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[jroc74]

The pressure for the PS5DE to stay at $399 is a lot higher than the pressure for the Series S to stay at $299. As soon as they can consistently meet demand at $299 it will drop in price.

Its not like the XSS wasnt sold at a loss too tho. The pressure is equally there for both.

I wouldnt be surprised if both consoles prices are close to their bill of materials cost. All we have is estimates about the PS5 at $450. If thats with the disc drive, minus about $20 for that and its looking like $430.

The XSS had to cost over $300 to make. Ppl thinking it didnt are dreaming.

With the way the PS5 is selling there is no need for Sony to feel pressure about cutting the price. Same scenario like the PS4. Just like the Switch.

All the pressure is on MS. Same situation like last gen.

Regardless what some, many think selling lots of consoles has its benefits. One of those benefits is no need to cut the price.

 

[Raekwon26]

I don't see a single benefit of this machine. Everything it offers is already on the market and for better value.

A price cut won't help this thing sell.

 

[Hitchyhero]

Fine as is. The price on this console will likely drop faster than the XSX too.

Once the gamepass games start hitting, the casuals are going to be very happy that there is a cheap console to buy to play that game on gamepass they've been dying to play.

It won't be for everyone on here, but I'm suprised people can't see the benefits of it.

 

[Zeroing]

No 50% of consoles sold would be to kids and adults even who don’t give a fuck about 4K and just want to play Fortnite Minecraft & FIFA with their friends.

You’re an adult, go buy a X and a PS5. No ones asking you what makes sense ‘investment’ wise in the console market. I’m still baffled at what any console is investment wise, isn’t it just enjoyment? Fun? How is the switch selling so much? Isn’t it a piss poor 720p investment by your standard?

To someone struggling, or anyone who has a few kids, doesn’t have a 4K tv and just wants some ‘enjoyment’ a S is a terrific device.

Gaming is fun to 99% of the population. Not the same game running in lower pixels makes it an ‘unenjoyable investment’

Someone sounds angry! Where were you when people here make fun of the Nintendo switch being for kids? Or when fans cried all over Twitter asking phill for a powerful console? Yet were we are discussing a console because people make threads about it and feel the need keep defending it. The console exists let it be… simple

 

[Chukhopops]

^ This is the result of not buying an LG CX or higher model. Bitterness, jealousy, and misery. A true beta male in our presence.

If you don't think these new TVs are better than your shitty 1080p then you really are lost. The difference is insane. Imagine buying an XSX or PS5 and only having a 1080p or lower monitor/tv to use it. What's the fucking point?
2021 and people are still cucking for low-quality TVs. Spend $530 on a new console and play it on a $25 TV gotten from Goodwill. It's not a good look. When your girl realizes what the fuck you done she's gonna leave your ass immediately and I don't blame her.

Do you get this mad when people build budget PCs to use on 1080p monitors? Or because they only play DOTA or Football Manager or equivalent? Not everyone gives a shit about ray traced eyeballs or 4K resolution.

An enthusiast forum like here can’t really grasp why people go for cheap options but the truth is many do not care that much. Plenty of people still buy last-gen consoles and games too.

 

[Hitchyhero]

Another Xbox S S thread, must be really popular, that console.
Where’s the option to vote to “it should never had existed”

the fact that so many people here are trying to defend it by using “imaginary reasons of … the future” just shows how the core concept of why people buy a console is …. Power because it’s future proof.

one can argue that many people don’t have 4K TVs… well if I was one I would still buy a console capable of 4K because in the future if I wanted to upgrade my tv I wouldn’t need to upgrade my xbox Series S either.

That console doesn’t make sense as an investment in gaming in the long run.

So according to you Nintendo should be nearlly bankrupt

 

[WakeTheWolf]

When I can get my hands on a PS5 all digital I will but the series S does the job for now. Im playing Yakuza 2 at 900p on the series s and I should hate it for the poor res but it upscales really well on my 4k tv

My decision came down to waiting but I couldnt be happier. It's a nice little machine I don't understand the hate it gets it's not made with enthusiasts in mind.

 

[Derktron]

Yes, the Series S should have also been like the Series X, the power is weak and I don't see how this console will last more than 3 years on the market. It's even weaker than the One S.
Edit: meant to say the Series X.

