The next-gen console prices are out in the open, and it's safe to say that things are looking good. No company has gone past the $500 threshold, which is impressive considering the kind of hardware these new consoles are packing. However, this console gen release is a bit different from all the previous ones in that both companies are offering two versions of their new consoles straight from the start: this standard $ 500 version and a more budget-friendly option.
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Sony is offering the PlayStation 5
and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition.
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While Microsoft is giving us the Xbox
Series X and the Xbox Series S.
So, we will
discuss all of the differences between the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S to
help you choose the console best suited to your needs if you've already decided
to follow the Xbox route. We'll also explain the difference between the two PlayStation
consoles, which can sum up in a single sentence.
So, we
won't discuss the point any further. Lastly, we'll take a look at how the
budget-friendly consoles measure up against each other. So, without any further
ado, let's begin,
What is the Series S?
First things
first, let's take a look at exactly what the Xbox Series S is? The Series
S is a budget-friendly variant of the new Series X console. It's a lot slimmer
than the monolithic Series X and comes with a two-tone black and white finish
that's a bit unusual for an Xbox console.
Series
S and Series X will launch on November 10th at 300 and 500 dollars,
respectively. Purchasing the console that's going to be compatible with the
next-gen games for 60% off the price is an outstanding deal, and the folks at Microsoft
are adamant about this point.
The Series
S will run all of the games that get released on the Series X, but obviously,
there will be some trade-offs. So, let's go over the difference between the two
versions of Microsoft's new console, starting with the hardware.
XBOX SERIES X VS XBOX SERIES S
The Hardware
Based on
just the spec sheet, things aren't looking too good for the Series S. It features
the same 8 core custom Zen 2 CPU as the Series X, only it runs at a lower clock
speed. So far, so good, but things start a little bit shakier when we get to
the GPU. Both the Series X and the Series S utilize a custom RDNA 2 GPU.
However,
the GPU that comes with the Series S is significantly less potent than the one
found in Series X. Not only does it run at a lower clock speed, but it also
features a mere 20 compute units. Which seems like a paltry amount compared to
the Series X is 52 compute units.
Teraflops
To put
this into perspective, Series S scores only 4 teraflops while Series X boasts a
whopping 12.15 teraflops. So, if we were to look just at the teraflops, we can
conclude that the GPU found in a Series S console has only a third of the Series
X packs' power.
We can
see a similar trend with regards to RAM and storage.
RAM
Both console
versions will utilize the same GDDR6 RAM, but in terms of volume, the Series S will
only come with 10 gigabytes of RAM than the 16 gigabytes found in the Series X console.
Storage
As far
as storage, both versions will get custom NVMe SSDs, but the Series S console
will only come with a 512 gigabytes SSD. In contrast, the Series X SSD will
come with a full terabyte of storage space.
4k UHD Blu-ray drive
Finally,
the Series S will be a digital-only console, meaning that it won't come with a
4k UHD Blu-ray drive. Honestly, there's no getting around this. An excellent 4k
UHD Blu-ray drive can cost well over $200. So, it was inevitable that the console's
lower-priced version would lack this feature, but specs aren't the best
indicator of performance on paper.
So, have
a look at what kind of performance you can expect from these consoles?
The Performance
As consumers,
we are thrilled that Sony and Microsoft will be offering these more budget-oriented
versions of the new consoles. However, Microsoft's approach to this left us
feeling anxious at first.
Potential of Hardware
Series S
If the Series S will be compatible with all next-gen games, does
this mean that developers will have to work with its more limited hardware as a
baseline? It would undoubtedly stifle the developers working on titles from
multiple platforms as they wouldn't be able to push the next-gen hardware found
in the $500 versions of the consoles to its fullest potential. Thankfully this
doesn't seem to be the case, and the reasoning is fairly straightforward.
Series X
The Series
X will not attempt to tackle the 4k resolutions. Instead, it'll look to render
games in 1440p, also known as 2k. According to the folks at Xbox, this change
alone will be enough to account for the weaker hardware.
Resolution
You
will play the same games on both the Series X and the Series S, but the games
will render in a different resolution. In this regard, the situation isn't too
different from the one we've got going with the Xbox One and the Xbox One X
same games but different resolutions.
Frame Rates
What's more,
the Series S will also support frame rates of up to 120 fps. Whether or not
we'll see this in action is another thing entirely, but the potential is there.
And finally, if you hook up the Series S console to a 4k TV, you will have the
option to upscale the resolution to 4k.
