It’s no secret that Xbox has steamrolled into the ninth generation prepared with a lot of promises. Xbox Series S serves as an affordable entry point into Microsoft‘s gaming ecosystem without breaking the bank. Here are some quick specs:
| CPU | 8-Core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.6 GHz (3.4GHz w/ SMT ENabled) |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 2 GPU (20 CUs @ 1.565GHz) |
| GPU Power | 4 Teraflops |
| System on a Chip (SoC) | Custom 7nm Enhanced SoC |
| RAM | 10GB GDDR6 RAM (8GB @ 224GB/s + 2GB @ 56GB/s) |
| Performance Target | 1440p @ 60FPS, Up to 120 FPS |
| Storage | 512GB PCIe Gen 4 NVME SSD (364GB For Games and Apps) |
| Expandable Storage | 1TB Expansion Card + USB 3.1 EX HDD Compatable (Not S/X Titles) |
| Backward Compatible | Yes |
| Display Out | HDMI 2.1 |
| Disc Drive | Digital Only |
| RRP | £249.99/€299.99 |
| Dimentions | 10.8 x 5.9 x 2.6 (Inches) |
Out of the box, Xbox Series S is surprisingly small, roughly half the size of the original Xbox One (VCR). Its sharp edges and minimalistic design scream next-gen, just like Xbox Series X does. When Xbox Series S was first revealed, the black fan cover was the butt of online jokes and a noise-level concern. This little white powerhouse is as quiet as a mouse, with the power of a tiger for its pricing. And yes, that was a white Power Ranger reference:
Xbox Series S Power Struggle?
Addressing the elephant in the room: Series S doesn’t target 4K. It’s capable of supersampling up to 8K, but so far we’ve seen output to under 2K. Otherwise, games perform more or less the same as on Xbox Series X. The build quality is sturdy with enough ventilation that, in theory, should make this console last a few years. There’s a lot of talk about Xbox One X outperforming Series S due to the 1440p target resolution. Let’s clear a few things up.
Xbox Series S houses, more or less, the same processor as Xbox Series X. The Jaguar CPU in the Xbox One X was the Achilles heel of the ‘4K’ mid-generation refresh, bottlenecking the amped-up GPU and RAM of the unit. The One X was only capable of 4K @ 30FPS, with the Series S capable of up to FPS @1440p.
This is a budget console for users who have an early eighth-gen 4K TV or a 1080p setup, but the RDNA2 architecture provides better per-teraflop return than the GCN architecture in the Xbox One X. This combined with the extreme speed of a solid-state hard drive and hardware allows for various Direct X 12 benefits, including ray tracing. All things considered, it’s a wise choice investing in an Xbox Series S if you don’t want to break the bank for ninth gen.
Keep Loading Loading Loading Loading…
The biggest improvement for the Xbox Series S is the NVME 512GB SSD Storage. Games that used to take nearly two minutes to load now take seconds, it’s incredible. Unfortunately, Series S does fall short in terms of storage for games with Series X/S enabled games taking between 50GB to 100GBs worth of storage.
Owners may want to shell out the £219.99 for a Seagate 1TB SSD Storage expansion that slots conveniently into a slot in the back of the console. It performs exactly the same as internal storage, meaning players can expect lightning-fast load times and support for their X/S-enabled games.
Players also have the budget option of using any USB 3.1 enabled external HHD or SSD they have to hand. I’ve been using my seven-year-old Seagate 1TB external HDD to store backwards compatible games and Series X/S-enabled titles. USB 3.1 devices will run anything but X/S games, but transferring them over to system storage is a ten-minute job at the most. Xbox One, 360 and OG games will run but with slower load times than usual. Load times are still noticeably faster than on previous generations of hardware, however.
A Familiar Experience
The Operating System baked into the Xbox Series S is a familiar one. In fact, it’s more or less the same but with animated backgrounds. Whilst this won’t be a selling point for many, I personally love how familiar it feels. There’s no need to learn a new system, the Xbox OS ‘just works’ and I’m happy with that. PC Gamers wouldn’t moan about not receiving a new interface when upgrading a GPU or buying a new rig. It’s not a big deal and doesn’t impact the experience of taking a next-gen console for a spin.
Ports are nicely tucked away behind the console with the exception of a USB -A port at the front, two more are housed at the back of the console. They sport the standard 5Gbit/s data rate with up to 500MB/s transfer speeds. From left to right, we also have an ethernet port, HDMI 2.1 Out, Seagate Memory Expansion and a power port (no more power bricks). It’s a nice touch having accessibility bumps under each port. Xbox seems to be continuing the theme of inclusion into the ninth generation nicely.
What TV Do You Have?
Another very important point to make is the spec of your current TV. To get the most out of the Xbox Series X, a 4K, HDR 10, HDMI 2.1 @ 120FPS/120Hz panel is needed. Yes, players will see a true 4K output on standard 4K TVs in games, but is the extra £200/€250 worth it when you have a 1080p or early 4K TV without HDR? The short answer is no.
Series S runs games such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold war smoothly and beautifully on my LG 4K LED TV. Let’s not forget, the Xbox Series S is capable of HDR 10 and 120 FPS @ 1440P. This makes Xbox Series S an attractive offer even for those who have splashed out on those beautiful OLED panels.
One of the biggest next-gen inclusions on Xbox Series S is ‘Quick Resume’. Quick Resume allows players to have multiple games suspended at one time in order to jump in and out. It truly is a next-gen feature that really comes in handy for all kinds of gamers… but especially reviewers.
It’s Under Control(ler)
The Xbox Series S controller is the exact same spec as Xbox Series X, it’s just white. Here’s the rundown:
| Dynamic Latency Input | Improving on usual 8ms latency to near-instant inputs |
| Improved Form Factor | A more accessible build including textured shoulder buttons and grips |
| Dedicated Share Button | Instantly Capture Screenshots and Videos |
| Hybrid D Pad | Seen on the Elite Series, Now On Entry Level Controllers |
| Backwards Compatible | Use on Xbox One and Windows 10 |
| Custom Button Mapping | Compatible with the XBOX Controller app to change input configurations |
The dynamic latency input is instantly noticeable as soon as the power button is pressed. The few seconds of waiting for a controller to hook up is no more. The form factor just feels natural to hold, with no thought necessary on pressing various inputs, everything is where it needs to be. The textured shoulder buttons and grips give the next-gen controller a lovely premium feel.
Unfortunately, players will still need to power the Xbox Series X/S controller with batteries and charging packs. Luckily, playtime is around 40 hours, and rechargeable batteries have more power than ever. A good choice would be Panasonic’s Eneloop Pro AA battery quick charger. The 2,500 mAh batteries have 500 uses and charge in just two hours. The charger assesses the health of each battery separately, letting players know when a replacement is needed. for under £28/€35, it’s a no brainer.
It’s Nice to Share
The share button is a dream come true for people like me who rely heavily on capturing screenshots for articles. It’s also handy for social media users to quickly ping a cool moment. The hybrid D-pad is very clicky compared to its Elite series big brother, which is a marmite situation. Love it or hate it, it’s a big improvement on the old pad that also feels like the best D-Pad upgrade gaming has seen in years.
With no need to buy dongles and adaptors this time round, the Xbox Series X/S controller is perfect for Windows 10 gamers. It’s also the most cost-effective, especially for Xbox One gamers who need to replace their official controller. The Series X/S controller is also compatible with button mapping via the Controller app within Xbox OS, which is another nice accessibility option for players.
