Xbox Series X vs Series S: which to pick? It is not an easy question. Instead, you should learn the two consoles respectively and then compare them from several important aspects. Here, MiniTool discusses on the topic Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X.
Both the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S are home video game consoles that are developed by Microsoft. They were released on November 10, 2020 as the fourth generation of the Xbox console family.
Also read: Xbox Series X vs PS5: Which Game Console to Purchase?
Xbox Series X Review
Thanks to powerful specs, the Xbox Series X reduces its load time significantly and improve overall game performance and visual fidelity. Though features like Quick Resume, Smart Delivery, and backward compatibility grants Xbox Series X many advantages, there is no denying that it’s lacking in key areas.
In a word, Xbox Series X has the following pros and cons.
Pros
- Shorter loading time
- Dolby Vision and Atoms support
- 4K/60fps gameplay (4K/120Hz support)
- Backwards compatibility for hundreds of games
Cons
- Lacking the exclusive library
- Minimal UI improvements
- Compatible TV required for full visual experience
Xbox Series S Review
If you have no qualms about purchasing games digitally or subscribe to Xbox Game Pass, the Xbox Series S is a good entry point. Besides, it’s also an ideal choice if you don’t want to pay a sizable financial outlay for the full-blown next-gen console.
Certainly, the Xbox Series S console has some drawbacks. For instance, it has less storage and lacks 4K HD Blu-Ray drive of the Xbox Series X.
Here, we summarize the pros and cons of Xbox Series S as follows.
Pros
- The smallest Xbox ever made
- Compact design, powerful specs
- Completely silent in operation
- Faster load times
Cons
- Targets 1440p resolution when gaming
- Less storage space
- No disc drive
- UI can be overwhelming at first
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Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X
Xbox Series S VS Xbox One X: what’s the difference? Well, we conclude the difference between the two consoles from factors below.
Specs
To help you learn the specs of the two consoles quickly, we summarize the specs in a table.
| Xbox Series X | Xbox Series S | |
| CPU | 8-core AMD Ryzen Zen 2-architecture CPU at 3.8GHz (3.6GHz with SMT) | 8-core AMD Ryzen Zen 2-architecture CPU at 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with SMT) |
| Graphics | AMD Navi/RDNA 2-family GPU with 52 CU at 1.825GHz (12TFLOPS FP32) | AMD Navi/RDNA 2-family GPU with 20 CU at 1.565GHz (4TFLOPS FP32) |
| GPU Power | 12.15 TFLOPS | 4 TFLOPS |
| Video memory | 16GB GDDR6 with 14Gbps 320-bit interface (10GB at 560GBps allocated to GPU, 6GB at 336GBps allocated to rest of system with 3.5GB for GPU) | 10GB GDDR6 (8GB at 224GBps allocated to GPU, 2GB at 56GBps allocated to rest of system) |
| Optical drive | Yes, 4K Blu-ray | No |
| Maximum output resolution | 8K 60fps; 4K 120 fps | 1440p, 120 fps |
| Audio | Ray traced | Ray traced |
| New controller features | Share button, Dynamic Latency Input | Share button, Dynamic Latency Input |
| VR support | None | None |
| Storage | 1TB NVMe SSD PCIe 4.0; proprietary 1TB SSD add-on module; USB 3.2 external HDD support | 512GB NVMe SSD PCIe 4.0; proprietary 1TB SSD add-on module; USB 3.1 external HDD support |
Recommended reading: PS5 VS PS5 Digital: Which One Is Better for Game Playing
Performance
Compared with Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X is more powerful. The Xbox Series X is a pricey powerhouse, delivering top-of-the-line performance in a black and boxy chassis. As for the Xbox Series S, it is more limited in scope.
Games
As both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles are fully backward compatible, you can play exactly the same games on them. However, these games look better on Xbox Series X.
Price
The Xbox Series S charges $300, while the Series X costs $500. Though specific prices vary from country to country, the differential is similar.
Wrap Up
Xbox One X vs Series S: which is better? With better specs, better performance, and better prospects in the future, the Xbox Series X is a great choice.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Having writing articles about computer tech for a long time, I am rather experienced especially on the aspect of computer optimization, PC enhancement, as well as tech terms explanation. The habit of looking through tech forums makes me a great computer issues collector. And then, many articles related to these issues are released, which benefit plenty of users. Professional, effective, and innovative are always the pursuit of an editing worker.