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The Xbox console generations in order will take you back more than 20 years. Started by Microsoft, the Xbox brand of consoles have become one of the undisputed kings of gaming. Microsoft, primarily a software company back in the early 2000s, dabbled into the gaming console business in the early 2000s and has since been going strong, with the Xbox continuing to be one of the most dominant consoles on the market in the current day and age.
- The first Xbox console released in 2001
- Four generations of Xbox consoles released between 2001 and 2020.
List of Xbox generations release dates
There are a total of nine main models of Xbox that have been released so far, and they belong to a total of 4 different console generations. Below is a list of all the Xbox models released date since the first Xbox launch in 2001.
- Xbox (15th November 2001)
- Xbox 360 (22nd November 2005)
- Xbox 360 S (22nd November 2005)
- Xbox 360 E (10th June 2013)
- Xbox One (22nd November 2013)
- Xbox One S (2nd August 2016)
- Xbox One X (7th November 2017)
- Xbox Series X (10th November 2020)
- Xbox Series S (10th November 2020)
Let’s look at each Xbox, and the impact on the gaming scene their release had in their respective generations.
First Generation Xbox
This was the first generation of Xbox and is only comprised of a singular console. This console was late to the party as the global generation of consoles had reached their 6th iteration. Microsoft had a lot of catching up to do, and this was their attempt to take the market by storm.
Xbox (2001)
The first generation of Xbox was released during the sixth generation of consoles. It was released during the era when it had to compete with the Sony Playstation 2 and the Nintendo GameCube.
General Information
- Xbox Generation: First Generation
- Release Date: November 15, 2001
- Status: Discontinued, 2009
- Units Sold: 24+ million (Worldwide)
- Release Price: $299
General Specifications
- CPU: Intel Pentium III (733 MHz)
- GPU: NVIDIA NV2A (233 MHz)
- Memory: 64 MB DDR SDRAM
- Hard Drive: 8 GB HDD
- Optical Drive: CD Rom/DVD Rom
The Xbox was released in 2001 in a wildly competitive market, with many wondering if it would be able to stand alongside the behemoths of the console industry. While unable to beat the Playstation 2, it still handily waved away these doubts by selling 1.5 million units before the end of 2001, proving itself to be a viable competitor.
This was aided by the console’s flagship gaming titles and some handy exclusive deals that Microsoft had secured. These exclusives include extremely popular games such as Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, and of course, Halo. Halo was a breakout star for the Xbox 2001.
The Halo franchise served as an excellent game and, consequently, a reliable method to promote Microsoft’s live online gaming service, Xbox Live. Halo is a first-person shooter game set in a futuristic setting and features a compelling story mode and a highly competitive and fun online scene. The popularity and reliability of Xbox Live helped set the console apart from its competitors.
Second Generation Xbox 360/S/E
The Second Generation of Xbox was made up of consoles titled Xbox 360 and its multiple variants. These primarily competed with Sony’s Playstation 3. Many consider this the defining generation for Xbox consoles.
Xbox 360 (2005)
By the time of the release of the Xbox 360 in 2005, the console had already made itself a household name. With Sega out of the picture, Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft would clash for the largest market share of consoles with each other.
General Information
- Xbox Generation: Second Generation
- Release Date: November 22, 2005
- Status: Discontinued
- Units Sold: 85.8+ million units (worldwide)
- Release Price: $399
General Specifications
- CPU: Microsoft XCPU 500 MHz – 3 Cores
- GPU: R500, Xenos chip(ATI) – 500 MHz
- Memory: 512 MB GDDR3 RAM
- Hard Drive: 250 GB HDD
- Optical Drive: 12x DVD
- Video Output: VGA(Original), HDMI(Later Releases)
The Xbox 360 made some major upgrades to the original model and maintained a loyal fanbase. This model of the Xbox was able to go toe to toe with Sony’s Playstation 3 and kept a roughly equal market share.
The Xbox 360 once again had a variety of very popular exclusive titles that helped it keep a large and dedicated fanbase. These games included Gears of War, Dead Rising, and other breakout titles for this generation of consoles.
One of the ways this series of Xbox managed to maintain its popularity is through the use of add-ons and upgrades to the Xbox Live service. The Kinect was a motion capture gaming peripheral that boosted the console’s popularity to new heights.
However, the console still faced many hardware and software limitations, such as the notorious Red Ring of Death which was rectified in later iterations of the model.
Xbox 360 S (2010)
The Xbox 360 S was a direct upgrade to the Xbox 360 and is the second console released in the second generation of Xbox Consoles.
