Xbox one s
Microsoft has retu rne d to bat with a smalle r an d cons iderabl y white r console . the quest ion is, thou gh, is it an up grade wo rthy of you r cas h? T3 finds out ...
Microsoft’s souped-up games console is flying off the shelves, and here’s what we make of it
ur first reaction when removing the Xbox One S from its box was, “Well, that’s much more desirable as an object.” The console’s smaller overall footprint, cleaner lines, and fresh and light colour scheme, give it a modern aesthetic and, interestingly, much more of a presence when viewed in person compared to the original Xbox One.
Another thing that immediately stands out is the new, dimpled patternation that covers large swathes of the console. Yes, the ugly, black industrial grating of the original Xbox One is no more, with the front, sides and half the top of the system now covered with little indents. This styling continues at the rear of the system, where a strip of air holes acts as a cooling grille.
Microsoft has always been good at the setting-up process, and it’s business as usual as soon as you press the controller’s Xbox button. A series of slick menus clearly guide you through set-up, with things like hooking the system up to your home network a seamless experience.
Of course, as soon as you’ve got the Xbox One S online during set-up, it immediately updates. This is necessary for switching on the console’s 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray playback and streaming capabilities.
4K Ultra HD hot ness
Because that’s really why you’re buying this new system, right? Sure, the £349 version we tested gives you a generous 2TB hard drive, but it’s ultimately the 4K capability you’re investing in, isn’t it? If it’s not, that sure is a lot of money to burn on what amounts to just a slightly smaller system with a more pleasing aesthetic and a streamlined controller.
The good news is that, once the Xbox One S is set up and loaded with the update, and once the relevant apps are downloaded, the 4K experience is superb. For a start, the system automatically detects if you’re running a 4K TV, and asks to upgrade the dash’s resolution accordingly. Once you’ve got it displaying at 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, streaming or playing content in 4K is as simple as starting the relevant app – such as Netflix or Amazon Prime – or loading your 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc of choice (we watched some Stranger Things, Salt and Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice – Ultimate Edition).
You know that 2TB hard drive we spoke about? Well, unsurprisingly, you don’t get to use all of that storage