Information on Xbox Series X and S: Pricing details, technical specifications, available games, and additional details
In the world of gaming consoles, Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Series S have made a significant impact. While they share many features, there are key differences that set them apart.
The Powerhouses: Xbox Series X
The Xbox Series X, priced at $600 (for the 1TB disc drive version in black) and $550 (for the white variant with the same storage), is the premium offering. It boasts a powerful 12 GB GDDR6 RAM on a 320-bit bus, offering a memory bandwidth of 560 GB/s. This makes it the more capable console, able to handle games at higher fidelity and performance. Its design is a large, rectangular machine that fits well with modern decor.
The Budget-Friendly Option: Xbox Series S
The Xbox Series S, priced at $380, is the more budget-friendly choice. Although it lacks the raw power of the Series X, it still offers a robust gaming experience. With 10 GB GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus and a memory bandwidth of 224 GB/s, it can run most games smoothly, albeit with some graphical concessions due to its hardware limitations. Its compact size, resembling a speaker, makes it portable and easy to slot almost anywhere.
Shared Features
Both consoles share several features, including real-time ray tracing, HDMI 2.1 support for features like variable refresh rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and audio ray tracing for immersive 3D sound. They also use the same controllers, featuring dynamic latency input technology to reduce delay between controller input and on-screen action.
Game Library
Both consoles play the same library of games, with the Series X handling them at higher fidelity and performance. The Series S might have reduced graphical settings due to hardware limits, but it can still run the same titles.
Comparison to PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2
When compared to the PS5, the Xbox Series X is very close in power, with minor differences not noticeable by average users. The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, is more powerful than the Nintendo Switch 2 in raw hardware terms, especially in CPU power. However, the Switch 2 benefits from DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology, which the Series S does not support.
In practice, games like Hogwarts Legacy run noticeably better on the Xbox Series S compared to the Switch 2, aligning more with last-gen PS4 quality than current-gen Xbox or PlayStation consoles. The Switch 2 is a hybrid console with portability advantages, but its GPU is slightly weaker than the Series S’s, especially in handheld mode.
Exclusives and Game Pass
The age of exclusives is dying, and Xbox is spreading its exclusives to other platforms. Both consoles offer access to a vast library of games, including first-party games from Bethesda, Activision, Blizzard, and more, through the Game Pass service. The Game Pass service provides access to hundreds of games, with rare exceptions for Nintendo and PlayStation exclusives.
Controllers
The standard Xbox Series X controller is rock solid, and an Elite controller is available with additional features like back paddles.
Pricing
As of 2025, the prices of the Series X and S have increased from their original prices. The current prices for new Series X and S systems directly from Xbox are:
- Xbox Series S 1TB - $430
- Xbox Series X 1TB (disc drive) - $600 (black) / $550 (white)
- Xbox Series X 2TB (disc drive) - $730
It's worth noting that Play Anywhere support is not available for every game, but the list is constantly growing.
In summary, the Xbox Series X is the premium current-generation console with the best specs and disc support, while the Xbox Series S is a budget-friendly, all-digital alternative with slightly reduced power but still very capable. Both outperform the Nintendo Switch 2 in pure specs. The PS5 and Xbox Series X offer similar performance tiers, with PlayStation having exclusive titles, while Nintendo Switch 2 remains distinct for its hybrid portability and some unique features like DLSS support.
- The Xbox Series X, with its powerful 12 GB GDDR6 RAM and higher memory bandwidth, serves as a technology powerhouse for gaming, making it capable of handling games at higher fidelity and performance, while the Xbox Series S, although more budget-friendly, still provides a robust gaming experience with its 10 GB GDDR6 RAM.
- In the realm of entertainment, both the Xbox Series X and Series S share common features such as real-time ray tracing, HDMI 2.1 support, audio ray tracing for 3D sound, and the use of the same controllers with dynamic latency input technology, offering an immersive gaming experience.
