Xbox One Models Explained: One, S, X and All-Digital

The Xbox One came in four main versions over seven years, and the Xbox One models look different enough that most owners can tell them apart without a manual. The details that matter to a buyer sit under the case: disc formats, 4K support, whether a Kinect sensor plugs in, and how much memory games get. The model decoder lists the numbers the site tracks, and the sections below explain what each one means.

Xbox One Models at a Glance

When Did the Xbox One S Come Out?

The Xbox One S came out on August 2, 2016 in North America. Microsoft had unveiled it at E3 on June 13, 2016. Only the 2 TB version, at $399, was on sale that day. The 500 GB model at $299 and the 1 TB model at $349 arrived on August 23, 2016 in North America. The S is about 40% smaller than the original and runs from an internal power supply, so the external brick is gone.

It also upgraded the connections. HDMI went from 1.4b to 2.0a, which allows HDR, and Wi-Fi from 802.11n to 802.11ac. Games still render at 1080p and are upscaled when the console outputs 4K.

When Did the Xbox One X Come Out?

The Xbox One X came out on November 7, 2017, at $499. Microsoft had teased it as “Project Scorpio” at E3 2016 and announced the date and price at E3 2017. It shipped in one configuration with a 1 TB hard drive, and the price matched the original Xbox One’s launch price.

The hardware is a clear step up. The CPU runs at 2.3 GHz against 1.75 GHz, the GPU is rated at 6 teraflops against 1.3 on the original and 1.4 on the S, and the 12 GB of GDDR5 memory replaces 8 GB of DDR3, with 9 GB available to games instead of 5 GB. It supports FreeSync, and on compatible displays 1440p or 120 Hz output.

What the Original and the S Share Under the Hood

The S is a slimmer redesign with a small performance bump, so games do not run differently on it in any meaningful way. Both consoles use an eight-core AMD processor at 1.75 GHz and 8 GB of DDR3 memory, of which 5 GB is available to games. The GPU clock rises from 853 MHz on the original to 914 MHz on the S, which lifts its rating from 1.3 to 1.4 teraflops. Storage options were 500 GB or 1 TB on the original and 500 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB on the S. The S is the first of the family to read UHD discs, which is the real reason to pick it over a 1540.

Xbox One Model Numbers and How to Identify Yours

The model number is printed on a label on the back panel. It reads 1540, 1681 or 1787, and it is the surest way to tell the consoles apart, because the S and the All-Digital Edition share a number. The physical clues are quick to check:

An external power brick and a Kinect port on the back point to the original 1540. It is also the biggest: 333 x 274 mm and 3.5 kg. No power brick and a disc slot on the front mean an Xbox One S, 295 x 229 mm and 2.9 kg. No disc slot on that same small body means the All-Digital Edition. The Xbox One X is 300 x 240 mm and 4.4 kg, so it is heavier than the S despite looking similar in size.

The Original Xbox One: Model 1540

The launch console went on sale on November 22, 2013 with a 500 GB drive, one controller and a Kinect sensor for $499. A version without Kinect followed on June 9, 2014 at $399. In June 2015 the 500 GB model dropped to $349, and a 1 TB model at $399 was added. Microsoft also released an Elite bundle in November 2015 at $499.99, with a 1 TB solid-state hybrid drive and the Elite controller.

The original has no 4K video output, plays standard Blu-ray, DVD and CD only, and tops out at 1080p. It was discontinued by mid-2016, when the S replaced it.

Kinect Port Differences

Only the 2013 launch model shipped with Kinect in the box, and only the original has a dedicated Kinect port. The S and the X dropped it. Microsoft offered owners of the S a free USB adapter until March 2017 and sold it separately afterward, but the adapter has since been discontinued. Kinect for Xbox One stopped production on October 25, 2017. Anyone who wants to use a Kinect sensor with a newer model needs a leftover adapter, and the original remains the simple route.

4K, HDR and UHD Blu-ray Differences

Both the S and the X support 4K output, HDR10 and 4K UHD Blu-ray discs. The original supports none of these. The difference between the two newer consoles is in games.

The S upscales games from 1080p. The X renders many games at native 4K and adds enhancements to existing titles. The S disc player is also a first-generation UHD player: it cannot pass HDR10+ or Dolby Vision metadata from discs. For a movie fan with a 4K television, either console works as a cheap UHD Blu-ray player, and for gamers the X delivers the 4K picture.

The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition

Microsoft unveiled the All-Digital Edition on April 16, 2019 and released it on May 7, 2019 at $249.99, $50 less than the S. It shares model number 1681 with the S, has a 1 TB drive, and has no disc drive, so every game must be downloaded. That also rules out UHD Blu-ray, regular Blu-ray and the backward compatible discs described on the backwards compatibility page, since a disc has nowhere to go. Microsoft discontinued the console in July 2020.

Special Editions in Brief

Limited bundles appeared for Halo 5: Guardians, Gears of War 4, Minecraft, Fortnite, NBA 2K20, Gears 5 and Cyberpunk 2077, among others. The Day One 2013 edition for pre-orders carries an engraving and a unique achievement. These editions use the same hardware and model numbers as the standard consoles.

Known Issues Worth Knowing

Well-documented weak points are few. The S plays UHD discs but not with Dolby Vision or HDR10+, as noted above. The Kinect adapter is no longer made. The All-Digital Edition’s lack of a disc slot is permanent. Production for the whole family ended in 2020, and Microsoft’s current consoles are the Xbox Series X and S, which run Xbox One games.

Which Xbox One to Buy in 2026

The Xbox One X is the one to buy for most players. It is the most powerful of the generation, it plays UHD Blu-ray discs, and it renders many games in 4K. The Xbox One S is the sensible budget choice if a 4K picture matters less. Choose the All-Digital Edition only if you never plan to buy discs, because it cannot play them.

The original 1540 is the one to skip unless it costs almost nothing or you need the Kinect port. It is the largest and slowest of the four, and it has the external power brick. If you want to compare it against the previous Microsoft console generation, the Xbox 360 model guide covers those revisions. The console age tool helps place a particular unit in the production timeline.