With the launch of the new Xbox One X just a few months away, Microsoft appears to be phasing out the original Xbox One console released back in November 2013. As spotted by Console Deals, the old console is now completely out of stock on the company’s UK store, and the US Microsoft Store is now only selling refurbished models for $200, which are now relegated to the bottom of the Xbox One landing page.
For $50 more, Microsoft is selling the Xbox One S 500GB Minecraft Favorites Bundle, and the updated console released last August is a significant improvement over the original Xbox One: while the first Xbox One now looks like an old VCR, the Xbox One X is 40% smaller (with built-in power supply), more energy efficient and also less noisy compared to the bigger model. The more powerful Xbox One X probably won’t bring power consumption and noise reduction improvements, but it will have a smaller body than the Xbox One S, which is already quite an achievement.
With the original Xbox One now on the way out, Microsoft can focus its marketing efforts on the affordable Xbox One S and the premium Xbox One X, which will be the best gaming console on the market this holiday season. A couple of weeks ago, we spotted that Microsoft had quietly refreshed the Xbox One S logo to make it more consistent with the Xbox One X logo.
As the Xbox One S is just one year old, the original Xbox One probably remains the most popular model in the market as of today. The legacy design obviously still has its fans, as an Australian shop is now customising old units with transparent cases and lots of LED lights. Do you still have an original Xbox One, and if so do you plan to sell it and upgrade to one of the newer consoles? Let us know below.