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Microsoft E3 2017: Xbox One X Is A Great Value At $500, Exec Says

"That value proposition is great."

436 Comments

One of the biggest talking points around the Xbox One X this week has been its $500 price. That's higher than some, including a number of analysts, thought it would be. It is the most powerful console ever made, and Microsoft never backed away from saying it would have a premium price point, but still, some are feeling sticker shock given it's $100 more than PS4 Pro. Now, Xbox engineering lead Mike Ybarra has weighed in, saying $500 is an excellent value.

Speaking to TechRadar, Ybarra the Xbox ecosystem is all about giving people options. "We're all about choice," he said, pointing to the Xbox One S as a more than capable console that is available at a relatively affordable price point, starting at $250 right now.

No Caption Provided

The Xbox One X, meanwhile, is aimed at the "high-end gamer," and it has a price point that reflects that. "If you're a high-end gamer and you want the absolute best experience possible there's no place you'll find a better performance to price ratio than Xbox One X," he said. "True 4K, all the features you saw in the briefing at $499, that value proposition is great."

Further up the ladder in terms of performance--and price--is the PC market. "If you're on PC you're going to be about $1500 or so, so that's another area," Ybarra said. "We love Windows gaming. A lot of our games, almost 20 of them in the show, are going to be on Windows too."

"So that's the point that I love to say, 'What kind of gamer are you?' and let you decide what's best for you."

You can read the full interview here at TechRadar.

GameSpot spoke with Microsoft this week about the console's $500 price point, and the company believes no other console out there is doing what Xbox One X does. For lots more on Xbox One X, check out GameSpot's breakdown of the Xbox One X specs in this video and our roundup of everything you need to know about the console.

The Xbox One X launches on November 7. In other news, Microsoft has released a video in which an Xbox engineer assembles the console piece by piece--it's pretty cool to watch. For more on Xbox at E3 this year, check out GameSpot's roundup of all the company's big news. You can also read GameSpot's breakdown of the company's highs, lows, and biggest games.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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Avatar image for ohjtbehaaave
ohjtbehaaave

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Edited By ohjtbehaaave

The question isn't whether the X/Scorpio is the most powerful console and worth the $$$... the real question is... is it really a good value when many devs won't take advantage of the horsepower? Crackdown 3 basically looks like a 360 game... Destiny is 30fps. And outside of Forza 7.... will we see many 4K/60fps games? You paying $500 just for Forza 7? Because it looks like X won't be pushed any further than the PS4 Pro graphically when all is said and done. Hope that's not the case... but so far it looks that way.

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masfima1

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Don't want it, can't afford ? Don't buy it, this shit isn't that hard.

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Theconsciousss

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I don't really have a boner for XBox, I have a PS4 (not pro) but I gotta say, what you're getting for $500/£450 is pretty damn good value all said and done. UHD drive and a very powerful system, sell your Xbox1 and upgrade or don't as I were. Price wise I think bang for buck it's a pretty sweet deal to be honest

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deactivated-5f4994a77f48a

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A lot of people being hypocrites once again. For one nobody is forcing any of you to buy it. Second I bet most of you posting here are doing it on your extremely overpriced iPhone or galaxy...

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uchihasilver

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I like how since last E3 Microsoft have touted "highest quality pixels" and "It's a TRUE 4K console" and now nobody cares that it isn't and that Microsoft have done a 180 yet again . . .

We PC player have been saying for months it will never happen with it's spec on games outside of lesser demanding titles and we constantly got shot down by people who apparently aren't intelligent enough to see the Microsofts PR bull let alone the constant Sony bashing I see xD

When PS4 released didn't they get sued and bashed to high hell for killzone shadowfall not running at true 1080p?! but now It's Microsoft no one cares O.o

Both PS4 pro and Xbox One X do checkerboarding and dynamic resolution the only big difference is Sony straight up said It was doing that Microsoft didn't and yet now I see people actually saying "but out checkerboarding Is better" I mean I just can't T_T

It's so tiring listening to console players think they know the technical side just because MS says 6 teraflops or 12GB GDDR5 and the likes but truth is PC players said from the start the CPU used won't allow it and it seems we were right =/ I don't begrudge people there choice of platform you have your reasons just as I have mine to play on PC and either way it sucks when you are blindsided with BS PR and marketing buzz words but to defend a company that does so to your face you may need some help

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EternalFlame90

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@uchihasilver: wow, English not your first language, eh? That was painful.

