In celebration of its fourth anniversary, the Xbox Series X is getting a thoughtful refresh from Microsoft. Although there’s no dramatic overhaul, these updates focus on the aesthetics with vibrant new color designs and a more budget-friendly discless option, coupled with enhanced storage capacity. This aims to tackle one of Xbox’s longstanding criticisms: its high-priced proprietary SSD, which stands in contrast to Sony’s more flexible PCIe standard.
Today’s launch introduces these refreshed consoles to eager fans, with the discless model hitting the market at $50 less than its original 2020 counterpart. What remains unchanged is the impressive 1TB storage and the robust AMD Zen2 and RDNA2 architecture. However, a significant internal update is its transition to a smaller, more efficient 6nm SoC, previously a 7nm setup in the earlier versions.
This isn’t just about minor internal tweaks. The engineering advancements are clear with the redesigned cooling system and an updated PCB design. Despite appearing unchanged externally, these updates mean the console runs cooler and weighs less, thanks to a lighter and more efficient cooling system.
A notable tech reviewer, Austin Evans, has confirmed this leap to the 6nm node, delivering the same powerful performance but with improved energy efficiency. The original console’s idle power consumption was 60W, but the new variants—specifically the 2TB with a disc drive and the digital edition—stand out with reduced power usage at 51W and 39W, respectively. In gaming scenarios like Forza Horizon 5, the power savings continue, with the newer models drawing 11 to 16 watts less.
While this improvement brings reduced power needs and a slightly lower price for the discless model, some might argue the $50 discount isn’t substantial enough for a console entering its fifth year. Nonetheless, these changes ensure the Xbox Series X remains competitive and eco-friendly as gamers seek high performance with a sustainable twist.
