So that Xbox Games Showcase, am I right? Microsoft came screaming out of the proverbial gate earlier today with a raging onslaught of incredible-looking titles at its 2024 not-E3 mass software unveiling, and wow, did Xbox need a killer show like this. Bravo to all the teams involved. Seriously.
Gears of War: E-Day, Fable and my personal favorite, southern gothic and restoring-my-faith-in-creative-development powerhouse South of Midnight, were just some of the amazing games which got paraded out to eager Xbox fans and skeptical onlookers alike. And damn, did this show deliver. It wasn’t only software revealed, though, and Microsoft was happy to announce three new Xbox console variants arriving for Holiday 2024.
First up, we’ve got a brand new Robot White Xbox Series S that sports 1TB of internal storage. This is similar to the Carbon Black S console released last year, and from the ‘while supplies last’ verbiage that Microsoft is using on its blog post, it appears we might see the Carbon Black version phased out relatively soon.
The Robot White system will retail for $349.99, the same as the older Carbon Black version. Do keep in mind what the S console is in terms of internals: A more affordable, less capable piece of hardware than the Series X, essentially. There’s no true 4K resolution here, only 1440p (upscaled to 4K), and the included processor isn’t as beefy or snappy. Oh, and no physical disc drive—it’s all digital. But, if you don’t care about having the absolute best specs and features, then the S is a solid choice for gamers on a budget.
Next up, also in Robot White, is a new all-digital 1TB Xbox Series X for $449.99. Notable, of course, mostly because the disc drive has been removed. It seems Microsoft is additionally phasing out the original Carbon Black 1TB Xbox Series X, and if I’m not mistaken, isn’t $450 a certain price reduction? It’s been a while since I’ve looked at Series X pricing and I figured they were still going for $500. Either way, the white digital Series X looks slick, and should be a good, powerful option for non-physical Xbox gamers. Typing that out makes me realize how strange ‘non-physical’ sounds. Keepin’ it weird up in here. All day, every day.
Last on the list is the console I desperately want, which is the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition Xbox Series X. It obviously features double the SSD storage of a typical Series X console, as well as a rad space design. The machine’s shell looks like the night sky infused with Xbox Velocity Green (their words, not mine) which transfers over to the celestial d-pad on the matching black controller. That special green tone makes its way to the back of the gamepad, too, in addition to the console’s circular stand. It looks very cool.
Oh, and the Galaxy Black Series X does include a disc drive, which, alongside the increase in storage, is probably why it’s priced at $599.99. $600 is a lot to fork out for a gaming console, but the aesthetic is amazing, and it’s still leagues cheaper than buying a proper gaming PC.
Plus, after that insane Xbox showcase we just witnessed, I don’t know how anybody watching wouldn’t be swayed to purchase an Xbox at this point. Yeah, if you’ve got a great PC, then many of these titles will be playable there, but still.
Velocity Green constellations, man. What more could you ask for?
