PSA: Do not buy an Xbox Series S

[admin]

On the surface the Xbox Series S may appear to be an affordable way to enter the next-gen of consoles, but here's why you shouldn't buy one.

PSA: Do not buy an Xbox Series S : Read more

 

[guraldunix]

I disagree with this take, for a certain very specific scenario.

For 1080p gaming, the Series S is pretty awesome.

First off, it benefits from the quicker load times of a solid state drive, the same as Series X.

Second, the CPU is more powerful than the powerful last-gen Xbox One X, which is important for 1080p gaming where framerate in games would occasionally be bound by the CPU as a bottleneck in the One X. Even though the One X has a more powerful GPU, gameplay is almost always smoother at 1080p on the Series S, for this reason.

I use a Series S plugged into a 1080p projector and the smaller size and quiet operation are also a bonus in that scenario.

Third, and possibly most importantly, it's impossible to find a Series X without paying a nefarious scalper (or, ok, almost impossible, but, really, it's impossible to find them). Sure, the shortage might ease in a year or two, but in the mean time, the Series S is much more available, and it's cheaper.

For all of the above reasons, I think Series S absolutely has a place in certain home setups.

 

[Elterrible]

The S is a cool console and I think for kids that largely just want to do among-us or fortnite, it will do extremely well. If they need it to run even better, then turn off the ray tracing and run it at higher frame rates.

 

[doenduit]

Author is clearly reaching and chose a topic he knows nothing about. The S runs fine

 

[MrAndyPuppy]

I am incredibly privileged enough to own both a Series X and a Series S. While the S may not perform as fast as the X it does perform better than my old Xbox One. It also supports all the X/S games unlike that older console. I play on both and am happy with my experience on both. If a family with a limited budget asks what console they should get I am more than happy to recommend the S.

A hardcore gamer? I'd recommend the X but even then I'm mindful of their financial situation because even someone who games, say, a minimum 20 hours a week like me would still be satisfied with their experience on the S.

 

[Johnny Fig]

Obviously the author has chosen a topic he knows nothing about. How do you go from almost buying one, not getting it, and just going off a few tests, comparing specs to the X and reading comments from other people lol.

The xbox S is next Gen. Xbox X is next Gen. Every console coming out or already out right now is a significant improvement over last Gen. I have a ps5 and an Xbox one s. I have ZERO issues with any of them, or game play. That Xbox S is a little monster. Anyone who thinks otherwise hasn't played it, hasn't played it enough, doesn't have a good enough TV to play. I was gunna wait to get the X, but the S holds up! It's so smooth! That quick play feature is insane. Here's where I stand: if you can't wait till the X gets stocked, get the S, you won't be sorry. Just give it a shot. Happy Gaming.

 

[Mister-Ray]

Author is clearly reaching and chose a topic he knows nothing about. The S runs fine

The Xbox Series S runs more than just fine. This auther clearly just tried to act big guy and think he knows what he is talking about.

 

[SlySnootles]

Yeah, this is a bad take. I own a Switch, an Xbox Series X, an Xbox Series S, a PS5, and a gaming PC. I use the Series S with a 1080P TV and the X and PS5 are hooked up to my 4K TV. The S has far exceeded my expectations!

If you're arguing the S offers and inferior Ray Tracing experience then sure. But as an entry level device into this next generation of consoles it's incredible. Having a SSD is game changing and almost every game plays at a smooth 60FPS. Unless their is a mid gen refresh all of these consoles are going to struggle to deliver a smooth RT experience. Just look at how low res the RT is in Resident Evil Village for the PS5 and X. This article should really be about how EA is poorly optimizing games for the S.

 

[Rory Mellon]

I am incredibly privileged enough to own both a Series X and a Series S. While the S may not perform as fast as the X it does perform better than my old Xbox One. It also supports all the X/S games unlike that older console. I play on both and am happy with my experience on both. If a family with a limited budget asks what console they should get I am more than happy to recommend the S.

A hardcore gamer? I'd recommend the X but even then I'm mindful of their financial situation because even someone who games, say, a minimum 20 hours a week like me would still be satisfied with their experience on the S.

I certainly agree that it’s important to acknowledge that not everyone can afford to spend an extra $200 on an Xbox Series X. Any gaming console is a luxury purchase after all. For individuals and/or families on a more limited budget, the Xbox Series S does offer the chance to get a next-gen console at a more affordable price. That’s definitely an aspect of the machine that I appreciate.

 

[Rory Mellon]

I disagree with this take, for a certain very specific scenario.

For 1080p gaming, the Series S is pretty awesome.

First off, it benefits from the quicker load times of a solid state drive, the same as Series X.

Second, the CPU is more powerful than the powerful last-gen Xbox One X, which is important for 1080p gaming where framerate in games would occasionally be bound by the CPU as a bottleneck in the One X. Even though the One X has a more powerful GPU, gameplay is almost always smoother at 1080p on the Series S, for this reason.

I use a Series S plugged into a 1080p projector and the smaller size and quiet operation are also a bonus in that scenario.

Third, and possibly most importantly, it's impossible to find a Series X without paying a nefarious scalper (or, ok, almost impossible, but, really, it's impossible to find them). Sure, the shortage might ease in a year or two, but in the mean time, the Series S is much more available, and it's cheaper.

For all of the above reasons, I think Series S absolutely has a place in certain home setups.

I would agree that in certain specific scenarios the Xbox Series S definitely merits a purchase. For starters, if you’re coming from the Xbox One (or even the Xbox One X) it’s a massive step up in performance. As you’ve mentioned the benefits of the SSD shouldn’t be overlooked either.

My concern, as outlined in my article, is that the window of relevance for the Xbox Series S is rapidly shrinking. Currently, it’s an excellent way to get next-gen performance at a (relatively) cheap price, but as the generation continues the machine’s ability to hit its current level of performance could decline. We’re already seeing a handful of titles experience issues and limitations on the Xbox Series S, and my worry is that these problems will start to become more common in the years to come.

I think in the here and now there are reasons to consider the Xbox Series S, but as a long-term purchase, it’s an unwise choice. Anyone looking for a gaming console that will last them 5+ years should opt for the Xbox Series X instead.

As for the stock issues plaguing the Xbox Series X, well those are a real pain. However, in time supply will improve, and thankfully there is already a range of dedicated stock tracking services and social media accounts that can make securing one a little bit easier. We even have a few articles to help with that on the site, if you’re needing some tips

 

[dvslawrence]

Yeah, as someone who owns both consoles I don't love this take. The Series S punches above its weight for sure. In games that properly optimize for the machine, it looks great and runs great. If anything as the old consoles fall off the Series S may shine more, as they can take full advantage of RDNA2 and all of its next gen benefits. If anything, the games where it doesn't run well should be called out for not properly supporting the console. It's been proven to deliver a great gaming experience in many titles.

 

[Apetit]

Microsoft is hard at work to make their streaming service a main thing, switching to series x hardware and making the app available on their consoles. This is what the S is meant for, light local gaming and streaming the new stuff.

This should have been part of the article and also a reason not to write it like it is intended now.

 

[Eliad Buchnik]

For all the people who disagree with this article, I tell them wait and see. Considering that console generation life cycle is 7 years or more I knew it would struggle a lot.
Some games in 3+ years will bring this console to its knees even at 1080p. People comparing last gen and last gen games without understanding that it is the future that will show its weaknesses, games that will not be well optimized (you will be surprised how many there're) or games that push the boundaries will run horrendously on that system.