of games on the HDD that took too long. The console's GPU power is quite modest, which is why multi-platform projects are often released on Xbox One with a lower resolution. Probably, for market balance, a black version is still missing, although the white console looks very nice. But all this is easy to put up with for the sake of good games - and this time you won’t have to find a place for a hefty power supply or fiddle with the “mandatory” Kinect 2.0.
The verdict is very simple: if you are going to buy a console from Microsoft, then you should choose the Xbox One S! If you already have an Xbox One, then it might make sense to upgrade and get some nice newfangled features. It’s better to leave the first version to collectors and residents of spacious American homes; we now have a much more enjoyable way to play the main exclusives like Gears of War and Forza Horizon.
Pros: Build quality of the console and gamepad, their appearance, HDMI cable included. Absolutely sufficient performance for gaming at 1080p resolution, which is important for owners of older TVs. "Adequate Performance" is a fast, smooth and comfortable game; If the best games on the Xbox 360 “drove”, the ones here simply “fly”! The gamepad is even more convenient than on the Xbox 360... except for the central button. Perceptible weight (weight is reliability! (C)). Disadvantages: Central button on the gamepad. She moved to an unusual and inconvenient place and it became almost impossible to find her blindly. It was not possible to transfer the account from the Xbox 360 to a flash drive; I had to download an outdated version from Live without half the achievements. The old games, with the Xbox 360, are exactly the same as before; There is no noticeable increase in speed and comfort, as is the case with new games. Comment: I thought for a long time which version of the console to take. I took a chance and bought an Xbox One S. I didn’t regret it when playing on an old TV with a 1080p resolution. The console obviously handles 1080p confidently. Games in the Xbox 360 version, as it turned out when switching to One S, were ungodly slow. Battlefield 4 on Xbox One S is not only sharper and more beautiful, not only faster; Aiming has been improved to a truly comfortable level! It turned out that in the Xbox 360 version, the terrible aiming was not a tribute to realism, but a consequence of the hardware not meeting the requirements of the game... The difference can be understood with this example. In the Xbox 360 version, a distance of 100 meters for more or less guaranteed headshots required me to use an SVD class sniper rifle. At the same time, it was more difficult to see the enemy and you had to aim long and carefully, overcoming the viscous inertia of the virtual weapon. And on the new Xbox One S, aiming is fast, comfortable, without inhibited inertia; It’s now faster and easier to take headshots at a distance of 100 meters with machine guns and light machine guns than with a sniper rifle on the Xbox 360. You don’t have to look for the difference - it’s felt in the process and brings a lot of pleasure. Conclusion: despite the fact that in nature there is a powerful and seductive Xbox One X, for playing without 4K, the Xbox One S is enough. Savings! There is also an unpleasant thing... A 500 GB disk, it turns out, is small. Very. Forza Horizon 3 alone consumed almost 60 GB. Five decent games - and almost no space left... Meanwhile, the console strives to download tens of GB from Live when trying to play a new game; It seems that the game disc is perceived by the console only as an ID card, and ALL data is downloaded via the Internet. And therefore, if you don’t want to wait three times longer for the game to install, turn off the Internet when installing a new game! Let it be installed from disk! This way you won’t be able to get updates, without which you won’t be allowed online; but if you play alone, the data on the disk will be enough. And you can download updates later!
^With approval of Citizens One Line of Credit at 0% APR and 24-month term. Subject to individual credit approval. Total payment amount from $479.76; taxes, shipping, and other charges are extra and may vary (estimated retail price with Xbox One S All-Digital Edition console; prices will vary by console and retailer). See Citizens One Line of Credit Agreement at https://www.citizensone.com/XAA for full terms and conditions.