General Information
- Release Date: June 14, 2010
- Generation: Second Generation
- Status: Discontinued
- Release Price: $299
- Units Sold: 85.8 million units
General Specifications
- CPU/GPU: Custom ATI single chip
- Memory: 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM
- Hard Drive: 250 GB HDD
- Optical Drive: DVD
- Video Output: HDMI 1.2a in/out
The Xbox 360 S was released in 2010 and provided several upgrades to the original both in terms of hardware and design.
The design had been changed, going for a more sleek and slim look with a shiny glossy finish rather than the simple matte. They reduced the brick size, and the buttons were changed to a touch-sensitive model, giving the console a modern feeling.
The hardware and software were upgraded to meet the requirements of the latest games. They could also learn from their mistakes and fix the bugs and errors that had plagued the previous model. These changes provided players with a very convenient and stable gaming experience.
Xbox 360 E (2013)
This was the third and final console released in the second generation of Xbox consoles and was marketed toward players who did not want to spend on the upcoming Xbox One.
General Information
- Release Date: June 10, 2013
- Generation: Second Generation
- Status: Discontinued
- Release Price: $199
General Specifications
- CPU: IBM custom Xenon – tri-core
- GPU: ATI Xenos – 10 MB eDRAM
- Memory: 512 MB GDDR3 RAM
- Hard Drive: 250 GB HDD 2.5′ SATA
- Optical Drive: HD DVD
- Video Output: HDMI, Up to 1080p
The Xbox 360 E ran only for the three twilight years in the second generation of Xbox consoles and did not make any significant strides in performance. It introduced a newer design that would become standard as newer models were released.
The design returned to the matte finish of older consoles, and the touch button was minimized. They also finally removed the AV video plugin swapping to pure HDMI support as Microsoft prepared to enter the next generation of gaming consoles.
Third Generation Xbox One/S/X
The Third Generation of Xbox consoles was mainly titled the Xbox One. These pieces of hardware brought console gaming to the 4K level with the latest specs. This generation has the highest degree of performance gaps between its variants and is also the generation where Microsoft decided to part ways with the Kinect system.
Xbox One (2013)
The Xbox One was Microsoft’s attempt at competing with their rival Sony, who was set to release the Playstation 4 around this same time.
General Information
- Release Date: November 22, 2013
- Generation: Third
- Status: Discontinued
- Release Price: $499
- Units Sold: 58.5 million units approx.
General Specifications
- CPU: AMD Octa-Core APU – 1.75 GHz
- GPU: AMD Radeon GCN, 853 MHz
- Memory: 8 GB DDR3
- Hard Drive: 500 GB HDD
- Optical Drive: Blu-Ray/DVD
- Video Output: HDMI 1.4 in/out, 4K support
The Xbox One was a fairly decent bargain and came in two options $100 apart, with or without Kinect. Microsoft tried to emphasize the usage of the Kinect system and its integration with your home TV systems. Unfortunately, this did not pan out so well.
Most people flocked to Sony’s PlayStation 4 due to the cheaper cost and a large number of exclusive titles. Also, some people had privacy concerns regarding the Kinect system and its implementation. The Kinect would eventually be discontinued due to its lack of popularity.
Limited backward compatibility was also an issue that many players struggled with, as they did not wish to re-purchase older titles that they already owned. According to Microsoft, the Xbox One only managed to make half of its estimated target sales.
Xbox One S (2016)
After the underwhelming release of the Xbox One, Microsoft decided to up their game and introduced upscaled 4k graphics to compete in the modern gaming platform market.
General Information
- Release Date: August 2, 2016
- Generation: Third Generation
- Status: Discontinued
- Release Price: $299
- Units Sold: N/A
General Specifications
- CPU: AMD 8-core APU (2 quad-core Jaguar modules)
- GPU: AMD Radeon 914 MHz
- Memory: 8 GB DDR3
- Hard Drive: 1TB HDD
- Optical Drive: UHD Blu-ray, DVD
- Video Output: HDMI 2.0 in/out, 4K support
While it was merely upscaled to 4K and did not provide the authentic 4K experience, many players were impressed at the console’s display capabilities, which was able to outperform competitors at a similar markup price.
Not only this, but they also added 4k Blu-Ray capabilities to the device to help it feel like much more than just a gaming console. They tried to fit as many home utility functionalities into the device as possible to make it a device that could serve as a hub for all your TV-related activities.
