For more than 2 decades, the Xbox series of consoles has been a major player in the console market. Originally referred to as the “Direct-X Box”, the system was developed to counter the meteoric rise of Sony’s Playstation consoles and the perceived threat they posed to Microsoft’s dominance of home computing. Since then, the Xbox has endured 3 console generations, selling hundreds of millions of units. Today Xbox is one of the most recognized brands in the industry and it shows no signs of slowing down in the short term.
For this list, we’ll be looking at every major home console in the Xbox Line, we won’t be considering minor hardware revisions like the Xbox 360 Elite. They will also be listed in order of introductory price adjusted for inflation. Without further ado, let’s jump in.
6 Xbox Series S: Launch Price $299
In 2020, it came as a shock to many fans to learn that Microsoft would release two consoles in their quest for the 9th console generation. Both could play the same games but were otherwise quite different with the Series S positioned as a cheaper budget option for consumers. Unlike its bigger brother, the Series X, Series S cannot display in 4K resolutions, it is also much smaller than the X.
Perhaps the most noticeable difference between the two systems is that the Xbox Series S has no disc drive or any means of playing physical games at all. Obviously, this system is primarily for those who want to get their games from Microsoft’s Game Pass service in the first place. With a launch price of nearly $200 less than the Series X, the S is certainly an attractive option for those on a budget.
5 Original Xbox: Launch price $299, $438.08 adjusted for inflation
The one that started it all, when the original Xbox hit store shelves in the fall of 2001, few could have imagined the impact. Easily the most powerful of all the 6th generation consoles, the Xbox helped standardize many of the features we now expect from home consoles. These range from using an internal hard drive to popularizing online gaming with the original incarnation of Xbox Live.
The system had a great library of games with many titles now considered classics, such as: Haloand Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. For many gamers, this was their introduction to genres that mainly existed on the PC. The Xbox was also notable as the first highly successful western developed console since the Atari 2600.
4 Xbox Series X: Launch Price $499
Microsoft’s entry into the 9th console generation, the Xbox Series X, is a beast of a machine. Designed as the pricier, more expensive alternative to the Series S, the X comes with all the features and options you would expect from a modern high-end console, including displaying in 4K resolutions with a consistent frame rate.
While it’s not a huge leap from the Xbox One, the Series X still manages to offer plenty of great games and impressive graphics. The system is also fully backwards compatible with software from its predecessor, the Xbox One, so gamers always have plenty to play. This console is also the largest of all Xbox consoles.
3 Xbox 360: Launch Price $399, $524.83 Adjusted For Inflation
When the Xbox 360 was released in 2005, console gaming ushered in the HD era in style. While it initially suffered from major hardware failures, the 360 quickly proved its worth with a massive library of games spanning almost every genre imaginable.
Although it eventually finished in third place in overall sales during its 7th generation, the system was able to maintain a comfortable lead over the Playstation 3 for most of its life. The 360 was undoubtedly the system of choice for online multiplayer, with a revamped Xbox Live setting the standard for the industry to come.
2 Xbox One X: Launch Price $499, $525.80 Adjusted For Inflation
While not a full generation upgrade, the Xbox One X was a pretty impressive piece of technology for its time. Built to take advantage of emerging 4K displays, the system offers a sharper image to those on the cutting edge. Unfortunately, this often came at the cost of a game’s frame rate, but the system gave users the option to choose between better picture quality and better performance.
The system also had slower loading times overall. Despite all these improvements, it still wasn’t enough to turn the tide of the 8th generation console war in Microsoft’s favor.
1 Xbox One: $499 Launch Price, $556.48 Adjusted For Inflation
Microsoft’s 8th-generation home console, the Xbox One, got off to a very rough start, largely due to Microsoft’s poor PR. Despite its rough start, the console was still able to garner a hardcore following. While it never managed to catch up to Sony’s PS4, the Xbox One still managed to provide plenty of great games for players to sink their teeth into.
It also featured several services such as limited backwards compatibility with original Xbox and Xbox 360 games. Perhaps the biggest saving grace was the introduction of Xbox Game Pass; a subscription service that gave players easy access to many excellent titles.
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