Data Backup Digest

Following rumblings that Sony were due to announce a 1TB edition of their PlayStation 4 console at this year’s Electronic Expo, the largest gaming event in the calendar, Microsoft have officially confirmed that they will be bringing out a 1TB version of the Xbox One.

In a statement, Microsoft said that the most frequent request they get from fans since the launch of the console is to add more storage to their consoles. Of course, those players will need to buy a whole new console if they want to benefit from that additional in-built storage.

The console will retail for $400 and won’t come with a Kinect camera, highlighting that Microsoft is continuing to phase the accessory out of its product line-up. The console also has a new matte finish and included in the package will be a free copy of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. On top of this, there will be an extra USB 3.0 slot.

The bundle will also include the brand new Xbox One controller, which features a 3.5mm stereo headset jack. Users can adjust headset volume, mic monitoring, and balance their voice and game audio by using the settings menu on the console. Microsoft also says that they’ve improved the quality of the audio that outputs from the controller and increased the maximum volume on headsets used with the controller.

The controller also features adjusted bumpers, which have been altered “for a more consistent performance anywhere along the full surface of the bumper”, according to the company. The new controller will also be available separately, in black and a camouflage design.

On top of this announcement, the 500GB model of the Xbox One has now had a permanent price drop to $350. The console has been selling at this figure for some months now, but it was originally announced as a limited-time promotional pricing. The UK will also get the new console at £349.99, with the 500GB version retailing at £299.99.

Of course, the main draw here is the doubled storage space over the original model. With an increasing number of gamers opting to download their games, rather than buying a hard copy and running from the disc, it’s vital that there’s enough space to store all the game data. When you consider that many modern games require upwards of 30GB of storage space, it’s not hard to see how a hard drive can quickly get full.

However, some savvy consumers may continue to opt for the cheaper console and attach an external drive to their console. Not only can an external hard drive be purchased at a cheaper price than the difference between the two consoles, but it could also be repurposed for other storage means down the line. While it might be preferable to have all that storage built into the console and in one place, for others the flexibility of an external will be more appealing.

We’ll shortly see whether Sony will announce their own 1TB model at E3 2015 – all signs and rumours signify they will, which will be important to keep the two consoles on an equal playing field for storage.