We Have The Prices, Will You Go X or S?

I just got a 4k TV so if I get either it will be the X. I haven't decided if I will get any system at launch though or which one I will go with if I do. Most likely the PS5 as I just got my One X a year ago and I am still rocking the base PS4.

I've been saving up for a new console for a good while now so I can afford to splurge on the X. I want to have a disc drive for watching movies and I've got a pretty nice 4K TV and want to make the most of it.

From looking at the specsheet i would go with an S. But at the same time, it has a GPU with only 38,5% of the CU's of the X series one. That has to be quite noticeable even on lower resolutions i imagine. That's quite a big disparity. The difference between a 1060 and a 1080's corecount is smaller than that and it's pretty well understood that the 1080 is a much more capable card.

That said, the difference between the Xbox One X and the Xbox One was even bigger in that regard, so as long as base-console users didn't experience games that felt severely limited by the hardware, i guess it's okay. I imagine that fullblown ray tracing of AAA titles, can't be in the same ballpark as what the Series X can deliver though. That's very graphically intensive tech after all.

But at the end of the day i'll stick to my wait and see approach to see how many corners require to be cut on the S in comparison to it's more expensive brother. Getting a new shiny PC is always an option as well for me after all, but that's a very tempting pricepoint Xbox landed on.

I still have a base model Xbox One so it's time for an upgrade. THink I'll go for the cheaper model. I don't have a 4k tv. I just need better frame rate.

S.

I'm on a One S right now, and I imagine the trade value at GameStop, etc., to be at least $100 when applied to purchase of the new one (based on deals they did with Pro/X/Switch) maybe $150, and would be considering it as a little "required update" to play future Xbox games that won't be made for One S/X, with the added benefit of SSD, 1440p, higher frames, and so on.

If I can get credit approval for the $35 a month X, I'd consider it.

Both are very aggressively priced, but until Microsoft announces some exclusives I'm interested in, the Series X is still too expensive for what we're getting. Their pitch overall hasn't impressed me at any point.

The Series S is much more interesting, it's affordable enough that I might get it as a secondary console alongside the PS5, I play a lot of games that are not graphically intensive so that way I could just buy games on whichever platform sells it for cheaper. I also have a lot of 360-era games on my Microsoft account and I bet they'll run on the S just fine.

The X is actually offered at a pretty nice discount in Canada compared to the US exchange rate such that it's basically $455 USD here, as opposed to the S which is $290 USD. I was already leaning the the X's direction, but that discount basically solidifies matters. That being said, I am leaving the remote possibility that Sony manages to come in at a competitive price, which could swing me back to getting a PS5, but we'll see.

Wildcard; All Access pricing has not yet been announced for Canada. That could be a possibility too considering my promo GPU sub runs out in October. If I can get the X for $40 CAD/month or less, then it's a no brainer.

@colourful_hippie: If you own the One X, why lean towards the Series S? As I understand it, they're on a somewhat similar power spectrum, with some QoL upgrades on the S like faster load times and multi game resume. But is that worth $300? I also own a One X, and if I were to get one it would be for the more significant leap in Series X. But honestly, I'm due for a full system rebuild on my PC and will likely not get either one.

I have never bought a console at launch, and this time will probably be no different. Not least of the reasons is the lack of unique games at launch (for PlayStation 5 as well, not just Xbox), the fact that I don't have any 4k displays in my house, and I own a decent gaming rig. I'll wait and see how these are received and probably get the higher end models (X and disc-ful PS5) if/when they get their prices reduced.

All that having been said, if I knew someone who wanted to get into the Xbox landscape and wanted to buy my XBone S from me, I would happily sell it to them to fund me getting an Xbox Series S. I own very few games on disc and see little downside to the upgrade aside from halving my storage space, but I don't see it happening any time soon.

I'd go with the X because I think the S is really, truly hideous to look at.

But I think my real answer is neither. Neither the PS5 or NeXtBox has given me much of a reason to get one at launch. In Microsoft's case in particular I just don't see a ton that gets me super-excited about their lineup. PS5 has got a ton of games I would want, like Ratchet & Clank, the new Horizon, the Demons Souls remake, whatever that cat in robot world game is, etc. Even if those games are a ways off release, they're right up my alley.

By comparison, Microsoft has . . . Halo? I don't think I can name another game they've showed that left any sort of impression on me and I remember Halo specifically because it looks sort of unremarkable.

@therealturk: Xbox is getting Gears Tactics and Flight Simulator (possibly) this fall as well, which are two of my favorite games this year. Which, hey, if it doesn’t appeal to you that’s fine. But I think it’s actually a pretty decent 2020 lineup when combined with third party games and stuff like The Medium. Is it as impressive as when Halo was a this year release? No, but I also don’t think the “Series has no games” argument holds much water.

