A 1TB Xbox One's coming, but let's talk about that revised controller

Microsoft will release a 1TB Xbox One, but its new-and-improved controller already sounds like the most exciting part of the package. The system, which sports a new matte black finish, is available in the UK now for £349.99 and will hit the U.S. on June 16 for $399.

This also means the extended $349.99/£299.99 "discount" price for 500GB Xbox One packages is now permanent. The North American 1TB Xbox One will also include a copy of Halo: The Master Chief Collection "for a limited time," though Microsoft didn't mention such an offer in the UK.

Now back to that new controller. We already knew it would offer a 3.5mm jack for standard headsets (much like the DualShock 4), but that's only its most obvious tweak. Less apparent but even more important are its "fine-tuned bumpers," which are easier to click across the entire surface of the button, hopefully resolving some of the few literal sticking points in an otherwise lovely controller design.

The new controller will allow for headset volume and mic adjustments through the settings menu, and you should also notice improved audio quality and louder maximum volume. It still works with the headset adapter if you prefer having physical controls, though. The new controller can even download firmware updates wirelessly, meaning you won't need to plug it into your console to keep it current. Standalone versions will be sold in both black and a silvery "Covert Forces" camo design.

Meanwhile, the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows will offer an easy way to play on PC without having to keep your Xbox One controller plugged in. It seems you may need to be running Windows 10 for the adapter to work - Microsoft didn't say how it will get along with previous versions of Windows. The Xbox Wireless Adapter will release in the US in fall for $25 on its own or bundled with a controller for $79.95, and in the UK "later this year."

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and was formerly a staff writer at GamesRadar+.