The Xbox Series S is a smaller, sleeker console than the full Xbox Series X. While not as rugged as the Series It is also significantly cheaper. , making it a wonderful home console.
We’re now at a level where Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are fully current-gen consoles. Not only do they have counterfeit game libraries, but they’re also much less difficult to buy than when they were released over 4 years ago. . Heck, you can even get an Xbox Series console at a discount at annual sales events.
Of course, not all gamers embrace the newest hardware at launch, so some Xbox owners are probably still getting into the existing generation of console gaming and continue to compare the Xbox Series X to the Xbox Series S.
The Xbox Series X is a true gaming console, a bit like a compact PC compared to Xbox machines of the past, and its value reflects that.
Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S on paper proves less rugged than the Xbox One X, but it uses a newer chip architecture to deliver 1440p gaming for about the value of its bigger brother. There’s also a 1TB Xbox Series S available in black, which bumps up the price but offers twice the SSD space, which is useful for modern games whose install size seems to be constantly increasing.
Microsoft further confuses its selection by confirming 3 new Xbox series console models to be released in 2024. There’s the all-digital Xbox Series X and 1TB Xbox Series S in Robot White, along with the 2TB Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition that packs a lot of garage and a layout.
Chances are, neither console will disappoint you; the Xbox Series, there are few). some attractive games that on PlayStation).
But read on to see how the Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S showdown plays out and which one it would be for you.
The Xbox Series S price is one of the few categories in which it beats the Xbox Series X. Bottom line: the Xbox Series S costs $299, while the Series X costs $499. (Prices vary from country to country, but the spread is the same. ) The Xbox Series X 1TB costs $349, which brings it too close to the PS5 Digital Edition for us.
You can make a lot of arguments about how the Xbox series might not be as useful in the long run. But right now, the Series S costs $200 less than the flagship Xbox, and that can make a big difference, depending on your budget and existing entertainment setup.
However, the price comparison is made a little more complicated by the fact that both consoles are starting to go on sale, now that they’ve been on the market for a few years. We saw the Xbox Series. If you can get the Series X at a seasonal sales event, the value becomes quite interesting for all that extra power.
While the Xbox Series S has a clear price advantage, the Xbox Series X has a clear hardware advantage. While both systems have the same processor, they have other storage and RAM capacities (on the base models, the Xbox Series S 1TB solves the old gap). ). There’s also a significant difference in the GPUs of the two consoles. Check out the table below for a full breakdown of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S specs:
In our testing, the Xbox Series , it is not the same as having a local 4K display. The Xbox Series X supports ray tracing in a wide variety of games, while the Series S has much more limited ray tracing support. The Series X also offers much greater draw distance in optimized games.
Qualitatively speaking, the Xbox Series S looks smart and performs well, even on 4K displays. If you own a 1080p TV or 1440p monitor (and plan to stick with it for a few more years), the Series S is an easy sell. But if you own a high-end TV, save your pennies for the Series X. It’s worth the upgrade value.
The Xbox Series X also has a built-in 4K Blu-ray player; the Xbox Series S is a purely virtual console. This means that if you have a lot of physical media, whether it’s backward-compatible movies, TV shows, or games, the Xbox Series X offers a lot of credit over the Series S.
While the Xbox Series X is a pretty console, there’s no denying that it’s pretty big: 11.9 x 5.9 x 5.9 inches, and 9.8 pounds. It’s not at all guaranteed to fit in your entertainment center, particularly if you want it in a horizontal configuration.
This is where the Xbox Series S positively shines. The small white console (with sleek black air vents on top) measures just 10. 8 x 5. 9 x 2. 6 inches and weighs 4. 3 pounds. It’s been one of the smallest and lightest consoles in years, and fits perfectly in an entertainment center, or just next to a TV on a dresser. The Xbox Series S fits perfectly into any setup and is easy to move.
For this reason, the Xbox Series S is a secondary console for a bedroom, a children’s room, a guest room. . . You get the idea. This is especially true because the maximum number of Xbox Series X/S games are also available for PC and your save data can be retained, especially if you’re using Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($17 per month). On the other hand, we also know that it’s a luxury to have a single console in the living room; another can just push it.
In many ways, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are very similar. Of course, their overall power and design are different, but they both use the same controller, interface, and features.
The most applicable is that the game library is the same for both. Sure, you get better graphics and faster frame rates in newer games with the Series X, but the Series S probably won’t disappoint either. There are many old Xbox games now optimized for new consoles and they run equally well on all of them. Both consoles can also use Xbox’s Quick Resume feature, which lets you pause multiple games and pick up where you left off in each one.
Now that we’re over 3 years into the Xbox Series X and Series S lifespan, you might be wondering if it’s worth taking the plunge on either console.
Well, we’d say yes. There are now some counterfeit Xbox-exclusive games that work fine on either console. And now we’re at a point where new games aren’t intergenerational (but some still are), so you’ll want a current-gen Xbox to enjoy the games we’re hoping to see in the long run, like Avowed and Indiana. Jones and the Great Circle.
The Xbox Series X is also now in a time where Microsoft has started promoting the discounted device. We saw it drop as low as $399 in the latest Black Friday sales. However, the Xbox Series S still wins in terms of price, and even got discounts of up to $50, making it almost an impulse buy, relatively speaking.
There’s no denying that the Xbox Series X is the more powerful of the two systems, and the better investment, if you can afford it. However, there are a few circumstances under which an Xbox Series S might still be a smart buy.
The case of the “secondary console” described above carries some weight. If you own a 1080p TV and don’t plan on upgrading anytime soon, the Series S is the option to go with, and when you get a 4K TV, it’s going on to remain a smart stopgap formula thanks to the improvement.
Otherwise, get the Xbox Series With beefier hardware and greater physical media capabilities, it’s more scalable and flexible than the Series S. Yes, $200 can buy you a lot of games, but you might just put off a more expensive purchase a few years down the road.
Marshall Honorof is editor-in-chief of Tom’s Guide and oversees the site’s policy on gaming hardware and software. He has a background in clinical writing and has studied paleomamology, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can practice taekwondo or dive deep into ancient science fiction.
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