A new generation has begun. It's been 7 years since the Xbox One, the last generation of Xbox, hit the market. Microsoft takes a special approach to this generation though, releasing two separate consoles right out of the gate. Let's dig into the details.
Xbox Series S
The cheaper of the two, the Series S, features a lower price point at the cost of lower specs. Priced at $299, the series S is the more budget friendly option.
The smaller size of the Series S is appealing to a lot of gamers as well, as it easily fits into any cabinet. The slimmer, shorter, and lighter Series S weighs a mere 4.25 pounds.
As we continually move towards a fully digital future, the Series S axes the optical disc drive. Now this can be beneficial in terms of saving space and money, and digital games are widely available. However with the limited storage out of the box you will need to upgrade, and the 1TB Seagate storage expansion costs a whopping $220. Making the overall cost a lot closer to the bigger sister the Series X.
If you are planning on having multiple gaming consoles, this is definitely a great way to dip your toes into the Xbox world.
Xbox Series X
The better performing and bigger console, the Series X, comes in at $499. It outperforms the Series S in multiple categories, so you get what you pay for.
The biggest improvement of the new generation is the load times. Review after review shows that the load times between the home screen and the game menu is exponentially quicker than the Xbox One. There's also a pretty neat feature called 'Quick Resume' that comes in handy when you want to switch between games.
Another improved feature is the noise level of the console. Though the Xbox One has been reputably loud, the fan and cooling system of the Series X is near silent. It’s difficult to judge the dust build-up's impact on the noise and fans in just a few weeks since its release, but there hasn't been any immediate causes for concern (except for the fake smoke fiasco).
Microsoft has stuck to the tried, tested and true Xbox controllers and have very slightly changed the controllers. Along with the addition of features like Smart Delivery for Games, 3D Spatial Audio, and Enhanced Backwards Compatibility for Xbox One, 360 and Original games.
Another great addition to the lineup has been the release of Microsoft Game Pass for $14.99/month. This gives you the benefits of Xbox Live Gold, along with access to 100+ games from day one, with new titles being added regularly, and EA Play tacked on.
Overall, the Xbox Series X outperforms the Series S, but at a higher up front cost. Our recommendation is to always get the latest and the greatest, if you're trying to get your order in, good luck! Here's a tracker tool that we've used in securing the console.
