Xbox Series S

This is a great console. It's obviously not as powerful as the Series X, but it doesn't need to be. The size is amazing, and can fit in any space, and plays every game available digitally on Xbox very well. I have a gaming PC so having this as a secondary device is a godsend. My partner also likes it as she can use it as a smart TV box for our dumb 1080p TV - it works with Plex, Prime Video, Netflix and so on. The SSD is fast, with the system booting to the dashboard before my Logitech Harmony even fires up my TV and soundbar and sets them to the right inputs. Apps and games load very quickly, and for games Quick Resume is amazing. At 1080p, the graphics look great. Some backwards compatible games aren't improved from the One S configuration (yet), but any game optimised for Series S|X loads quickly, looks amazing and has a higher framerate than the last-gen versions. If you have a PS4 or a One S, aren't interested in 4K and want a cheap upgrade to play Cyberpunk at an acceptable performance, you can't go wrong with this system. Chances are, if you know the Xbox Series S isn't for you, you won't be reading this review. But if you're on the fence between this and a more expensive console you may want to think if the following applies to you: If you have Game Pass and another system (like a PC or PS5) and want to play some legacy Xbox games and whatever MS is providing via Game Pass, this is an awesome system. If you've got a spare room with a TV and you want an affordable games console to go in there, Xbox Series S is the way forward. If all you want is an affordable way to play next-gen games for the foreseeable future, this is the console for you. It's also great for kids who want to play Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft and not much else. It'll be a big improvement on the Xbox Series S - just be mindful that if they have disc-based games they won't be playable on the Series S. If you've got a 4K TV you probably want an Xbox Series X, PS5 or a good gaming PC, as games on this device will max out at 1080p-1440p. This console also doesn't have a disc drive so all your games and multimedia will need to be digital. Take that in mind. There's a lot of good and niche reasons to own this device over a more expensive system - if you fit into one of those niches, £250 is well worth the price.

Fantastic little Gamepass machine. And it really is little - similar in size to the Wii. It operates silently when playing games, there's no fan noise and no risk drive to spin around. Gamepass is a great deal, especially if you use the Gold to Gamepass conversion trick. I have had a great time discovering games I normally wouldn't have bothered with. Whilst Xbox is severely lacking in new first-party exclusives, the ever changing Gamepass library provides endless entertainment. Not only that but Microsoft are adding features to the Series S like FPS boost which makes older games play a lot more smoothly. I've just gone back to Battlefield 4 and the difference from the original 30 FPS version is night and day. Also, if like me you haven't owned an Xbox since the 360 and bought a lot of titles back then, thanks to the impressive backwards compatibility on the Series S, you'll find that your game library is already quite substantial. It's also worth mentioning the very fast load times, beautiful graphics with S/X optimised games (don't notice much difference with my PS5 on my 4K TV in optimised games) and the awesome Quick Resume, which lets you jump straight back in where you left a game even if you've played several other games since. In years to come there will be first-party exclusives and they'll be coming straight to Gamepass on the Series S. I bought the Series S because of this - a future-proofing accompaniment to my PS5. I honestly didn't think I'd get that much use out of it for quite a while - but there biggest compliment I can pay it is that I've played it just as much as my PS5, if not more.

Awesome value! It's tiny, practically silent when gaming, actually faster than PS4 Pro or Xbox One X as it has much newer hardware than either. It only uses about 70 watts to around 150 watts per hour when gaming, depending on the game and resolution. Much to my surprise it supports 120hz at 4k and 1080p it works well at 60hz 4k with less demanding games running at 4k and modern AAA titles being upscaled but hitting 60 FPS no issue. The only draw back is how small the 512GB super fast PCIE4 internal drive is, you only have 360GB to install games on. So if you plan on having lots of games you will have to buy the Expansion SSD from Seagate, older games can be installed on a USB stick to keep the super fast storage for modern games that need it. If you have a problem with the Series X or S (or PS5) with screen flickering when it switches from HDR modes in video apps then you must update your TVs software to the latest versions. I did have the issue when playing Netflix etc but updating the software on both LG and Samsung TVs fixed it. Don't forget if new to Xbox, buy some recharging batteries for the controller, they are not included. But the series S is basically a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X that is much smaller, quieter has double the CPU power of older models and a much newer GPU that does raytracing and better upscaling to 4k. Its probably the best value games hardware I have bought in 40 years. Don't forget you can use cheap USB memory sticks, HDDs or external SSDs to store non optomised for Series S X games no issue. The internal storage should only be used for titles optomised for Series X S as they won't run from any other storage than the internal drive or Seagate expansion card. The external Seagate superfast expansion card was idiot proof to install and transfer games to. I imagine over time they will decrease in price and increase in storage size as well. So don't let the 360 GBs of usable space put you off the Series S at all.

