Modder Ed Zarick has put together some pretty cool stuff in the past, like a functional full-size BB-8 robot and the PlayBox, a portable Frankenstein's monster of a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. With last week's release of the Xbox One S, a slimmed down upgrade of Microsoft's current console, Zarick has already built his own portable version.
Like previous custom builds, Zarick's Xbook One S takes the console and crams it into a thick notebook shell, complete with a fold-down LCD screen, and Microsoft putting its chunky Xbox One on a diet was a perfect opportunity for Zarick to incorporate fan feedback about slimming down his devices.
Made with thin materials where possible and thicker ones where required, the Xbook One S is much smaller and lighter than his previous builds, and should perform fine under ordinary circumstances, but, Zarick admits, perhaps don't go out of your way to rough it up.
At 19 inches, the attached Samsung LCD screen is a little smaller than the base Xbook One, but Zarick feels the original 22 inch screen made the system "slightly too big to be truly portable." A resolution of 720p might sound unimpressive, but at that size it's unlikely to make much difference, and those who want to take advantage of the One S's 4K output can connect the device to a TV if they wish.
Due to the power-hungry parts inside, the Xbook One S does still need to be tethered to a power outlet to run, which is a slight inconvenience for on-the-go gaming but not a problem for killing time in hotel rooms and airport lounges. And Microsoft's integration of the power supply into the unit means there's no need to cart around a power brick this time round either.
For all its mods, the Xbook One S will still provide online play without risk of an Xbox Live ban, and Zarick assures overseas travellers that the internal components are all rated for 110/220v power, so foreign outlets shouldn't fry the system.
Zarick is currently taking orders for the Xbook One S on his website, at a price of US$1,495 for the 500 GB model, or $50 more for the 1 TB, plus shipping. Or if you're feeling lucky, he's running a competition on Twitter, with one winner taking home the model shown in the video below.
Source: Xbook One
