Customer Ratings & Reviews

First of all, Best Buy exceeded my expectations with their delivery service! The ordering process was smooth and hassle-free. I was pleasantly surprised when my order arrived earlier than expected, making the experience even better. The package was well-protected, and the item arrived in pristine condition. Kudos to Best Buy for providing such a reliable and efficient service! Now my gaming console :) The Xbox Series S is an incredible gaming console that offers amazing value for its price. It’s the perfect entry point into next-gen gaming for anyone looking for an affordable yet powerful option. Pros: 1. Compact Design: The sleek and lightweight design fits perfectly in any setup without taking up too much space. 2. Great Value: Despite being more affordable, it still delivers next-gen features like ray tracing, fast load times, and smooth gameplay. 3. Game Pass Integration: With Xbox Game Pass, you get access to a vast library of games, including new releases, at a budget-friendly cost. 4. Fast Performance: The custom SSD ensures lightning-fast load times, making gaming a seamless experience. 5. Quiet Operation: The console runs quietly, even during intensive gaming sessions. Cons: 1. Limited Storage: The 512GB SSD can fill up quickly, especially with larger game files, though there’s an option for expandable storage. 2. No Disc Drive: As a digital-only console, it’s not ideal for those who prefer physical copies of games. 3. Lower Resolution: It supports up to 1440p resolution rather than 4K, which might be a downside for gamers with high-end TVs. The Xbox Series S is perfect for casual gamers or anyone looking for an affordable way to enjoy the next generation of gaming. Combined with Best Buy’s exceptional delivery service, this purchase was a total win!

A great console that unfortunately signals the death of an era. The console works as advertised, 60 frames or more at 1440p for any games that have been updated with such support. This console is in very few ways inferior to the Series X. It has no disc drive and less internal SSD space, but in the era of digital games external drives are so easy to come by and cheap too. Considering most TVs can't even support the power of the Series X, the Series S is the console to buy unless you already own a huge TV, or one that is over 4K. With the X you will be able to generate 4K content, or 60+ frames with a lower resolution. The S is optimal for most people I would argue, because likely if you own a 4K TV you probably don't have one that is high end with a fast refresh rate. But if your TV is huge you will see a definite lost of clarity in the picture. Overall this console is a lot easier to get a hold of and it's a true next gen experience little different from the Series X. With each update to the OS the previous Xbox One editions get slower and become forcibly more obsolete. Quick resume and the more enhanced always-on are amazing features that bring you to gaming faster than ever. And the sheer amount of frames in comp multiplayer games like Rocket League and R6S are a huge advantage. The Series S is a good place to start if you don't know whether or not you want to upgrade your home entertainment suite and whether or not a better console will actually have effect at all on your current home entertainment suite. And it is also the right console to buy if you're on a budget. Right noe there aren't too many games and next gen experiences but considering that these consoles are being given priority to their previous gen brethren, which are being slowly left behind as we speak, if you game at all then an upgrade is what you need.

I was originally looking to get a PS5 but of course they were out of stock. I felt like this was more in my price range anyway, and I wasn't particular on which console brand I use (coming from Switch). I love the size. I feel like they probably really took into consideration how often people bring their consoles to their friends, family members, and general travel. It takes up such little space on my desk, and I love that I can have it standing. I did buy a less expensive external storage which only works with 360 games. I just couldn't justify the Seagate because I don't game enough to need it. The controller isn't as cool as the PS5 (which I now have) but it's cheaper, still good, and you have the Design Lab on Xbox's site. Keep in mind that you only get something like 350 GB of space because the 512 GB doesn't count the actual system, so you fill-up the remaining quickly if you want a lot of games. It's never overheated. I mostly play Fortnite (and got the Fortnite version) but have never felt like I was overusing it even after all day play. While the PS5 has a cool design, it's HUGE compared to this, and I really just like the design of the Xbox Series S more. I don't have disks though so I really get the benefit of a smaller console. Xbox Game Pass is also better to me than Playstation Plus. I feel like you have to pay more with Playstation because while you get live with the $10 subscription and 3 free games a month, you don't get access to their catalog until you pay more. And their catalog isn't as great imo. With Xbox, if you don't need live and cloud gaming, it's only $10/mo for their catalog and discounts. If you do want live and cloud it's $5 more. I compared the two and just felt like Game Pass was more suited to my needs than PS Plus. If you don't need to use disks, don't need a lot of space or don't mind buying more, want a sleek and small design, don't want to break the bank, want a console that's easy to travel with, and don't want to wait months and months for it to finally be in stock I would definitely go with the Series S!

