Updated at: 15-04-2022 - By: Leo Hall

This guide is for you if you’re deciding between the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. At first appearance, Microsoft’s two next-generation gaming consoles don’t appear to have anything in common. There are, however, significant disparities in their power and capabilities if you take a closer look.

In the Xbox Series X vs. Series S clash, there is no clear winner. It’s all about what you’re searching for when it comes to a gaming console. It’ll come down to two factors: your budget and your personal preferences. In other words, how critical is a disc drive to your computer? And how important is native 4K output to you?

As a result of our extensive testing of both the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S, we are well-versed in both systems’ strengths and drawbacks. The Xbox Series X, in our opinion, is the most powerful and best-of-the-best alternative. Xbox Series S has a substantially lower pricing to its advantage compared to the Xbox One. We’ve put together a comparison table to assist narrow down your options.

Xbox Series S

Series S owners will face the most difficult challenge in obtaining a TV that supports the 1440p maximum resolution natively rather than reverting to a 1080p screen..” Most televisions are capable of either 1080p or 4K resolution (or both). However, if you have a console in your workstation, there are a plethora of monitors that are compatible with it. While the Series X may seem nicer, you won’t miss the 4K if you’re playing on a monitor.

If you’re thinking about signing up for Xbox All Access, the Series S is a much better option. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $12.50 a month once the console price is deducted, as opposed to $15 a month for Xbox Game Pass. With a trade-in, you may be able to acquire the Series X for as little as $300 with an older console.

Xbox Series X

Consider upgrading if you’ve been playing at 4K resolution on an Xbox One X. However, the One S’s greater frame rate comes at the cost of a lower resolution. The 1440p resolution may appear soft if you’re accustomed to playing at 4K resolution. However, the size of your screen and the sharpness of your vision will play a role in this.

With the Xbox Series X, Xbox All Access isn’t a great value for money. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $35 a month, which means you’ll save roughly 80 cents if you pay for it by credit card and then subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Remember that if you don’t have a credit card, Microsoft’s third-party financing provider, Citizens One, still requires a credit check before you can sign up for the plan. There is no other method of getting access to All Access.)

Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: key differences

The Xbox Series X contains a 4K UHD Blu-ray drive capable of playing physical games and movies, but the Xbox Series S does not. These are the three most significant distinctions.

The Xbox Series S has a 512GB SSD and can only store four to five games, however the Xbox Series X has a big 1TB SSD and can render games in native 4K at 60 frames-per-second, while the Xbox Series S aims for a resolution of 1440p.

Otherwise, both will have the same user interface, the same controller and the same Xbox Velocity Architecture that enables features like Quick Resume. Like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu (and many more), both provide the ability to play the same games.

So far, the Xbox Series X appears to be the more popular choice, but that doesn’t dismiss the advantages of the less expensive device. There’s nothing wrong with any of them, and they can both be used for different purposes.

The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, is a far more cheap, if less powerful, option. You’ll have to rely on the Microsoft Store for any purchases you make because it’s all digital. But Microsoft’s Netflix-like Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud, which allows gamers to stream games from the cloud, do remove some of the digital-only restrictions to a certain extent. There are many people who are willing to sacrifice power in order to save money, and the Series S is no exception.

Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S price

Xbox Series X will be available on November 10, 2020 for $499 (£449; AU$749; AUS$849). Sony’s PlayStation 5 console, which costs $499, is a direct competitor to Microsoft’s Xbox One. The Xbox Series X is well-positioned to compete with Sony’s hardware, even if the price tag is prohibitive for some.

In addition to the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Series S was released with a lower price point of $299.99/£249.99/AU$499. Consumers on a tighter budget may appreciate the opportunity to save up to $200 on their purchase.

Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S specs

Introducing the latest generation of gaming, the Xbox Series X is a monster of a console. Here’s what you’ll find inside this teeny-tiny powerhouse:

  • Eight-core 3.8GHz AMD 7nm custom processor
  • 12 teraflops 1.825GHz on the GPU (locked)
  • GDR6: 16GB of RAM
  • There is a maximum frame rate of 120 frames per second.
  • A resolution of up to 8K can be achieved.
  • Drive for HD Blu-Ray discs
  • NVMe SSD storage: 1 TB

The Xbox Series X has twice the capability of Microsoft’s previous flagship console, the Xbox One X, with a 12 teraflop GPU capable of 120 frames per second. Ray tracing, variable rate shading, and 8K resolution support are only some of the next-generation capabilities supported by this game.

A special NVMe SSD in the Xbox Series X eliminates the need to wait while games load or new levels are loaded. The SSD is a part of the new Velocity Architecture on the system, which allows you to run numerous games simultaneously while doing something else. As a result, everything is also faster and more responsive.

On the Xbox Series X, Microsoft is also attempting to eliminate latency. Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), improved Xbox controller connectivity, and support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) all take full advantage of HDMI 2.1 TVs.

Compare these Xbox Series S specs to those listed here.

  • CPU: Eight-core SMT-enabled, custom-built AMD 7nm processor at 3.6GHz
  • GPU: 4 teraflops at 1.550 GHz
  • Memory: 10 GB GDDR6
  • There is a maximum frame rate of 120 frames per second.
  • Upscaling to 4K from 1440p
  • There is no optical drive.
  • NVMe SSD: 512 GB of storage

For such a compact device, the Xbox Series S packs a lot of power. Instead of native 4K, the system focuses on 1440p and 120fps gaming, however some games do support native 4K. Even though the CPU and GPU of this console are nearly identical, it only has 10GB of GDDR6 RAM instead of the Xbox Series X’s 16GB.

Remember that the Xbox Series S is aiming for 1440p/60fps rather than 4K/60fps, so this may seem like a big deal on paper but it’s not. Because of this, Microsoft’s next-generation features like ray tracing and 120fps can still be achieved with minimal power consumption.

If you’re looking for a digital-only console, you’ll be disappointed with the lack of a disk drive, but Microsoft is hoping you’ll take advantage of Project xCloud, which doesn’t require any downloads at all because the games are streamed from Microsoft’s cloud data servers.

However, both consoles’ storage can be extended. Expansion cards that plug into the console’s rear are being sold by Microsoft. To save on storage costs, Xbox One games can be moved to a regular external hard drive.

At launch, the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X consoles will also support Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision spatial audio and vision technologies via streaming apps. Post-launch, Dolby Vision gaming support is now available.

Table of comparison between Xbox X and Xbox S series:

Xbox 360 S Edition

Xbox Series X is the cheapest next-generation system.

FAQS:

Is the Xbox Series X or S better?

Xbox Series X does have more RAM and beefier processing components running at quicker rates than Xbox Series S technically but it’s for hitting 4K and 120 frames per second while gaming without upscaling all for. Or you may use it to get 8K/60 frames per second, if you feel the need.

Is there a big difference between the Xbox Series X and S?

There is more storage space on the Xbox Series X console than there is on the Xbox Series S. With the exception of these differences, both systems will be able to play Xbox One and Xbox 360 backwards-compatible games and next-generation Xbox games.

Is it worth upgrading from Xbox One S to Series S?

In terms of loading times, the Xbox Series S has a big advantage. If you’re fed up with having to wait for your games to load, or if you simply want to improve your current experience, the Series S is the best option for you.

Conclusion:

Our comparison of Xbox Series X Vs Xbox Series S should have provided you with some guidance. Please have a look at my article and give me your thoughts on how to improve it.