 

[RaZoR No1]

It is a fine console for what it is. (Gamepass machine)
If you need more storage, you can use any usb 3.0 external drive.
Currently the amount of games that need to be on the internal is pretty small.
Even if you have a next gen and not enough space, any 3.0 drive can be used as a cold storage.

IMO only backdraw: a fast internet is a must + MS should stop limiting the DL speeds.


Of course if you directly compare it to a PS5 Digital, power/dollar is much much worse and the PS5 is a better investment

 

[Banjo64]

It is a fine console for what it is. (Gamepass machine)
If you need more storage, you can use any usb 3.0 external drive.
Currently the amount of games that need to be on the internal is pretty small.
Even if you have a next gen and not enough space, any 3.0 drive can be used as a cold storage.

IMO only backdraw: a fast internet is a must + MS should stop limiting the DL speeds.


Of course if you directly compare it to a PS5 Digital, power/dollar is much much worse and the PS5 is a better investment

I would just say from a hardware perspective absolutely, but if you compare access to software the Series S wins hands down. In the UK you can get a year of Game Pass Ultimate at RRP for the same price as a year of PS Plus and one digital game at RRP on PS5.

 

[SkylineRKR]

Yes, the Series S should have also been like the Series S, the power is weak and I don't see how this console will last more than 3 years on the market. It's even weaker than the One S.

3 years is enough. I sold my PS4 after 3 years for a Pro.

I might do the same with S if there is either a mid-gen upgrade or the X has seen a cheaper revision by then. 3 years is quite a bit of time.

 

[Loope]

They should've done a diskless XboxX but i do understand why they did it. Many people are fine with 1080P as gaming resolution, not everyone is rushing out to buy 4k tvs. At least, outside the hardcore fans.

 

[ZywyPL]

^ This is the result of not buying an LG CX or higher model. Bitterness, jealousy, and misery. A true beta male in our presence.

If you don't think these new TVs are better than your shitty 1080p then you really are lost. The difference is insane. Imagine buying an XSX or PS5 and only having a 1080p or lower monitor/tv to use it. What's the fucking point?
2021 and people are still cucking for low-quality TVs. Spend $530 on a new console and play it on a $25 TV gotten from Goodwill. It's not a good look. When your girl realizes what the fuck you done she's gonna leave your ass immediately and I don't blame her.

I bought an LG GX for this generation, but I honestly don't think I'd miss much on my previous 55" Sony TV (55W905 to be exact). Like, really - 55", 60 FPS, razor sharp image, crisp detailed textures, fast loadings, what's more to desire? I think many people focus on numbers and buzzwords instead of the actual games.

And funny thing is, I just reminded myself how people here were complaining about Pro/1X for targeting 4K instead of 1080p with better graphics instead, no longer that a year ago even, I read countless times that 1080p is enough, that you can barely tell the difference anyway from a normal distance view, and so on, and now all of a sudden 1080p as the new SD, while at the same time 4K is a gimmick and a waste of resources... I guess some people will just never be satisfied no matter what and will always find a reason to moan about.

 

[ArtemisClydeFrog]

Do you get this mad when people build budget PCs to use on 1080p monitors? Or because they only play DOTA or Football Manager or equivalent? Not everyone gives a shit about ray traced eyeballs or 4K resolution.

An enthusiast forum like here can’t really grasp why people go for cheap options but the truth is many do not care that much.

I'm just looking out for you and your relationships in life man. Thought this was a forum full of alpha males.

 

[Magic Carpet]

If there is ever an actual tech shrink in the next few years I hope a Series X all digital edition will take a cube shape.

 

[Banjo64]

I'm just looking out for you and your relationships in life man. Thought this was a forum full of alpha males.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Absolutely, yes. I'd have owned a diskless/digital Xbox Series X by now if it were $399 like the PS5 DE.

Now Series X is too expensive for what it offers now and as a Gamepass machine, and Series S performs too poorly and even BC games are One S versions. There is no middle ground.

 

[Andodalf]

It's designed to be cheaper. It's cheaper. Job well done! \

Electronics aren't dropping in price like they used too. on XSS launch day it was 100$ Cheaper than the newest Sony console..... the PS4 Pro.

 

[kingpotato]

I love my Xbox Series S if I was that bothered about an upgrade I'd get a new PC not another Xbox

What kind of TV/display do you use?

You'll likely have better luck buying a series x than a GPU at MSRP for the next two years.

