Microsoft announces a disc-less Xbox Series X console in white

Microsoft is making the white version of the Xbox Series X official today. The new console option won’t include a disc drive, and will be entirely all-digital. Inside it’s identical to the Xbox Series X, with the same performance for existing Xbox games. This new white model will be available with 1TB of storage later this year, priced at $449.99.

Xbox president Sarah Bond revealed the new white Xbox Series X during the Xbox Games Showcase today, alongside a 2TB “Galaxy Black” version of the original Xbox Series X. There’s also a $349.99 1TB Xbox Series S coming in white, too.

The white coating on the exterior of this new Xbox Series X matches the “robot white” found on the Xbox Series S, Microsoft’s smaller $299 console. Leaks of this white Xbox Series X suggested that Microsoft may have upgraded the heatsink used to cool the console, but we may have to wait on teardowns to confirm that.

The new Galaxy Black special edition Xbox Series X will come with a disc drive for $599.99 when it launches later this year. “This new special edition Xbox Series X delivers the same speed, performance and features of Xbox Series X, but with twice the storage and a unique design,” says Xbox hardware chief Roanna Sones, in a blog post.

The existence of a white Xbox Series X appears to confirm that Microsfot has canceled or pushed back the refreshed version of the Xbox Series X console that appeared in FTC v. Microsoft documents last year.

Codenamed Brooklin, the unannounced Xbox Series X refresh featured a more cylindrical design than the existing console, and it also would have had no disc drive. Microsoft described that console as “adorably all digital” in internal documents, and it was supposed to ship with a new controller and Xbox Wireless 2 connection. Microsoft was tentatively planning to ship this Brooklin console in November, priced at $499.

Xbox chief Phil Spencer addressed the leaks around the refreshed Xbox Series X design last September, hinting that plans may have changed for Xbox hardware. “It is hard to see our team’s work shared in this way because so much has changed and there’s so much to be excited about right now, and in the future,” said Spencer in a post on X in September. “We will share the real plans when we are ready.”