We will tell you for whom buying an Xbox Series S is worthwhile

You want a next-gen console, but you haven’t gotten an Xbox Series X? We present reasons why the Xbox Series S might still be worth it for you.

The key insights at a glance:

• The Xbox Series S is the cheapest and smallest next-gen console.
• The Xbox Game Pass offers a wide selection of games for a low price.
• Without a disc drive, the Series S primarily caters to digital needs 
• The Series S is primarily suitable for casual gamers or as a second console.
• For those who need a lot of storage, the Series S is not an option.
• The Series X offers 4K, the Series S only 1440p and 4K scaling.
• The Series S is likely to remain a niche product: In a MeinMMO survey, the console received 2.46 %.

What is the Xbox Series S? In early September, Microsoft introduced the Xbox Series S alongside the Xbox Series X. The Series S is a digital version of the Xbox, without a disc drive. Microsoft has made more adjustments compared to the Series X.

What is this article about? The smaller version of the Xbox offers some advantages when compared directly to the Xbox Series X or the PS5.

The Series X is currently sold out, and it might be difficult to get one at release. If you want to experience next-gen gaming right at launch, you might want to take a look at the Series S.

In this article, we want to introduce you to the smallest next-gen console in more detail and explain who would benefit from this console and who should consider taking a look at the Series S.

Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: The consoles at a glance

	Xbox Series S	Xbox Series X
GPU	AMD RDNA2 with up to 4 Teraflops 20 CUs at 1.565 Mhz	AMD RDNA2 with up to 12.15 Teraflops 52 CUs at 1.845 Mhz
Storage	NVMe SSD with 512 GB	NVMe SSD with 1 TB
CPU	8-Core AMD Zen 2 3.6 GHz	8-Core AMD Zen 2 3.8 GHz
RAM	10 GB GDDR6 RAM	16 GB GDDR6
Drive	None	Blu-ray

Price of the Xbox Series S makes it the cheapest next-gen console

We now know the prices of all next-gen consoles:

• The Xbox Series X costs 499 €, the S variant 299 €.
• Sony’s PS5 also costs 499 €, the PS5 Digital Edition costs 399 €.

The Xbox Series S is thus the cheapest next-gen console. So, if you want to enter the world of consoles cheaply, you don’t have to fork out 500 euros immediately.

What do you get for the price? With the Xbox Series S, you also get a new controller. These cost between 60 and 70 euros at Amazon. This way, the price of the Xbox Series S is even more worthwhile.

Especially due to the Xbox Game Pass, the Series S is currently particularly worthwhile: At the moment, there is no cheaper combination to enter next-gen gaming than with Game Pass and Series S.

What does the Game Pass offer: The Game Pass is one of the most important reasons why interest in the Xbox has increased significantly. And even the purchase of Bethesda by Microsoft could make the Game Pass even more interesting in the long run. For MeinMMO editor Leya Jankowski, the Game Pass is a reason why she wants to switch to Xbox. For her, it also plays a role that she wants to turn off her PC as a work device and then be able to game on the console. Especially the combination of Game Pass and Series S is currently unbeatable in price.

Furthermore, Microsoft has now announced that right on schedule with the launch of the Xbox Series X and S, EA Play will be available in the Xbox Game Pass. This means that upon the release of the Xbox Series X, you can access around 60 EA games in addition to the previous ones. Whether the latest installment FIFA 21 will be included is still unknown, but thanks to EA Play, you can at least play a 10-hour demo.

How important the price of consoles is for users was already shown in a Twitter poll about next-gen in early February: Here, 37.5% of users voted for price as the most important factor, followed by 30% for backward compatibility. There is also now clarity: 

• Microsoft had already explained that thanks to backward compatibility, many games will also run on the Xbox Series X and Series S.
• Many PS4 games should also work on the PS5 thanks to backward compatibility, according to Sony’s CEO.

What do you have to give up at this price? Anyone purchasing the Xbox Series S for 299 euros will have to make compromises in certain areas. Because the Series S offers less performance, no Blu-ray drive, and with 512 GB, the storage is also tighter compared to the Xbox Series X.

As an alternative or second console

Some users have told us in a survey on MeinMMO that they are indeed interested in owning both next-gen consoles. And especially for gamers who want to buy both consoles, the Xbox Series S could be a good alternative. 

