• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S: Designing the Next Generation of Consoles + more pics and a backpack ;)

Theorry

Theorry

Member
Oct 27, 2017
61,119
news.xbox.com

Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S: Designing the Next Generation of Consoles - Xbox Wire

Back in March, we brought you a closer look at the technology powering Xbox Series X, breaking down everything from the technical specs to what next-gen technologies like Xbox Velocity Architecture and Optimized for Xbox Series X mean for players. Two weeks ago, we revealed Xbox Series S and...
news.xbox.com news.xbox.com

In September of 2017, the design and research teams went out and visited our customers, bringing with them some prototype form factors for what would become the Xbox Series X. What they found when sharing their vision of what a next generation console could be was that gamers were most excited about something that felt new and different, but also easily fit into their homes wherever they played. That drove the team to design consoles that were as compact as possible, with small footprints and the flexibility to be placed in multiple orientations and spaces.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

For the design of the Xbox Series S, the team took the opportunity of designing a console for digital first gamers to rethink and reshape the overall form of the device, with a laser focus on making it the most compact Xbox ever. Although the internal layout leverages many of the efficiencies developed for the Xbox One S, by reshaping the power supply and removing the disc drive, the Series S is 40% smaller than the One S.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Designing in this flexibility gives our customers options on how they configure their gaming setup- the compact nature of the Series S means it will fit in, and travel more easily between, more environments than any Xbox before. It easily slips in a backpack or small bag and lets you take a next generation console quality gaming experience with you.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

By splitting the motherboard in half and bolting each side to the central aluminum chassis, the team was able to pull a huge amount of air through the entire system at a low enough acoustic level to keep the console running quietly and efficiently.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

One thing the team often does in their design process is use color and material choices to accentuate the architectural and geometric approach. At a large scale, the primary design element on the Xbox Series S is the circular, black exhaust vent on a field of white. That boldness gives the console personality, but the contrast between those parts also diminishes the visual impact of the actual ventilation holes in the enclosure, resulting in a simplified look for a potentially complex element.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

XSX_XSS_Design_Inline3.jpg
XSX_XSS_Design_Inline4.jpg
XSX_XSS_Design_Inline6.jpg
XSX_XSS_Design_Inline10.jpg
XSX_XSS_Design_Inline13.jpg
XSX_XSS_Design_Inline14.jpg
 
Rover_

Rover_

Member
Jun 2, 2020
5,190
Series S: sleek and dreamy, legit impressive on the size departament.

Series X: a shoebox
 
Exit Music

Exit Music

Member
Nov 13, 2017
1,082
I wish I could use my consoles without actually plugging them up so they looked as good as the demo pictures. Still, that said I think these are two of the best looking consoles to date.
 
Garrison

Garrison

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,918
Got my preorder ready for an X and will get an S later on but man is that console perfect for putting inside a backpack for travel.
 
Exit Music

Exit Music

Member
Nov 13, 2017
1,082
I get that the Series X can be horizontal, but I don't think they've ever shown it horizontal have they? It seems like vertical has to be the optimal orientation, which sucks for my home theater setup as it is now.
 
Fiery Phoenix

Fiery Phoenix

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,858
I've said it before, but the Xbox hardware design team is top notch. Since the One S they have been on a roll.
 
ghostcrew

ghostcrew

The Shrouded Ghost
Administrator
Oct 27, 2017
30,395
These pics are gorgeous and very Apple-like.

This is what it's actually going to look like though...

nwAQk0C.jpg
 
castaction

castaction

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,229
I got myself a x and a s but damn the series s is small i wonder if there is a revision of the series s how small they could go
 
BackwoodsAltar

BackwoodsAltar

Member
Oct 30, 2017
832
South Coast, UK
I do like the Series S design, but it makes me laugh how so few promotional images of the Series X have it laying horizontally. I think they're aware how hideous that thing looks on its side.
 

Deleted member 51957

User requested account closure
Banned
Jan 14, 2019
810
Man the X is just begging to be stood vertically. I have a place to do that but it's sorta outta sight, which is unfortunate since I really do love the look of it.
 
Wil348

Wil348

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,213
I think the S may end up becoming my favourite looking next gen console of the bunch. Didn't like the Oreo vent initially but it's really grown on me.
 
space_nut

space_nut

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,308
NJ
Its so high end looking. Sleek and modern will fit perfectly in my entertainment center. Not something that looks like a "toy" is what i love. Fits nicely next to my Sonos sound system. Can't wait for Nov10 to get my XSX
 
KennyLinder

KennyLinder

Game Designer at EA
Verified
Oct 27, 2017
3,629
As a PS5-preordered customer..

Fuck me, the PS5 is a design mess compared to these two.
 
Typhoon20

Typhoon20

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,568
I like how the Series X looks 🤷‍♂️

Kind of like a small mini tower. Which is what I was hoping for.

I know people don't love that the X & PS5 are so big and ugly but it's impossible to have all that power in there and have the shape of a series S or even current gen.
If it was even remotely possible, I'm sure Sony and MS would have done so. And personally I find PS5 different, bold, but ugly. Reminds me of a BIG router with unnecessary shapes around it. The X looks very simplistic, basic. But I love simplistic, clean designs.
 

Deleted member 47076

User requested account closure
Banned
Aug 25, 2018
1,048
One of the lesser reasons why I went with the Series S is how small it is and how nice it looks when horizontal. Just amazing considering the performance.
 
OP
OP
Theorry

Theorry

Member
Oct 27, 2017
61,119
So the reason for the black ventilation part on the S

One thing the team often does in their design process is use color and material choices to accentuate the architectural and geometric approach. At a large scale, the primary design element on the Xbox Series S is the circular, black exhaust vent on a field of white. That boldness gives the console personality, but the contrast between those parts also diminishes the visual impact of the actual ventilation holes in the enclosure, resulting in a simplified look for a potentially complex element.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
 
0ptimusPayne

0ptimusPayne

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,758
It's scary how small the S is. I love how portable it is. Just a dope ass little gamepass machine, that you can take anywhere.
 
pswii60

pswii60

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,687
The Milky Way
Holy shit that S is way tinier than I realised.

XSX will be the big seller this year due to hardcore early adoption, but come next year the XSS will really find its place.
 
RoKKeR

RoKKeR

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,404
I really love how much attention they are giving to the design team and all the thought that has gone into these consoles. There is a lot of work that goes into having consistent, intentional, and sustainable design from both an aesthetic and engineering perspective, and both consoles seem to have achieved that.

My partner works in industrial design and it's neat to see work that often goes unappreciated be spotlighted like this!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.