Discounts on thebest gaming consoleshappen periodically throughout the year. Still, being popular holiday purchases, there is hope for greater savings on Black Friday. TheXbox Series Sis one of the most attainable gaming systems, supporting the same titles as the pricier Xbox Series X. Although the Series S doesn’t natively render gameplay in 4K, it’s an excellent match for the expansiveXbox Game Pass library. TheSeries S is being sold for $50 offat several retailers, but is it as strong a value now as when it debuted in 2020?
There are many reasons why a buyer would choose the Xbox Series S over the Series X, PS5, or PS5 Pro. Of course, the simplest explanation is budget. Gamers hoping to upgrade to a more powerful console for a reduced price are consistently disappointed. Without sales, Microsoft and Sony’s flagship systems aren’t notably less expensive than when they were first released. In the case of the PS5 Slim Digital, it’s actually selling at $50 more than the discontinued chunkier digital version. Even worse, thePS5 Pro’s shockingly high pricesurprised many gamers interested in the powerful console.
Sadly for consumers, the cost of even older components used in consoles is stubbornly high. Also, Microsoft relies on profits from subscription services and digital game sales rather than gaming systems. Consequently, losing more money selling discounted consoles is not an attractive proposition. That tempers expectations for fantastic Black Friday Series S buying opportunities.
Xbox Series S
Released alongside the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Series S is Microsoft’s budget option for the ninth console generation. Designed exclusively for digital gaming, the Series S can run the same games as the Series X, albeit at a potentially lower resolution and frame rate.
Black Friday prices on the Series S aren’t historically low. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the console isn’t worth considering. Critics tend to focus on what the Series S can’t do, but in reality, it shares many of the best Series X features. These capabilities include Quick Resume, where gamers can switch between titles without losing progress. However, the Series S’s unique advantages are just as noteworthy, especially its compact design and quiet cooling. Microsoft’s budget console also excels as astreaming device, with 4K movie playback that rivals the Series X.
If the Xbox Series S has one drawback, it’s storage capacity. Since the console lacks an optical drive, gamers can quickly fill up its 512 GB SSD. Microsoft recently launched a Robot White Series S with a 1 TB drive to address that issue. Unfortunately, there are no sales on any 1 TB Series S to speak of, leaving astorage expansion cardas the other option. Manufacturers like Seagate and WD are responding to the demand with decent offers on supported storage.
1080p and1440p monitorsremain popular, evidence that not every gamer has joined the 4K revolution. The age of the Series S shows in recent releases likeSTALKER 2, but it runs the vast majority of games acceptably. Even upcoming demanding titles likeGrand Theft Auto VImay work on the Xbox Series Sadequately. As still the best buy for consoles, Black Friday Series S sales will continue to draw attention from the masses.
