Microsoft’s new Xbox One X goes up for preorder

New console will be delivered in time for Christmas

A man tests the new Microsoft Xbox One during the world's largest computer games fair Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, August 22, 2017. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

LOS ANGELES — Microsoft is giving Xbox fans a first chance to order the next version of the company’s game console, and rewarding early birds with something special: The Xbox One X went up for preorders online today. And as part of the launch, Microsoft is also selling a limited edition “Project Scorpio” model.

The Xbox One X was officially announced at E3 in Los Angeles in June and is retailing for $499. The device comes with more powerful hardware than the original Xbox One, including a 172 MHz graphics processing engine capable of processing six teraflops. In layman’s terms, this makes the Xbox One X 40 percent more powerful than Sony’s Playstation 4 Pro.

Before its official unveiling, the new Xbox was known under its code name “Project Scorpio,” which Microsoft is now using to market a limited edition of the device to hardcore fans. The “Project Scorpio” edition, as it is called, is only available via preorder. Ultimately, the Scorpio edition won’t be any different that the regular version, safe for an extra Project Scorpio logo added to the console and the included game controller.

The Xbox One X will start shipping, and reach retailers’ shelves, on Nov. 7.