And if we’re looking ahead, The Gunk looks neat, I’m always down for a new Forza game, and I’m optimistic about Fable being good. Video games, they’re still good!

If I were to get a console I would get the X as the S just seems way to nerfed, and the lack of ssd space for a digital only console really bugs me. Even at 50bux more I would consider it if they added the 1tb ssd to it.

If I buy a next gen thing it will more than likely be an Nvidia card for my pc instead, but If I only had the choice between these two I would save up for the X as the S has too many compromises for me

The S being all digital but only have 500gb of storage seems crazy to me. Modern Warfare is currently around 200GB and I can't imagine games are going to get any smaller in the future so that really restricts the amount of titles you can have on your machine at one time.

If I had to pick one I'd say X but I'm probably going to wait for the PS5 price announcement.

Planning on getting the X all year. Held off on the xbox one x to the series X.

Neither. I have a gaming PC, and those new Nvidia 30 series cards look insane.

As long as Microsoft goes with the askew analog stick design I just don't see the appeal; having said that, I would totally make the Series S my first non-Sony console since the Gamecube if only to act as a "play a bunch of stuff I'd otherwise constantly add to my PSN cart and then balk at actually buying" machine. There's no denying the on paper value of Gamepass at this point and I truly wish I could experience that; there's also a growing worry that studios like Obsidian won't be publishing on PS5 next gen, though Microsoft's strategy kinda sorta seems like maybe they don't want to fight the same exclusivity battles as the old times, they just want to own the IP?

Anyway, again, the controller design is bunk IMO so the discussion is moot, but I gotta say that Gamepass is the most compelling argument for a second console since "Breath of the Wild and Mario...on the go!"

@nodima: Huh, never thought about stick placement as a deal breaker. Is this a preference thing or a physical impediment? I’m only asking because I switch between PS4 and X1 controllers constantly and they both feel equally good. But then again I’m the guy who is just fine with the PS3 controller which everyone seemed to hate, so what do I know.

@navster15: Totally a preference thing. I don't know many gaming friends anymore but back in college I would play around 800 games of NBA 2K online every year, so including offline easily more than 1,000 total, and whenever I had to play the game on an XBox controller I felt like a toddler. The sticks are a big part of it but it's also the feel of the buttons and, when applicable, the d-pad. This isn't my only XBox controller anecdote, but for me it's the most important one. This is a game in which I could choose to perform a half-spin double crossover left-handed layup with ease on one controller and dribble like a YMCA after school daycare student on the other.

I'm somebody who thinks the N64 controller is a stroke of design genius because I'm left-handed so I'm no expert on controller layout - and I really liked the Gamecube controller to be honest - but from the Duke to the modern day, something about Microsoft's controller design just leaves me - or more accurately left a more physically and mentally nimble, full decade younger me - befuddled and I've settled on the sticks as the culprit.

Kinda doubt I'll see the need for a next gen Xbox, but if I do decide I want one it will be the X. Getting the gimped version makes no sense to me. Especially when you can finance the thing for less than it would cost to buy outright.

X. I have the One X now, and it's my primary multiplatform games machine. It feels like it was a great decision, even if it'll be obsolete soon. I feel like getting an S would be a sideways step, even with the SSD and access to whatever next-gen winds up being.

But honestly, with all games being cross-gen for a year I should just wait til next year, anyway. The X will eventually get replaced by an X+ or whatever, but as a console gamer I'm fine with upgrading my consoles every few years (which is why I might still just pick it up in November or whenever Halo's out).

I lean towards the X just for that extra boost. Seems like a good piece of future-proofing and I have enough Xbone and 360 games lying around that a disc drive would be pretty handy.

@onemanarmyy: Yeah spec sheet wise the gap seems large on a GPU level. Some people call it nerfed but I personally think that people are underestimating just how much processing power is sucked up by simply running at a 4k resolution. I think it's a waste of power because the power would be better spent on higher framerates or more graphical bells and whistles. That said I'm looking forward to seeing how devs make use of all this. I could totally see a scenario where a game goes for incredibly demanding graphics plus raytracing that will run at 30fps on an X and the resolution difference wouldn't be enough cover the performance gap on an S so either it won't run as well or some settings would have to be tweaked down for the S.

Also there's the environment of which machine will sell more. Would devs not bother reaching for the skies with what an X will offer if the S outsold the X 2 to 1 or more? Or if it was the other way around would they even bother optimizing the game for the S? Yeah wait and see approach wouldn't be bad at all if you don't know which to go with.

