With life still feeling a little slow in the wake of coronavirus lockdowns, it doesn’t seem like two years have passed since the release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. However, both consoles had their second birthdays this month – November 12th for the big Sony. Console and November 10 for Microsoft.
But here, I want to sing the praises of the unsung hero of this still young console generation: the Xbox Series S.
I love the little boy and although I had a hard time recommending it as the only means of playing games, I increasingly think it’s the perfect secondary console for gamers.
First, it’s the definition of cheerful and cheap. As Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers know, you get to choose Xbox Series S for just $240 (Opens in a new tab) in the United States and £199 at Argos (Opens in a new tab) in the UK, making it less than half the price of the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Pint-sized powerhouse
Unlike the two giant consoles, it’s also positively tiny, slipping in unnoticed as part of any entertainment setup, unlike the bloated PS5-like router and monstrous Series X.
Despite this, it plays the same games as the Xbox Series X. Not necessarily flawlessly, as is well documented, but good enough to make a valuable backup for my PS5, allowing me to round up the best Xbox Series X games and exclusives I want I play all the way.
This goes hand in hand with the other reason it’s invaluable on PS5: Xbox Game Pass. The playable subscription service is widely regarded as one of the best value propositions in gaming, and Microsoft generously puts all first-party titles (and a handful of third-party titles) into the service on day one.
This means that people who use the PS5 as their primary console and the Series X as a backup machine, don’t have to worry about losing their next Fallout or Elder Scrolls games, as they will be playable on the secondary console deal with such games (now under the wing of the Scrolls section). Games at Microsoft), as it will be playable on the secondary console on the first day of its release. As with any new Forza, Halo, or Gears of War game, they might be afraid of missing out.
This is not actually a situation I expected to find myself arguing with. Back in March, I confidently predicted that I would only consider the Xbox Series S if Microsoft added an external drive. The very generous trade-in offer on my old Xbox One made me change up that particular tune, and I haven’t really looked back since.
Yes, I had to swallow my pride to purchase a completely unnecessary extra digital copy of Rock Band 4, but other than that, it was just sailing. Contrary to my previous opinion, I’m not particularly enthusiastic about the occasional rumor that Microsoft will allow people to digitize their disc games. It simply is no longer relevant to me.
For me, the Xbox Series S wasn’t designed for tablets. It’s basically a compact Xbox Game Pass arcade cabinet, perfectly designed for instant fun.
When I return home to my family this Christmas, it won’t be my PS5 shoved awkwardly into my luggage, weighing me down as I board my train to the north of England. Instead, the Xbox Series S will be barely noticeable, giving me instant access to all the games I’ve been missing out on in a rather hectic 2022, when I finally relax for the holidays. It may be small, but it is surprisingly powerful.
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