† At participating retailers; prices vary by console. 24-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes Xbox Live Gold, Xbox Game Pass for Console, Xbox Game Pass for PC, and other benefits; game catalog varies over time. Internet access required (ISP fees apply). Membership conversion: your existing Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass membership(s) will automatically convert to Ultimate at a conversion ratio, learn more . Digital Direct: Your 24-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership is delivered directly to your console during set-up and is available in Settings; no codes required. Warranty: console is under a 1 year limited hardware warranty (90 days for controller/accessories) regardless of length of financing. (Microsoft Limited Hardware Warranty: https://support.microsoft.com/warranty). Upgrade: Upgrade option after the equivalent of 18 payments for the next Xbox console only, coming Holiday 2020 (excludes Xbox One X, S, and S All Digital Edition). New contract, terms, and pricing apply. Upgrading from Xbox One S All-Digital Edition will require payment of a $20 upgrade fee (subject to change). The fee will be billed by Citizens One and will be due according to the first statement issued following the upgrade. Requires return of console, controller, and power cord in good condition. The next Xbox console available under the upgrade option is subject to FCC rules and will comply with the appropriate FCC rules when available. See product and upgrade terms at .
1. Game Pass monthly subscription required; continues until cancelled. Game selection varies over time. Learn more at.
2. Xbox One S All-Digital Edition Console does not play physical discs.
3. Dolby Atmos for Headphones requires additional purchase from Microsoft Store.
4. Some apps require app provider-specific subscriptions and/or other requirements. See.
5. HDR functionality available with supported games and TVs.
6. Online multiplayer requires Xbox Live Gold subscription (sold separately).
7. PC hardware requirements may vary for games on Windows 10.
8. Xbox One Backward Compatibility feature works with select Xbox 360 games, see. Xbox Live and broadband internet required for initial download of game to console.
9. Excludes the Xbox One S stand that works exclusively with the Xbox One S. Xbox Kinect Adapter (sold separately) required for Kinect on Xbox One S and Xbox One X.
Microsoft Xbox One S is a 2016 gaming console with a 4K Blu-Ray player and support for HDR content. This time, the developers worked on the mistakes that were made three years ago in Xbox One.
The advantages of the console include a compact body, a modern set of communications, 4K video playback from Blu-Ray discs, a large amount of built-in memory and compatibility with Xbox One. But its main advantages are the high-quality adjustment of Full HD resolution up to 4K and support for HDR content.
But to enjoy wide dynamic range and clear pictures, you'll need a modern 4K TV. In addition, in a year Microsoft plans to release a new console called Project Scorpio, which means the new Xbox will automatically become obsolete.
The Xbox One S doesn't feel like a new console, but rather like a compact version of the Xbox One with the bugs fixed. The smartest thing to do is buy the predecessor, which should be much cheaper, or wait for a new, more powerful model next year. You can choose the Xbox One S console if you have a 4K TV with HDR support. This is the only way you can appreciate the benefits of these technologies.
Design
Microsoft Xbox One S has received an updated design. Now it is a rectangular white block with compact dimensions.
The main body material is matte plastic. It may not look as beautiful, but it is more practical, unlike the semi-glossy body of the PlayStation 4. An important innovation is that the power supply is finally placed inside the case, and not outside, as was the case before. At the same time, the console itself has become 40% more compact. The Xbox One S body is visually divided by a black stand that appears to disappear into the darkness. On the top right, the device body is perforated, and there are also ventilation holes. All this looks unusual, but personally, these colors and perforations reminded us more of a Soviet radio receiver than a modern gaming machine. The optical drive and power button, stylized as the Xbox logo, are visible on the front panel. Below them are a USB 3.0 connector and an IR transmitter.
Xbox One S can be installed both horizontally and vertically. In the second case, the console does not stand so reliably, and with horizontal inscriptions on the case, the manufacturer seems to hint at the main use case. Dimensions of Xbox One S: 29.5 x 23 x 6.4 cm, weight: 2.9 kg. The console is only slightly thicker than the PlayStation 4, but 0.4 kg lighter.
Interfaces
Microsoft Xbox One S is equipped with a fairly modern set of ports and interfaces.
