The Xbox Series S is the smaller variation of the Series X, Microsoft’s new video game console for the ninth generation. This tiny console is also the smallest Xbox to date. Despite its size, though, the Series S is full of potential and many are already opting for it.
Microsoft really took the entire community into consideration when they decided to add this console to their inventory. The Series S is perfect for casual gamers and although it isn’t as powerful as the Xbox Series X, or the PS5 for that matter, it can still hold its own as a formidable console.
9 Great: It Is Considerably Cheaper
The Xbox Series S is by far the cheapest video game console in the next-generation line-up. The Series S is considerably cheaper than the Xbox Series X, which makes it perfect for casual gamers and those who want to give the “next-gen experience” a try without having to spend a little too much.
Compared to other consoles from both Microsoft and Sony, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 are priced at $499.99 while the PS5 Digital edition is at $399.99. This makes the Series S $200 cheaper than both Series X and PS5, and $100 cheaper than the PS5 digital edition.
8 Not-So-Great: Disc-less
The Xbox Series S, much like the Xbox One S All-Digital and PS5 digital edition, does not come with a disc drive. This may be good for those who have been downloading games digitally for a while, but not everyone engages in this process.
Despite the digital age the world is in, many people still prefer to buy physical copies of games. For one, a whole lot of people prefer owning a physical copy of a game for efficiency or just to have a collection. Others just prefer it because of slow internet connections. Whatever the case, those who prefer owning physical copies will be turned off by this aspect of the Series S, but those who don’t will find this a win.
7 Great: It Feels Next-Gen
Despite its small size and considerate price tag, the Xbox Series S is a pretty remarkable console. While it isn’t as powerful as the Xbox Series X or the PlayStation 5, it still feels next-gen and is more powerful than most of the consoles of the previous generation.
The Xbox Series S is capable of running games in 1440p resolution at up to 120 frames per second. While many players want to play games in 4K resolution, something this console can’t do, the Series S will not compromise frame rate at the slightest. Microsoft ensures that this console is capable of running games at a silky smooth 120fps, which is a win for many gamers.
6 Not-So-Great: Its Design
No one will find a console’s design a dealbreaker as long as the system is competent. However, it still is something that should be up for discussion. The design of the Xbox Series S is remarkable for many things, and one of the most recurring statements is that it resembles a tiny speaker.
The Xbox Series S’ design is arguably and subjectively unattractive. It looks more like an extension of a television’s audio system than an actual next-generation video game console. Be that as it may, this is a very minor “not-so-great” factor, and many will not even find it that off-putting.
5 Great: SSD Storage
These days, most people are turning to SSDs for their storage devices instead of the old HDDs. SSD, or solid-state drive, is a more powerful and faster storage device compared to the old hard disk drive. None of the previous consoles had SSDs, but the next generation is making sure that it is the standard drive at launch.
The Xbox One S follows through with this standard, as it also incorporates an SSD into its system. Although its SSD has a smaller capacity compared to the other consoles of the ninth generation, it can still run as fast as expected of SSDs.
4 Not-So-Great: Small Storage
The Xbox Series S will only have 512 gigabytes of storage at launch. While this may seem much for an SSD drive, many games today have a very large storage size, with some even going up to 100 gigabytes at the least. With this in mind, the base storage of the Xbox Series S will only store around six to eight games, at least if they go by the recent standard sizes.
This doesn’t account for the pre-installed apps that are in the system. The Xbox Series S will apparently only have 364 gigabytes of usable memory, which makes the console even more limited. Owners of this system will have to do a lot of erasing and downloading, and considering this won’t come with a disc drive, it’s something they will have to do quite a lot.
3 Great: Expandable Storage
One of the most disappointing things about the Xbox Series S is its minuscule storage capacity. Thankfully, the console, much like the Series X, features an expansion slot. Players who choose to go for the Xbox Series S but find the storage way too minimal can purchase an SSD and place it in an expansion slot located behind the console.
Other variations and sizes may come in the future, but for now, the only option players have is a 1 terabyte Seagate SSD which costs up to $200.
2 Not-So-Great: It Struggles To Reach 4K
Many will consider frame rates to be more important than resolution. However, those who disagree will find it disheartening that the Xbox Series S is only aiming at 1440p. For now, at least.
This aspect is perfectly reasonable and understandable, though. The Xbox Series S was made to be a “lighter” version of the Xbox Series X. If a player prefers that most ultimate experience, they can opt for the Xbox Series X. It should be noted that the Series S may run upscaled 4K in the future, depending on the developer of a game, but it’s something that the console struggles with for now.
1 Great: CPU
The Xbox Series S is making a lot of sacrifices and compromises in order to justify its lower price point, which is observable in terms of graphics, storage, and design. However, in terms of speed and computing power, it seems Microsoft did not back down on this end.
The CPU for the Xbox Series S is almost identical to that of the Xbox Series X. Both have an 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU, with very little difference in bandwidth speed. Considering the $200 difference between the Series S and Series X, it’s amazing that the former has a CPU that is this powerful.
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