Xbox Series X won't have SPDIF optical audio, or an IR blaster (update)

Xbox Series X Source: Microsoft

Updated March 31, 2022: Astro Gaming confirmed to multiple users on Reddit that it was working with Microsoft to brand its headsets uniform through USB.

Yesterday, Microsoft blew the chapeau off the Xbox Series Ten, giving u.s. a deeper wait into the panel than e'er before (while too confirming the majority of our previous leaks). The Xbox Series Ten will sport 12TF of graphical computational power, atop some powerful storage enhancements, ray tracing applied science, and much more.

A while dorsum, a bunch of photos leaked giving usa a proper look at the ports on the Xbox Serial X, although in that location was some defoliation over what some of them were. Now we know the long strip is for expansion cards, but nosotros've also learned that the prototype ports weren't final. In a bad way.

Xbox Series X Ports Source: Microsoft

Some users noticed in today'south footage of the Xbox Serial X that the SPDIF optical audio port was missing on some of the pictures. We reached out to Microsoft for annotate, and a spokesperson confirmed to us that indeed, the SPDIF optical audio port volition not exist bachelor on the retail units.

No. Xbox Series X will include ports for Networking (Ethernet), HDMI out, Seagate Storage Expansion Carte and iii USB 3.1 ports.

We also asked if the Xbox Serial X will feature an IR Blaster, given that some accessories like the Xbox Media Remote use the IR Blaster to send commands to compatible telly sets. Unfortunately, Microsoft confirmed that this besides, has been removed. Microsoft will opt for HDMI-CEC controls instead for the Xbox Media Remote. HDMI-CEC stands for "Consumer Electronics Control," and allows devices to send signals over a HDMI connection for things like power and book command. Different Telly manufacturers use a variety of different names and brands to describe HDMI-CEC, but nearly modern sets are capable of using it.

Astro A50 (2019) headsest Source: Windows Central A scattering of headsets use the Xbox SPDIF optical port, including the Astro A50 wireless dock.

For those of the states with speaker systems and headsets that take SPDIF optical audio connections such equally the Astro A50 wireless dock and certain audio controllers, it looks like our headsets and accessories won't work with the Xbox Series 10, despite Microsoft'southward prior statements that all existing accessories volition be compatible. There's a adventure some of them could exist updated via firmware to work via USB instead, as many of them have PC configurations designed to piece of work that way instead, just it remains to be seen whether or non manufacturers volition offer those capabilities every bit an culling.

Microsoft probably has data that only a small portion of users were utilizing the IR Blaster and the SPDIF port on the Xbox One consoles, leading to their ultimate demise. Removing them may shed a few pennies off the concluding price of the Xbox Series 10, but it'southward a bit sucky if you're someone who picked up a SPDIF device hoping it would be forrad compatible.