Microsoft · Updated June 2026
Microsoft Xbox Series S: price, specs & release date
Microsoft Xbox Series S, released 2020-11. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: en.wikipedia.org verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger
The Microsoft Xbox Series S is listed at $299 on en.wikipedia.org as of 2026-06-27, the cheapest game consoles (median $649); other retailers may be lower. It earns a Bronze Deskmark — 62/100 pay-blind standing, #11 of 18 in class.
Verified Jun 27, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
- Best for Compact, quiet, attractive design that fits anywhere; Cheapest entry into next-gen gaming; strong value with Game Pass.
- Skip if 512GB SSD (362-364GB usable) fills up fast; pricey Seagate expansion needed is a dealbreaker.
Is the Microsoft Xbox Series S a good buy?
At $299, the Microsoft Xbox Series S is the cheapest of the 17 game consoles we track, where the median is $599. On the spec sheet, its GPU of 4.006 TFLOPS is below the median of the 13, its RAM of 10 GB is below the median of the 18, and its storage of 512 GB is at the median of the 15. By release date, it is the oldest of the 17 we date.
Evidence of Record
Our data- Independent labsmeasured it
- 3
- Physical metricsrecorded
- 6
- Outlets on recordall tested
- 3
3 independent labs measured this product, logging 6 distinct physical metrics between them — free storage out, battery, gears 5 initial and 3 more. That is how much independent evidence stands behind any claim about it — not a rating of the product.
free storage out · battery · gears 5 initial · backward-compatible game load · resolution · usable storage on
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the Microsoft Xbox Series S
All three whitelisted testers (Engadget, Tom's Guide, TechRadar) hands-on tested the disc-less 512GB Series S and agree it is the cheapest, most compact and quietest route into next-gen gaming, with fast SSD load times and Quick Resume. All three flag storage that fills fast, a 1440p (not native 4K) target, and the missing disc drive; two of the three also knock the controller's disposable AA batteries. No RTINGS or Digital Foundry coverage captured.
Based on 3 reviews · 3 lab-tested · 2020-11-05–2023-06-07
Tested by Engadget, Tom's Guide, TechRadar
Consistently praised
- Compact, quiet, attractive design that fits anywhere · 3 sources
- Cheapest entry into next-gen gaming; strong value with Game Pass · 3 sources
- Fast SSD load times and Quick Resume make it feel genuinely next-gen · 3 sources
Commonly flagged
- 512GB SSD (362-364GB usable) fills up fast; pricey Seagate expansion needed · 3 sources
- No disc drive — physical libraries unusable, all-digital only · 3 sources
- Targets 1440p not native 4K; some titles visibly downgraded · 3 sources
- Controller still runs on disposable AA batteries · 2 sources
Where reviewers disagree Testers split on how much the resolution compromise matters: Tom's Guide found the visual gap vs Series X 'very subtle' even on a 4K OLED and was pleasantly surprised, while Engadget was blunter that 'some titles look worse' and that a next-gen device that can't do 4K 'simply can't cut it.'
The sources (3)
Free storage out of the box: 362GB (of 512GB SSD) · Controller battery life (2x AA, regular use): three-ish days · Gears 5 initial loading screen: about 35 seconds · Backward-compatible game load between levels: 10 seconds or less · Yakuza: Like a Dragon resolution/frame rate: 1440p and 30 fps, or 900p and 60 fps
The Xbox Series S is, hands-down, the cutest console of the next generation.
Even without 4K, the Series S supports incredibly smooth gameplay.
Storage space is likely to become an issue for all Series S owners at some point, and games in the next gen are going to demand more power, not less.
Controller battery life (set of AA): about 30 hours
In general, the Series S upscales content to 4K beautifully — and if you have a 1440p display, you won't need the upscaling at all.
The lack of a disc drive limits its backwards compatibility, and its hard drive will fill up pretty fast.
each set of AAs will net you only about 30 hours of life.
Usable storage on review unit (of 512GB SSD): 364GB · Controller battery life (pair of AA, heavy gaming): around 10 days
The Xbox Series S is a great entry point into new-gen gaming for those who have no qualms about buying games digitally or subscribing to Xbox Game Pass.
The Xbox Series S's strong suit is its value proposition – it's a compact powerhouse.
The five games we mentioned above almost took up the entire 512GB SSD on our review unit (you only get 364GB of usable space), leaving us with just 30GB of storage to play with.
Specifications
| Price (US) | $299 US launch MSRP (November 2020), 512 GB; raised to $399.99 in 2025 due to tariffs |
|---|---|
| Brand | Microsoft |
| Released | 2020-11 |
| CPU | Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.6 GHz |
| GPU (TFLOPS) | 4.006 |
| RAM (GB) | 10 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 |
| Max resolution | 1440p |
| Max (fps) | 120 |
| Optical drive | No |
Source: en.wikipedia.org (verified 2026-06-15) · corroborated by xbox.com. Wikipedia Xbox Series X/S article: 4.006 TFLOPS (20 CUs RDNA 2 @ 1.565 GHz), 8-core Zen 2 @ 3.6 GHz, 10 GB GDDR6, 512 GB NVMe SSD, no optical drive, native 1440p target with 4K upscaler. Launched November 10 2020 at $299. Wikipedia notes 2025 US price raised to $399.99; $299 is the original launch MSRP.
Is the Microsoft Xbox Series S worth it vs cheaper game consoles?
Microsoft Xbox Series S against its closest cheaper and pricier game consoles on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 18 ranked
| Product | Price | CPU | GPU (TFLOPS) | RAM (GB) | Storage (GB) | Max resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Xbox Series S this | $299 | Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.6 GHz | 4.006 | 10 | 512 | 1440p |
| Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) | $349 | Nvidia Tegra X1+ (ARM Cortex-A57 quad-core @ 1.02 GHz) | 0.393 | 4 | 64 | 1080p |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the Microsoft Xbox Series S?
All three whitelisted testers (Engadget, Tom's Guide, TechRadar) hands-on tested the disc-less 512GB Series S and agree it is the cheapest, most compact and quietest route into next-gen gaming, with fast SSD load times and Quick Resume. All three flag storage that fills fast, a 1440p (not native 4K) target, and the missing disc drive; two of the three also knock the controller's disposable AA batteries. No RTINGS or Digital Foundry coverage captured. Praised: Compact, quiet, attractive design that fits anywhere; Cheapest entry into next-gen gaming; strong value with Game Pass; Fast SSD load times and Quick Resume make it feel genuinely next-gen. Flagged: 512GB SSD (362-364GB usable) fills up fast; pricey Seagate expansion needed; No disc drive — physical libraries unusable, all-digital only; Targets 1440p not native 4K; some titles visibly downgraded; Controller still runs on disposable AA batteries. (From 3 tester reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
How much does the Microsoft Xbox Series S cost?
The Microsoft Xbox Series S has a US price of $299 (US launch MSRP (November 2020), 512 GB; raised to $399.99 in 2025 due to tariffs), as of 2026-06-15.
How does the Microsoft Xbox Series S compare on price?
At $299, the Microsoft Xbox Series S is the cheapest of the 17 game consoles we track, where the median is $599.
When was the Microsoft Xbox Series S released?
The Microsoft Xbox Series S was released 2020-11.
What are the Microsoft Xbox Series S's key specs?
Microsoft Xbox Series S (Microsoft): cpu Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.6 GHz, gpu tflops 4.006, ram gb 10, storage gb 512, max resolution 1440p. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.
Price of record: $299 at en.wikipedia.org, 2026-06-27. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:
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