There’s a new gaming console in town: the Xbox One S which was released August 2, 2016, but how is it better than the previous iteration? Well, for starters, it’s 40 percent smaller than the Xbox One, which means it will take up less space in your entertainment center, allowing you to store more sweet games, Vince Vaughn movies, and whatever other electronic junk for which you need space. Don’t get fooled by its size, though – its internal power supply can hold up to two terabytes of storage, more than double the Xbox One, allowing plenty of room to store dozens of your favorite games and movies. “I think it is astounding that it offers us two terabytes,” said seventh grader Joey Palomba. “The the fact that a console that small can hold so much storage is mind blowing.”

The Xbox One S has 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ and streaming capabilities. This means that it has more than twice the resolution of regular HD and can also stream content from Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video. “ I like watching Netflix, so it’s good we can now get easy access to it on the Xbox,” said eighth grader Cole Jernstedt. According to www.microsoft.com, the new Xbox has also added “high dynamic range technology to bring out more luminous colors in games,” making the visuals and graphics pop off the screen. For some of the gamers at TBS, that means a lot. “ The Xbox One S does not crash as much, it’s way faster and the graphics are way better,” said seventh grader Cameron Salehi.

Some people were hoping that the Xbox would finally release their games before the PlayStation series did, but that was not the case, making it probable that some people will buy the PS4 Slim (set to hit stores in September) over the Xbox One S. “I would buy the PS4 Slim over the Xbox One S because games come out quicker on the PS4 Slim, and because the Xbox One S is basically the same as the Xbox One,” said seventh grader Liam Gaeta.

However, some Xbox gamers remain faithful to that console. “I believe that Microsoft has taken a huge step forward, and I would take the Xbox One S over the PS4 Slim anytime because the Xbox One S has better online features than the PS4 Slim, such as it is faster, it has better graphics, and it is easier to talk to people online,” said Palomba.

Also, the new Xbox One S controllers have extended wireless range, newly added grip, and Bluetooth® capabilities which allow users to play their favorite games on Windows 10 PCs, tablets, or phones. In addition, users can pay $100 per year to receive a membership to Xbox Gold which offers free games and discounted merchandise. According to www.trustedreviews.com, some of the popular games on this new console include a number of sequels such as Grand Theft Auto 5, Hitman, Fallout 4, Forza Motorsport 6, Madden NFL 17, and Call of Duty Black Ops 3.

The Xbox has improved on every new model that has came out, and the new Xbox One S is no exception. The console has HDR gaming, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ and streaming capabilities, 2 terabytes of storage, and is 40 percent smaller than the Xbox One. However, don’t get too used to this newest console from Microsoft. The company plans to launch the Xbox Scorpio during the holiday season next year, and it promises to be the most technologically advanced Xbox ever. Until then, though, gamers will just have to enjoy the One S.