Microsoft’s Xbox Series S could become a lot more popular in the near future, and might even put pressure on the PS5.
It may have cost $7.5 billion dollars to make me realize it, but Microsoft’s Xbox Series S suddenly makes sense. Almost to the point where I’d consider it a genuine threat to Sony’s PS5. The Xbox Series S was designed to be an affordable entry point into the Xbox ecosystem and next-gen gaming – and while some may argue that a commonly found resolution of 1080p in the majority of titles doesn’t qualify as a true generational leap – it’s hard to deny that Microsoft’s all-white Xbox hasn’t achieved its lofty goal. The Xbox Series S can run the graphically intensive lighting and reflection technology known as ray tracing; it’s able to output games at 120fps, and it offers blazing-fast load times thanks to its 512GB internal SSD drive (though I do wish significantly more of it was available to use). You can purchase and play all the latest blockbuster titles on it, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and even true next-gen Xbox exclusives like The Medium. Resolution qualms and framerate counting aside, then, the Xbox Series S really is a fantastic proposition for those who want a next-gen console that doesn’t break the bank, as long as you’re prepared to accept some of its caveats. But despite the Xbox Series S’s appeal, I don’t think it’s resonated quite as well with consumers as it could have. After all, if you’re a fan of Xbox games or already a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass, wouldn’t you simply opt for the Xbox Series X so you get the best experience possible? That was certainly part of my thought process before Microsoft’s next-gen consoles released, even though I adore the almost impossibly small form factor of the Xbox Series S. You could also argue that the Xbox Series S doesn’t do enough to sway fans of PlayStation hardware over to the green side.
