• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

Microsoft Explains Why Xbox One X Is Worth $100 Premium

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 13, 2017, 2:18 PM ET

Microsoft has come under fire from some critics who worry the company’s new Xbox One X is overpriced. And now it’s responding.

In an interview with gaming news site Eurogamer on Tuesday, Microsoft’s Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that his company’s decision to price the Xbox One X at $499—$100 more expensive than its closest competitor, the Sony PlayStation 4 Pro—is based on a slate of features its challenger doesn’t have.

“This is a true 4K console,” Spencer said, referring to the Xbox One X’s support for 4K resolution, higher fidelity than HD. “If you just look at the specs of what this box is, it’s in a different league than any other console that’s out there.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Spencer went on to tout the Xbox One X’s features, including its fast processor and higher-end graphics chip, which he says, should deliver better graphical quality in video games.

The Microsoft’s (MSFT) executive’s comments come just days after Microsoft announced the new Xbox One X console at the E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles. The device, which had previously been known by its codename Project Scorpio, comes with faster components than its predecessors. It also supports native 4K resolution, which means games that can run in the higher resolution will work without trouble on the Xbox One X.

Microsoft was quick to note that the 4K support stands in stark contrast to the PlayStation 4 Pro, which technically offers a 4K-like resolution, but not actual 4K. However, for that small bump in resolution, customers will need to pay $100 more for the Xbox One X.

Soon after the Xbox One X’s announcement, industry watchers criticized Microsoft’s pricing decision. They noted the small resolution boost and wondered whether Microsoft could get customers to pay $100 more for it.

For his part, Spencer believes the Xbox One X is on an island all its own in the console market and doesn’t actually have a competitor. Instead, he told Eurogamer that PlayStation 4 Pro’s actual Microsoft counterpart is the Xbox One S, a console less powerful than the Xbox One X and cheaper at $250.

Sony (SNE) hasn’t commented on Microsoft’s comments with on its console and the Xbox One X. And so far, Microsoft hasn’t yet offered pre-orders on the hardware, so it’s impossible to know how customers might respond to the lofty price tag.

Microsoft plans to release the Xbox One X on November 7.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Big Tech
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative cut 70 jobs as the Meta CEO’s philanthropy goes all in on mission to 'cure or prevent all disease'
By Sydney LakeFebruary 1, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
U.S. Olympic gold medalist went from $200,000-a-year sponsorship at 20 years old to $12-an-hour internship by 30
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 1, 2026
21 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
Ford CEO has 5,000 open mechanic jobs with up to 6-figure salaries from the shortage of manually skilled workers: 'We are in trouble in our country'
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 31, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
'I just don't have a good feeling about this': Top economist Claudia Sahm says the economy quietly shifted and everyone's now looking at the wrong alarm
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 31, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Ryan Serhant starts work at 4:30 a.m.—he says most people don’t achieve their dreams because ‘what they really want is just to be lazy’
By Preston ForeJanuary 31, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Energy
Top energy expert says probability the U.S. will attack Iran soon is 75% as risk of major disruption to oil supply is priced in — 'this one is real'
By Jason MaFebruary 1, 2026
15 hours ago

Latest in Tech

NewslettersTerm Sheet
As Silicon Alley turns 30, New York is building its own tech mecca
By Leo SchwartzFebruary 2, 2026
1 hour ago
NewslettersFortune Tech
Start your engines: OpenAI and Anthropic race to IPO
By Alexei OreskovicFebruary 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Startups & Ventureaccounting
Goldman Sachs leads $75 million funding round for Fieldguide, an AI-native accounting and audit platform
By Leo SchwartzFebruary 2, 2026
3 hours ago
Economyspace
Singapore launches first space agency, joining a Southeast Asian race to tap a fast-growing space sector
By Angelica AngFebruary 2, 2026
4 hours ago
Startups & Ventureautonomy
Waymo seeking about $16 billion near $110 billion valuation
By Edward Ludlow, Aaron Kirchfeld and BloombergFebruary 1, 2026
13 hours ago
AIspace
SpaceX seeks FCC nod to build data center constellation in space
By Sana Pashankar, Loren Grush and BloombergFebruary 1, 2026
13 hours ago