If you want to use the Game Pass and have already purchased a PS5, acquiring a PC would be a significantly more expensive alternative. With the Series S, you can use the Xbox Game Pass relatively cheaply. 

This way, you don’t have to spend 500 euros on the Xbox Series X and pay significantly less with just under 300 euros than for the PS5 Digital Edition, which costs about 100 euros more at 399 euros. Thus, you can experience Xbox games or the Xbox Game Pass relatively cheaply.

Question of size? Xbox Series S is space-saving compared to the X

Some users may have already noticed that the new consoles Xbox Series X and PS5 will be large.

The Xbox Series S is significantly smaller compared to its big brother or the PS5. Microsoft even claims it is 60% smaller than the Series X. This is particularly evident in a visual comparison: When you place the consoles side by side, you can clearly see that the white box is much smaller than the black Series X.

Xbox Series S images:

Weight of the Xbox Series S: The smallest console weighs 1.93 kg. The Xbox Series X weighs significantly more at 4.46 kg.

If size is important to you: If you have space issues or simply don’t want to place a large console in your living room, the Xbox Series S could also be an option.

Xbox Series S: The question of storage space

Xbox Series S hard drive: The storage of the Xbox Series S is only 512 GB, which is half the size of the Xbox Series X, which offers 1 TB of storage. The price for a storage extension for the Xbox Series X/S is now known. If you’re considering whether to buy the Xbox Series X or S, you should think about what type you are:

• Are you a gamer who installs many games and quickly fills up your hard drive, so an SSD with 512 GB could run out fast? If so, you should go straight for the Xbox Series X.
• If 512 GB is completely sufficient for you because you play 2 favorite games and switch out your other games or prefer to stream, then you can choose the Series S.

Games on Series S are smaller: Games on the Xbox Series S require about 30% less storage space than on the Xbox Series X (via turn-on.de). The reason is simple: Since the games on the Series S run at a lower resolution, the textures are also smaller.

Xbox Series S external hard drive: You can still use external hard drives via USB on the Xbox Series S. However, you need to keep a few things in mind:

• You can still play old Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox games from it.    
• But for games optimized for Xbox Series X/S, you will need the internal storage.

Why is the Series X a better option here? The price for the storage extension of the Xbox Series X/S is 240 euros for 1 TB. However, the price of the Xbox Series X is about 500 euros. If you buy the Series S but know that you need more storage, you will end up paying significantly more:

• Series S (299 €) + 1 TB storage (240 €) = 540 €
• The Xbox Series X costs 499 € and offers 1 TB of storage right from the start.

Do I even need a disc drive?

Many gamers today mainly play digitally, as many games are now either tied to online services or focus directly on an online world like MMOs. Disc buyers are rarely at an advantage today, as hefty day-one patches mean they have to download the patches just as digital buyers do. Instead, disc buyers are more interested in collector’s editions or other cool bonuses that often come with the retail versions.

How strong is digital gaming? The increasing number of gamers playing digitally and especially buying digital games is also evident in the numbers: In the coronavirus month of April alone, the gaming industry generated over 10 billion dollars through digital sales (via computerbase.de). For those who have been buying games digitally for years, the lack of a drive in the S version should not be a problem.

So, if you only want to stream your games from the Xbox Game Pass or play your favorite MMOs on the console, the Xbox Series S could also be a cheap alternative. Even older games like Destiny 2 benefit from the new console.

What speaks against a digital console? For players who, for example, value used games or have many games stored away, the Series S might not be an option.

Contention over 4K gaming – who is it worth it for?

Xbox Series S performance: The main difference between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S is the performance difference since the Series S offers less performance on paper.

• The Xbox Series X offers native resolutions of up to 4K    
• The Xbox Series S offers a maximum native resolution of 1440p (WQHD) but can upscale to 4K.

Who plays in 4K today? This also raises the question of potential console buyers. Consoles are mainly used on TV screens, but these are not as widely spread as Full HD devices. According to Statista, about 31% of US households had a 4K television in 2018. For example, in Asia (via ihs.com), they are even less common.

For gamers, Full HD remains the standard. An example of this is the Steam hardware survey. While this cannot be representative of all gamers, it still shows trends among gamers. In the August 2020 numbers, 65.55% of all participants played in Full HD (1920 x 1080).    

