Microsoft · Updated June 2026
Microsoft Xbox Series X: price, specs & release date
Microsoft Xbox Series X, 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 X is listed at $499 on en.wikipedia.org as of 2026-06-27, #6 cheapest of 18 game consoles (median $649); other retailers may be lower. It earns a Bronze Deskmark — 60/100 pay-blind standing, #13 of 18 in class.
Verified Jun 27, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
- Best for Very fast SSD load times, verified with timings across multiple games; Quiet, cool-running yet powerful hardware, near-PC performance.
- Skip if Thin lineup of true exclusives, especially at/near launch (leans on Game Pass) is a dealbreaker.
Is the Microsoft Xbox Series X a good buy?
At $499, the Microsoft Xbox Series X is #6 cheapest of the 17 game consoles we track, where the median is $599. On the spec sheet, its GPU of 12.155 TFLOPS is above the median of the 13, its storage of 1000 GB is above the median of the 15, and its RAM of 16 GB is at the median of the 18.
Evidence of Record
Our data- Independent labsmeasured it
- 2
- Physical metricsrecorded
- 8
- Outlets on recordall tested
- 2
Two independent labs measured this product across 8 physical metrics — noise, sea of thieves, quick resume game-to-game and 5 more. With a second lab on record, each figure comes from more than one independent hands-on source — a measure of how much evidence exists, not a rating of the product.
noise · sea of thieves · quick resume game-to-game · quick resume dashboard-to-gameplay · yakuza: like a · usable storage of · gears 5 load · red dead redemption
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the Microsoft Xbox Series X
Two whitelisted hands-on reviews (TechRadar, Tom's Guide) rate the Series X highly: both measured dramatic load-time cuts (Sea of Thieves 100s to 35s; RDR2 88s to 38s), praise its quiet, powerful hardware, Quick Resume and backward compatibility. Both flag a launch exclusives gap and a barely-changed Xbox One UI. Digital Foundry and RTINGS not used.
Based on 2 reviews · 2 lab-tested · 2023-05-17–2024-09-04
Tested by TechRadar, Tom's Guide
Consistently praised
- Very fast SSD load times, verified with timings across multiple games · 2 sources
- Quiet, cool-running yet powerful hardware, near-PC performance · 2 sources
- Best-in-class backward compatibility across Xbox generations · 2 sources
- Quick Resume for instant switching between suspended games · 2 sources
Commonly flagged
- Thin lineup of true exclusives, especially at/near launch (leans on Game Pass) · 2 sources
- UI/dashboard barely changed from Xbox One, no next-gen overhaul · 2 sources
- Generational graphics leap over Xbox One X underwhelming
- Large and heavy console body
Where reviewers disagree Both testers agree on strengths and weaknesses. Nuance: Tom's Guide (2024) warns the generational graphics jump over Xbox One X 'isn't earth-shattering' and awards Editor's Choice as the library matured, while TechRadar (2023) still frames exclusives as lacking without Game Pass.
The sources (2)
Noise on home screen: ~30 dB · Noise while playing (Sea of Thieves, No Man's Sky, PUBG): never exceeded 33 dB · Noise during large update install: up to 45 dB · Sea of Thieves load time: ~100s (Xbox One S) cut to 35s (Series X) · Quick Resume game-to-game switch: 11.4 seconds · Quick Resume dashboard-to-gameplay: 2.7 seconds · Yakuza: Like a Dragon fast-travel: ~4.7 seconds · Usable storage of 1TB SSD: 802 GB usable (198 GB reserved)
It's lightning-fast, practically silent, and delivers comparably exceptional performance to that of higher-end gaming PCs
we saw the loading time for Sea of Thieves cut down from roughly 100 seconds to just 35.
We also found ourselves a bit underwhelmed generally by the UI and dashboard, as it's lacking any real next-gen flair.
Gears 5 load time: under 10s (Series X) vs 40s+ (Xbox One X) · Red Dead Redemption 2 load from main menu: 38s (Series X) vs 1m 28s (Xbox One X) · Red Dead Redemption 2 performance: 4K / 30 fps on Series X
The Xbox Series X is the pinnacle of Microsoft's gaming efforts, blending the promise of powerful next-generation performance with superfast loading times and a huge library of games spanning multiple Xbox generations.
On the Series X, the same save took only 38 seconds to load, which is a huge improvement.
the graphics leap from the Xbox One X to Series X isn't earth-shattering
Specifications
| Price (US) | $499 US launch MSRP (November 2020), 1 TB; raised to $649.99 in 2025 due to tariffs |
|---|---|
| Brand | Microsoft |
| Released | 2020-11 |
| CPU | Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.8 GHz |
| GPU (TFLOPS) | 12.155 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 1000 |
| Max resolution | 4K |
| Max (fps) | 120 |
| Optical drive | Yes |
Source: en.wikipedia.org (verified 2026-06-15) · corroborated by xbox.com. Wikipedia Xbox Series X/S article: 12.155 TFLOPS (52 CUs RDNA 2 @ 1.825 GHz), 8-core Zen 2 @ 3.8 GHz, 16 GB GDDR6, 1 TB NVMe SSD, 4K UHD Blu-ray drive. Launched November 10 2020 at $499. Wikipedia notes 2025 US price raised to $649.99 due to tariffs; $499 is the original launch MSRP recorded here.
Is the Microsoft Xbox Series X worth it vs cheaper game consoles?
Microsoft Xbox Series X 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 X this | $499 | Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.8 GHz | 12.155 | 16 | 1000 | 4K |
| Sony PlayStation 5 Slim (Digital Edition) | $449 | Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.5 GHz | 10.28 | 16 | 1000 | 4K |
| Valve Steam Deck OLED | $549 | Custom AMD Sephiroth APU (Zen 2 quad-core @ 2.4–3.5 GHz, 6nm) | 1.6 | 16 | 512 | 1280x800 |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the Microsoft Xbox Series X?
Two whitelisted hands-on reviews (TechRadar, Tom's Guide) rate the Series X highly: both measured dramatic load-time cuts (Sea of Thieves 100s to 35s; RDR2 88s to 38s), praise its quiet, powerful hardware, Quick Resume and backward compatibility. Both flag a launch exclusives gap and a barely-changed Xbox One UI. Digital Foundry and RTINGS not used. Praised: Very fast SSD load times, verified with timings across multiple games; Quiet, cool-running yet powerful hardware, near-PC performance; Best-in-class backward compatibility across Xbox generations; Quick Resume for instant switching between suspended games. Flagged: Thin lineup of true exclusives, especially at/near launch (leans on Game Pass); UI/dashboard barely changed from Xbox One, no next-gen overhaul; Generational graphics leap over Xbox One X underwhelming; Large and heavy console body. (From 2 tester reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
How much does the Microsoft Xbox Series X cost?
The Microsoft Xbox Series X has a US price of $499 (US launch MSRP (November 2020), 1 TB; raised to $649.99 in 2025 due to tariffs), as of 2026-06-15.
How does the Microsoft Xbox Series X compare on price?
At $499, the Microsoft Xbox Series X is #6 cheapest of the 17 game consoles we track, where the median is $599.
When was the Microsoft Xbox Series X released?
The Microsoft Xbox Series X was released 2020-11.
What are the Microsoft Xbox Series X's key specs?
Microsoft Xbox Series X (Microsoft): cpu Custom AMD Zen 2 8-core @ 3.8 GHz, gpu tflops 12.155, ram gb 16, storage gb 1000, max resolution 4K. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-15.
Price of record: $499 at en.wikipedia.org, 2026-06-27. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:
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