• While it dedicated most of its Games Showcase to new titles, Microsoft also refreshed some of its gaming hardware over the weekend.
• The company debuted new colour options and storage configurations for the Xbox Series X|S lineup.
• At the time of writing, there is no word on local availability or pricing.

With PlayStation releasing the PS5 Slim recently, it was only natural that Microsoft would return in kind, as the company took a few moments during its Games Showcase 2024 at the weekend to reveal new iterations of its Xbox Series X|S consoles.

To that end we now have a new Xbox Series S 1TB in Robot White, Xbox Series X 1TB Digital Edition in Robot White, and Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition (all pictured below).

At the time of writing, no official local pricing and availability have been detailed by Xbox South Africa, but the new hardware is expected in selected regions during the end of year holiday period. Hopefully SA is included in that launch, especially as rumours suggest PlayStation is readying a new pro model of its PS5 for the 2024 festive season too.  

Pre-orders for the new trio of Xbox Series X|S consoles are expected soon, according to a blog post, but for now, firmer details are thin on the ground.

We can, however, take a closer look at the new hardware. On this front, and starting with the smallest of the trio, the Series S 1TB in Robot White is expected to retail for a recommended $349.99 (~R6 604). If Xbox SA can keep anywhere near that price for the local launch of the new iteration, it could have a real winner on its hands, as the combination of the previous generation Series S and Game Pass has proved to be one of the best value for money propositions in console gaming.

Shifting to the larger options, the Xbox Series X 1TB Digital Edition in Robot White will retail for $449.99 (~R8 487) in selected markets. Some consumers have already commented as to why the digital edition, which does not feature an optical drive, has not been given 2TB of storage space like the other new Series X model. This may simply be Microsoft’s concerns that one device would cannibalise the other, but of the three, the 1TB Digital Edition may be the least compelling, depending on final price.

Lastly the Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition has only received a new paint job, as it is the same as it has always been internally. “Drawing inspiration from constellations and the spirit of exploration and adventure that outer space evokes, the special edition console in Galaxy Black features a silver, grey, and green celestial effect representing thousands of games and millions of gamers playing on Xbox,” the company noted in a blog post.

It’s set to retail for $599.99 (~R11 315), and as the name suggests, will only be available in limited qualities per region, although he precise amount of stock has not been detailed either.

When official local pricing and pre-order status has been revealed by Xbox SA, we’ll be sure to update our readers.