Update 8/4/16: Several spec teardown reports have uncovered slight difference in the graphical hardware performance of Xbox One S. Specifically, Xbox One S has a small GPU clock increase of 914 MHz from 853 MHz and an ESRAM bandwidth increase of 219 GB/s from 204 GB/s.

The Xbox One S is a slick looking game console that's 40 percent smaller than the original and ditches the infamously gigantic power brick; It can display 4K video from streaming services and Ultra HD Blu-rays, and supports HDR contrast on video and games.

4K, Ultra HD Blu-ray and HDR settings only work with newer TVs, and may require some trial and error; The updated controller feels cheaper than its predecessor; Project Scorpio, the more powerful Xbox One successor, arrives in late 2017

Just opened it yesterday, but so far so good. Love the interface (operating system) because it's easy to use for adults and my 11 year old. Very happy with this purchase.

Honest to god, I'd be lying if I didn't say this wasn't beautiful. Amazing gradient, this Xbox can also fit in a medium/large backpack. If you want to start your entry into the Xbox family, or you just want a smaller unit and don't have the money for an X, get this thanos boi that's on sale.

Boot-up from a completely powered-off state takes a minute or two. However, since the Xbox One is designed to be always on, at least to some extent, editors at Polygon.com say that once you activate its suspend mode startup takes just under 10 seconds.

Powerful gaming; Live TV integration; Kinect included

Spotty Kinect voice control; Pay wall for most online features; Large size; power brick

Simply put, the arrival of the Xbox One couldn't have come at a better time for users. Though people don't yet know it, the nature of entertainment has changed.

It's nearly impossible for the Xbox One not to be a substantial upgrade over the Xbox 360. The fact that Microsoft could ship a single integrated SoC instead of a multi-chip CPU+GPU solution this generation is telling enough.

The Xbox One has certainly come into its own this year, with a number of superb exclusives. However, one area where the console has lagged behind the PS4 has been its interface. It wasn't terrible, it just hasn't been the most intuitive or nearly as quickly accessible as Sony's console.

New features; Streamlined; More accessible; Introduced backward compatibility

Not all Xbox 360 games compatible yet; Patching required

Over the past few months the media has been an absolute frenzy about the impending launch of the next generation Playstation and Xbox consoles. Now that they have been released in the US and Europe, initial feedback and reviews show both consoles already have huge followings.

It's been a long time coming and Microsoft has finally brought the Xbox One into South Africa. It was released in Europe and the USA last year on 22 November and a few months later, it's finally at our shores. The question you need to ask yourself is, should you buy one?

It's tricky whether to recommend the Xbox One S. On the one hand, if you're already an Xbox One owner, it doesn't offer many new features above the original - especially if you don't have a 4K or HDR TV.