http://kotaku.com/sources-smaller-xbox- ... 1778634446" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;Microsoft has two new Xbox consoles on the horizon, according to reports on Kotaku and corroborated with Polygon's own sources. Those sources also told Polygon that one of those new consoles will be over four times more powerful than the current Xbox One and that the announcement at E3 was triggered by, among other things, a faster than expected timeline for Sony’s own upgraded PlayStation 4. The other console, a slimmed down version of the current hardware, will also be getting a redesigned controller.
The latter is scheduled to be revealed at E3 or at an event shortly before, as plans are currently in discussion. Tom Warren at Polygon sister site The Verge reports that the console will be "40 percent smaller than the current model and will likely include 4K support," which will be for video content specifically, though the existing Xbox One models include scaling hardware to output games at various resolutions. Our sources also confirm that this will be the smallest Xbox ever made.
Current plans have the smaller Xbox One scheduled for release this August. Pricing for the system has not been finalized.
The other console, codenamed Scorpio, is unlikely to be released until late 2017 according to Polygon's sources. It will likely be announced in the next month, though plans are somewhat in flux. Like the all-but-confirmed PS4 "Neo," Scorpio represents an evolution of console generations, one that straddles the line somewhat between an entirely new installment of the Xbox platform and a continuation of the existing Xbox One.
Power is a primary concern for Microsoft with Scorpio. The PS4 has remained a constant leader over the Xbox One in this respect, with games on the platform running at higher resolution and a higher framerate on the PS4 than their Xbox One counterparts. Microsoft is determined to end this narrative.
Originally, Microsoft had no plans to announce Scorpio in 2016, preferring to wait until next year, possibly at their own event prior to E3. This would be in keeping with the company's existing precedent for new hardware launches. This was timed to combat expected plans by Sony to announce and launch the Neo in 2017. However, after GDC, evidence industry-wide has indicated that Sony's timetable for the Neo either has accelerated or was always intended for this Fall. Because of this and other factors, Microsoft is feeling pressure to announce both its new, smaller Xbox One console and the upgraded Scorpio — colloquially referred to internally as Xbox One-Two — at this year's E3, or a last-minute event just prior to the LA convention.
We knew it was coming but looks like it's coming several months after PS4K.
Going to be interesting to see how these upgrade boxes affect sales. I hope xbox 1.5 has a much beefier cpu upgrade, I think the mild cpu upgrade in PS4K will hold it back.
