New $499 Elite Xbox One model sports 1TB SSDHD, Elite controller

Microsoft has just unveiled a new upgraded Xbox One model that comes with a roomy 1TB hybrid hard drive and the modular Elite controller.

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The new Xbox One Elite SKU is priced at $499 and features a 1TB hybrid solid-state hard disk that blends speed and storage. Microsoft boasts that the SSDHD improves initial boot up speeds by 20% from power-saver mode, and "adapts to your gaming preferences by storing frequently accessed files" on the SSD partition.

One of the main selling points of the bundle is the Xbox One's high-grade Elite controller, which features custom button mapping, modular, swappable parts, trigger locks and an enhanced D-pad to boot. The Elite controller retails for $150 and accounts for the price bump.

The Xbox One Elite model comes only with the console and a single Elite controller, without any games or a Kinect sensor. The hybrid drive will undoubtedly improve performance and it will be interesting to see how dramatically it affects game load times, and how it will interact with the Xbox One's new speed-oriented update. Although the Elite controller hits the market in October, the new Xbox One system will be available on November 3, 2015.