The console size was shrunk, and it turned into a much lighter and more compact device than ever before. They swapped the design back to the old nostalgic whites and made minor adjustments to the iconic Xbox controller designs.
Xbox One X (2017)
The Xbox One X was Microsoft’s true leap into the 4K gaming experience as consoles finally caught up with PCs in providing 4K graphics in 60fps.
General Information
- Release Date: November 7, 2017
- Generation: Third Generation
- Release Price: $499
- Status: Discontinued
General Specifications
- CPU: AMD 8-core APU – 2.3 GHz
- GPU: AMD Radeon GCN architecture 1.172 GHz
- Memory: 12 GB GDDR5
- Hard Drive: 2TB HDD
- Optical Drive: UHD Blu-ray, DVD
- Video Output: HDMI 2.0b in/out, 4K support
The Xbox One X was a beast when it came to performance compared to all previous consoles. The console was extremely popular with people who were enthusiastic about experiencing 4K. It could provide all that value while running the same software that previous Xbox models were using.
The backward compatibility features were also greatly improved here, with players being able to return to older titles and experiencing them in a much bolder and high-resolution display like never before.
The design was also changed once more for a sleek black design with a shiny finish and a brand-new look similar to the ones used by Playstation models. While this model’s runtime lasted only three years, it still managed to showcase that Microsoft was still in the console race and was still a very solid competitor for Sony’s Playstation.
Fourth Generation Xbox Series X/S
The Fourth generation is the latest installment of the Xbox console generation and is still going strong, with two different console variants already launched. These consoles have received the most massive jump in performance out of any prior generation and are both powerhouses when it comes to performance.
Xbox Series X (2020)
With the new Xbox Series models, Microsoft aims to compete directly with Sony’s Playstation 5.
General Information
- Release Date: November 10, 2020
- Status: Released
- Xbox Generation: Fourth Generation
- Launch Price: $499 (US), €499 (EU), £449 (UK)
- Units Sold: 12 million (est. as of December 31, 2021)
General Specifications
- CPU: 3.8 GHz custom AMD Zen 2 (8 core)
- GPU: 1825 MHz AMD Custom RDNA 2
- Memory: 16 GB GDDR6
- Hard Drive: 1TB
- Media: CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K UHD
- Video Output: HDMI (up to 8K support)
The Xbox Series X enjoyed immense success and popularity compared to the Xbox One. Part of this is due to the market’s shortage and scalping of Playstation 5’s. These market issues made the Xbox Series X an ideal alternative for people to flock towards.
With performance that is considered 8k ready and performing at 120fps for most games, it’s no understatement to call this console a beast that can rival even the most expensive gaming PCs at a much more affordable price. The performance gap between the Xbox One and the Xbox Series X is almost doubled as well.
They have opted for a much different look for the Xbox Series X as it resembles a black tower with vents similar to the look you would get from a standing PC Tower. It’s bulkier in size and weight, but that is a small sacrifice to make for such advanced performance capabilities.
Xbox Series X
CPU
8.8GHz, 8 cores
RAM
16GB GDDR6
Storage
1TB
Storage type
SSD
Frame rate
120 FPS
Xbox Series S (2020)
The Xbox Series S was released as a sibling console for the Xbox Series X and is supposed to provide a lighter and more compact experience convenient for travelers at a much more affordable price.
General Information
- Release Date: November 10, 2020
- Status: Released
- Xbox Generation: Fourth Generation
- Launch Price: $299 (US), €299 (EU), £249 (UK)
General Specifications
- CPU: 3.6 GHz custom AMD Zen 2 (8 core)
- GPU: 1550 MHz AMD Custom RDNA 2
- Memory: 10 GB GDDR6
- Hard Drive: 500GB
- Video Output: HDMI (1440p support)
The Xbox Series S, as mentioned earlier, is slightly lighter on the hardware side. It can provide a 120fps resolution for most games but only up to 1440p and not 4K. Due to the design, many features were removed to fit the console’s design.
The Series S comes in a lightweight and smaller body with a clean white finish. The device is well-built and easy to travel around with for all your gaming needs. You can compare it to a prebuilt gaming PC built with transportability in mind.
Xbox Series S
CPU
3.60 GHz, 8 cores
RAM
16GB
Storage
512 gigabytes
Storage Type
SSD
Frame Rate
120 FPS
Xbox Consoles In Order FAQ
What console generation was the original Xbox in?
The original Xbox console is a sixth generation console.
What generation of console is the Xbox 360?
The Xbox 360 is part of the seventh generation console.
What was Xbox One release date?
The Xbox one released on 22nd November 2013
