Xbox Series S, Affordable Next-Gen Console
September 9, 2020Microsoft has revealed an unexpected new console called the Xbox Series S just months before the highly anticipated Xbox Series X goes on sale at the end of the year. The compact, all-white Series S shares a lot of the developmental tools and environments used by its bigger brother. The only difference between the two is that the Series S is limited to just 1440p resolution gaming.
It has a familiar rectangular look, albeit, not the same towering structure of the more powerful Xbox Series X. Its controllers will also be offered in the same color, which Microsoft calls ‘robot white’, and can be purchased as a standalone device. It’s the same controller Microsoft detailed in the past with the hybrid D-pad, textured grip on the triggers and dedicated share button.
The logic behind the development of the Xbox Series S, is to offer a compact and portable gaming system that can be taken just about anywhere. It’s also intended for people who do not have a 4k TV or do not require such a high resolution gaming experience. That said, it has the same CPU and I/O as the Series X but uses a less powerful graphic card.
Here are the detailed differences between both next-gen consoles:
Microsoft says that it is about 4x more powerful than the Xbox One and is capable of delivering a 120fps gaming experience. There’s also support for hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing and Variable Rate Shading. The audio experience is said to be similar too, with support for spatial sound and Dolby Atmos.
There’s also the option of adding a 1TB Seagate expansion drive for added storage space. But the console can still play older Xbox titles on existing external USB 3.1 drives. However, to take advantage of the Xbox Velocity Architecture, games must be played on the aforementioned expansion card or the internal SSD.
The Xbox Series S retails for $299, which is pretty reasonable for what you get in return. But there’s also a more affordable way to buy it. Users with the Xbox game Pass Ultimate subscription service can purchase the Xbox Series S for $24.99 per month for 24 months. The same deal is available for the upcoming Xbox Series X, but it will cost you $34.99 a month.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC members will get an EA Play membership at no additional cost. This will allow them access to EA’s entire library of content which include games like FIFA20, Titanfall 2, Need For Speed The Heat, Battlefield and many others. The Xbox game Pass is a subscription services that provides access to about 100 Xbox gaming titles.
