It now seems all but certain that Microsoft will announce the Xbox Series S console. There have been rumors for months that the company is working on a second next-gen system. The concept behind the additional hardware seems to be similar to the Xbox One S.
This console is essentially a toned-down version of the Xbox One X. Most notably, it is a smaller and less powerful platform. The Xbox One S is also a digital console, with no disc drive. However, it is capable of playing all Xbox One games. These factors help drive down the price, making it a cheaper alternative.
The Xbox Series S will no doubt be the same. That would make it a digital-only console that is not quite as impressive as the Xbox Series X.
It might seem strange for Microsoft to release such a console to compete with its main product. But it makes a lot of sense and could be a great move for gamers. These are just some of the great advantages that Xbox Series S could have.
Xbox Series S would be much more affordable
Many are expecting the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 to be the most expensive consoles ever. Although no official prices have been revealed, estimates suggest they could cost up to $599. That’s a huge amount of money for a video game console and a big jump compared to the previous generation. In that sense, a cheaper alternative looks far more appealing. If the Xbox Series S can have similar performance to the Xbox Series X, it will be very attractive. It will mean gamers won’t have to shell out quite so much money.
More and more players are going digital
Digital game sales have been steadily growing over the last decade. It is not uncommon to see titles sell as many units via digital distribution as physical sales. In fact, a huge amount of games, including most indies, are only available as digital downloads. In a gaming world that is moving away from physical boxes, a digital-only console makes a lot of sense. After all, if you never plan on buying a game from a store, why pay extra for the disc drive?
Most people don’t need full 4K resolution
One of the biggest selling points for the Xbox Series X is that it supports full 4K resolution. Yet, the vast majority of consumers have not upgraded from their full HD television sets. That means most potential customers will have a maximum resolution of 1080p. So, upgrading to a console that they can’t take advantage of won’t make a lot of sense.
Therefore, a slightly less powerful console that can have similar graphical settings could be very appealing. Players would still get all the advantages of the next-gen console but without power needed to produce 4K resolution.
4K resolution is simply not all that important
Developers, publishers, and manufacturers have been pushing 4K gaming for some time now. But the truth is that most players will simply not see much of a difference using a higher resolution. After all, most console gamers play on TVs rather than monitors. A consequence of this is that they sit much further away. Sitting just a few feet away from the screen negates the advantages of the higher resolution. So, in terms of console gaming, resolution can be somewhat overrated. Other factors are far more important than whether the console and TV support 4K resolution.
Framerate is not a big factor for console players
While the framerate is a big factor for PC players, console gamers don’t focus on it as much. That’s even more true when most television sets have a refresh rate of just 60hz. Only specialist gaming monitors are able to really display high frame rates like 120fps. As long as the framerate is stable and at a level such as 60fps, that is all that is needed. Anything more is really wasted on normal televisions that most console gamers will be using. Again, other graphical settings will be more noticeable and important.
Xbox Series S specifications will likely not be that different
Leaks seem to indicate that the Xbox Series S will be significantly less powerful. But that won’t necessarily be a bad thing for most players. The cheaper alternative should have many of the same features and technical specs as the Xbox Series X. Essentially, Xbox Series S will likely have a slower GPU and less RAM. Although that will affect performance somewhat, it is not exactly a deal-breaker. Games on the console should still look very impressive and have a big edge on the Xbox One.
Xbox Series S would be a casual console for more players
In short, the Xbox Series S is a console that will likely have more mass-market appeal. Despite the power deficit, it will be significantly cheaper and more suitable for most gamers. After all, the high-end specs of the Xbox Series X are only going to be appreciated by enthusiast players who want the cutting edge. Everyone else will still see a big improvement over current-generation consoles. So unless you need the very best, the Xbox Series S will likely be a great option. Especially if it has a far lower price point.
Are you interested in the Xbox Series S? Or are you Series X all the way? Sound off in the comments below!
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