I have both a series S and an X. The series S gets used in the living room and it's definitely worth the money. I mean you can pay 200 dollars for an apple tv box and it doesn't play games. There is 4k video for your video apps, and up to 1440p 120hz if the game supports it. I'm a PC person when it comes to playing games but I still use a controller. The series S does cool things my PC doesn't like, quick resume, games load a little quicker, but there's a caveat older games have to be optimized. I played Yakuza kiwami on series X and it was still 30 fps. But if it's a s/x optimized title then it's pretty much the same game. The games look a little better on an X but that's okay because there's really not that big of a difference. This is a great option for the living room as a main media device. I recommend it, I also recommend game pass. There's only 512mb of storage. There's a couple options like store the games on an external hard drive and then install as needed, or buy a 200 dollar plus 1tb Xbox ssd. Storage hasn't been an issue, because most of the content is easily downloaded from your library, game pass, store, so it's like how many games can you play at once. If you're on the fence and are having trouble getting the device you really want this is a solid buy, you won't regret it. I hope I have helped you in your buying process. It's a great addition to your Media center.

The Microsoft Xbox Series S is a fantastic addition to my gaming world, especially for those who prefer a disc-free gaming experience. The console's compact design and sleek white color make it a visually appealing addition to any entertainment setup. One of the standout features of the Xbox Series S is its all-digital nature, which means you can download and play games directly from the Microsoft Store without the need for physical discs. This not only saves space but also offers convenience as you can quickly access your gaming library with just a few clicks. The 512 GB of storage is adequate for storing several games, but if you're an avid gamer with a large collection, you might want to consider external storage options to expand the capacity. The console's performance is impressive, delivering smooth gameplay and faster loading times compared to previous Xbox models. The Xbox Series S supports up to 1440p resolution, providing crisp and clear visuals for most modern displays. While it might not match the graphical prowess of its big brother, the Xbox Series X, it still delivers a great gaming experience. The controller that comes with the console is the familiar Xbox Wireless Controller, which is comfortable to hold and responsive during gameplay. Additionally, the Xbox Series S is backward compatible, allowing you to play a vast library of Xbox One, Xbox 360, and even some original Xbox games, which adds tremendous value to the overall gaming experience. One of the major advantages of this console is its competitive pricing. As a budget-friendly option, the Xbox Series S offers excellent value for gamers who don't necessarily require 4K gaming but still want to enjoy the latest titles with impressive performance. In conclusion, the Microsoft Xbox Series S 512 GB All-Digital - Holiday Console - White is a compelling choice for gamers seeking an affordable and disc-free gaming solution. With its smooth performance, vast library of games, and backward compatibility, it's a great addition to your gaming setup. Whether you're a casual gamer or a more seasoned player, the Xbox Series S delivers on its promise of an enjoyable gaming experience.

Blown away by the compact size. It's a perfect device to pair with a gaming monitor. I set the Series S output to 1440p 120hz and am good to go. The load times are...What load times???? GamePass is a really great value now that EA Play is bundled in. Can't wait for more optimized for X|S games! Speaking of games, I only play a handful at a time so the 512 storage is plenty for me. If you like having more games at your disposal you're going to need to connect an external drive. The 1TB storage expansion cards are pricey at the moment. I'll have to take one point away for value. Other than that it's an impressive little system and will make a great gift this year.

