Current Events > Well, after several days with the Xbox Series S, I gotta say

(+) Yeah! (+)

It's an absolutely terrible deal at $299 for several reasons

1 - It literally gives you something like 350 GB available. Master Chief Collection alone uses half that. It's just not acceptable.

2 - Although it's marketed as a 1440p console, nearly every game I played is 1080p, even when it's specifically designed for Series S. And the backwards compatibility is pretty lackluster compared to series X because it doesn't use Xbox One X versions.

3 - The $399 digital PS5 is a way, way better deal. Nearly double the usable storage, substantially better backwards compatibility, and it's also more powerful.

In short, even as a Game Pass machine, the series s is really not worth it. If there was no $399 PS5, I think you could justify it. But not with that level of competition.


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Is the Series S the new Xbox or the old one with a new design?

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AdrianBeterson posted...

Is the Series S the new Xbox or the old one with a new design?

It's the cheaper next gen xbox. So there's Series X and Series S that are next gen. First is $500, this one is $300.

PS5 has two models: one with a disk drive and one without. Otherwise they are identical, at $500 and $400 respectively.

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I might get it down the track if it gets a disc drive or a price drop. It's just going to get cheaper as time goes on and it's already pretty low priced.

It's definitely a secondary or casual sort of device that's basically a cheap way to play Game Pass. I like how tiny it is.

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Darmik posted...

I might get it down the track if it gets a disc drive or a price drop. It's just going to get cheaper as time goes on and it's already pretty low priced.

It's definitely a secondary or casual sort of device that's basically a cheap way to play Game Pass. I like how tiny it is.

The problem is that it doesn't have enough storage space for an all digital console, and the external storage solutions are extremely restrictive.

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Why did you buy it after weeks/months of talking about how terrible of an idea it is?

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Actually I should say that it has great potential as an emulation machine. Which is pretty cool.

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DarkRoast posted...

The problem is that it doesn't have enough storage space for an all digital console, and the external storage solutions are extremely restrictive.

I'd have it as a thing hooked up to my work monitor or 1080p TV when I'm not using the 4k TV. It would also be the thing I'd take with me whenever I travel. Don't really need to have a lot of games on it in that case. It'll just be whatever I'm currently playing.

Also I have Retroarch so it's good for that too lol. Those games are all on a USB hard drive.

It's overpriced in Australia though but I'll definitely go for it if it goes to like $300AUD

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Should've been 2TB since it's all digital. MS could afford to keep it at $300 with that game pass money

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DarkRoast posted...

the backwards compatibility is pretty lackluster compared to series X

What games are missing from the Series S BC?

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Mr_Rian posted...

What games are missing from the Series S BC?

Nothing. But there's no Xbox One X enhanced games so it's the standard Xbox One resolution and framerates.

360 enhanced games are fine though and games can still specifically be Series S enhanced.

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DarkRoast posted...

Game Pass machine,

been calling it this for months

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littlebro07 posted...

Should've been 2TB since it's all digital. MS could afford to keep it at $300 with that game pass money

A 2 TB M.2 NVME would make that price point impossible, dude.

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Darmik posted...

Nothing. But there's no Xbox One X enhanced games so it's the standard Xbox One resolution and framerates.

360 enhanced games are fine though and games can still specifically be Series S enhanced.

Then it's rather stupid to say backward compatibility is lackluster. Enhancement of titles is not the same thing as backward compatibility.

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King Rial posted...

A 2 TB M.2 NVME would make that price point impossible, dude.

For anybody who isn't Microsoft, sure

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Jabodie posted...

It's the cheaper next gen xbox. So there's Series X and Series S that are next gen. First is $500, this one is $300.

PS5 has two models: one with a disk drive and one without. Otherwise they are identical, at $500 and $400 respectively.

Goddammit why did MS make this naming so confusing. I legit go on gamefaqs daily and don't know what the new Xbox is called.

I'll likely forget which one is which in a couple days after this topic dies as well.

