The digital-only console costs $350.
There’s a new Xbox console available. Microsoft just launched a new version of the digital-only Xbox Series S in a bold “Carbon Black” color with twice the available storage, 1TB compared to the standard 512GB that ships with other SKUs. It costs $350, features the same matte finish as the more expensive Series X and ships with an official Xbox Wireless Controller. The new console is available at just about every brick-and-mortar and digital retailer after originally being teased at the Summer Games Fest back in June.
The big news here is the extra hard drive space. The Series S doesn’t accept physical media, so the hard drive is your only option. Prior versions were locked in at 512GB and, well, you know how that goes. That’s enough for around three or four AAA games. For instance, the recently-released Bethesda RPG Starfield clocks in at 130GB. Assuming an average size of around 100GB, the new Series S should accommodate seven or eight high-profile games plus plenty of smaller-sized indie titles. You’ll still have to delete older games to make room for newer ones eventually, or get an external drive, but you can worry about that later.
The just-released Series S refresh also boasts a relatively eco-friendly design, with many components made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) resins. This follows a trend originally started back in 2021 with Series S consoles.
Modern Xbox naming conventions can get a bit confusing for average consumers, so what exactly is the Series S and how does it differ from the Series X? Both are next-gen consoles, but the Series S is the lower-powered cousin to the Series X, in addition to lacking a dedicated disc drive. However, the Series X costs $500 and the Series S costs $300 to $350, depending on the available hard drive space. Modern games run on both consoles, but the Series S is designed for lower resolutions of 1080p or 1440p, while the Series X is decidedly a 4K console.