Microsoft has reduced the new Xbox One S by 40% when compared to the original Xbox. And while they managed to squeeze in the power brink into the device to save space on your counter they did have to remove the Kinect port to make room.
The good news is the Xbox One S is, of course, compatible with the Kinect sensor. However, you will need to pick up the Kinect USB connector kit, which is an extra $49. That purchase is not an insignificant add-on if you are a big user of voice, recognition auto-login, or gesture game support and it does mark up the price significantly for the One S.
Additionally, in order to make the Xbox One S as compact as possible and make all of these updates, we removed the dedicated Kinect port from the back. Kinect for Xbox One will still be compatible with Xbox One S via the Xbox Kinect Adapter for USB connection and offers the same great experiences as the current console.
The better news? Microsoft is giving away that connector to current Xbox One owners looking to upgrade. Microsoft has set up a dedicated page so that when the One S is available you can just enter in your serial numbers and get the adapter at zero cost.
This adapter will be available for free to customers who have an existing Xbox One console, an Xbox One Kinect and an Xbox One S console. Check back on this page when you have your Xbox One S console to order your free adapter. You will need the serial number for all three devices to get the free Xbox Kinect Adapter.
You can bookmark that page by going here: How to use an Xbox One Kinect Sensor with an Xbox One S console
Regardless, if you are committed to the new design, HDR gaming, and that significant 4K video output, the Xbox One S is your only choice at the moment.