@hippie_genocide: I already listed the reasons why I would get one granted that those reasons may not be near enough for someone else. I like the performance I get with my PC that it's incredibly jarring booting up the One X to wait a stupid long time for it to be fully running from a cold boot and then the UI feels like absolute shit. A snappy UI would be worth it for me plus my fiancé will have a capable system for new games outside of using my PC when I'm not using it.

@nameredacted: Not the point of this thread but OK sure, Gamer God. While I'm here though let's gush a bit about PC hardware. I absolutely would love to get me a 3080, but my unique situation of living in Peru coupled with owning a light,slim PC tower for easier transportation (MSI Trident with 9900k/2080ti) I'm just incapable of upgrading my card until I'm in the States again which who the fuck knows when that is cuz COVID.

I'm waiting to see how other MSI Trident owners handle upgrading their PSUs to run a 30 series in it before wanting to seriously upgrade but what I'll most likely do is work on bringing a Samsung G7 1440p monitor to Perú, build out a proper office desktop setup because I currently game on a 4k TV. This would allow me to increase my performance headroom by not throwing away power at 4k anymore and I'll more than likely build a second PC rig to become my US only PC with a new Ryzen CPU and a 3090 which will be a real upgrade over a 2080ti unless a 3080ti comes out before I begin building such a beast. All that said I would still upgrade this One X, the UI RUNS LIKE SHIT!

@frytup: Financing it would be cheaper? Are there numbers out there yet to verify this? That seems like a bad business decision but great if true.

@colourful_hippie: Financing only makes sense if you are willing to pay for Game Pass month to month for two years. In that case, it’s a wash in terms of cash you’re paying overall, but it’s a pretty good deal because you don’t have to outlay it all upfront.

@colourful_hippie: They are bundling it with 24 months of gamepass ultimate, so if you where to buy the console and gamepass separate you end up paying more. If my math is correct then it saves you $19 for the X, and $59 for the S.

I put the numbers in the Xbox leak thread.

TL;DR, assuming you intend to pay for Game Pass over the next two years, it's cheaper. Makes perfect sense for Microsoft as their primary goal at this point is getting people in their services ecosystem.

I think more needs to be seen on how the S performs. Looking forward to Digital Foundy breaking the final stuff down (assuming I didn't miss they already have).

This seems a bigger difference than the half step consoles is that right?

Looking at that spec sheet is like comparing pcs!

I went from “I don’t need an Xbox since I’m getting a PS5 and have a gaming PC and Switch” to “Well, $300 isn’t that much, if I ever wanted an Xbox for some reason”.

I’ve said this on like 5 other next gen forums, but I don’t really go back to old games. But having something like that if I ever wanted go down a Xbox or Xbox 360 rabbit hole is...something I could do?

X.

Can't wait to get the spec sheet comparison going with the S-2 and X-2 models they will for sure release later lol.

Get your 2s out of here.

We all know they're going to be the XX and SX models, respectively.

I'm honestly still looking to get a PS5, because I already have a PC that is pretty much an Series S already. But, of course, if I decided to go Xbox for once in my life it will be a Series X, might as well get the full benefit.

@lego_my_eggo: @frytup: @navster15: Thanks for the info, this makes way more sense now but yeah if you're all in on Xbox services this is an incredible deal.

@toughshed: DF video is up now.

@sarcasticmudcrab: Yup the argument of how simplified consoles are vs PC's seems to get weaker with each new generation and now half-step refresh cycles. I will say though that the SSD upgrade alone would be considered generational but also yes there is a decent performance boost across the board, more so on the CPU side for the S and of course the SSD.

This was most of my thinking for sure. Easy to justify a console purchase at $300. That's like the price of a regular Switch, CRAZY!

@inevpatoria: Maybe I should be holding out for the next-next-gen Series XXX then.

I'll get an X once they sooner or later give me a real reason to get one software wise. Right now the only reason to get any next-gen console this year is to play Cyberpunk at its best (not counting PC).

@deathstriker: Technically, the next gen enhancements for Cyberpunk won’t come until next year, so you’re only getting a minimal boost from new hardware. That said, other games ought to be taking advantage. I expect DiRT 5 to be a top notch next gen showpiece.

Personally neither. I already have a PC that can play most of the games on the Xbox lineup.

If I didn't have a PC, it would definitely be the Series S. Series S + GamePass is easily the best bang for your buck if you want to play the latest games at 1080p at a (hopefully) consistent 60 FPS.

Series X is a souped up Series S with a disk drive. I guess it's an OK deal if you have bandwidth caps or buy a lot of used games.

Probably not until Fable drops, but I’d take a good look at the X, sure. I still love consoles and plopping down on my recliner to play them.

