Xbox One News: Xbook One S ‘Laptop’ Breaks New Barriers Between Consoles And PC


The latest Xbox One news is breaking barriers between consoles and PC before the Scorpio even hits likely in 2017. The Scorpio, a name Xbox may not be staying with – much like Sony isn’t officially calling the PlayStation 4.5 “Neo” – is already expected to deliver performance on a level which closes the gap with high-end gaming PCs.

The Oculus Rift, which the Xbox One Scorpio is said to be compatible with, requires some of the most cutting-edge computer technology to even work. Of course, a lot could change in the PC world in one year.

One enterprising user, Edward Zarick, made Xbox One news recently when he introduced a portable version of Microsoft’s newest hardware update, the Xbox One S. Sadly, the 4K capability of the latest console will be wasted in its most basic form, as the screen it’s hinged with only supports 720p. If that doesn’t bother you and you want to get your Xbox gaming on the go and have a good chunk of spending money, you might actually want the Xbook One S.

Zarick didn’t make it compatible with a keyboard, so don’t expect to get any important work done unless perhaps you’re a play tester for Xbox One games. What he did do was take the guts of the smaller console and put them inside a laser-cut acrylic shell with 3D-printed parts and then attach a 19-inch Samsung screen. The HDMI port is still there, so the chance to forego the smaller screen and connect it to a 4K UltraHD TV is still present.

Technically, the subject of this latest Xbox One news is not a laptop at all, but more like a larger version of a Nintendo DS with more powerful innards. It’s a tad bulky and might require the same WiFi connection to sign in to Xbox Live, but it might be possible to take your console gaming on a plane if you have a decent place to plug it in. Rock bands and such could even possibly take it on their tour bus to pass the time between venues. It still requires a connection to a power outlet, so it’s not entirely portable. It’s still a better idea than Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, though.

If the name Zarick sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the same one who invented other nerdy technological wonders such as a working BB-8 from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. If the price tag on the Xbook One S doesn’t convince you (at $1,495) to take care of it, Zarick admits he used light-weight materials where possible to reduce the need to have a bodybuilder carry the device around for you.

The hard drive might also be off-putting since at over a thousand dollars it still only comes with the 500 GB one. For an additional $50, Zarick does offer an upgrade to 1 TB. Just try not to put too many major games on it, as the average digital footprint of AAA games these days is about 50 GB and higher. You might want to stick with HD remasters, ports, or Xbox 360 titles using backwards compatibility to reserve hard drive space.

This Xbox One news has several good parts and a few disappointments, as it might actually be easier and cheaper to simply lug the original console with you. However, if you don’t want to wait until you reach a location with a larger TV, the 19-inch Samsung 720p screen will probably be a happy medium.

The Xbox One news surrounding the Xbook One S might not be as portable as the Nintendo DS or PlayStation Vita, but for gamers hankering for some Halo 5 in a hotel room, it might just work.

[Image via Canadapanda/Shutterstock.com]

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