Xbox Series X prototype unit photos confirm port placement and more

There is more evidence suggesting that Sony is planning to unveil the PS5 at a PlayStation Meeting event next month. To be specific, sources are saying it would be Wednesday, February 5, at Sony Hall in New York. Moreover, gameplay footage of "Godfall" – a console exclusive – was also leaked ahead of the reveal. Just when the momentum seems to be going the platform's way, Microsoft snatches the spotlight once more as actual photos of the Xbox Series X show up online.

With Sony officially out of the lineup for this year's E3, Microsoft will have the stage all to itself when it comes to next-generation gaming systems. in contrast, the PS5 will be making its way to smaller consumer events as implied early by the manufacturer. The Xbox Series X is yet to make its official debut to showcase the hardware and its specifications, but gamers have always wondered about the rear section of the gaming system.

After a brief debacle with at CES 2020 with AMD's presentation using unofficial renders of the console, an article published by Thurrott followed shortly with what seemed to be official details. Now, Brad Sams, the same journalist that provided images of the port placement, is back with what appears to be shots of the Xbox Series X prototype. These include photos of the front and back sections and evidently confirms what he illustrated before.

There are indeed two intake vents on the bottom section of the back panel with several ports sandwiched in between. These include the Ethernet, optical audio, two USB Type-A, a figure-8 power socket, HDMI, and an unidentified port speculated to be for diagnostic purposes only. Business Insider notes that the single display interface could mean that Microsoft will no longer support HDMI pass-through like that on the Xbox One series.

What this means is that the Xbox Series X will be a dedicated gaming machine with probably some minor entertainment features on board as well. Meanwhile, the front-facing segment sports a backlit Power button on the top-left corner, a blu-ray disc slot below, and a single USB Type-A on the bottom right corner. Microsoft is still keeping the specifications a secret as well as the official reveal date.