At least 6.59% played in WQHD (2560 x 1440).    

Only 2.24% played in 4K (3840 x 2160).

Professional gamers also prefer Full HD rather than 4K. According to wepc.com, this is largely because larger screens are more strenuous for e-sports players, putting more strain on their eyes.

• For users who want to buy a 4K TV for gaming, the Series S is not an option. Here, the extra 200 € should be justified.
• If, on the other hand, you mainly want to watch movies in 4K and don’t care much about resolution while gaming, the Xbox Series S could be an option.

Xbox Series S HDMI 2.0: Both Xbox consoles also support the latest HDMI 2.1 standard, which you need for 4K.

Xbox Series S vs Xbox One X: In direct comparison with the previous generation, you should consider several things. The Xbox One X is now available for around 300 € with a game and controller, making the bundle hardly more expensive than the Xbox Series S. However, some points should be considered here: 

• The Xbox Series X/S is not worth it for Xbox One X owners who mainly want to watch movies in 4K on their console. Here, the Xbox Series S offers no advantages and may even present a disadvantage due to the lack of a drive.
• For players who do not own an Xbox One X, the Series S at 300 euros could offer a fair entry into the Xbox world. In this case, you should not opt for a used Xbox One X and instead go straight for the S version. The Series S offers more performance and modern hardware at the same price as the Xbox One X.
• Players who own an Xbox One X and want to enjoy 4K natively should go directly for the Xbox Series X. Here, the Series S is also not worthwhile.

What speaks against an Xbox Series S?

We have mainly mentioned arguments for why purchasing an Xbox Series S could be worthwhile. Here, we want to highlight a few points regarding who the purchase of the Series S might not be worthwhile or what players should consider carefully.

Blu-rays, DVDs, and Co: If you have a large library of many DVDs and Blu-rays, you should think carefully about purchasing an Xbox Series S. You cannot play these discs with the console, as it strictly relies on digital media.

But also users considering purchasing an Xbox Series X mainly as a media platform should consider this: Microsoft also promotes its Xbox One X as a perfect playback device for UHD TVs. With the current generation, you can easily watch 4K videos and movies without having to invest 500 euros in the new console.

The internet connection: The Xbox Series S relies on a purely digital connection, which requires an internet connection. If you want to use your digital console sensibly, you need a decent internet connection (Via Dslvergleich.net):

• Under 10 Mbit/s is considered slow. For comparison: Emails, browsing, and similar tasks require 1 Mbit/s, and the Netflix service requires at least 6 Mbit/s for HD streaming.
• You need at least 16 Mbit/s to navigate smoothly through the internet, watch videos, and play online games. Below that, it can be difficult, especially if you share internet connections with several people in your household. Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming require a download speed of at least 10 megabits per second (Mbps). 
• If you have 50 Mbit/s or even 100 Mbit/s bandwidth available, you don’t have to worry about game downloads or smooth streaming.

Don’t buy the Series S if you want the best graphics: If you are an enthusiast, own the corresponding technology for 4K, or want to enjoy everything at the best settings, stay away from the Series S and go directly for the Xbox Series X.

Xbox Series S or X: Pros and Cons of the smallest console

In conclusion, we briefly present who would benefit from purchasing and who should think carefully about buying: 

Xbox Series S: Who is the console worth it for?

• For gamers who definitely don’t need 4K and won’t buy anything 4K in the future    
• As an affordable second console alongside the PS5 or an Xbox Series X    
• For young players who want to game and hardly think about 4K and such
• Casual gamers who play a few rounds of FIFA, Fortnite, and such and don’t need high performance

Xbox Series S: Who is the console not worth it for?

• Players who generally want 4K gaming or own appropriate 4K-capable equipment
• Gamers with a large library of DVDs, Blu-rays, and retail games or who enjoy buying used games
• Users with a weak internet connection
• Players who always want the best graphics
• If you install many games simultaneously and need more storage overall than the 512 GB offered by the Xbox Series S, you should opt for the Series X instead.

More about Xbox: You can find all information about the Xbox Series X in our overview here on MeinMMO: 

• Xbox Series X – Everything about release, specs, price, games, and controllers