Xbox One Price Drop: $399 Device Launches June 9, Runs Faster Without Kinect

Though part of the appeal of Microsoft’s Xbox One is the all-knowing Kinect, the Redmond, Washington-based multimedia company recently admitted that the console runs quicker and more efficiently without it.

"Yes, the additional resources allow access to up to 10 percent additional GPU performance," a Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) representative told Eurogamer on Wednesday. "We're committed to giving developers new tools and flexibility to make their Xbox One games even better by giving them the option to use the GPU reserve in whatever way is best for them and their games."

The Kinect-less device will launch next Monday for $399, which is $100 less than the original price tag of Microsoft’s latest console, which reached buyers on Nov. 22 last year.

"Your feedback matters to us and it shapes the products and services we build," Xbox head Phil Spencer said when he announced the price cut last month.

The console will receive a 10 percent boost in performance and speed. Spencer also confirmed via Twitter on Wednesday that additional GPU bandwidth will be made available.

Gamers are already showing interest in a cheaper Xbox One.

In late May, gaming retailer GameStop (NYSDE:GME) revealed during a post-earnings financial call that it was seeing demand for the Kinect-less Xbox One with the price drop announcement.

"I definitely think we're already seeing in our stores with our reservation program as well as dialogue with PowerUp Rewards [members that] there's a stronger demand as a result of the price drop," GameStop President Tony Bartel said. "The good news for us is ... we'll sell a lot more units."

“And that means there will be more Xbox One units out there to put software on," Bartel added.

The $100 price reduction will put the Xbox One at the same price as Sony’s PlayStation 4, which launched last Nov. 15, one week prior to the launch of the Xbox One. Sony has called the PS4 launch its most successful launch, with 7 million units sold as of last month.