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Xbox Series S is this holiday season’s hottest console and for good reason

By Matthew Liebl

UKRAINE - 2021/06/11: In this photo illustration a Xbox logo of a video gaming brand is seen on a smartphone and a pc screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
UKRAINE - 2021/06/11: In this photo illustration a Xbox logo of a video gaming brand is seen on a smartphone and a pc screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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By now, you’ve probably heard that the Xbox Series S was Black Friday’s most popular console purchase. This is according to Adobe’s Digital Economy Index data (via Business Insider) which analyzes one trillion visits to retail sites in addition to surveying 1,000 retailers on their most popular items. If true, this would mean the Xbox Series S outsold the likes of the more powerful Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, as well as the Nintendo Switch.

It’s not unreasonable to think the Xbox Series S was this Black Friday’s best-selling console. For starters, it was probably the only one in stock at many retailers. As you probably noticed, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 were sold out just about everywhere and that was before Black Friday even began. The supply limitations alone probably had much to do with the Xbox Series S being the day’s best-seller.

But here’s the thing, the Xbox Series S is a really good deal if you’re looking to get into next-gen gaming at an affordable price. The Xbox Series S only costs $299.99, which is the cheapest of all the next-gen systems.

Yes, you’re sacrificing some hardware capability with the Xbox Series S. It’s got a less powerful GPU (4 Teraflops versus the X’s 12 Teraflops) and delivers 1440p instead of true 4K. It’s got slightly less RAM, although it’s still incredibly fast. It’s also got less storage (512GB versus the X’s 1TB) and has not optical disc drive (digital only).

But it still delivers a fine next-gen gaming experience, offering many of the same features as the Xbox Series X, including Xbox Velocity Architecture, Quick Resume, DirectX Raytracing, Variable Rate Shading, Spacial Sound, up to 120FPS, and Smart Delivery.

If you don’t care about the highest resolution or best graphical fidelity possible, and simply want a machine that is capable of playing next-gen games, the Xbox Series S is more than adequate. It’s a powerful, affordable and, perhaps most importantly, obtainable, next-gen gaming console that would make a fine addition to any gamer’s collection. Pair it with a membership to Xbox Game Pass, and you’ve got all the gaming you need.

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