After two months testing the new Microsoft consolesI am going to tell you what I thought of these two new generation machines. And it is that, taking into account that today the stock has improved a lot and it is easier to buy one, should you start buying them now? Is it better to wait a little longer? Well, let me help you clear up all those doubts.
Xbox Series X | S video review
If you need to know all the details about these two next-generation consoles from Microsoft, we leave you our video analysis so that you can know everything you need to know before you start reading the rest of the article.
Xbox Series: two consoles with perfect design
Let's start at the beginning. The design of the new Xbox Series X y S series it is simply impressive. It may all come down to a very personal perspective, but in my humble opinion they are perfect. They are perfect because they continue to maintain continuity with respect to the previous models, with straight lines and a very minimalist design, but everything is further perfected with a more complete block without extra edges.
In the case of the Xbox Series S, we find a device that surprises with its size. It is so small that at no time could you think that we are facing a next-generation console, but the truth is that it is. It must be remembered that its maximum native resolution is 1.440p, but as we will see later, a good upscaling may be enough for many users.
On the other side we have the great Xbox Series X. And I say great because it's big, although not as big as the PlayStation 5. Its monolithic design is possibly one of the most surprising ever seen on a console, as it is impressive due to its aesthetics and seriousness. It is a team that was born to offer the greatest graphics power, and that is where its processor and GPU configuration come into play with 12 teraflops.
With the Xbox Series X we will be able to play in 4K at 60 images per second, and can also do it in 4K at 120 images per second in some less graphically loaded and better optimized titles. It is a beast that begins to demonstrate its technical capacity as soon as it is turned on, since, with the hibernation mode activated, we will only need a couple of seconds to reach the main menu.
Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S?
At the level of experience, both consoles will offer practically the same, but certain aspects will have to be taken into account, since, depending on your configuration and your requirements, one console could fit you better than another. In short, if you are a casual player, who has a screen no larger than 50 inches and you are in no rush to catch up with the latest market releases, Xbox Series S would be an ideal proposition for your needs.
On the other hand, if you want to be up to date, enjoy the most spectacular graphics possible and have a large number of games installed, Series X is the model you are looking for. And to check it, nothing better than some comparative samples.
Microsoft has already been anticipating for years that its objective with Xbox was video games, and not so much consoles. What the company is looking for is for the customer to be able to play their titles on an Xbox or a PC, but for them to decide the budget they want to spend and the technical characteristics they want to achieve. With the current model, Xbox Series S is aimed at a more casual gaming public, who does not want to spend a lot of money and wants to enjoy the latest titles, but without looking for any technical wonders. On the other hand, the Series X goes to the same target as the PlayStation 5. It is a much more advanced console, with the latest technology, and it can be aimed at more demanding players. And it does not end there. Microsoft also has the PC market. If there is a competitive gamer who considers that the Series X is insufficient, he can always buy a computer by pieces for several thousand euros with the CPU and GPU power that he needs for his games.
Technical differences between the two consoles
As you can see in the images that we leave you below, Series X and Series S present differences in level of detail in the same games when we play in 4K resolution. While Series X offers a fairly deep level of detail, in Series S you lose a lot of sharpness in most textures.
The reason is none other than the upscaling applied by the machine, since the native resolution in which the game is being generated is 1.440p, so the console needs to increase the image to fill in the remaining pixels until reaching the 4K of the screen to which you have it connected.
This is something quite appreciable in large inches, so our recommendation is that you take it into account if you have a TV of more than 50 inches at home.
| Xbox Series X | Xbox series s | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8 Core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.8GHZ 3.6 GHz SMT Enabled | 8 Core AMD Zen 2 CPU @ 3.6GHZ 3.4 GHz SMT Enabled |
| GPU | AMD RDNA 2 52 CUs @ 1,825 GHz | AMD RDNA 2 20 CUs @ 1,565 GHz |
| GPU power | 12,15 Teraflops | 4 teraflops |
| SoC | 7 nanometer custom | 7 nanometer custom |
| RAM | 16 GB GDDR6 of which: 10GB@560GB/s 6GB@336GB/s | 10 GB GDDR6 of which: 8GB@224GB/s 2GB@56GB/s |
| target performance | 4K @ 60 FPS, up to 120 FPS | 1440p @ 60 FPS, up to 120 FPS |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVME SSD | 512GB PCIe Gen 4 NVME SSD |
| Expansion slot | 1TB cards | 1TB cards |
| backward compatibility | Hundreds of Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Xbox games available at launch. Backwards compatibility with Xbox accessories. | Hundreds of Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Xbox games available at launch. Backwards compatibility with Xbox accessories. |
| Optical unit | 4K UHD Blu-ray | Not available |
| Video output | HDMI 2.1 | HDMI 2.1 |
| Price | $499 | $299 |
Another aspect in which the consoles also differ is in storage capacity. Series S stays at 512 GB of capacity (around 100 GB less if we count what the operating system occupies), and that in the end translates into free space for 3 or 4 high-calibre games. Xbox Series X doubles the capacity, leaving about 825 GB free, which allows you to install much more games.
In the case of wanting to increase the capacity, we will have to use the official Microsoft expansion card, which offers 1 TB of additional space and costs 249 euros. It is an accessory that will have to be bought, since if we use traditional USB hard drives we will not take advantage of the maximum speed of the console, and it will not allow us to install new generation games there.
Is it a good time to buy an Xbox Series X | S?
As we have told you, choosing between one model or another will always depend on your needs. Depending on the screen you have and the use you are going to give the console, we could recommend one or the other, so you should analyze exactly when and how you are going to play with your new console. Another issue will be to be able to find an available model, and it is that unlike a few months ago, it is already possible to find stock available for the two Xbox Series without too many problems.
See offer on Amazon See offer on AmazonOn the other hand, in the event that you can get a forgotten console in a department store or opt for the second-hand market, you should also take into account the catalog of games that exists today. With the delay of Starfield In the first half of 2023, both Xboxes were orphaned with exclusive news for this 2022, so we can only trust the third parties.
You have to remember that the lack of their own titles slightly overshadowed the launch of both in November 2020. Luckily, the market is normalizing and Microsoft's Game Pass continues to grow with new games that predict that these two consoles will be a complete success when we can measure their impact at the end of the generation.
Now all that remains is to get a Series S if it is the right one for you or take the Series X in the event that you prefer unleashed power at any price. The stock of the console, as we mentioned before, is already beginning to normalize and now the thing is no longer about buying it at a premium, but rather about acquiring it even with a little discount.
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