Xbox Model Guide: Series X vs. Series S
The Naming Confusion Microsoft's naming convention can be confusing. The current generation consists of the Series X and Series S. (Ensure you do not accidentally purchase an older "Xbox One" or "One X," which are previous-generation consoles).
1. Xbox Series S (The All-Digital Option) - ~$299
- Hardware: Smaller, white (or black) console with no disc drive.
- Performance: Targets lower resolution (1080p/1440p) rather than 4K.
- The Limitation: Because it has no disc drive, you cannot play used games or movies on disc. You are restricted to the digital Microsoft Store for prices.
2. Xbox Series X (The Powerhouse) - ~$499
- Hardware: Larger, tower-shaped console with a 4K Blu-ray disc drive.
- Performance: Capable of true 4K gaming and higher performance.
- The Benefit: It plays physical discs, including many older Xbox discs from previous generations (Backward Compatibility).
3. Storage Expansion Both consoles have limited internal storage. Expanding this storage requires a specific "Expansion Card" (proprietary to Xbox) which is generally more expensive than standard PC hard drives.