Microsoft has announced a November 10 launch date for the next generation of its Xbox gaming console, which will debut in two iterations, the full-featured Xbox Series X and the streamlined, budget-minded Xbox Series S.
Pre-orders start September 22.
Priced at $499, the Xbox Series X is a full-featured gaming console, including high-level gaming computer hardware (an 8 core AMD Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2-class GPU), advanced cooling tech and a 4K Blu-ray player.
“While the Xbox Series X will deliver a massive increase in GPU performance and continue to redefine and advance the state of art in graphics with new capabilities such as hardware accelerated raytracing, we don’t believe this generation will be defined by graphics or resolution alone.” said Jason Ronald, director of product management on Xbox Series X, in a statement.
“The team knew they needed to build a next-generation console that could run games in 4K at 60 fps with no compromises for developers,” he added. “They also challenged themselves to deliver a level of performance once thought impossible on console, including support for up to 120 fps for the most demanding and competitive games.”
The $299 Series S, meanwhile, offers a more compact, affordable solution for more casual gamers, without features such as the Blu-ray player.
Both models are powered by the Xbox Velocity Architecture, which will deliver faster load times and Quick Resume. Both feature HDMI 2.1, frame rates up to 120fps, DirectX Raytracing and Variable Rate Shading. Series X and S also support Spatial Sound, including Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision via streaming media apps like Disney Plus, Vudu and Netflix.
Notably, Microsoft is trying to up the affordability factor for its two consoles by creating a 24-month payment plan that bundles in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Service. That bundle is priced at $24.99 a month for 24 months for the Series S, and $34.99 for the Series X.
