Xbox Series S: Microsoft unveils new console after trailer leaks ahead of announcement

Microsoft has been aggressively promoting its next-generation hardware of late. While it has a great impact on overall exposure, it also runs the risk of information being exposed ahead of its official announcement. There have been several leaks recently that confirmed the company's two-fold approach. One came from the packaging of its new controller and another was from a promotional tie-in with a popular energy drink. Now, the latest involves the Xbox Series S trailer which went live ahead of schedule.

Instead of attempting to control the mishap, Microsoft opted to go with the flow much to the delight of consumers. This makes the all-digital console the first ever to confirm its pricing ahead of other systems such as the Xbox Series X, the PS5, and the PS5 Digital Edition. On social media, the manufacturer even attempted to poke fun at itself. One of its tweets shows the full image of the Xbox Series S and the price at $299.

This was followed by another tweet of two emojis – a padlock and a green heart – which most gaming industry pundits recognise as "Lockhart," which is the codename of the platform during development. The Redmond-based tech titan claims the Xbox Series S is "the smallest Xbox ever" and even posted a short GIF of a comparison between the flagship Xbox Series X. Moreover, the default colour is white instead of black with a bundled controller in the same shade.

From a design perspective, the Xbox Series S is remarkably different from its premium sibling. Unlike the Xbox Series X – which many describe looks like a smart speaker – it sports a familiar rectangular form factor. One element that it shares with the other is the large ventilation grille, which, in retrospect, still makes it appear like a speaker.

Similar to the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, there is no Blu-ray drive. The front section of the console when positioned horizontally shows the Xbox logo on the top-right corner and USB Type-A port just beside the Connection button at the lower-left section. The Xbox Series S supports 1440p at up to 120 FPS, DirectX ray tracing, ultra-low latency, 4K upscaling, 4K streaming media playback, variable rate shading, and variable refresh rates. With a 512 GB custom SSD it seems to be marketed towards Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.