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Jabodie posted...

Actually I should say that it has great potential as an emulation machine. Which is pretty cool.

It's the reason why my friend wants one. That's the only reason he is getting one. He already has a PS5.

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This is the first time a new console has made me flat out not want it. I'm going to wait until a new model MAYBE.... even then I'm already starting to think about building a new gaming pc. The ONLY thing keeping me with consoles now is none of my friends play PC.

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littlebro07 posted...

For anybody who isn't Microsoft, sure

For anybody period. It would also require a redesign of the system.

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AdrianBeterson posted...

Goddammit why did MS make this naming so confusing. I legit go on gamefaqs daily and don't know what the new Xbox is called.

I'll likely forget which one is which in a couple days after this topic dies as well.

As long as you see the word "Series" in the name of a particular Xbox, it's the next gen console.

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I got the S series while I wait for PS5 slim and I like it a lot. I have DQ11, RDR2 Online, Rocket League, State of Decay 2, Forza Horizon 4 installed and like 2 more games along with the streaming apps once I hear DQ11 I will remove it and install another game no need to get a big backlog at all

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How is this surprising, Xbox has always been a joke console.

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s0nicfan posted...

Why did you buy it after weeks/months of talking about how terrible of an idea it is?

I didn't. It's my friend's.

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About the backwards compatibility -

Thing is, with Series X and both PS5 models, you get the "One X / Pro" versions but with better frame rates.

In a lot of cases, this makes those games feel basically next-gen since they're at or near 4K already, but now also run at 60fps. Most games on the advanced consoles used dynamic resolution scaling, too, which means they tend to lock at the highest supported resolution through BC.

On Series S, the problem is that the base Xbox One was a shit show in performance and most games were sub-1080p and 30fps capped, and neither of those things change through backwards compatibility.

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The Series S looks like it was developed for the person that just wants a sub to Xbox Game Pass and nothing else. Owning games? That's for chumps.

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Alucard188 posted...

The Series S looks like it was developed for the person that just wants a sub to Xbox Game Pass and nothing else. Owning games? That's for chumps.

And that would be totally fine if it had more storage space.

The entire SSD is filled with Master Chief Collection and Gears 5 alone.

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DarkRoast posted...

And that would be totally fine if it had more storage space.

The entire SSD is filled with Master Chief Collection and Gears 5 alone.

That's 7 games all up lol. Both of them also give you the option to have specific segments installed.

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Darmik posted...

That's 7 games all up lol. Both of them also give you the option to have specific segments installed.

To use a more modern example, call of duty fills up more than half the ssd

Given how much games scaled in data requirements since 2013, it doesn't look good for Series S over the next seven years.


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Lol consoles

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DarkRoast posted...

To use a more modern example, call of duty fills up more than half the ssd

Given how much games scaled in data requirements since 2013, it doesn't look good for Series S over the next seven years.

That's not a Game Pass game.

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Do they inhale glue at the naming meeting for Xbox?

1st one makes sense cause it uses DirectX, DirectX box
360, okay
One, what?
Series S and Series X? huh


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Yeah the Series S has always been dumb and anyone with a little common sense understood why. But fanboy narratives will drive dumb consumer purchases.

Even if you like Microsoft and hate Sony, save your money buy the Series X instead.

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Its for kids and casuals, my buddy who only plays fifa and call of duty just bought a series S and hes loving it so far

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hyperpowder posted...

Yeah the Series S has always been dumb and anyone with a little common sense understood why. But fanboy narratives will drive dumb consumer purchases.

Even if you like Microsoft and hate Sony, save your money buy the Series X instead.

For the casual approach it's great. With kids/wife the virus, I'm on a budget and I'm able to enjoy it with the gamepass as well.


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Well yeah Playstation is better than Xbox

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Microsoft has gone with such a garbage naming scheme the last couple generations. I have no idea which of these consoles is which.
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Is ps5 gonna get quick resume? I hope so.

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El Mexicano Texano posted...

