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Exactly What the Hell is the Point of the New Xbox One S?

Exactly What the Hell is the Point of the New Xbox One S?

It’s easy to be judgmental about a console revision or incremental upgrade from afar. You hear about a new version of a system and, whether you already own one or not, you question the need for such a thing. Do PlayStation 4 or Xbox One owners really need Project Neo or Scorpio? Moreover, is Microsoft getting too greedy with the Xbox One S, considering Project Scorpio will be released next year? After playing on the Xbox One S at E3 2016, I don’t think it’s such a crazy prospect at all. In fact, I’m impressed.

The Xbox One S does so many things right that it’s easy to see why Microsoft felt the need to make such a thing. As someone who owns the original Xbox One, I can understand the mindset of one who may want to upgrade. To start, it’s so incredibly small. Do you know how many systems I have in my media center, below my TV? Six. There’s the Wii U, PS4, PS3, PS2, Dreamcast, and RetroN 5. It’s so packed that the Wii and Xbox One are connected to my bedroom TV. If I had an Xbox One S, I could have fit it in the living room with its brethren, instead of banishing it to the other room. The lack of a power brick and the practicality of a system that’s 40% smaller than the first iteration can be a godsend when space is at a premium.

It also feels like a more user-friendly system. Not that the original Xbox One isn’t. Aside from the introductory firmware updates, it’s very much a plug-and-play console. But the Xbox One S addresses some concerns people might not even know they had. It has physical buttons on the console itself, instead of sensors to turn it on or eject discs. Even though I was accustomed to the PS4’s similar controls, I was initially flummoxed when I set my Xbox One up, messaging a friend to ask him how to get a disc out. (He decided to be “smart” and tell me to tell it to, knowing I didn’t have a Kinect.) Physical buttons mean it’ll be better for people who aren’t as familiar with consoles.

As will that 2TB hard drive launch edition. It’s possible to expand memory on these systems, sure. You can plug in an external hard drive and be set. But how many less-versed people really want to do that? With 2TB in the Xbox One S, you’re set. No need to worry or fret about it. You can put that toward enjoying HDR, since there’s the possibility of 4K streaming, or enjoy the slightly higher frame rate that may come from this new box.

Exactly What the Hell is the Point of the New Xbox One S?

The lack of immediate Kinect support may pose a problem. The Xbox One S requires an adapter for it, after all, but again, I don’t think this is an issue. This isn’t a system for people who want all the bells and whistles. This is for someone who wants an Xbox One that fits into their lives. It’s a system you don’t have to think too much about. Trying to force a Kinect into the mix goes against its style anyway.

Here’s my takeaway on the Xbox One S, as it stands today. This is a system for people who aren’t at all interested in Project Scorpio, but do want an Xbox One. Maybe it’s for a family that wants something small and durable to leave in their living room. Perhaps it’s someone who hasn’t owned a console either before or in a while and needs to get their feet wet. It could even be for someone like me, who has all the systems but figures a smaller Xbox One with a larger hard drive and 4K support might be best. It has its place, and people will discover that after its release.

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