Xbox Series S review: Next-gen graphics for just over HALF the price of top model

CHEAP and cheerful is the Xbox Series S – a budget way to get this year’s next-gen console.

I’ve been testing the sleek new gaming machine, and I reckon you’ll struggle to find better value anywhere else.

Microsoft's Xbox Series S is a cheaper alternative to the Series X — Microsoft’s Xbox Series S is a cheaper alternative to the Series XCredit: The Sun / Sean Keach

What is the Xbox Series S?

Microsoft has two next-gen consoles coming out in 2020: the Xbox Series X and Series S.

The former is the proper powerhouse, with bleeding-edge specs and a £449/$499 price tag to match.

Meanwhile, the Series S is cheaper at £249/$299, but you lose some of the graphical heft – and a disc tray.

So the Series S is clearly for buyers on a budget, but is it any good? Absolutely!

The console is company and will fit in most TV cabinetsCredit: The Sun / Sean Keach

Xbox Series S design

Microsoft played it safe with the black cuboid that it is the Xbox Series X.

But it went safer still with the Series S, which is a small white box with a black circle on top.

It’s tinier in real life than you’d expect – it’s more akin to a router than an older Xbox.

This is great: you’ll be able to fit this in almost any living room setup.

You may have noticed that there’s no disc tray.

That’s a big reason why Microsoft was able to make the Series S so small.

Internet is nippy these days, and most games force you to download something somewhere along the way.

The new controller feels hardly different to the old modelCredit: The Sun / Sean Keach

So some gamers will be happy to ditch discs completely and go all-digital.

You’ll have no way of selling games on second-hand, but the lower price of the Series S may prove tempting enough.

The controller is hardly different from last year’s model.

It’s a bit grippier, with a more comfortable holding position and a lower-travel D-pad.

But it’s the same old Xbox joypad you know and love.

Xbox Series S specs and performance

The Xbox Series S cuts corners where the Series X does not.

You won’t play games at 4K – instead, they’ll be capped to 1440p resolution at 60 frames per second, up to 120fps.

That’s probably not an issue for most people, and if you don’t have a 4K TV then you needn’t worry anyway.

Part of the reason the resolution – the raw number of pixels you see – is scaled down is so that graphics can be improved.

If the graphics card is spending less time rendering more pixels, it can focus on making those pixels better, with more lifelike physics and realistic textures.

The console has all the bits you need – for a very low priceCredit: The Sun / Sean Keach

For instance, the Series S supports something called ray tracing.

This maps out the path of light and shadows to create a stunningly realistic view of a scene.

In-game reflections will go from a blur in previous generations to a picture-perfect map of your character.

You see this best in puddles, the shadows of moving objects, or light passing through windows.

I’ve been seriously impressed by the graphics on games like Dirt 5 and Forza Horizon 4.

You’ll get nothing close to this level of visual fidelity on a gaming PC for the equivalent price.

The Series S comes fitted with a 512GB SSD, which is a double-edged sword.

It’s a lightning-quick SSD that enables very fast loading – I’ve been generally impressed so far.

One of the best bits is that it allows for a new feature called Quick Resume.

You can dart between games instantly without saving, because the SSD keeps them in a “suspended” state.

So you can jump right back into the action without waiting. It’s brilliant.

The bad news is that 512GB isn’t particularly generous in terms of storage these days.

Microsoft has packed an impressive amount of computing heft into a small boxCredit: The Sun / Sean Keach

Last year’s Call of Duty game was nearing 200GB of storage on consoles, and the new Cold War title looks set to be similarly giant.

Games will likely only get bigger in the coming years, and you’ll find yourself having to delete games sharpish.

I was able install just a fraction of my games library on the Series S, which is a shame.

Of course, I only play a few games at a time on Xbox, so this isn’t a deal-breaker.

Xbox Series S specs

Here are the geeky bits…

Custom AMD Zen 2 CPU (8 cores, 3.6GHz)
Custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU (4 teraflops)
10GB GDDR6 RAM
512GB SSD
No disc drive
1440p at 60fps, up to 120fps supported

Ori and the Will of the Wisps looks great on Xbox Series SCredit: The Sun / Sean Keach

Xbox Series S games

A big part of your buying decision should lie in the games available for Xbox – and how they compare to the PlayStation.

It’s fair to say the PS5’s roster of games is extremely impressive, but the Xbox fares well too.

The blockbuster Xbox title is Halo Infinite, which sees the return of beloved Master Chief.

Sadly the game will miss launch – and won’t actually land until 2021, which is a grave shame for Xbox.

There are plenty of games to enjoy including a new Forza Motorsport, Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Dirt 5.

The console will be atop plenty of Christmas lists this yearCredit: The Sun / Sean Keach

Sadly, I’m not hugely staggered by the next-gen launch games on offer.

Many of the best Xbox titles – games like Watch Dogs: Legion – are also coming to PS5.

And the PS5 arguably has more tempting exclusives, including Spider-Man and Horizon.

But it’s hard to say no to the prospect of a new Halo game – and you may feel the same way.

Xbox Series S review verdict – should you buy it?

Above all else, the Xbox Series S is cheap at £249/$299.

This console is not for people looking for the best graphics or most cutting-edge hardware.

Buying this is simply a way to access the next generation of games without paying over the odds.

You won’t be able to play games in 4K, although graphics will still be impressive.

With that in mind, the Xbox Series S is absolutely a great buy.

It’s small and minimalist, with decent hardware for the price.

And there are loads of games available to play – with more on the way.

PlayStation doesn’t have anything to match this console, although £100 more will get you a digital version of the PS5 with powerhouse 4K/8K performance.

The only other point to bear in mind is that there’s no disc tray on the Series S.

So buying all your games digitally means there’s no chance of flogging them on second-hand. Make of that what you will.

The Sun says: Rock-bottom pricing, a major graphics boost and new games for years to come make the Xbox Series S a brilliant buy – even if you have to give up 4K and used game resale. 4.5/5