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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2021
This is a great console. It's obviously not as powerful as the Series X, but it doesn't need to be. The size is amazing, and can fit in any space, and plays every game available digitally on Xbox very well. I have a gaming PC so having this as a secondary device is a godsend. My partner also likes it as she can use it as a smart TV box for our dumb 1080p TV - it works with Plex, Prime Video, Netflix and so on.
The SSD is fast, with the system booting to the dashboard before my Logitech Harmony even fires up my TV and soundbar and sets them to the right inputs. Apps and games load very quickly, and for games Quick Resume is amazing.
At 1080p, the graphics look great. Some backwards compatible games aren't improved from the One S configuration (yet), but any game optimised for Series S|X loads quickly, looks amazing and has a higher framerate than the last-gen versions. If you have a PS4 or a One S, aren't interested in 4K and want a cheap upgrade to play Cyberpunk at an acceptable performance, you can't go wrong with this system.
Chances are, if you know the Xbox Series S isn't for you, you won't be reading this review. But if you're on the fence between this and a more expensive console you may want to think if the following applies to you:
If you have Game Pass and another system (like a PC or PS5) and want to play some legacy Xbox games and whatever MS is providing via Game Pass, this is an awesome system.
If you've got a spare room with a TV and you want an affordable games console to go in there, Xbox Series S is the way forward.
If all you want is an affordable way to play next-gen games for the foreseeable future, this is the console for you.
It's also great for kids who want to play Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft and not much else. It'll be a big improvement on the Xbox Series S - just be mindful that if they have disc-based games they won't be playable on the Series S.
If you've got a 4K TV you probably want an Xbox Series X, PS5 or a good gaming PC, as games on this device will max out at 1080p-1440p. This console also doesn't have a disc drive so all your games and multimedia will need to be digital. Take that in mind.
There's a lot of good and niche reasons to own this device over a more expensive system - if you fit into one of those niches, £250 is well worth the price.
The SSD is fast, with the system booting to the dashboard before my Logitech Harmony even fires up my TV and soundbar and sets them to the right inputs. Apps and games load very quickly, and for games Quick Resume is amazing.
At 1080p, the graphics look great. Some backwards compatible games aren't improved from the One S configuration (yet), but any game optimised for Series S|X loads quickly, looks amazing and has a higher framerate than the last-gen versions. If you have a PS4 or a One S, aren't interested in 4K and want a cheap upgrade to play Cyberpunk at an acceptable performance, you can't go wrong with this system.
Chances are, if you know the Xbox Series S isn't for you, you won't be reading this review. But if you're on the fence between this and a more expensive console you may want to think if the following applies to you:
If you have Game Pass and another system (like a PC or PS5) and want to play some legacy Xbox games and whatever MS is providing via Game Pass, this is an awesome system.
If you've got a spare room with a TV and you want an affordable games console to go in there, Xbox Series S is the way forward.
If all you want is an affordable way to play next-gen games for the foreseeable future, this is the console for you.
It's also great for kids who want to play Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft and not much else. It'll be a big improvement on the Xbox Series S - just be mindful that if they have disc-based games they won't be playable on the Series S.
If you've got a 4K TV you probably want an Xbox Series X, PS5 or a good gaming PC, as games on this device will max out at 1080p-1440p. This console also doesn't have a disc drive so all your games and multimedia will need to be digital. Take that in mind.
There's a lot of good and niche reasons to own this device over a more expensive system - if you fit into one of those niches, £250 is well worth the price.