It won't
look as good as the native 4k that the Series X delivers, but it's a nice perk
nonetheless.
Game Performance
Ultimately
the actual in-game performance will vary from game to game based on how
demanding and optimized it is. Suppose all next-gen titles end up running great
on the Series S without forcing any developers' restrictions because of the
less powerful hardware. In that case, this version of the console will offer incredible
value. It won't be the version for everybody, but it will be an excellent pick
for the right people. So, let's consider whom the Series S is for exactly,
What Should We Choose? And
Why?
The Series
S is the more affordable version of the new console that anyone who can't
afford the Series X will get. But there are also several reasons you might
want to pick the Series S instead of Series X? Even if you have the money for
it?
Reasons
The first reason would be if you don't want a 4k TV and don't plan to get one shortly. Based
on what we've heard from Microsoft, the two versions of this console will only
differ in the resolution that the games are rendered, at least on the user's
end.
So, if
you already don't own a 4k TV, Series X will not offer a more tangible value
than the Series S. This is, of course, based on the assumption that the
decreased RAM volume and less powerful GPU won't cause any other issues.
It also
holds if you don't mind the lack of a physical disk drive, but if all of these
conditions meet, the Series S will be the superior product as far as value is
concerned. The only limitations you'll still feel will be the cramped storage
space with as massive as next-gen AAA titles will get. We could see that the
512 gigabytes of storage on the Series S getting filled up rather quickly.
You will
have the option of expanding the storage, but NVMe SSDs aren't exactly what
we'd call affordable. With the console and the extra storage accounted for, you
may get closer to the PlayStation 5 digital edition price point. So, have a
look at how the Series S handles this competition,
XBOX SERIES S VS PLAYSTATION 5
Digital Edition
As we
mentioned in the introduction, the difference between the PlayStation 5 and the
PlayStation 5 Digital can sum up in a single sentence. The Digital Edition doesn't
come with a disk drive; that's it; everything else is the same. The $400 Digital
Editions still have the same hardware that the $500 PS5 has. The CPU, GPU, RAM,
and storage solutions are all identical.
So, the
PS5 Digital Edition will run all games just as well as the $500 version of the
console. Now we won't get into the comparisons between PS5 and the Xbox Series
X here. It's quite comprehensive, and we suggest you check it if you still
don't know how these consoles stack up. In this sense, comparing the Xbox Series
S to the PS5 Digital Edition might seem a little unfair.
It would
be like comparing the Series S to the regular PS5 or the Series X. The PS5 Digital The edition is significantly more powerful and fully capable of embracing
everything the next-gen console generation is. The Series S is still the better
pick for anyone on a strict budget or anyone who doesn't have a 4k TV.
Price According to Storage
And the
$100 difference between the Series S and the PS5 Digital Edition isn't at all
negligible. But if you're worried about storage and could see yourself
expanding it on the Series S, then the playing field becomes more even in terms
of the overall price. 500 gigabytes of Samsung 970 EVO plus NVMe SSD goes for $100.
Sure, you
don't have to get the Samsung 970 EVO, plus there are more affordable NVMe SSDs
out there. But this would give you an idea of how much updating the storage
would cost you. It's not a small penny. That is why we said the Series S console
is comparable in price to the PS5 Digital Edition once your account for the
extra storage.
The PS5
doesn't come with a full terabyte of storage space either, but the 825
gigabytes it does have to leave you with significantly more space to play
around. To be exact, that's 60% more storage, and as a nice little perk, you
get 60% more RAM and almost twice as much graphics processing power to boot.
So, if
you think 500 gigabytes of storage isn't enough to accommodate your next-gen
gaming needs, then the PS5 Digital Edition is the better pick. Otherwise, nothing
can top the 300-price point of the Series S.
Conclusion
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To summarize, the Xbox Series S is a budget-friendly version of the Xbox Series X that looks to render games in
1440p instead of 4k.
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In terms of hardware, it's
substantially less potent than the Series X. But if we can trust Microsoft words,
this won't be an issue because of the lower resolution that the console will
target.
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However, even if everything ends up
exactly as Microsoft promises, the Series S owners will still just half a
terabyte of storage space to play around with it.
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Gamers who like to focus on one or
two games should find this perfectly manageable, but others will likely feel cramped
by the storage limitations.
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The option to expand the storage is
there but given how expensive NVMe SSDs are at the moment. It would be better
to save yourself the trouble and either get the Xbox Series X or the PS5 Digital
Edition from the get-go.