At his disposal are:
- three USB 3.0 ports (external media, headsets, etc.)
- HDMI 2.0a output for connecting to a TV
- HDMI input
- optical audio output (for soundbar or sound systems)
- network port (up to 1000 Mbit/s)
- IR blaster output.
Note that HDMI has been updated to version 2.0a, so it now supports HDR and 4K video transmission at 60 Hz. The separate connector for the Kinect touch controller has been eliminated, but it can be connected to the set-top box via a USB adapter.
Xbox One S supports faster and dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac. Bluetooth has finally been added, which should make it easier to connect joysticks and other peripherals. The console has not just an IR port, but also an IR blaster, with which the Xbox One S can control other household devices. The optical drive supports the classic gaming media - Blu-Ray. And unlike the new PlayStation 4 Pro, it plays 4K video from Blu-ray discs.
Hardware filling
It sounds surprising and even strange, but the hardware of the Xbox One S remains almost the same. Microsoft has only slightly overclocked the video and eSRAM memory bandwidth. It looks like the company decided to save the hardware upgrade for the next console, Project Scorpio, which is scheduled for release in 2017.
The Xbox One S uses an 8-core AMD Jaguar processor clocked at up to 1.75 GHz. For graphics, there is an AMD Radeon-based chip with an increased frequency (914 MHz instead of 853 MHz). At the same time, performance also increased slightly - from 1.31 Teraflops to 1.4, which means 1.4 trillion operations per second. As before, 8 GB of unified (common for CPU and GPU) DDR3 RAM is used. Note that the PlayStation 4 has long used faster GDDR5 memory. The difference in the lag from the competitor is solved using a buffer from eSRAM memory with increased bandwidth, which has increased from 204 to 219 GB/s.
As you already understood, the filling remained the same as its predecessor. But where did the power come from to support higher 4K resolutions and HDR content? The secret is simple: it's just an upscaling of Full HD to Ultra HD, although of higher quality than that of TVs. This means that PC games running at true 4K resolution will have higher image clarity.
To enjoy the graphics improvements, you'll need a 4K TV that supports HDR content. In addition, the game must meet these innovations, and there are few of them yet. Separately, we note that you will still have to suffer to get the TV to work in this mode and recognize the HDR signal from the set-top box. On sale you can find several versions of the Xbox One S - with a 500 GB, 1000 GB or 2 TB HDD. Unlike the PlayStation 4, you cannot change the hard drive in the console, but you can connect external media. In terms of device performance, we found the Xbox One S to be noisier and games to take a long time to install.
Joystick
The Xbox One S joystick has undergone a slight redesign, but has not changed fundamentally. This is the same convenient gamepad, but in our opinion, it began to look a little frivolous.
The plastic material has become rougher, thanks to this the joystick lies more securely in the hand. Finally, the gamepad has Bluetooth. Analog sticks have a special texture along the rims, due to which they will not slip under your fingers. As before, clicks on the D-pad (d-pad) are clear, the triggers on the back can vibrate, which gives feedback in games.
The joystick weighs 280 grams and runs on two AA batteries. The Kinect touch controller has not been abandoned, but it is not included in the basic package. Moreover, the special connector for it has disappeared from the body of the set-top box, so you will have to buy an adapter along with it.
Menu, multiplayer and more
Nothing has changed regarding this parameter. The console is backwards compatible with Xbox One—games, applications, and proprietary features also work on the new console.
As before, the main menu is divided into four sections: Home, Community, OneGuide and Store. The first contains a list of games and previously launched applications. Community contains social features, OneGuide contains video content, and Store contains a branded store with games, videos, music, and more. Some new games have multiplayer capabilities with PC owners.
The Xbox One S built-in player plays almost all audio and video formats. Many applications for the console (ivi cinema, YouTube service, browser and some others) are free, but a subscription to the Xbox Live service for multiplayer costs money. Once a month, Gold subscribers can download several games for free. But as a rule, these are not the most popular toys.