Someone turned an Xbox One S into a full gaming PC — RTX 3050 and all

Inside the Xbox One S gaming PC by PhasedTech
Inside the Xbox One S gaming PC by PhasedTech (Image credit: PhasedTech)

Sleeper builds are PCs hidden inside unassuming or unexpected chassis. We have seen computers built into desks, microwaves, and even other appliances.

Now, one madman, or rather genius, @PhasedTech on YouTube, has built an entire gaming PC with a working disc drive inside an Xbox One S.

Inside the Xbox One S turned gaming PC

I Built a PC Inside an XBOX (And the Disc Drive Works) - YouTube I Built a PC Inside an XBOX (And the Disc Drive Works) - YouTube
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It is genuinely a feat I never expected to see. Fitting an RTX 3050, a 250W PSU, a disc drive, 16GB of RAM, and a Ryzen 5 3600 inside the shell of an Xbox One S is no small task.

On paper, that setup should deliver roughly three to four times the graphical performance of the original Xbox One S hardware.

It is well worth watching the full video and subscribing to @PhasedTech, who has only been creating content for a short time, but has already tackled similarly ambitious small form factor builds.

For this project, he fully kitted out the Xbox One S by shaving down parts of the internal shell and 3D printing custom brackets. All of it was done while keeping the original eject and power buttons fully functional, which makes the end result feel very authentic.

According to PhasedTech, games like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant can reach around 200 FPS at 1080p using medium settings, making it pretty much as powerful as my measly GTX 1080, in a build far more discreet.

Temperatures can climb as high as 80°C under load, which is reasonable given the tight internal space.

He also suggests the system could work well as a Steam Deck-style living room PC, or even double up as a fully functional DVD player, thanks to the working optical drive.

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Would you use an Xbox One S like this as your living room gaming PC, or do you prefer a traditional console setup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:


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Adam Hales
Contributor

Adam is a Psychology Master’s graduate passionate about gaming, community building, and digital engagement. A lifelong Xbox fan since 2001, he started with Halo: Combat Evolved and remains an avid achievement hunter. Over the years, he has engaged with several Discord communities, helping them get established and grow. Gaming has always been more than a hobby for Adam—it’s where he’s met many friends, taken on new challenges, and connected with communities that share his passion.

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