Such a good console and so small compared to its big brother the Series X and even the previous One and One X. AND THE PRICE! My Lord, the price is a steal! Whisper quiet even on performance-heavy games, don’t really notice the lack of native 4K nor the lack of a disc drive. The speed is incredible. For reference it could take over a minute to load a Halo level on the OG Xbox and even the 360, and this thing can do a remastered 1080p 60FPS version in 3-4 seconds. Quick-resume is also a fantastic feature, allowing you to skip all those menus and logos when firing up a game you play a lot, even from a just-plugged-in state! It was sort of done on the Xbox One but it really marks itself as a genuine feature here. One gripe is the lack of internal memory at under 400GB, though that kind of thing is expected for the price. You can use external HDDs and SSDs with it BUT you can only play older games off of them, any games that are labelled ‘Optimised for Series S/X’ can be stored on such drives but can ONLY be run off the internal memory or on the official Seagate expansion drive which has its own proprietary port on the back of the console (and which at the moment costs about the difference between this and the Series X, so bare that in mind if you’re weighing up the two). Beyond having S/X specific upgrades though, even now there are pretty much no exclusive games, which is a drawback but one I’m confident MS are going to fix in the near future. It’s something to think about if you’re looking to upgrade from a One though. One thing I will say is that I think this is designed to be more of a Games Pass machine. Something to store a few games on while you’re playing them and then you delete them to download a bunch of new ones, with a few permanent favourites like Halo or Skyrim. Rather than something to keep your entire back catalogue of games on and only downloading a few new ones here and there when you can shell out £50+. But I think that is the trajectory of the gaming industry generally, moving towards a Netflix model rather than a DVD cabinet one.

Great product , runs well , compact size

Although not as powerful as the X, the series S really is an excellent alternative. It packs a punch given its great price. Unfortunately the default 512GB is not enough due to how big the file sizes are for newer games, I had to buy a compatible SSD. I also prefer how the Xbox Series S looks, given its smaller it fits really well into TV units and slimmer spaces.

With what is on offer from Microsoft and what the future holds for all of us gamers, casual or hardcore, we are all set to enjoy the best gaming generation since the beginning of gaming on Consoles, PC and Mobile. With over 10+ Billion invested in gaming studios over the last 3 years, that have some of the best AAA games, AA games and the first and only AAAA Studio, gaming is very much what Microsoft is putting high on its list. Last generation they made mistakes and could never fully recover, if 50+ plus million sales could be called bad. We also have Gamepass with 300+ New and Old games ready for you at £7.99 a month. When games are £50 to £70 Each and Day One you can play 30+ New Games this year on Xbox for 12 months when compared to the cost of 2 games on other consoles. With Old games getting Auto HDR and FPS Boost, witch takes games from 30 frames to 60 and some 120, believe your game is running and looking like never before, not a pay for remake/remastered like other Consoles, Series S its Automatically done Free by the technology built in the Console. The Series S is the best value console with a massive future ahead, from a company that has not stopped invest in games and Studios. This is what Series S has to offer you now and for the future. This is Microsoft Xbox Reboot. This is the best place to be, but most of all, its Value, its the best place for gaming, its the fastest growing community, its where the Xbox team, from the top man down all play game, talk on social media sites, talk about what is to come. Myself I have a Series X, this is for my Daughter in Uni, a fifa, Call of Duty, Fortnight player. I am 39 years of gaming, PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Mobile ect, I spent 14 years building custom gaming PC, with Diploma in Hardware, Networking, Customer Care at C.A.D in Newport Gwent, What this little XBox can do is worth 3x the price they are asking, its now and most importantly future technology built by the best at what they do, A.M.D Graphics and Processing power, with the best Software DirectX 12 Ultimate and support by Microsoft. Pick up your gaming pad and never be without a game, pay the cost of 1 game and get 6 months of AA/AAA Gamepass games. Enjoy your gaming what ever you decide, my review is what Series S got for you now and years to follow. GamerTag, Imapwr On PlayStation + Xbox

I’ve been using the Xbox Series S for a few months now, and it’s hands-down one of the best value consoles on the market. Don’t let the size fool you this little box packs serious punch. Load times are lightning-fast thanks to the SSD, and games look stunning in 1440p with smooth frame rates. It’s perfect for casual and competitive gamers alike. Setup was a breeze, and the interface is intuitive. Game Pass integration is a game-changer hundreds of titles at your fingertips, including day-one releases. I also love how quiet it runs, even during intense sessions. Storage can fill up quickly, so I recommend pairing it with an expansion card if you’re a heavy gamer. Whether you’re upgrading from an older Xbox or diving into console gaming for the first time, the Series S delivers next-gen performance without breaking the bank. Sleek, silent, and seriously fun.