By: Max Cannon
In a report from Keza MacDonald and Jason Schreier of Kotaku, Microsoft may be planning to release a new version of the Xbox One. Reports are leaking out of a slim model of the Xbox One, similar to the smaller Xbox 360 models of the past. That could potentially release this year and also hold a larger hard drive with up to 2 terabytes of space, which would definitely be beneficial to those who are filling up their consoles. The Kotaku writers also believe we will see this new console at E3, and I'm definitely going to agree with them.
Slimmer consoles are a standard part of many console generations. The PlayStation 3 had 3 different models of decreasing sizes and the Wii ended its lifespan with the release of the Wii Mini. In addition to taking up less space these consoles may use less power, run quieter, and make a number of different mechanical changes. This is an expected release but Microsoft is also planning on doing something that is less typical.
A new model of Xbox 360 launched alongside the Xbox One.Courtesy of IGN
One Smaller and One Faster
The Xbox One is also getting another console that will have a significant hardware jump. Though there aren't any specifics about the specs of this new hardware the rumors have presumed that we would see a faster GPU, potential 4K resolution, and the ability to use an Oculus Rift with the new Xbox One. The project is currently codenamed "Scorpio" and would potentially be revealed at E3, just like we would speculate about the Xbox One slim.
This would be a console that could potentially run games faster and with a higher graphic fidelity. This isn't unlike the rumor of the PlayStation 4.5, which was codenamed "PlayStation Neo," and would also run games better than your standard PS4.
People have been upset at the change to the console market, as a console will usually last around 5 years with only slight upgrades and will sit on store shelves alongside previous models of the same console. With this potential upgrade this will more than likely move the inferior Xbox One/PS4 off of the market to make room for the new one. This would significantly shorten console life spans and the cycle would become closer to that of the mobile phone market.
The original Xbox One which has already seen slight changes.Courtesy of Polygon
Have Your Say!
What do you think of the possibility of a new Xbox One? Would you want the faster Xbox or the new PlayStation Neo? Leave a comment below!
