You’re here because you just can’t figure out which Xbox is actually the newest and most powerful one. No judgment; it happens to the best of us.
Video game console naming has always been a bit of a problem for every gaming giant except PlayStation, the only major player in the industry that just uses a linear progression of numbers. Other companies historically have run into problems, as Nintendo did when it decided “Wii U” was an appropriate name for the console after the Wii, which had next to nothing in common with the Wii.
Xbox might take the cake, though. Microsoft’s console ecosystem is lousy with nonsensical device names that don’t tell you anything about the devices themselves. It put “One” in the name of the third-generation console, for crying out loud. Without wasting more time, here’s a basic rundown of which Xbox consoles are the newest, so you don’t get confused.
Which is the newest Xbox?
The newest Xbox is, of course, the Series X. But it’s also the Series S, which came out at the same time in 2020. Shoot, this is already ridiculous. Here’s a straight up timeline of Xbox console releases to make sense of all of this:
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Xbox (the original) launched Nov. 15, 2001
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Xbox 360 (the first true follow-up) launched Nov. 22, 2005
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Xbox One (the third console, despite having “One” in the name) launched Nov. 22, 2013
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Xbox One S (a smaller Xbox One with very minor internal differences) launched Aug. 2, 2016
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Xbox One X (a more powerful Xbox One that is nonetheless still the same console) launched Nov. 7, 2017
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Xbox Series S (the true successor to the Xbox One, without 4K support or a disc drive) launched Nov. 10, 2020
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Xbox Series X (also the successor to Xbox One, but with more horsepower and a disc drive) launched Nov. 10, 2020
It’s easier to think of “Xbox Series” as an all-encompassing name for the current generation of Xbox consoles, with S and X being different models of the same device. The Series S is cheaper, but also slightly less powerful and lacks a disc drive. The Series X is more expensive, but you get maximum graphical fidelity and the ability to use discs.
The next one should just be called “Xbox 5” so it’s easier for everyone.
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