Xbox Consoles in Order: All Generations of Microsoft Hardware 2024

• Xbox (November 15, 2001)
• Xbox 360 (November 22, 2005)
• Xbox 360 Elite (April 29, 2007)
• Xbox 360 Arcade (October 22, 2007)
• Xbox 360 S (June 18, 2010)
• Xbox 360 E (June 10, 2013)
• Xbox One (November 22, 2013)
• Xbox One S (August 2, 2016)
• Xbox One X (November 7, 2017)
• Xbox Series S (November 10, 2020)
• Xbox Series X (November 10, 2020)
• Xbox Series S 1TB (September 1, 2020)
• Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black (October 15, 2024)

Halo: Combat Evolved was a launch title whose visuals and tight gameplay showed that the Xbox brand was here to stay. Another memorable feature of the console was the menacing Duke controller. While the unwieldy controller got a size reduction eventually (in the form of the Xbox S Controller), it still wasn’t as svelte as Sony’s DualShock 2.

Across its lifespan, the Xbox was home to knockout hits like Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Project Gotham Racing 2. Microsoft also tried to compete with PS2’s JRPG collection by partnering with Bethesda to release The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind on the console. A year after the Xbox launch, Xbox Live would allow players from all over the world to compete against each other.

While the Red Ring of Death (RRoD) issue plagued its launch, Microsoft swiftly honored warranty claims and took control of the situation. At $399, it had a sizable price advantage over Sony’s $599 PlayStation 3 (shocking pricing that would later plague the PS5 Pro’s announcement, too). It also came out of the gate swinging with titles like Call of Duty 2, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and Quake 4. The console would go on to bag celebrated Xbox exclusive games like Gears of War 3 and Fable 2.

The Xbox 360 controller re-design gave us one of gaming’s best gamepads ever, complete with replaceable batteries. In addition to powerful hardware, the Xbox 360 delivered innovative ways to play over its lifetime. The Kinect, a camera peripheral that tracked movement, went on to become the fastest-selling device at the time. Xbox Live Arcade, a service that focused on small titles from AAA publishers and indie developers, was relaunched for the Xbox 360. Memorable hits include Pac-Man Championship Edition, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, and Castle Crashers.

Variants with 320 GB of storage let you keep more games installed on the Xbox 360 S. The power button was changed to a touch-sensitive one, giving the console a sleek futuristic appearance. In addition to slimming down the console, the power brick was made smaller as well. These changes made it more attractive for new buyers and players who were wary of the Red Ring of Death.

Without many improvements to note outside a new design that opted for pure HDMI support, it wasn’t aimed at Xbox 360 owners. Instead, it was targeted at players who weren’t willing to purchase an Xbox One at launch due to its steep price and then-always online requirement (which was reversed due to backlash). The console is also the last Xbox that would have a tray-style disc drive. Newer hardware kept it all internal, for better or worse.

It was released on November 22, 2013, coinciding with the Xbox 360 release date. TV integration was great but the Xbox One’s launch titles paled in comparison to the competition. While it did have more power for games, its $499 price with the Kinect made it a hard sell against the $399 PlayStation 4.

As Microsoft’s flagbearer for the third Xbox generation, the Xbox One presented a massive step up in performance from the Xbox 360. It went on to receive solid titles from both first-party and third-party studios. Notable hits include Halo 5: Guardians, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dead Rising 3, and Forza Motorsport 5. GTA 5 was another heavy hitter that arrived with notable improvements from the Xbox 360 version. The console received another boost in 2015 when Microsoft announced backward compatibility support. Select Xbox 360 titles could now run at a better resolution and frame rate on the Xbox One.

This also meant that games were now upscaled to 4K, a godsend for gamers with 4K TVs and monitors. It was released three years after the Xbox One release date. The console also received a facelift that cut its volume by 40% compared to the bulky Xbox One. The drop in price also made it competitive against the more successful PS4.

With a GPU that was over 30% faster and a better cooling system than the one in the basic Xbox One, it offered true 4K support. Games like Halo 5: Guardians and Forza Horizon 4 offered enhanced performance on the console in addition to third-party titles. While the Xbox One X didn’t have the longevity of the Xbox One, it was a decent upgrade that helped Microsoft compete with Sony’s PS4 Pro. In fact, the Xbox One X release date was three days ahead of Sony’s rival console.

It keeps the focus on games with 60 FPS and even 120 FPS support for modern titles. The black tower design is bulkier than older generations and for good reason.

The difference in power between the old Xbox One and the new console is noticeable when you put the two of them next to each other. While its sales suffered due to market shortages at launch, an improved supply chain means you’ll be able to find this gaming machine at most stores.

Those shortages also meant developers didn’t abandon the old Xbox One as quickly as they stopped supporting the Xbox 360. Games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Persona 3 Reload were released on the last-gen Xbox in addition to the Xbox Series X. Others dropped last-gen console support to lean on the new tech offered by the Xbox Series X.

These include Baldur’s Gate 3, Forza Motorsport, and Alan Wake 2. Microsoft announced a 2 TB “Galaxy Black” Series X for $599 in June 2024. They also released an unconventional Xbox Mini Fridge for $99.99 in the shape of a Series X.

This smaller console allowed Microsoft to undercut the competition, but it dropped features some may consider essential. The disc drive is gone, making it a digital-only console. And with a storage of only 512 GB, the pricier Series X can store more games. It also has weaker hardware with its 1440p output instead of 4K. Microsoft released an Xbox Series S 1 TB variant in 2023 which helped alleviate some storage woes.

The Xbox Series S can run all the games that the Series X can. But you’ll have to sacrifice some image quality and play the game at a lower resolution and/or frame rate. Considering its lower price, it’s a reasonable tradeoff to make. Some games like Baldur’s Gate 3 are better on the Series X with features like split-screen co-op support.