Xbox One S: Everything we know about the upcoming console refresh

The arrival Xbox’s next generation console is imminent, and just as it did with the 360, the team is expected to unveil a slimmer product with upgraded internals and features, and a refreshed design.

But will it please consumers looking for a more powerful console? That is yet to be seen.

Xbox One Slim: Design changes

There are a few notable differences – based on an early leak – between the Xbox One S and the current Xbox One. First off, the console is shrinking to 60 per cent of its predecessor’s size, that means it’ll take up 40 per cent less space. And while its design shows it’s clearly part of the Xbox One family, there are some subtle design changes.

Unlike the current models, the S’s bottom half looks as though it will be covered in a panel full of machined holes, rather than the series of diagonal slits, for ventilation. In combination with a couple of other factors, ventilation and cooling could be key.

Firstly, there have been rumours suggesting the One S will have a built-in power brick, unlike the Xbox One which has a rather substantial external one. Secondly, the One S will have a vertical stand, so that you can use it either lying flat or upright, just like the PS4.

This could prove vital in keeping the console cool, if the rumours of an internal power brick are true, since it exposes more surfaces to the air, and makes it more efficient at radiating the heat.

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Xbox One Slim: Hardware and specs

From a specification standpoint, the one biggest upgrade is the move to support 4K video. The leaked Xbox One S page stated that this console will support both 4K video output and High Dynamic Range content (HDR), meaning videos will look incredible, providing you have a TV or monitor capable of supporting both 4K and HDR.

We’re unsure whether this means we’ll also get 4K gaming, but we’re fairly certain this means it will support 4K streaming from Netflix and YouTube, as well as (hopefully) having a built-in Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Both 4K and HDR are part of the spec included with Ultra HD Blu-ray, so supporting both makes perfect sense.

If that’s the case, it could be a blow to current bespoke Ultra HD Blu-ray player manufacturers – Samsung and Panasonic – who both charge a premium for players capable of supporting Ultra HD discs. If the Xbox One S is priced aggressively, it could be the most affordable Ultra HD Blu-ray player on the market too.

READ: How to upgrade your Xbox One storage by 2TB and more: That’s up to 100 games

The other main spec upgrade is built-in storage. Unlike the current Xbox One which maxes out at 1TB, the One S is claimed to feature a 2TB drive. Sadly, looking at the language in the placeholder page leak, it’s unlikely this will be the fast part SSD, part hard-disk Hybrid Drive found in the Elite model.

However, as long as this console has at least one one USB 3.1 or 3.0 port, you should be able to hook up your own external solid state drive and configure it to act as a Hybrid Drive of sorts – or you might be able to upgrade it yourself, as you can with the current Xbox One.

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Xbox One Slim: Release date

The Xbox One Slim is expected to be officially announced at the Xbox E3 press conference on 13 June.

Since it hasn’t been officially unveiled yet, we’re unsure when the console is going to be available, but an earlier leak suggested there’s already a pre-order placeholder page ready and waiting, suggesting Microsoft could open it up immediately after announcement.

READ: Xbox E3 2016 Briefing: How to watch it and what to expect for the Xbox One