I'm not sure what all the concern about 1080p is all about. If i recall Doom 64 could do the impossible and push 4K on a Xbox One-S. I wish the PC evangelist would just skip console threads. I've never set foot in a PC gaming thread EVER. Limitations and constraints are what let's Nintendo do it's thing and it's the reason late generation games like Control and Cyberpunk and some game not on anybody's radar right now will be in contention for 2021's game of the year and it's a PS4 or Xbox One title.

I'm jumping into next generation for what an SSD can do for games and unlike Ray Tracing (and my far fetched idea about someone spoofing in ray tracing is coming true with Crisis remastered.. not Ms. Pacman) I have seen it work for PUBG and that's reason enough for me to upgrade.

Hmm, I think I am a bit of an outlier in this situation (although on here I am most likely to find at least one person in the same boat). I have a tonne of 360 discs, most of which have been bumped into the backwards compatibility programme and didn't get an Xbox One, so until the Series S announcement I was very much looking at the Series X. I'm also way too poor to justify a new console anytime soon, especially one that costs a month's rent. I could possibly muster a phone contract style deal, and will probably go that way, but I think I am going to have to stay sat on my wallet until I know a bit more. I there's a way to access any of my old physical purchases on the S (unlikely I know) with a scan system, or trade in, or whatever I'd go for that version in an instant, if the drive is vital for me to get my older games going again I'll eventually go X.

In a weird way, I kind of want to support a new Xbox, particularly as Gamepass PC has been really good for me and my potato PC. Plus, I'm much more likely to be able to afford a new console in the next 12 months than upgrade a PC in a worthwhile way.

I can't really tell you until Halo Infinite comes out. I'd like to think that it'll run fine on the Series S, but who knows.

@ry_ry: God, if Halo Infinite becomes this high end only monstrosity to satisfy the demands of the prestige AAA fanboys I’m going to be so annoyed. Give me an ok looking modern Halo that runs on anything and let’s everyone play Grifball, or don’t even bother. I really don’t need this game to become the next sad dad simulator du jour.

Maaaybe the S for me if I can get a decent trade in deal for my original Xbox One. Frankly, it doesn't get much use as it is, but if I could trade up to the S for effectively 150-200 I'd probably do it. I do have a 4k TV but it's a cheap Roku TV so it's not exactly an amazing display anyway. My 1440 Gsync monitor looks better in many cases so I won't be too upset about lack of 4k@60fps.

@navster15: we'll just have to wait and see right? I was hoping it would come out for the One/S/X but that seems less likely at this point.

I probably won't pick up either at launch.

If the Series S is truly able to everything that the X can just at 1080/1440, then I may actually consider it. I do have a 4K TV, but it's not really big enough for me to feel like I'm ever getting the full benefit of 4K.

Getting a Series S seems like a shortsighted mistake.

@liquiddragon: Do tell how me how even an original Xbox one is somehow limited in 2021, yet alone a newer console. In the PC elite world that tech is what a high end 2009 PC? Is there a Crysis or is it the Sims 4 that only runs on these exotic PCs I’ve heard about. What’s the benchmark these days for PC gaming? Control? With reflective urinal screens or something? Nobody doing exclusive console gaming is missing out on anything. This is the site for nuanced gaming takes and we’re raving about Tony Hawk 1 and 2 over the past week. A game that came out ages ago. Such innovation there surely there’s something that draws from the last 3 decades that is making THPS 1+2 the talk of the town. Nope. Nothining in that gameplay has changed in the 1052 weeks (one thousand fifty weeks) since that game originally came out. I’m just over here in that swing meme waiting for games to innovate.

@fourthline: Dude... who are you getting mad at and why exactly? good grief.

Have you been paying attention to any of this stuff? It's not a matter of features. If you play Control on a launch PS4 the frame rate would crash to single digits whenever there was a physics collision. Which is the whole fucking point of that game. Its not a matter of features or the wacky things you made up for your post here.

Thats why I really want to see how the Xbox Series S performs.

That's beyond the storage issue, and how the upgrades go on these consoles where you know there are going to be a couple more version of this system out there for sure before its over.

If you don't care about any of this stuff, cool. That's the point of the thread though is to talk about it.

@toughshed: if something is shortsighted then please elaborate on the longsightedness. The general rule is the base console is not going to miss out. That’s just never been the business model. And if even it is the business model and the Series-X fails and the series S becomes the base developers will adjust. It’s not like buying a house with 1 bathroom and then having triplets. Developers will still impress no matter what. I just don’t like a pessimistic attitude with only 100 characters or less. Low effort.

@fourthline: It has very limited storage when game sizes have been exploding there (storage costs a ton) and games keep going up in size. When they release revised console versions, they will probably leave this in the dust just like the example I'm giving you where a game was left in the dust on a base model that was the BEST SELLING console of the last generation in the PS4 base model (Control). And that model was not launched alongside another model.

So there's your longsightedness.