Microsoft has revealed the long-rumored Xbox Series S. We also know important details like price, features, and the release date.
Unlike the previously announced Xbox Series X, the Series S lacks a disc drive. It also has different specs than the Series X. For instance, Microsoft says that the Series S has four times the processing power of Xbox One. In comparison, the Series X has eight times the processing power of Xbox One. So it’s a leap forward but not as much of a leap forward.
Comparing Series S and Series X
What does that mean in terms of features and gameplay? Series S is “designed to play games at 1440p at 60 frames per second, with support for up to 120fps,” according to Microsoft. However, it does allow for 4K streaming and upscaling on games. So you’ll be able to watch Netflix in 4K.
Meanwhile, the Series X supports native 4K resolution. If you plan on playing on a new 4K television, the Series X still sounds like the way to go. Also, in terms of storage, Series X has a 1TB SSD compared to just a 512GB SSD for the Series S.
Of course, both models still support backward compatibility and Smart Delivery. (Here’s a list list of Xbox One games supporting Smart Delivery.) And you’ll get all of the same games and the entire Xbox Game Pass library on both.
Price and release date
The next-gen Xbox Series S launches on November 10 for $299. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series X launches on the same day for $499.
How does it compare to PS5?
For their part, Sony is taking a similar strategy with the PlayStation 5. The company announced two PS5 models, both of which launch this year. Similar to Microsoft, Sony is releasing a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition that does not include a disc drive. However, Sony says that the gameplay experience is the same for both of its models.
With both systems launching this year (and Microsoft now pegging November 10 as their launch date), it’s getting pretty late in the game for Sony to announce a release date and price. But now that Microsoft has tipped its hand, expect Sony to follow suit relatively soon.
