Xbox Series S review The Xbox Series S is a next-generation console with a couple of caveats

Two minute review

The Xbox Series S is a next-gen console that takes a radically different approach to the flagship model of the Xbox Series X. It is designed to provide similar generic leaps as Microsoft’s more powerful systems, such as higher frame rates, ray tracing and. Super-fast load times, but at a significantly lower cost – and essentially, means that it makes some notable compromises.

The Xbox Series S has significantly less storage than the Xbox Series X, and targets a resolution of 1440p primarily for gaming. It can upscale to 4K when connected to an Ultra HD display, and a handful of titles are capable of native 4K, such as the Orient and Wills of Wisps, but this is a machine that can run games at the first and lowest resolution Is designed for .

Microsoft’s more affordable Xbox is also without the Xbox Series X’s 4K HD Blu-ray drive, and while these cuts may be too much for some users, the resulting Xbox Series S is a much cheaper and smaller device, and still Able to play the next generation of games.

During our time with the Xbox Series S, we have tested dozens of games such as Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Forza Horizon 4, Doom Eternal and Gears 5, such as Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Each impressed us with smoother frame rates, increased resolutions (when compared to the Xbox One and Xbox One S) and faster load times … even though they don’t look very pretty on the Series X due to Target X. A low resolution.

For gamers who have no qualms about buying games digitally, or considering getting a full suite of next-gen features on Microsoft’s cheap consoles, subscribe to the Xbox Game Pass. The Xbox Series S is a great entry point into next-generation gaming, then, without the large financial outlay required for a full-blown next-gen console.

The five games we mentioned above fill almost the entire 512GB SSD on our review unit, giving us just 30GB of space to play. This means that if we wanted to install a game of that size in the system’s internal drive, we would probably have to remove something first (or in addition buy the console’s expandable storage)

Other factors that may prevent people from buying Microsoft’s more affordable Xbox is the fact that it is output at 1440p for gaming. This low resolution is a firm favorite in the PC gaming space, as it offers superior image quality, exceeding 1080p, and requires a low amount of graphical grunt, which allowed Microsoft to build a low-spec machine Is that which still boasts next-gen features.

If you have an Xbox One X, the drop from the original 4K to 1440p may be noticeable, and if you outright get the best image quality possible, then the Xbox Series X is the console for you. That said, because the Xbox One X was capable of delivering games like Forza Horizon 7 at 4K / 60fps, and still capable of some great visuals, it’s easy to think that the Xbox Series S is a step backward – but it isn’t.

Looking at the system internals, the Xbox Series S separates its X with its much more powerful CPU, and more technically capable GPUs, courtesy of AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture that enables state-of-the-art features like ray tracing . Yes, the Series S has fewer teraflops than the Xbox One X (four compared to six), but teraflops are no longer the defining factor in how a GPU determines power.

For Xbox One owners upgrading without breaking the bank, the Xbox Series S is a great option, if you can accept what it is designed to achieve. If you’ve already got an Xbox One X and a 4K display at home, then we suggest considering the Xbox Series X instead.

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