It’s been almost 3 years since Xbox debuted their Series X and Series S consoles. I’m sure many people are still asking themselves the same question: is the Xbox Series S worth buying?
Here are a few key takeaways as to why you should definitely buy an Xbox Series S in 2023.
Digital Is The Way To Go
First, let’s take a look at the option of digital vs. hard copy games. Personally, I find that digital is WAY easier in today’s gaming world. I know there’s people who still prefer having a physical game disc, but I think for me, going digital is more convenient. Of course, there’s always different ways to store your massive game library, whether you keep it in the living room, in the bedroom, or wherever you may have your gaming setup.
Which is nice and all, but for me, having all the games I love playing digitally stored and easily accessible is much better. Plus it saves some space and helps keep your gaming area nice and neat! Instead of shuffling through bunches of game cases, trying to find what you want to play, you can simply search for your game within the console. Easy right? Of course it is! And, downloading games saves you a trip to the store, and you can play as soon as it’s ready.
You Can Upgrade Your Storage Capacity
One of the biggest things that deters people from buying an Xbox Series S, is the storage capacity. The console comes with 512 GB of internal SSD storage, but because of the system itself and the setup files, it’s really about 300 GB or so that you get. However, you can expand the storage capacity in a variety of ways. The first option, which I personally went with, is an external HDD.
HDDs typically have more gig capacity, and are the cheaper alternative. But, performance wise, they may
take a little longer to read games and transfer data. This really isn’t a big deal for me, as I don’t transfer too many games back and forth. Some games you can actually play right from the HDD without having to move the game!
Now, the next option is an SDD, which works a lot faster, but may be pricier and you don’t get as much storage with those. And of course, the more capacity the bigger the price tag. Same concept as the HDD, but again, this works a lot faster in terms of reading and transferring data. Lastly, there are the expansion cards, which you can attach directly to the back of the console.
The expansion cards, such as the ones made by Seagate, range from about 500GB to 8 TB of space. This particular brand is probably the most high-end, and can cost hundreds of dollars. In a nutshell, you have many options when it comes to expanding your Xbox Series S storage capacity.
The Graphics Are Amazing
Alright, so now let’s get into the nitty gritty, which are the graphics. The Xbox Series S is able render at maximum a 1440p resolution at 60fps. But, it is also capable of outputting 4K resolution up to 120fps. Typically, these numbers matter most in terms of how good the game looks and how smoothly it performs.
In reality, if you compare the graphics from the S side by side with the Series X, there’s really not much of a difference. They look almost exactly the same! If you’re not very technical and specific about graphics performance, like me, the Series S can most definitely satisfy all of your gaming needs. All games look great, and you don’t really have any problems in terms of the picture quality.
Of course, if this does matter to you, the Series X might be the console for you. Overall, the graphics look great, there’s hardly ever any lag, and you can always configure the console and tune the output for better quality resolution. The Xbox Series S can more than hold its own in this department
Other Features That Might Interest you
The Xbox Series S has a lot going for it. Besides everything already mentioned above, here are a couple more features to think about. Quick resume (also available on the Series X) is a feature that allows you to pick up right where you left off in a game.
Let’s say you had to quickly turn off your console and head out. You can simply pause your game, turn it off, and when you come back you can jump right back in exactly where you were! Or, let’s say you just want to switch over to a different game. With quick resume, you can switch between multiple different games seamlessly.
Awesome, right? It’s also capable of backwards compatibility. All your favorite games from previous Xbox consoles can be played on the Series S as well. Not to mention, you can use your Xbox One accessories with it, and experience faster response times. Going back to backwards compatible games, the Xbox Game Pass is the perfect pairing for the Xbox Series S.
There are literally thousands of games to play, both Xbox One and previous 360 and original Xbox titles, along with the newest X|S optimized versions and brand new games. The Game Pass also gives you access to day one launch titles. You can download and play the same day a game drops! What more could you ask for? That’s a win win situation in my book.
The Xbox Series S Is Definitely Next Gen
The Xbox Series S is definitely one of the best next-gen gaming consoles out there. From the graphics, to
the game variety, the console-exclusive features, it has a lot more to offer than what I’ve discussed here.
In addition to the massive library of digital games, you also have the option to play directly from the cloud. Meaning, you don’t even have to download a game to play it! You can just jump right in, and if you decide to download it, your game data and save info are already there.
You don’t lose any of your progress. Perks of owning the Game Pass. So again, if you’re in the market for a next-gen console, the Xbox Series S is one you definitely should think about purchasing. I promise you will not regret it if you do.