The Series S has been my best investment in a console, coming from the Xbox one (2014) I was able to see a HUGE graphical and processing power difference. Games load insanely fast, the frame rate is smooth and never feels choppy like the last gen console. I play a lot of games like Modern Warfare, Battelfield 2042, GTA V, and Forza Motorsport. Having played all of them on the original Xbox One it’s actually quite nice to see these games through a new scope of color (HDR) and sound (Dolby), I feel more immersed into the scenes and appreciate the detail Microsoft put into making the Series S capable of making games enjoyable at a budget that I’m sure anyone can agree is worth the money. Also the small size makes it so easy to put anywhere in my house or put in my bag to take with me to a friend’s/family’s house and easily connect with just two cords. I love how quiet the console actually is, my old one sounded more like a jet engine whenever I turn it on or run triple A games, but this Series S reminds me more of a Tesla with its efficiency and zero noise running just about anything. I have no complaints with this console at all other than that the storage space could’ve been slightly improved, but I bought a external SSD which solved my storage issue, I have about 40 games which need a lot of space. But for the average person it has enough space for around 5-6 large games, but honestly with how fast games download you probably wouldn’t care if you had to delete one and download another in under 15 minutes haha. But yes I give the Series S a 9.6/10 in my personal opinion, if it wasn’t for the storage it would’ve been a perfect 10, but other than that I love it! Hope this helps anyone who wants to switch over to next gen if you haven’t already or planning on buying for someone else!

After playing on my Xbox Series S for a month now I can say I am happy with this little beast console ! This console can play new Xbox One and old Xbox 360 games if it's backwards compatible. The fast load times are amazing on current Xbox games and the increase frame rates are also very much welcomed. I redownloaded alot of past games just to try out how it stacks against my old Xbox One X there just no comparison to how stable it is plus most games are getting a X/S upgrade to take advantage of the new hardware. Then comes the downside to the Series S the internal hard drive only 346 GB is just way too small to build a library of games. You will constantly be deleting/reinstalling and good luck with updates. Sure you can fix this with buying a external hard drive but gotta sacrifice that fast load time or even the pricy $219 SSD just to maintain that fast load time for only 1 TB. If you can get past the small storage space then I would highly recommend you pick up a Xbox Series S to play your current games/older games at higher speeds or framerate but if your wanting bigger space and more graphical enhances of the new games coming down the line then get a Xbox Series X.

This thing is great! I never expected it to perform as well as it does. I sold my expensive pc and decided to downgrade as I needed some cash at the time. I still had my 1440p monitor from my pc that I kept. and it’s perfect as the series s targets 1440p resolution. For 300 you get relatively the same experience as a series x with some compromises. Admittedly I would have gone with the series x had they been in stock. However I am not disappointed with my purchase in the least. If you are waiting for the series x you may be missing out on a great deal. We will see about the performance to come in the next few years or so. Hopefully this console won’t suffer in the performance department. It’s super quiet and you can feel the heat out of the black vent. They tuned the fan to run just fast enough. The Xbox itself remains cool though. And I haven’t had any issues with thermal throttling or overheating. You just gotta keep the vents clear. Some people think this console is for casual gamers. And it can be. I put 22 hours into Elden Ring over the last two days and this hasn’t skipped a beat. There is pop in in the textures but that’s an issue that plagues all consoles and pc when it comes to that game. Over all I think it’s a 10/10 for the price along with gamepass. I may upgrade when the next lineup of consoles come out that are more powerful. But that would only be because I want to rather than having a real reason to be honest.

The Xbox Series S had me skeptical when it was first unveiled to the public. I mean, after all, how powerful can it be with 4TB and being such a compact system? I upgraded from the Xbox One X to this system, so I was a little unsure at first that the system would be worth it. Needless to say, I was definitely mistaken. The Xbox Series S was packaged very well and definitely gets points for its presentation, but that's not where it carries its weight. The system's real qualities lie under the hood, so to speak. It loads games fast - and they are beautiful, without a doubt. The new share button on the controller is great for taking screenshots in-game without having to go to an out-of-game menu, and the system runs cool and quiet (like most Xbox systems do). It's compact and isn't bulky at all - an important feature for people who have space constraints. And, if the 512GB isn't enough for you (it's actually closer to 370GB of actual useable space), it has an expansion slot for SSDs (I recommend using approved SSDs - Best Buy sells at least one brand of these and it also works very well). In closing, the system is fast, compact, and is next-gen without requiring as much of a financial investment as its big brother, the Xbox Series X.

In view of the shortage of PS5s, I decided to buy an Xbox Series S, because it was cheaper than its big brother and because it was the only thing available without having to pay double or triple its normal price (thanks scalpers!). I've never been a fan of Microsoft consoles, so I have no reference point, but this console has been a pleasant surprise, it works very well, it's fast, the Quick Access feature is fantastic. The negative points that I find are the lack of games and the small storage it has. I know that there are games that are optimized for the XbSS but are games that I have previously played on PS4 or PC, there are still no exclusives for this console. It may not be as powerful as its big brother, but the Xbox Series S is a good, reasonably priced console. Oh! Almost forgot it... the size of this thing is excellent, horizontal or vertical, it fits anywhere.