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uchihasilver

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@eternalflame90: yep because what i really care about is my grammer when posting comments on gamespot using a mobile phone . . .

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Feenixx7

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"the Xbox ecosystem is all about giving people options. "We're all about choice,"

Yeah right. They would be all about choice if they came out with them all at the same time so we could choose which one we want, and I wouldn't be mad that I got suckered into a One S a few months ago...oh well its only money :/

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BLAS1AN

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@feenixx7: Technology is advanceing. You have a choice to upgrade or not. all games will work on each console so whats the problem.

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chris91090

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@feenixx7: They announced the Scorpio model last year. It's not their fault some people are uninformed.

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Swisspease

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So a guy who works for XBox says that it's a good deal? Of course he would, your money buying it goes towards his paycheck.

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jawou812

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Edited By jawou812

What about the people that bought the Elite. So, I paid that amount when I could have waited and now, have what you told me I was getting then?

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BLAS1AN

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@jawou812: all the games made will work on X, S and Elite right?

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Zombie8814

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@jawou812: I know how you feel, I bought my PS4 about a week before the PS4 PRO was announced. At the time, I never thought consoles would be rolling out new additions every 2 years.

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BarcaAzul

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Edited By BarcaAzul

I was expecting them to blow the body doors off on the Exclusives front. Whilst they have some good stuff coming, for me its not enough to take the plunge on it.

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chipbrooks2313

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It is a great value? It would be nice if the XBOX had some good exclusives to play. As for titles across multiple platforms, playing on PS4 is just as good if not better.

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Zombie8814

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Edited By Zombie8814

@chipbrooks2313: PS4 PRO is better at this moment, but it won't be once the XBOX One X is released. Unless you're only into exclusives.

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uchihasilver

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@Zombie8814: Xbox One X also use checkerboard rendering and dynamic resolution so the One X honestly isn't that much better . . .

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waelse1

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It's much better than the PS4Pro for only $100 more, do not understand the editorial slant here.

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dirthurts

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@waelse1: An extra 100 bucks for a small resolution bump that you may or may not be able to perceive? I dunno. Even as a graphic loving PC gamer, 100 bucks for that sounds steep.

Save 100 bucks and get the visually comparable PS4 pro and gain the ability to play far more numerous exclusives...that's the better offer.

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waelse1

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@dirthurts: People are already talking up a possible PS5 to compete with XB1X in the next couple of years, the only reason to buy a PS4Pro would be if my PS4 fails IMO. $400 is a lot for an intermediate product while the XB1X is a huge improvement over the standard XB1. But it's your entertainment dollars, spend it on what you enjoy.

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dirthurts

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@waelse1: True. But what's going to differentiate the next gen from this one will be better processors (surely based on Ryzen). There simply will be no competing by either the PS4 Pro or the XBX1. Even the lowest end new processors from AMD is light years ahead of the ancient (about a decade) jaguar tech in the consoles now.

Both the XB1X and PS4 Pro are just resolution bumps, and the occasional very minor graphical setting changes.

Without a CPU increase, we're not going to see much more than that.

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waelse1

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@dirthurts: Those who have actually worked with the XB1X say it is much more than that, I'll pass on your unseen evaluations.

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dirthurts

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@waelse1: You're going to be disappointed then.

Hardware is hardware, and you can't defy physics no matter how hard you sell it.

Do keep in mind those who have "worked with" the hardware have a biased and vested interest in selling the thing. Digital Foundry talks about the XB1X on their channel, and they agree with me.

