Xbox Series X Slim: release date, price, rumors and features
Thanks to substantial leak, we know Microsoft's planning an Xbox Series X redesign
Microsoft is preparing to launch an Xbox Series X Slim, a redesigned and enhanced version of its flagship console that includes new features, a smaller profile, and one controversial change.
Thanks to a massive and unprecedented Xbox leak, Microsoft’s plans for the future have been laid bare for all to see. And while many aspects could change, as noted by Xbox boss Phil Spencer, it’s still the best insight we’ll get into the company’s top-secret plans.
So what can we expect from the Xbox Series X Slim? And is it really necessary when Microsoft already has the Xbox Series S? Here’s everything we know so far about Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Series X redesign.
If you’re not prepared to wait for the new model, check out our Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S comparison before you buy or our PS5 Slim vs Xbox Series X Slim for a head-to-head showdown between Sony and Microsoft’s refreshed consoles.
Xbox Series X Slim release date
Much like the now-confirmed and widely available PS5 Slim, Microsoft appears to be developing its own smaller and more efficient console. The Xbox Series X Slim, or Xbox Series X Digital Edition as some might call it, is expected to be released in November 2024, which would be a similar timeframe to the Nintendo Switch 2.
Speaking on the Official Xbox Podcast, Xbox president Sarah Bond recently confirmed that Microsoft will be releasing new hardware “this holiday”.
“There’s some exciting stuff coming out in hardware that we’re gonna share this holiday,” said Bond. “We’re also invested in the next-generation roadmap.”
Xbox’s official X account also posted: “Xbox hardware will also continue to be a flagship experience for players and for game developers to launch games on with a robust and innovative multi-year hardware roadmap, including more console and controller options for you this holiday.”
Microsoft has released a slim or revised console since the Xbox 360 generation. We saw the Xbox One S last gen and, even though the Xbox Series S is the smallest Xbox ever made, a more power-efficient and sleeker Xbox Series X console will appeal to many.
From the leaked documents, it appears that Microsoft is taking its Xbox Series X Slim model more seriously than Sony’s PS5 Slim, which, apart from adding more storage and another USB-C port on the front, is practically identical to the older model.
Several changes are being made to the console’s IO and design, including making it more sustainable and power-efficient. It’ll also ship with a brand-new controller that borrows many of the PS5 DualSense controller’s features.
Xbox Series X Slim price
The Xbox Series X Slim price is expected to be $499, which is the same as the current Xbox Series X. That might come as a disappointment to many, as slim revisions of a console usually launch for a reduced price as they’re cheaper to manufacture and ship. However, as we’ve seen with Sony’s PS5 Slim, this isn’t always the case.
Microsoft will be hoping that some of the new features of the Xbox Series X Slim will help justify keeping the same $499 price point, but this could change by the time it launches in 2024, as there may be an opportunity to release it for less.
Over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the price of the Xbox Series X console dropped as low as $349 with a game included. If Microsoft wants to push its new hardware aggressively, a cheaper price for the new model or a steep discount on the original would help.
Microsoft could bundle in a couple of months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or a download code for one of its biggest titles to sweeten the deal, something which Sony did with the PS5 Slim launch.
Xbox Series X Slim features
Aside from a smaller, more cylindrical design, the biggest change to the Xbox Series X Slim is that it won’t include a disc drive. That’s a controversial change for many as millions of people still prefer buying games on disc instead of digitally. It also means that there won’t be an Xbox console with a disc drive anymore, as the Xbox Series S is also a digital-only console.
Rumors suggested that Microsoft might abandon physical games for an all-digital Xbox future, as it reportedly shut down departments responsible for bringing physical games to market. Notable Xbox Series X exclusive Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 won’t get a physical release when it launches this year, and Hi-Fi Rush and Alan Wake 2 also launched as digital-only titles.
However, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has since clarified the company’s stance on physical media. Speaking to Game File, Spencer said: “We are supportive of physical media, but we don't have a need to drive that disproportionate to customer demand.
“We ship games physically and digitally, and we're really just following what the customers are doing. And I think our job in running Xbox is to deliver on the things that a majority of the customers want. And right now, a majority of our customers are buying games digitally.”
Microsoft could release a disc drive add-on, similar to how Sony has for the PS5 Slim. But with Best Buy announcing it will no longer sell 4K Blu-ray discs in 2024, perhaps the shift to digital is now upon us. The majority of game sales are digital, too, but physical copies remain the best way to get the cheapest prices.
Other changes to the Xbox Series X Slim include 2TB of storage (an increase of 1TB), improvements to the consoles IO, and WiFi 6E for better throughput, latency, and interference mitigation.
The console will also be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. It’ll draw 15% less power when in use, 20% less power when in standby mode, and be made from more recycled materials. It’ll also come in 100% recyclable packaging. That’s a step above the new PS5 Slim, which didn’t make any improvements to the console’s efficiency or power draw.
The Xbox Series X Slim will ship with the new Xbox controller, codenamed Sebille, which features haptic feedback, gyro control, quieter buttons and thumbsticks, and modular analog sticks for increased durability.
A USB-C port will also replace the USB-A port found on the front of the Xbox Series X console and a Bluetooth 5.2 radio will improve the user experience when using the best Xbox Series X accessories.
Xbox Series X Slim rumors
Microsoft had previously ruled out releasing a more powerful mid-gen console like the rumored PS5 Pro, and the Xbox leak only affirmed that message. Xbox boss Phil Spencer previously said that releasing an Xbox One X-like refresh wasn’t on the cards.
“That’s not the feedback we’re getting right now. Right now, we’re pretty set on the hardware we have,” Spencer said. However, Microsoft has since released a black Xbox Series S with more storage, and an Xbox Series X Digital Edition was tipped to be in development back in August.
A cheaper white Xbox Series X is rumored to be released this summer, which will remove the disc drive but won’t feature any of the improvements of a true Xbox Series X Slim redesign. We’re still expecting Microsoft to release a proper refresh of its flagship console, even if a disc-less Series X arrives.
While we might not see a souped-up Xbox Series X, then, a smaller, more efficient Series X Slim console that’s cheaper to produce makes sense. Whatever happens, it’ll make our Xbox Series X vs PS5 comparison more interesting in the future.
Last updated: March 5, 2024