reviews of xbox series s

Xbox Series S Review

The game pass machine..

There’s never been a console like the Xbox Series S. Not to be confused with the Series X, this much smaller and much cheaper next-generation Xbox doesn’t just sacrifice an optical drive, it’s significantly less powerful than its bigger sibling and aims for upscaled 1440p resolution instead of true 4K. The results are mixed. Depending on how you plan to play, the S might make a ton of sense, and it’s only $300 instead of $500 for the X. But for anybody who’s serious about gaming on Xbox, its shortcomings may leave you kicking yourself for not springing for the Series X instead.

Xbox Series S and Series X Comparison Photos

The difference between the S and the X is, well, black and white. It’s significantly smaller, even smaller than the Xbox One S, but there’s no disc drive, so there’s no way to install disc-based games or watch Blu-rays. I wouldn’t call it ugly, but its shape and appearance is slightly awkward, in a sort of adorable way. The large black air vent on the top makes it resemble a speaker more than a console. On the front there’s the offset power button and one USB 3.2 port. On the back it has all the same ports as the Series X: the HDMI out port, two more USB ports, an ethernet port, a storage expansion slot, and of course power – thankfully there’s no brick! Of course, sharing ports with the Series X means there’s none of the Xbox One’s TV passthrough or optical audio here, either.

FRAME-GREAT

However, I was pleased to see that Gears 5 Versus Multiplayer and The Falconeer are able to run at 120fps , if you’re willing to take a hit in resolution, just like on the Series X. I did see some minor screen tearing and mild framerate choppiness in The Falconeer at 120fps, and in Gears 5’s Versus at 120fps as well as the 60fps campaign I spotted noticeable dips here and there. It wasn’t anything major, but it’s a worrying warning sign that a brand-new console is already missing a few steps. I should note that almost no games have ray tracing enabled yet. When that comes it will definitely have some effect on performance.

When available, will you play games in 120fps mode?

Storage wars, confirmed xbox series x games.

All in all, the Series S offers plenty of present-day value considering it only costs $300. It’s limited to 1440p resolution and has a claustrophobically small storage space, but it’s tiny and quiet, with snappy load times, and can play games at 120 frames per second if your TV can support it. I’m mostly concerned about its long-term viability. Games are only going to get more demanding going forward, so the Series S isn’t something I’d recommend as your main gaming platform. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its place: The Series S is an excellent second console, like if you want something for a kid who plays on a smaller screen or if, for example, you have a PS5 but want to occasionally dip into the smorgasboard that is Game Pass. As long as you’re clear on what the Series S’s strengths and limitations are , it’s a unique, budget-friendly way to take your first steps into the new console generation.

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