For the casual approach it's great. With kids/wife the virus, I'm on a budget and I'm able to enjoy it with the gamepass as well.

Honestly, I just can't see how the Series S at $299 is a better "budget" console than the PS5 Digital at $399.

Especially when you consider upgrading the Series S's storage makes it more expensive than the PS5 Digital.


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DarkRoast posted...

Honestly, I just can't see how the Series S at $299 is a better "budget" console than the PS5 Digital at $399.

Especially when you consider upgrading the Series S's storage makes it more expensive than the PS5 Digital.

Because it's literally cheaper. And you don't need to have dozens of games installed on the console all at once. And Game Pass is the best deal in gaming (next to the true freebies you get on PC, of course). Even if you add another $40-50 to the cost of the Series S for an external drive to cycle out games to store them when not playing if you don't plan on going back to them any time soon but your Internet is slow and/or you have data caps, it's still the better deal.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the Series S. It's just not worth it for me. I don't think there is anything exclusive at all for it. A One S/X would suit me fine if I'm merely playing Game Pass right now. It's next gen in name only.

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Mr_Rian posted...

Because it's literally cheaper. And you don't need to have dozens of games installed on the console all at once. And Game Pass is the best deal in gaming (next to the true freebies you get on PC, of course). Even if you add another $40-50 to the cost of the Series S for an external drive to cycle out games to store them when not playing if you don't plan on going back to them any time soon but your Internet is slow and/or you have data caps, it's still the better deal.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the Series S. It's just not worth it for me. I don't think there is anything exclusive at all for it. A One S/X would suit me fine if I'm merely playing Game Pass right now. It's next gen in name only.

Honestly, Playstation Now is pretty damn good as well. It's cheaper than Game Pass, too. $60/year IIRC. There's like 300 PS4 games you can download to the PS4 or PS5, and hundreds of PS3 games you can stream.

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I keep forgetting people pay full price for XGP instead of the $1 trick.

The fact that there still is no stream app for XGP on PC is a mystery to me. It's supposed to finally come in 2021 though.

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its a xbox one series s right?

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No One. Just Series.

Yeah, it's incredibly stupid.

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Mr_Rian posted...

No One. Just Series.

Yeah, it's incredibly stupid.

The naming conventions are idiotic af

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El Mexicano Texano posted...

For the casual approach it's great. With kids/wife the virus, I'm on a budget and I'm able to enjoy it with the gamepass as well.

Honestly if a hundred dollars is enough to break the bank on getting a true next gen console with the PS5D then maybe you shouldn't be spending money on consoles in the first place.

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It's a compelling RetroArch machine, but so are the One and Series X, which can also run it.

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next gen consoles have like no storage upgrades lmao enjoy only downloading the latest call of duty i guess?

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DarkRoast posted...

The naming conventions are idiotic af

I concur, just look at MS' naming history for the consoles:

Xbox
Xbox360
Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One S All Digital Edition, Xbox One X
Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

MS' marketing department needs to be taken out back and shot.

From Sony, we get:
PlayStation, PlayStation 1
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5

Why can't we ever get simple naming schemes?

The only thing worse is when Apple names everything "iPad" with no qualifier or "Mac Book Pro", but no qualifier to Identify which year or model.

You just have to "Know It" or figure out how which model it is via serial # or remembered it.

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Imagine making a physician salary and cheaping out on a series s

Its like buying a Ford Focus and expecting a Porsche and then complaining about it when you chose to take the cheap route

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hyperpowder posted...

Honestly if a hundred dollars is enough to break the bank on getting a true next gen console with the PS5D then maybe you shouldn't be spending money on consoles in the first place.

I could afford it, I just couldn't find one. As I said before I will get a PS5 when the slim comes out. I'm happy with my S Series to top it off mines just happens to run PS1/PS2/GC/N64/etc...games as well. Why would I want to buy a $400 PS5 that can't even do that? They don't even have a better gamepass. I'll wait for the slim as I said.


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