Build your own Xbox One S laptop by following these step-by-step instructions

By Mark Coppock January 16, 2017

Ben Heck's Xbox One S Laptop

Nintendo’s Switch gaming console is the first to officially take its gaming on the road. For anyone who is into Microsoft’s Xbox platform or Sony’s PlayStation 4, however, it’s not necessarily an attractive alternative.

That is why some industrious engineers have worked to create portable versions of otherwise stationary consoles like the Xbox One. Some are even offered for sale at extravagant prices. Recently, however, illustrious console modder Ben Heck provided some details on how to make your own Xbox One S “laptop” as Episode 217 of Element14’s video series.

The result isn’t a fully mobile Xbox One S, in the sense that it still needs to plug in to get its power, but it’s definitely a highly portable version of Microsoft’s latest console. Heck essentially took apart an Xbox One S, which is already smaller in stature compared to its predecessor the Xbox One, and used a variety of fabrication methods to create an Xbox One S laptop that can be easily carried from one location to another.

Some of the tools used to create the various case and other components are a 3D printer and a CNC machine. Heck provides a fairly complete overview of how he started drawing up the design ideas in Microsoft OneNote and Adobe Illustrator, using parts from a previous Xbox One S teardown. He needed to make some significant changes in his design, such as incorporating a larger power supply to accommodate the Full HD display.

While the entire process isn’t for the faint of heart — nor the technically challenged — it’s a great look into how modders can create one-off creations from commonly available parts. The portable Xbox One S isn’t for sale, but it would make for a great project for anyone with some engineering chops and a really strong desire to carry the console from location to another.

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Xbox Game Pass adds one of 2022’s best racing games this month

A man leans against a car in Need for Speed Unbound.

Microsoft has revealed that games that will be coming to Xbox Game Pass throughout the rest of June and even into early July. While the list lacks any major exclusives or first-party games, a solid racing game from 2022 and some intriguing indies make it an interesting batch. Thankfully, the losses the service will suffer at the end of the month aren't too bad either.
The most notable game to hit Xbox Game Pass Ultimate during the back half of June will be Need for Speed Unbound. Coming to the service via its EA Play connection, this is a solid racing game that I gave a three-and-a-half-star review last year. At the time, I said it was "a surprisingly entertaining racer in a year that hasn’t seen much racing game excitement since Gran Turismo 7." On the indie side of things, The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales will be a day one Xbox Game Pass release on June 22. It's an isometric adventure game where the main gimmick is that players can enter the worlds of books they come across.
Former PlayStation console exclusive F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch will also come to Xbox Series X/S via Xbox Game Pass on June 27. This is the full list of titles you can expect to come to the subscription service between today and July 5.

Need for Speed Unbound -- June 22
The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales -- June 22
Bramble: The Mountain King -- June 27
F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch -- June 27
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At the end of the Xbox Games Showcase portion of Microsoft's Xbox Game Showcase and Starfield Direct double feature today, head of Xbox Phil Spencer revealed brand new Xbox hardware. A black version of the Xbox Series S that has 1 TB of SSD storage was revealed.
Xbox Series S Carbon Black 1TB SSD - World Premier Announce Trailer
The Carbon Black design of this system brings the smaller, digital-only console more in line with the color scheme of the Xbox Series X. For the most part, this new console will feature all of the same specs of the white Xbox Series S, with the expectation of storage space. Instead of only having 512 GB of storage, the Carbon Black Xbox Series S console will have a 1 TB SSD like the Xbox Series X. Considering that a lack of storage space is one of the biggest issues with Xbox Series S, this is a very nice alternative to have.
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Xbox Series S - 1 TB will be released on September 1 of this year. That means it will be released less than a week before the launch of Starfield, Bethesda Game Studios' highly anticipated Xbox-exclusive sci-fi RPG. Xbox finally seems to have a solid lineup of exclusives coming afterward, too, as Forza Motorsport finally comes out on October 10 and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 and Avowed launch next year.

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While the last-gen Xbox One isn't as powerful as the Xbox Series X, it's still a worthwhile console and has a huge library of great games.

If you're looking to stay competitive while playing online multiplayer games versus next-gen console and PC players or are just looking to avoid some wonky console interface that's difficult to navigate, you may want to try using a keyboard and mouse with your Xbox One. A keyboard and mouse will give you better precision than your standard Xbox One controller so you can keep up in cross-platform games without shelling out money for a top gaming PC.