If you can find it the XBOX Series “S” is a great system for game play. No, it’s not as powerful as the “X”, it doesn’t have as much storage space (364GB of 512GB useful) and it doesn’t have an optical drive BUT that doesn’t stop it from being a great gaming system. I’m using mine connected to a 70” 4K tv and the graphics look great. While the “S” won’t do 8K or 4K @120FPS, it will do 4K @60FPS and 120FPS @ 1440p! It supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos if you have it. The lack of an optical drive means no movies or disc based games, it is all digital, all the time! Great for Game Pass. That will require storage space. Your options are the expensive Extended Storage Cartridge ($220) but you can also add external storage. I added a 1TB SSD and an 8TB HDD. All backwards compatible games go on either of the 2 external drives. Games I want to load faster go to the SSD. The rest to the 8TB. All X/S games are either internal or Extended Storage. Now, before anyone says for all that you could’ve bought the Series “X”, my response is that before long anyone with a big library will have to do the same even on the “X”! The difference is that I saved $200 over all and could care less about 8K gaming! Did I mention it’s small? It’s actually minuscule compared to the PS5 and compact next to the big ugly rectangle “X”. Halo looks and plays great, Forza 6/7 looks and plays great! In fact every game I’ve played looks and plays great! Who needs 12 TFLOPS when 4 will do just fine?

It’s very small it does seem to get kind of warm everything does load super fast and you can use an external hard drive as well I’m pretty happy with my purchase I went from an original Xbox one to this so I’m happy and I think it’s a great purchase if you’re not looking to spend a fortune and you want something quality. It is very small and my picture I put a lip balm on top of it so you can see just how small it really is. It barely takes up space I can have it right next to my switch just not too close because it does get very hot. I’m happy with my purchase

Although this has half the storage and less graphical firepower then it’s big brother, this is still a great next gen experience at a compelling value. The core of this value proposition is Xbox Gamepass- for (at the time of this writing) about 15 bucks a month, you get access to a Neflix-like library of curated titles, many of which are Series X/S versions. Even as a guy who didn’t even bother with the last generation of Xbox consoles this is hard to pass up-couple that with next generation loading and quick resume with it’s M.2 solid state hard drive, enhanced visuals over Xbox One X, and 4K streaming with all the popular video apps; this console would make a fantastic compliment to a PS5 or a great value to someone who doesn’t own a 4K display or care about having the latest visual bells and whistles. Now if you don’t have a decent internet connection, I probably wouldn’t recommend this as all it’s content comes from online as it has no disc drive. Otherwise, I’d pull the trigger on this- it’s way easier to find then the PS5 or Series X at the moment.

Greatest console I've ever gotten. Let me say I've had Playstations for years but becane dissatisfied with what's going on lately. Their digital catalogs is very small. There were lots of great games on the PS but you can't really find any of them on the PS network. They killed the backwards compatibility so you have to hold on to your older systems and jump from ps2 or ps3 or ps4 etc. This was very annoying. I researched the Xbox and they've maintained their backwards compatibility plus their gamepass is way better than PSnetwork plus the pricing for evrything console and gamepass is way cheaper than the PS setup. The Xbox series S is really a one stop gaming machine. The graphics are great and the system runs smoothly. I really like the quick start feature you could pick up right where you left off at in a game. I love the design, the unit is small simple and portable. I could break it down an stuff it in my bookbag no problem. Plus i don't need to travel with any physical games. I bought a 2T seagate hhd for about $50 for extra storage is small plug and play no issues with load time at all.

