Microsoft increases Xbox Series console prices for the third time in two years, kills off 2TB model — $100-$150 upswings on every model

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Get the 2 TB version while stocks last, as it'll vanish quickly at the current $799.99.

Xbox logo
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Price hikes! Get your price hikes here! Hot on the heels of Apple's upward push of dollar figures, ganging up with Framework, and harnessing the disillusion caused by the price of Valve's Steam Machine... It's now Microsoft's turn. The ailing division is enacting yet another increase to the price of the Xbox Series consoles, at $100 more for the 512 GB versions and $150 more for the 1 TB model. The pricing will come into effect in roughly a month and change, on August 1st.

The firm is also killing the 2 TB version of the Xbox Series X, in an echo of Apple slicing away the higher-RAM variants of its Mac Studio computers. If you were on the fence about buying one of those, it would be wise to rush, as at the current price of "only" around $799.99, stocks are unlikely to last. Here's the new pricing, in all its glory:

  • Xbox Series S, 512 GB, Digital Edition: $499.99
  • Xbox Series S, 1 TB, Digital Edition: $599.99
  • Xbox Series X, 1 TB, Digital Edition: $749.99
  • Xbox Series X, 1 TB: $799.99

Microsoft is also adding a few options for payment and alternative purchases. Buy Now, Pay Later for splitting purchases across short-term installments for consoles bought at the Microsoft store, confirming rumors of a partnership with well-known payment processor Klarna. If that's not quite your jam, there's also interest-free 12-month financing available at Amazon for Xbox hardware.

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The company is expanding Xbox trade-ins, stating that it's "working with retail partners" to enable players to sell their consoles to stores for cash or store credit. This isn't a new thing in the gaming world, as GameStop and Amazon have historically had this feature, but Microsoft's wording makes it sound like the program will be expanded to more retailers. As always, you can buy a certified refurbished console from the Microsoft Store and a number of retailers.

The highly anticipated Steam Machine is being shot down by flak due to its high release price, but all of a sudden, the $1,349 on ask for the 2 TB version doesn't sound so absurd, considering the superior hardware, gigantic game library, and low prices for games. Following Microsoft's logic, the upswing for the now-dead 2 TB version of the Xbox Series X would be $300, putting it at a nice round $1,099.99. Are you not entertained, if not excited, to be living in such interesting times?

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Bruno Ferreira
Bruno Ferreira
Contributor

Bruno Ferreira is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware. He has decades of experience with PC hardware and assorted sundries, alongside a career as a developer. He's obsessed with detail and has a tendency to ramble on the topics he loves. When not doing that, he's usually playing games, or at live music shows and festivals.

17 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Roland Of Gilead
    Great! The price hike situation is the gift that keeps on giving!

    It's like, 'lets just kick 'em as hard as possible when they're down'!

    Bloody hell!
    Reply
  • txfeinbergs
    You would have to be an idiot to buy an out-of-date XBOX at that price.
    Reply
  • ezst036
    But people keep saying that there won't be any price hikes on anything but except for the Steam Machine? 🤔
    Reply
  • JamesJones44
    ezst036 said:
    But people keep saying that there won't be any price hikes on anything but except for the Steam Machine? 🤔
    MS and PS could raise prices another $200 and they would still be cheaper than the Steam Machine for roughly equal gaming performance.
    Reply
  • txfeinbergs
    JamesJones44 said:
    MS and PS could raise prices another $200 and they would still be cheaper than the Steam Machine for roughly equal gaming performance.
    Which is still way too expensive for obsolete HW.
    Reply
  • ezst036
    JamesJones44 said:
    MS and PS could raise prices another $200 and they would still be cheaper than the Steam Machine for roughly equal gaming performance.

    txfeinbergs said:
    Which is still way too expensive for obsolete HW.
    Obsolete is probably going to have to be re-examined as a concept given RAMpocalypse. However, the "cheaper" moniker is not exactly something to be proud of. Microsoft has lowered the console so cheaply that they're losing billions trying in desperation to get people to buy it.

    That smacks of a very sick, very decrepit product line/weak product offering.

    2B02xE9jczYView: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B02xE9jczY
    Reply
  • emike09
    Gotta take advantage and scalp all the new buyers who are only buying for GTA VI. Which will be many. At that price, pay $100 more and get the PS5 Pro, which is far superior to the Series X. And while the controller takes a little getting used to (This is not the X button you are looking for), the controller tech is also superior and kinda cool. Plus, cheaper subscription and Sony's fine exclusives.
    Reply
  • Michael Pun
    Given how sloppy GTA6 is in many ways I may sell my PS5 pro at that time for like $800. I will just play it on PC later.
    Reply
  • LordVile
    txfeinbergs said:
    You would have to be an idiot to buy an out-of-date XBOX at that price.
    I mean it’s still cheaper and more powerful than the steam machine.

    Happy I got mine for like £400 now
    Reply
  • TerryLaze
    LordVile said:
    I mean it’s still cheaper and more powerful than the steam machine.
    https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/65B4-2AA3-5F37-4227
    Steam machine is $0 if you already have any PC from the last decade with any semi recent AMD GPU.
    Reply