The Xbox Series X does not have an optical audio output port, despite the fact that it was on a sample unit in a recent livestream.

After viewer Tiberikus noticed the S/PDIF output port on the Xbox console displayed during Microsoft's livestream, IGN's Ryan McCaffrey contacted Xbox to see if this would be included in the final version The answer is that it will not. The answer was that it would not.

This information was previously given to Windows Central, but the issue seems to have been resolved, as the live stream appeared to contradict it. On Sony's part, the original version of the PS4 and all three PS3 models have S/PDIF output ports, and no announcement has yet been made as to whether the PS5 will continue to have S/PDIF output ports or bring them back.

Since previous leaked photos of the Xbox Series X confirm the presence of an S/PDIF port (top left-most port in the image below), we can assume that this was either included for development purposes or is some kind of remnant connector that will disappear in the production version.

Also known as TOSLINK (the name of the connection cable), S/PDIF is a high-quality fiber-optic connection between an output device, such as a game console or DVD player, and an input device, such as headphones or speakers. Optical audio standards with uniquely shaped ports that glow red have existed since the 1980s, when Toshiba, Sony, and Philips developed standards for them, but they are not used much these days, thanks to modern, more inclusive ports like HDMI.

However, this connection remains popular among audiophiles. Optical-based connections do not interfere with other cables that use electrical signals, and since this standard has been in use for over 30 years, S/PDIF allows for better sound quality and the continued use of the best soundbars and best computer speakers without modern ports.

Hopefully this will not be a problem for Microsoft, but the new Xbox may still be at a disadvantage compared to the PS5 in the sound department. In a recent "Road to PS5" talk, we learned that Sony is focused on creating high-quality 3D audio that is tailored to each user's individual ears; whether the Xbox Series X will have its own version of this technology remains to be seen.