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waelse1

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@dirthurts: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-06-16-xbox-one-x-specs-games-vr-project-scorpio

"This is a machine with far more graphical prowess that the existing Xbox One, and how developers will take advantage of that 6TF of GPU power is up to them. (Digital Foundry has you covered if you're interested in knowing what a teraflop actually is, by the way.)

This means that while Xbox One has lagged behind PS4 performance, Xbox One X is set to offer a sizable leap over both the PS4 and PS4 Pro, with much better graphical and memory capabilities, and support for native 4K gaming.

To quote Digital Foundry in the Xbox Project Scorpio spec analysis: "It's a remarkable turnabout. A good portion of PlayStation 4's success has been down to its spec advantage over Xbox One, combined with a focus on the hardcore player. Sony's technological advantage will be gone with the next wave of hardware."

Link to where Digital Foundry agrees with you the XB1X is a disappointment?

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dirthurts

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@waelse1: I never said it was a disappointment. You're just reading it that way. It's a powerful console, but the power is all on the GPU side, which essentially stunts it's capabilities and limits them to shading, resolution, post processing, etc.

Frame rate, geometry, AI, all that is unchanged. Just like the Pro.

And checkerboard 1800 to 4K doesn't look that different from 4K.

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waelse1

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@dirthurts:

"Digital Foundry talks about the XB1X on their channel, and they agree with me."

Link? I've seen nothing negative from them.

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dirthurts

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@waelse1: I'm not saying anything negative. What's with your reading comprehension? It's just not a leap worthy of the investment (in my opinion). Here is the DF video where the talk about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qqpRlDSDFA

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LucienBry

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@dirthurts: Fan boy

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dirthurts

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@lucienbry: You tell yourself that.

I own, literally, every console since the NES. I'm a fan of games. I offer no dedication to any hardware company.

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Zombie8814

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@dirthurts: What if the extra 100 bucks will be the difference between 30FPS and 60FPS? Then the extra $100 would be well worth it. But if it's just a slight bump for the resolution, then I agree with you, it's really not worth the extra $100.

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dirthurts

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@Zombie8814: 100 bucks to double the frame I'd drop in a heartbeat. However, the XB1X still has the same Jaguar CPU bottlenecking it, and the slight bump in processor speed isn't capable of brute forcing the game to 60 fps if it's designed to run at 30.

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santinegrete

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Edited By santinegrete

I'm a little off with info about what PS4 pro and The XBox One X can do compared to each other, but the price is clearly higher in MS console. Does anyone know if PS4 and Xbox One can do practically the same (gaming in 4k stable framerate)? or we have to wait to see yet?

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uchihasilver

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@santinegrete: so far they aren't vastly different . . . Digital foundry has spoke about both anthem and AC:Origins and the Xbox One X also uses checkerboard rendering as well as dynamic resolution so honestly it depends on whose side of the fence you lean on and if you think the One X will be worth that extra $100 which will get you better visuals but no visuals worlds apart like people like to make out

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Razor10000

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for a console, xbox one x is good value for what it offers, but don´t compare it to pc, because that $1500 pc will offer alot more for gaming alone. it will run all games at 60fps if the player want it, also 21:9 aspect ratio and freesync/gsync which is amazing for games. will also run old games at much better resolution, framerate and graphic settings. and you don´t pay for online mp on pc.

pc offers gamers choice over their experience, something that consoles still have a very long way to go.

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Si2k78

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Edited By Si2k78

@Razor10000: if anything, it offers horrible value. You are spending $500 on a box that may potentially be held back by the original xbone and PS4/pro. The 1X cant adjust graphics settings, can't play non Xbox games, can't easily hook up to existing VR devices. It's a $500 box that has a lot of potential, but offers you no freedom to use it how you see fit. Pass.

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KhanWasHere

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Edited By KhanWasHere

@si2k78: When you don't know what you're talking about it's best to shut the hell up. Especially when you're acting as if all the consoles from the last 40 years were some how able to do any of the things you claim they need to now do.

