In an announcement today, Microsoft revealed that its new Xbox One console, called the Xbox One S, will be coming to stores on August 2. However, while the announcement is great for diehard Xbox fans, it leaves frugal ones with an important question to consider: "Is it worth the investment?"
Come August 2, the Xbox One S 2 TB launch edition will arrive in "select regions" for $399, with the 1 TB and 500 GB versions coming at a later date.
Under normal circumstances, $399 wouldn't be that much of an issue for a new console, and even in this instance, it still isn't. The problem, though, is that Microsoft is already slated to release yet another Xbox One, codenamed Project Scorpio, in fall 2017 that promises to be significantly more powerful than the current Xbox One model.
With that in mind, we really need to question whether the Xbox One S offers enough to both existing and future Xbox One owners, to convince them to purchase an Xbox One S for $399 now, when the Scorpio — which, once again, has already been confirmed by Microsoft to be a complete upgrade — will be coming in a little over a year.
For what it's worth, this dilemma is by no means new. Microsoft made the controversial decision to unveil both consoles back-to-back at E3, so onlookers definitely knew this issue would arise sooner or later.
Now, the issue has reared its ugly head, though from Microsoft's point of view, there is no problem of which to speak. According to the company's website, the Xbox One S is a worthy investment, as it is 40 percent smaller than the original Xbox One and has support for 4K/HDR. Furthermore, it features an IR blaster and comes with a revamped Xbox wireless controller with textured grip and Bluetooth connectivity for gaming on Windows 10 devices.
Is all of this worth $399 if you already have an Xbox One? Sure, the revamped controllers are nice, but those will also be launched separately, so it's a non-issue. In a similar vein, how badly do you need 4K/High Dynamic Range when you've been fine without it on the original Xbox One and it will be coming on the Scorpio anyway?
In the end, the most important factor in determining whether the console is worth purchasing is its impact on games. Microsoft has already confirmed that all iterations of the Xbox One (i.e., the original, S and Scorpio), will be able to play the same library of games. However, whereas the Scorpio will be able to natively run games in 4K and is built to support high-end VR, according to Microsoft's website, the Xbox One S only offers gamers the chance to experience their games in "richer, more luminous" color.
All in all, the Xbox One S is definitely a step up from the original Xbox One, but is it worth $399 when we know that a significantly more powerful console is coming later down the line? This might hardly be worth thinking about for those who have cash to throw at every new piece of tech that comes around, and for those who fall into that category, the console is available for preorder via the Microsoft Store, Amazon and Best Buy.
However, for those without that kind of cash or who are simply more withholding when it comes to money, then this is definitely a question worth considering.
