Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S: Everything You Need to Know

10th September 2020

We’ve put together everything you need to know about the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S consoles. This will cover:

  • Specs of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S
  • Price for both consoles
  • Release date
  • Accessories
  • Games
  • EA Play Coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

    • Xbox Series X

    The Xbox Series X is the fastest and most powerful Xbox yet, featuring innovative hardware and software features for more dynamic and richer gaming worlds. Designed for speed and performance, the custom 1TB SSD & CPU unlocks new capabilities so you can play more and wait less. Enjoy true 4K gaming and up to 120 fps, delivering unparalleled graphical fidelity. Find out more about the specs and features here.

    Xbox Series S

    The Xbox Series S joins the next-generation console line-up. This is an all-digital console that will be the smallest Xbox yet, but still have similar performance to the Xbox Series X. Designed for the digital-first player, this console has a white sleek design perfect for fitting in with your home set-up. Enjoy next-gen speed, custom 512GB SSD, seamless game switching, lightning-fast load times and more! The Xbox Series S will play the Xbox One S version of backwards compatible games with improved texture filtering, higher frame rates, faster load times and Auto HDR.

    Series X and Series S Specifications

    So, what’s the difference between the two consoles?

    The 3 main differences between Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S are the size, resolution, and disc-drive.

    - The Xbox Series S is 60% smaller than the Xbox Series X

    - The Xbox Series S plays games at 1440p in comparison to the Xbox Series X which plays games at 4K

    - The Xbox Series S is a great option for players who don’t have a 4K TV

    - Finally, the Xbox Series S is all-digital meaning there is no disc-drive. You can carry over any digital games from your previous console, but you can’t use previously owned physical discs on the console. The Xbox Series X does have a disc-drive so you can enjoy both physical and digital games.

    Price of the Next-Generation Consoles

    The prices for the new consoles are:

    Xbox Series X - £449.99

    Xbox Series S - £249.99

    Don’t forget, you can spread the cost through low monthly payments with Xbox All Access.

    Release Date

    Both the Xbox Series X and S consoles were released on November 10th 2020.

    When Can I Buy?

    You can buy a new Xbox console online or in-store. (Subject to availability)

    You can browse available consoles here.

    You can use Xbox All Access to buy your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S. Find out how here!

    New Xbox Wireless Controller

    A next-gen set-up deserves a new controller. The new Xbox Wireless Controller has had a few design tweaks to make it more inclusive as well as improving accessibility and comfort. Performance has been boosted to help support personal playstyles, so you can get a good amount of leverage with minimal movement required – perfect for when you’re in the middle of an intense gaming session.

    Confirmed Games

    Xbox has announced quite a few games for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Become a Viking in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, discover a world of magic in Hogwarts Legacy, and so much more. See for yourself, you can check out all confirmed games for Xbox Series X | S here.

    Optimised for Xbox Series X|S

    If you see a logo which says ‘Optimised for Xbox Series X|S’ on a Xbox game, it means the developer has done extra work to take advantage of the features on Xbox Series X|S. Either the game was built from the ground up purely for Xbox Series X|S, or the original game has had some updates to better play on Xbox Series X|S. This could vary from improved visuals, improved frame rates, and more.

    Smart Delivery

    With Smart Delivery, you can buy a supported game once and always have the best available version for whatever console you play on. Insert your disc and the console will download the best available version. For digital purchases, log-into your account, connect to the Wi-Fi and download the game. The console does all the work so you can spend more time playing!

    Get EA Play with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for No Additional Cost

    Microsoft are teaming up with EA to bring more than 60 of their biggest and best console and PC games to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for no additional cost. You will be able to enjoy games such as FIFA 20, Titanfall 2, The Sims, Mass Effect, Battlefield and more all within their Xbox Game Pass subscription. With exclusive in-game challenges, member-only content, discounts and more, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate lets you jump into more game experiences with ease.

    What do you think? Will you be buying an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S?