Overall a really good console for the price. Runs Master Chief Collection, Overwatch, Call of Duty Warzone flawlessly, even at 120 FPS. With game pass this is a really good budget console. The only real issues I see now and that could definitely be problematic down the road are the lack of a disc drive and the low storage space. The box says 512 GB in the SSD but the actual usable storage is only around 330 GB. Understandable and consistent with other modern consoles, but for a console that's all digital, being low on space can be a real concern. The 1TB SSD expansion card would definitely help but I feel at that point if you want a higher storage capacity you'd be better off just getting a Series X instead, since it comes with 800 usable GB of storage without need for expansion, as well as the other improvements such as a disc drive. And not having a disc drive can be an issue for someone upgrading from an xbox one or even from an xbox 360 to a Series. You cannot play your disc games on a Series S, and if you want to play them on it, you'll have to buy them all over again, given the games are even available at all on the store to begin with. This review may seem overall negative but it's largely just because of a couple major concerns that I feel people would run into down the line. But the console itself runs games great, and allows access to everything on the xbox one store as well as potential Series exclusives and upgrades. I'd say this console is best for someone who wants an xbox, who didn't own a One to begin with. So this should be seen as more of an entry level console. TL:DR; Runs games really well, allows access to upgrades and exclusives, but the lack of a disc drive and low storage space can be an issue for someone looking to upgrade from a previous xbox console.

The Series S is an incredible and unbelievably compact machine for the price you pay; there isn’t anything out there that can be had in the console realm or in the PC building realm for $299 that offers this level of performance. I personally think you should pick one up if you hit a few of the following points: •Don’t have a 4K TV (or currently only have a 1080p display/TV) •Put your entertainment space at a premium •Don’t have physical games •Plan on expanding storage (I utilize an old external Seagate 1TB HDD) or swapping a few games out at a time digitally •Don’t need the biggest and baddest machine out there •Want to save $200 but still want to access next-gen titles The only reason I returned mine was because I had purchased it thinking my Series X was stolen/lost from a different retailer drop (it was a month delayed with no updated tracking so I started to give up hope). To be honest, if my Series X never showed up I would be perfectly content with the Series S for a long time. I still only utilize a 1080p 60hz display and plan to upgrade to a 1440p higher refresh rate monitor in the future. My rational for the X over the S was just overall future-proofing, as I’m coming from the PC world and hopping back into the console world so I want to get the most powerful unit for my return. Again, the S is perfectly capable for so many people; sadly I think it is underestimated and definitely undervalued in overall perception for how much you get for retail price.

This Series S is perfect for my bedroom when I feel too lazy to get up and game on my series X at my desk. Considering how small it is, it will also become my travel console. Great entry into next gen if you haven’t made the jump yet. The price of $250 is a steal and makes it even more attractive to folks looking to make the leap. You will need an expansion card for more storage because stock storage you’re getting maybe 2-3 games on it as many have mentioned. If you don't have a top end TV to accommodate the Series X this series S is a no brainer.

This is by far a great choice for 4k content streaming and 4k upscaled gaming. I cant hear it no matter what i throw at it which makes it the most quietest console to date especially for you late night games. If you’re a minimalist, it leaves a really small footprint to where you cant see it and a beautiful white theme. And if you’re on a budget but want to game I wholeheartedly recommend the Xbox Series S!

I’ll start by saying that up until purchasing this console, I’ve owned everything but an Xbox. There’s been N64, GameBoy Advance, GameCube, PS2, Wii, PS2, PS3, and PS4. Never an Xbox. For the longest time having grown up on the influence of console wars, I’ve always ignorantly thought PS was the better console and Xbox has nothing to offer. I’ve played the 360 a few times and had no experience with the XB1. Coming from the PS4 it’s the smoothest and most satisfying console I’ve played. Transitions between games are seamless including the Quick Resume feature which essentially allows you to have multiple games open just by switching between them. The selection is always mocked because of PS’ well known exclusives, although Xbox has great ones of their own. Some including Gears of War, Halo, Forza, Sea of Thieves, and now their exclusivity deal with Bethesda to launch their future titles on Microsoft platforms. Aside from the games, as I previously stated the transitions are seamless thanks to the SSD (be prepared to buy storage expansion). The UI is extremely convenient once you get used to it, Game Pass is great value for what you’re paying, the performance can hang with the Series X (especially if you don’t have an HDR/4K capable TV), the recording/streaming quality is an upgrade along with the speed that it saves your clips at being very quick (again coming from a PS4). All in all, I’ve only owned this console for one day and I can see myself using it for a thousand more. Highly recommend if you’re looking to try out an Xbox or if you’re looking to upgrade from a One/One S, it could also just serve as portable gaming for anyone who travels frequently.