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Xbox One S All Digital Review

Considering that this is the time of the Xbox One S All Digital, or if you prefer Xbox One SAD there really is not much fanfare for it at all. This is actually the fourth incarnation of the Xbox One since it launched. The all-digital future may not be here just yet, but the Xbox One S All Digital is certainly a step in that direction. Of course, whether or not many people are taking that step with Microsoft is yet to be decided.

Xbox One S All Digital Edition

What Exactly Is The Xbox One S All Digital Edition?

There has been some confusion as to what exactly this latest (and most probably last) version of the Xbox One actually is. I cannot tell you that it does everything that a regular Xbox One S can do because that is not true. The thought behind this console is that it is made for gamers who do not want any physical games at all for their system.

Apart from the ability to play physical games via a Blu-Ray disc, the Xbox One S All Digital does what the regular Xbox One S does. It for many is a way for Microsoft to test the waters and see what kind of interest there is in a device like this.

Xbox One S

What Is In The Box?

When you purchase the Xbox One S All Digital Edition you, of course, get the brand-new console which has a 1TB hard drive, one of the awesome Xbox One controllers, your HDMI and power cables and you also get a pretty sweet games package as well.

You get download codes for Forza Horizon 3, Minecraft and Sea of Thieves. Add to this you also get one month of Xbox Live Gold thrown in as well. Those are three fantastic games, but they are not exactly the newest and most exciting of games. Still, they are three games that are all actually fun to play.

Cost of Xbox One S

How Much Does It Cost?

This right here is the real sticking point for this console. Microsoft is charging a very expensive $249.99 for this console. That price point is just insane, especially when you consider you can get a standard Xbox One S, usually with a game (Minecraft, Battlefield, Forza and so on are most common free games) for close to $200 bucks!

Microsoft has gotten the retail price for the Xbox One S All Digital Edition completely wrong. It is actually missing features of the basic model which can be found far cheaper. Had they released this at closer to 200 bucks and thrown in say three months’ worth of Xbox Game Pass and a 2TB hard drive I think they very well might have convinced more people to give it a chance.

 

What Else Can It Do Apart From Play Games?

You have a lot of social features tied into an Xbox One. These are great for people who love to game with each other. If you ask me Xbox Live is still the best online games service around and you do get an extra month free with this console so that is pretty cool.

Xbox One S is also good if you like to stream games. This is something that Microsoft was pushing in a big way before the original Xbox One console launched. It is not a feature that many people talk about, but it is actually something that the Xbox One does very well.

One thing that I cannot believe they are bragging about is 4K content. It is great that the Xbox One S All Digital can steam from places like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu in glorious 4K. However, when the original Xbox One S launched the fact it could play 4K Blu-Ray discs was seen as a huge coup and as this model is lacking that drive… you cannot do it!

When you really think about the Xbox One S All Digital Edition as a media player that for me is when the price again seems way too high. Paying 2Xbox One S Review 00 bucks for a standard Xbox One S and getting the ability to play 4K Blu-Rays is great, a top of the line 4K Blu-Ray player is going to cost around that on its own.

 

What About The Games?

Of course, all of the Xbox One S games library is compatible with this console. How people can transfer their disc-based games onto this is yet to be seen, but there is talk of a way to do this.

The Xbox One S is great in the way that it is backwards compatible. As well as the large library of Xbox One games. Microsoft is working hard to make as many Xbox 360 and also original Xbox games playable on the Xbox One S as possible. This is very easy to do if you have the regular version of the console as all you do is put the disc in and then the game will be downloaded from the store. On the Xbox One S All Digital though as of right now you have to actually buy the game from the store.

Used games are another issue. Remember when Xbox One launched and Microsoft tried to make it hard to play used games? Well with this you cannot buy a used game and play it on this console. With how cheap some Xbox One games are when they are used, I see this as a huge stumbling block for some people, especially parents.

 

That Fantastic Controller

While it may be a personal preference, I must say that the Xbox One controller is one of the best video game controllers I have ever used. You get the smart white version with this console and it is a joy to use for long gaming sessions. I do feel that for close to 250 bucks they could have thrown in a plug and charge kit. The Xbox One controller does use AA batteries (which do last a long time) and that is the only issue I have with the controller.

 

Ports And Storage

There are three USB 3.0 ports on the Xbox One S. There is one located right on the front which is really handy if you plan on using a wired controller. There is also two on the back of the console. I like how the Xbox One S hides USB ports on the back of the console, this is something the PS4 at launch did not do!

On the back of the console, you also have your HDMI out port, but there is also an HDMI in as well. This is a really cool feature and it allows you to plug in a cable box, DVD player or even a PS4 into your Xbox One. This can then free up an HDMI port on your TV.

Inside the Xbox One S All Digital is a 1TB hard drive. For a console that is all about digital games, this is far too small in my opinion. Some games on the Xbox One such as Halo, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy XV, Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA V can take up the better part of 100 GB each! Now granted not all games take up that much space. However, that 1TB will fill up far quicker than you would think. 2TB should have been what they put in here, especially at this price point.

 

The Design Of The Console

The Xbox One S All Digital Edition is a really cool and sleek looking video game console. It is a very nice size as it does not take up too much space and it is much quieter than its rival the PlayStation 4. The outside of the console looks very appealing and I am interested to see if they decide to release different colors of it, something I am surprised they did not do at launch.

The outside of the console looks cool, but the inside is very strange. Inside the Xbox One S are still parts of the disc drive and the eject button! It is almost like Microsoft just cracked open an original Xbox One S and then put this new casing over the top of it. Now granted in the grand scheme of things this does not matter at all, I just find it very odd.

I get that they did this to cut down costs as it made more sense to do this than remake the whole console. However, as an argument to that, you have to ask. If they did that to save money, why does this thing cost $249.99?

 

Who Is This For?

That right there is the million-dollar question! I in no way see a parent purchasing this for a child as their first Xbox One S. To me the people that this is aimed at are already seasoned gamers who are not just willing but have a desire for this all digital future. There is no way a person who does not have an Xbox One already would spend more on this and get less than getting a standard Xbox One S and getting that 4K Blu-Ray player as well as the ability to play disc-based games.

Review of Xbox One S

So Is The Xbox One S All Digital Worth It?

I have to start by saying that I love the Xbox One S and I also love the Xbox One X. Xbox One had a rough start, but it has turned out to be a really awesome console. However, the Xbox One S All Digital Edition is not something that I see as being worth $249.99 as of right now.

Had the console came out and been $199.99 and came with a three months of Game Pass voucher, even instead of those three games. I feel that Microsoft could have gotten many people who do not yet have an Xbox One interested in this product. As of right now, I would say unless you are a diehard Xbox collector, I would pass on this until it inevitably gets a price reduction.

 

Xbox One S All Digital Pros:

Xbox One has a fantastic library of games

It comes with three great games

You also get a month of Xbox Live Gold

The console has a really cool and sleek look to it

The Xbox One controller is one of the best controllers

 

Xbox One S All Digital Cons:

$249.99 is far too much for what this offers

The lack of a disc drive means no 4K Blu-Rays and no used games

Xbox One S All Digital Review

Front Line:

Considering that this is the time of the Xbox One S All Digital, or if you prefer Xbox One SAD there really is not much fanfare for it at all. This is actually the fourth...

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