Xbox Series S.

The Gavler Review.

Xbox Series S Review: Still the Cheapest Way Into This Generation

The Xbox Series S ranks number 5 on Gavler's Best Game Consoles list with an 8.5, and its case has barely changed since launch because it never needed to: this is still the cheapest legitimate way to play current-generation games and access Game Pass. Tom's Guide called it their "favorite gadget of 2023," a verdict that's held up as the console has settled into its role as Microsoft's budget option rather than an also-ran. It's for players — often younger ones, or anyone on a tight budget — who want real current-gen gaming without the Series X's price tag. The trade-off is resolution and storage: Eurogamer's assessment that it's "a contentious product" still applies, because the compromises that make the low price possible are real and you'll notice them.

What it is

The Xbox Series S is Microsoft's compact, disc-free current-generation console: a custom NVMe SSD with hardware decompression for fast load times, a 4-teraflop RDNA 2 GPU, and full support for Quick Resume and Game Pass, all inside the smallest current-gen Xbox chassis Microsoft has made. It targets 1440p output at up to 120 frames per second, with upscaling handling 4K TVs rather than native 4K rendering. In 2026, the 512GB model sits at $399.99 after price increases that hit the entire console market this year — still the least expensive door into current-gen console gaming from any manufacturer.

In use

The console's identity has always been defined by what it isn't rather than what it is: it isn't the powerful option, and Microsoft never pretended otherwise. Eurogamer's original assessment remains the most balanced read on that trade-off: "In many ways a contentious product, Xbox Series S is definitely a great idea — and perhaps the right console at the right time." That's a two-sided verdict, and both sides still hold. The "great idea" part is the price-to-capability ratio — you get the same Game Pass library, the same Quick Resume multitasking, and the same day-one access to first-party Xbox titles as Series X owners, just rendered at a lower resolution. The "contentious" part is that lower resolution isn't hypothetical; players on larger 4K displays will notice the difference in fine detail and texture clarity compared to the Series X, and the smaller GPU means some cross-gen titles ship with reduced settings on Series S specifically.

Tom's Guide's take leaned more unreservedly positive, naming it "my favorite gadget of 2023" — a personal, enthusiastic endorsement rather than a hedged one, and it's worth noting that verdict came from someone who'd clearly weighed the resolution trade-off and still landed on the console being worth it for what it actually costs. That's the recurring theme across coverage of the Series S: reviewers who evaluate it against a Series X find real compromises; reviewers who evaluate it against its actual price point come away impressed.

Storage is the other honest friction point that hasn't gone away. The 512GB SSD, once you account for system reserve, leaves a fraction of that available for games — and modern AAA install sizes routinely run 60-100GB or more, meaning heavy players will be managing storage and reinstalling titles more often than they'd like. Microsoft sells expandable storage cards, but they carry their own premium on top of an already tight budget.

Strengths

• The lowest price of entry into current-gen console gaming. At $399.99, nothing else gets you real current-gen performance and the full Game Pass library for less.
• Full feature parity with Series X on software. Quick Resume, backward compatibility, and day-one access to the same games — the Series S isn't a stripped-down software experience, just a lower-resolution one.
• A genuinely small footprint. It's the most compact current-gen console on the market, an underrated win for smaller living spaces or bedroom setups.
• Game Pass value. Paired with a subscription, it remains one of the cheapest serious ways to access a huge, constantly rotating game library.
• "My favorite gadget," per Tom's Guide. A specific, enthusiastic endorsement that reflects how well the console's value proposition has aged.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

• 1440p target, not native 4K. If you own a large 4K television and care about maximum visual fidelity, the resolution gap versus the Series X will be noticeable, especially in fine detail and texture work.
• 512GB of storage fills up fast. Modern game install sizes mean active players will be managing storage regularly or paying extra for expandable cards.
• Some titles ship with reduced settings specifically on Series S. The smaller GPU occasionally means developers trim graphical settings beyond just resolution to hit performance targets on this hardware.
• It's still an all-digital box. There's no disc option at all, unlike the Series X or PlayStation 5 Slim, which both offer physical media flexibility.

How it compares

Higher up the same list, the Xbox Series X is the console the Series S trades down from — a 12-teraflop GPU, native 4K output, and a disc-drive option, for $649.99. If a 4K television and maximum fidelity matter to you, the extra $250 buys a genuinely different visual experience with the same Game Pass library underneath.

One rank below, the Nintendo Switch — OLED Model offers a completely different value case at $349.99: not more power for less, but an entirely separate ecosystem built around Nintendo's first-party library and portability rather than third-party AAA performance. The two consoles rarely compete for the same purchase decision, but they're worth considering together as complementary budget picks for a household that wants both current-gen third-party games and Nintendo's exclusives.

The Gavler verdict

An 8.5 for a console whose value proposition has proven durable rather than fading with time. The Xbox Series S was never meant to be the most powerful box in the room, and Eurogamer's "contentious but right for the moment" framing still captures it accurately years later: the resolution and storage trade-offs are real, and buyers should go in with clear eyes about them. But paired with Game Pass, it remains the most affordable serious way into current-generation console gaming, and Tom's Guide's enthusiastic endorsement reflects a genuine, lasting value case rather than launch-week hype. For budget-conscious or younger players, it's still an easy recommendation.

Common Questions

Is the Xbox Series S worth buying in 2026?

Yes, if budget is your priority. It ranks number 5 on Gavler's Best Game Consoles list with an 8.5. Tom's Guide called it their 'favorite gadget of 2023,' and that value case has aged well — it's still the cheapest way into full current-gen Xbox and Game Pass gaming, now at $399.99 after 2026's industry-wide price increases.

What are the real downsides of the Xbox Series S?

Resolution and storage. The Series S targets 1440p rather than native 4K, with upscaling handling the rest, and ships with a 512GB SSD that fills up quickly with modern game install sizes. Eurogamer called it 'a contentious product' for exactly these reasons, even while agreeing it was 'the right console at the right time.'

Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X — which should I buy?

Choose the Series S if price and a small footprint matter most and you're not gaming on a 4K TV that would show off the Series X's extra power. Choose the Series X, ranked number 2 on the same list, if you want the full 12-teraflop GPU, a disc drive, and native 4K output — for $250 more.

Does the Xbox Series S get the same games as the Series X?

Yes — Microsoft has held to a consistent policy of releasing first-party and most third-party titles on both consoles simultaneously, with the Series S running them at reduced resolution and sometimes lower settings rather than being excluded from the release.