Xbox Microsoft: Everything You Need to Know

Xbox is a video console system released in 2001 by Microsoft. Here is everything you need to know about Xbox Microsoft console and Xbox related services.

What is Xbox?

Xbox is the first-ever video console system developed by Microsoft. It was officially released on November 15, 2001. The original video console system runs on Windows 2000 system.

How Many Xbox Models are There?

Since the original Xbox, Microsoft released a total of nine Xbox models across four generations of Xbox.

First Generation – Xbox (2001)

Xbox was the original console created by Microsoft. It was released in 2001 and had to compete with the more established Sony PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo GameCube.

The original Xbox was discontinued in 2009. Approximately 24+ million units were sold from 2001-2009.

Second Generation (Xbox 360/S/E)

Xbox 360

Released in 2005, the Xbox 360 made some major upgrades to the original model. It had a variety of very popular exclusive titles including Gears of War, Dead Rising, and others.

The best-selling Xbox 360 game is Kinect Adventures! released in 2010 with 24 million copies sold. In close second was the Grand Theft Auto V which sold approximately 23 million copies worldwide on Xbox 360.

Xbox 360 S

Released in 2010, Xbox 360 S was an upgrade of the original Xbox 360. It was slimmer and comes in a shiny gloss finish. The buttons were also changed to a touch-sensitive model

Xbox 360 E

Xbox 360 E was released in 2013. It is slightly smaller than the Xbox 360 S model. Microsoft removed the AV video plugin was also removed swapping to pure HDMI support and also removed one USB port. The touch button was also noticeably smaller. In terms of performance, Xbox 360 E and S models are basically the same.

Third Generation – Xbox One/S/X

Xbox One

The Xbox One was released also in 2013. It has a limited backward compatibility, which is one of the factors for Xbox One’s limited success. Xbox One was discontinued just less than three years later after its release.

Xbox One S

Released in 2016, the Xbox One S has the ability to play UHD Blu-Ray and 4K resolution (60FPS). It also features an HDMI 2.0 port and a better GPU. Xbox One S is available in Robot White and Deep Blue colors, and 500 GB and 1 TB versions.

Xbox One X

Xbox One X was released in 2017 and came in Matte Black or a Robot White color.

The Xbox One X has great backward compatibility feature, with players being able to play older titles and experience them in a much bolder and high-resolution display. In total 429 games were enhanced for the Xbox One X.

It was discontinued shortly before the release of the next-generation Xbox Series X/S.

Fourth Generation – Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Series X

The Xbox Series X was released in November 2020. It is the most powerful Xbox console to date. With a 1 TB Solid State Drive, 3.8 GHz custom AMD Zen 2 (8 core), 1825 MHz AMD Custom RDNA 2 GPU, and 16 GB GDDR6 memory, the Xbox Series X can support up to 8K at 60 FPS and 4K up to 120 FPS.

It also has backward compatibility for all Xbox consoles, excluding Kinect games. An Xbox Series X console, controller, Ultra-High-Speed HDMI cable, and power cord are included in the box.

Xbox Series S

The Xbox Series S was released at the same time with the Xbox Series X. It is basically the lower-end, more compact, and more affordable version of the Xbox Series.

It features 512 GB Solid State Drive and can support up to 120 FPS. You can increase its storage by adding an external storage device such as the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S 1TB Solid State Drive or any compatible drive with the Designed for Xbox badge.

Unlike the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S does not have an optical disc drive which means you can’t play disc-based games on it. An Xbox Series S console, controller, High Speed HDMI cable, and power cord are included in the box.

What is Xbox Live?

Xbox Live is Microsoft Xbox’s online gaming network which debuted in 2002. It allowed players to compete against one another over the Internet.

What is Microsoft Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass is a video game subscription service of Microsoft that grants access to hundreds of Xbox games that you can play on your Xbox consoles. Microsoft also has a PC Game Pass provides the service to personal computers using Windows 11 and Windows 10 with support for Xbox Cloud Gaming.

How Much is an Xbox Game Pass Subscription?

An Xbox Game Pass Subscription costs $9.99 a month.

What is Game Pass Ultimate?

Game Pass Ultimate is a subscription tier of Game Pass that lets you play hundreds of high-quality games on console, and PC, and cloud. It costs $14.99 per month.

What is Xbox All Access?

Instead of paying upfront for your Xbox Series X/S, you can get Xbox All Access Instead and pay a monthly fee for two years. Xbox All-Access includes the console of your choice and a two-year Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

If you are getting the Xbox Series S with Xbox All Access, you will be billed $24.99/mo. for 24 months. For Xbox Series X, the monthly payment is $34.99/mo. for 24 months.

This service is available only in 12 countries.

What is An Xbox Gift Card?

An Xbox gift card can be used to buy Xbox full game downloads, apps, movies, TV shows, devices, and more. This digital gift code is good for purchases at Microsoft Store online, on Windows, and on Xbox.

Conclusion

When it released Xbox in 2001, Microsoft was pretty late in game of console wars which was then dominated PlayStation and Nintendo. However, it still managed to carve a slice of the market. Some Xbox models caught a few snags, but Microsoft was able to create its most powerful video game console yet–the Xbox Series X. The Xbox Series X/S has almost half of the market share although PlayStation 5 is still in the lead.