This New Xbox One Will Boot Up 20 Percent Faster

Microsoft on Monday announced the Xbox One Elite Bundle. The console featured in the bundle comes with a new 1 TB solid state hybrid hard drive (more on that later) and the new Elite controller. The package costs $500, and Microsoft describes it as "the ultimate gaming experience."

[Update: Microsoft has detailed the Xbox One Elite bundle release date and price for the UK; It will sell for £400, and be available from November].

The new SSHD should be an improvement over the existing hard drive. That's because it "stores frequently accessed files on a solid state partition and optimizes system performance so you can get to the action up to 20 percent faster from energy-saving mode," Microsoft said in a news release.

In October 2014, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said improving Xbox One load times was high on his priority list.

As previously announced, the Elite Xbox One wireless controller, which also works with PC on Windows 10, features interchangeable paddles and hair trigger locks. It also lets you adjust the trigger minimum and maximum values, thumbstick sensitivity, and button assignments. In short, you can assign any of the controller's 14 different inputs to the ABXY buttons, paddles, D-pad, triggers, and thumbstick clicks

The Xbox One Elite bundle launches worldwide in November for $500. In the United States, it will be sold exclusively through GameStop and Microsoft stores for the month of November. The new Elite controller, meanwhile, launches in October and sells for $150 by itself.

Finally, Microsoft also announced today a "Lunar White" version of the standard Xbox One controller. It sports all the new refinements, a slick-looking color scheme, and "improved grip texture." In the US, this controller will be sold only at GameStop, where it will cost $65 starting in late September.

What do you make of Microsoft's new hardware announcements today? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

[CORRECTION] An earlier version of this story reported that this new Xbox One would load games 20 percent faster. In fact, the console will power up 20 percent faster from the energy-saving mode. GameSpot regrets the error.