Microsoft reveals pricing for 500GB and 1TB Xbox One S configurations

Microsoft's slim new Xbox One S will be available from August 2, but only the AUD$549 2TB configuration will be on sale at launch. If you're happy to wait a little bit longer, 500GB and 1TB consoles will be available from August 23, priced at AUD$399 and AUD$499.

While dropping down in storage capacity won’t necessarily save you too much, both the 500GB and 1TB Xbox One S configurations will come with a "Halo Collection Bundle". This includes a physical copy of Halo 5, a downloadable version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection (approximately 63GB), and a 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial.

Other than bundled games and lower storage capacity, the AUD$399 and AUD$499 Xbox One S configurations are identical to the 2TB Xbox One S. Key selling points include a 40% smaller design, an integrated power supply, and support for 4K video content.

The slim new console won't play 4K video games, but it is able to handle 4K content through streaming services and 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs. HDR is also available for both video and select games (Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3 will be the first titles to support HDR). Even when looking at the 2TB configuration (priced at AUD$549), the Xbox One S is surprisingly good value when compared to dedicated 4K Blu-Ray players from the likes of Samsung and Panasonic, which currently start at AUD$599.