Microsoft has made a new Xbox, only it’s not entirely new. The Xbox One S is a 0.5 upgrade to the existing Xbox one, rather than its successor. But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s the same console, because this one has a few new tricks up its sleeves.
While the Xbox One S is deep down the same console Microsoft released in 2013, there have been significant changes. It’s far slicker and prettier, fixing many of the original console’s aesthetic issues. It also adds 4K and high dynamic range ( HDR) , which means your games and videos can make the most of the latest TVs.
It doesn’t offer the big graphical bump of the newly announced PS4 Pro. Nor does it benefit from the major horsepower boost of the next-generation Xbox, codenamed Project Scorpio. But what it does have may make it the best-selling console of 2016: it’s the most affordable UHD Blu-ray player on the market.
The Xbox One S is the only console to play 4K Blu-rays. This could make the Xbox One S a surprise hit with movie fans on a budget, who are looking for an inexpensive way to enjoy 4K content. It could help rocket 4K Blu-ray sales too, in the same way the Sony PS3 did with standard Blu-rays. What’s more, it’s actually a decent UHD Blu-ray player.