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Si2k78

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@khanwashere: You're right, the old consoles don't do those things that I had listed, and they never claimed to. But the point the Xbox exec was trying to make was that the 1X was a good value relative to the PC. Once you open up that discussion, then you need to have an honest discussion about what a PC can do relative to the 1X. And the points I've listed are fact. The 1X can't do those things, so the value proposition of the 1X is unclear, at best. And don't be so salty. If you have a valid point, lets hear it.

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KhanWasHere

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@si2k78: It's several pages back. get reading

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Si2k78

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@khanwashere: I don't see how your user experience and opinions about VR relate to someone's freedom and choice in how they want to use a $500 console. Your opinions just amount to useless babble without facts.

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jtmellon

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That's like saying "Ford is a great car says the exc of Ford".

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KhanWasHere

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Microsoft toyed around with subsidization many years back. You could in theory get the XoX on a 3 year payment plan that included Gold membership during that time. The cost is about $19 a month but even if they made it something like $25 or $30 a month i bet people would pay into that.

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Razor10000

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Edited By Razor10000

@khanwashere: the payment plan would be a success if the console was free on the payment plan and microsoft released a new console every 3 years.

people go to a store and get a xbox one x for free with 3 year payment plan for $19 a month with gold membership included. after 3 years people do a new payment plan and get the newest console(xbox 2).

if people have to pay any value for the console and still have the payment plan, it won´t work. microsoft already tried it with the xbox360. if people end up paying more on the payment plan than just buying the console and gold, it won´t work either.

if microsoft isn´t greedy, this would work very well and microsoft would have gold in every console, which is exactly what they want.

internet/tv companies do this in my country and it works very well for them.

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Smosh150

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Edited By Smosh150

@khanwashere: Hell yea I would. As a former console player (Been PC only for years) I don't really like the idea of paying for something like that up front, but paying monthly is something I would definitely be interested (Hell I'd be fine with $50 a month).

It just allows me to spread out my budget. I wouldn't mind seeing that for a lot of other products as well (VR for one, I think that would be a benefit to that area. Makes it look affordable rather than a one time whopping near $1k price).

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KhanWasHere

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@Smosh150: 3 years is a good timeframe for a brand new console launch. They tend to last 3-5 years for many people. More than the average cell phone plan which is two years then you trade it in.

VR on the other hand is new and in 3 years will be a whole lot better, different. I personally would pay for the XoX over the next three years. I won't touch VR till they get their shit together. The actual headsets need major upgrades still. poor FoV, poor display resolution, poor refresh rate, poor AAA support, poor portability, poor input options. Basically all of it is poor!

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Smosh150

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@khanwashere: Agreed on the console bit.

I also agree on VR needing to be improved (Though I wouldn't go to the extent of which you went. Everything felt well enough when I tried it), but considering the games I play VR is a must.

Also for a correction on my part, HTC does allow for a monthly payment. I didn't know this until it got me thinking.

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KhanWasHere

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Edited By KhanWasHere

@Smosh150: I've had VR since the Oculus DevKit 2. Over time as the novelty of the experience wheres off it's easy to see all the things that need improvement.

As far as subsidizing the console, you don't need a new one every three years, they just need to only offer the plan during the first year of launch. After that the sales and bundles take over.

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Smosh150

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Edited By Smosh150

@khanwashere: Fair enough, but realize that the average game is far different than what I was talking about (Flight Simulation) where it isn't so much of a novelty (I mean I use peripherals like TrackIR which could be considered a novelty, so adding a screen as well as other useful features only adds to that). In many everyday games I may agree with you though, it just depends on what it is.

And yea, I agree with you. From what I have seen since the previous generations (2005 and up) is that usually within that first year of a new console there is nothing worth getting it for unless it is something like the Switch that is different from a standard console.

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stickybun

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I know some people have sticker shock with this price point... but I don't find the price out of line. Given the specs, hardware and size... I think it's fair. If you don't like the price the ONE S still plays the same games and is significantly cheaper.

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