 

[RaZoR No1]

I would just say from a hardware perspective absolutely, but if you compare access to software the Series S wins hands down. In the UK you can get a year of Game Pass Ultimate at RRP for the same price as a year of PS Plus and one digital game at RRP on PS5.

That is what I meant with Gamepass machine.
Best and cheapest way to get into the xbox eco system atm.
Just recently a friend of mine bought the XSS and thr biggest reason for it was Gamepass.
XSX is sold out everywhere + still uses a 1080P TV.
So instead of investing around 1k for 4k TV and XSX, he just bought a XSS with 1 year Gold + Upgrade to Gamepass Ultimate.

People can be fanboys or not, but nobody can deny, that Gamepass (especially for casual gamers) is a bargain

 

[TLZ]

NO, the entire purpose of MS releasing 2 consoles was to sandwich PS5' with its rumored 400 price tag.

That worked wonders didn't it.

 

[Zeroing]

So according to you Nintendo should be nearlly bankrupt

it’s funny that when is something related to MS all the sudden is ok, I still remember the recent times of people talking crap about Nintendo or going into Twitter demanding Phill for the most powerful console

but now it’s ok. Because MS has a weak console. See how the narrative adapts to suit everyone’s agenda?

 

[Son_of_Zardoz]

I don't get the posts suggesting that people with a 1080p set should get the XSX over the XSS. If someone still has a 1080p tv why do you think they would pay for the more expensive console out of the two?

Obviously, there is going to be a really big contingent of people using 1080p sets for quite some time so why not target them? As games move to being current-gen only why can't devs use the same upscaling to hit 1080p on the XSS that those games will use to hit 4k (or whatever res) on XSX?

Time will tell how it performs but my main complaint is that I wish they would have included a disc drive on the XSS but it's not even that big of a complaint because it doesn't really affect me. When these systems start seeing price cuts we'll really see if the value prop for the XSS takes off. For me, I'll be glad to upgrade my kids from X1s to XSSs when the time comes because they won't need XSX any time soon.

 

[Kataploom]

"Secondary console"... "For kids and casuals"... "For FIFA players"... Da fuck? I'd definitely get a XSS to be my main consoles for third party games and get the shit out of it on every game I can.

4K TVs are waaaaay too expensive where I am and if I'm getting one I'd rather wait for he current high end ones to go down in price since I'd be getting 120 fps + HDR + VRR.

I have a sub-1080p 32" TV but the very low input lag and amazing colors and constrast + me sitting at 2 meters from it don't even make me care about "upgrading" for now. In USA people can just go buy a 4K set in a single paycheck, most of the rest of the world won't have that benefit and XSS is mostly targeted to that market and believe, the difference here is BIG in price between X and S.

 

[kingpotato]

In USA people can just go buy a 4K set in a single paycheck

Maybe, but probably not a 4k set worth owning

 

[AGRacing]

It's a tough call.
A few things:

1. The digital One S probably sold like garbage. I feel like this was a test... but I think they priced it too high to get an accurate read about interest.
Importantly - the One S still existed while the One S digital was put out as well.

2. Retail is by no means an be-all end-all measuring stick.... but I've heard of several instances of associates suggesting One S consoles as inexpensive 4K Blu-ray players to people buying TVs... I wonder if that is of any value to Microsoft?

3. No disc drive and only 512gb would have been ridiculous... but it is likely that another 512gb was prohibitively more expensive than a disc drive slotted in. There's also a real consideration of pricing new "cutting edge" hardware at a price that makes it seem "too cheap". Perceived quality is important on new technology.

It seems to be easier to get a Series S than the other consoles... so maybe Microsoft is considering a revision to the formula.

 

[yamaci17]

I don't get the posts suggesting that people with a 1080p set should get the XSX over the XSS. If someone still has a 1080p tv why do you think they would pay for the more expensive console out of the two?

Obviously, there is going to be a really big contingent of people using 1080p sets for quite some time so why not target them? As games move to being current-gen only why can't devs use the same upscaling to hit 1080p on the XSS that those games will use to hit 4k (or whatever res) on XSX?

Time will tell how it performs but my main complaint is that I wish they would have included a disc drive on the XSS but it's not even that big of a complaint because it doesn't really affect me. When these systems start seeing price cuts we'll really see if the value prop for the XSS holds up. For me, I'll be glad to upgrade my kids from X1s to XSSs when the time comes because they won't need XSX any time soon.

Because upscaling tech works optimal when there are actually a lot of pixels

Take DLSS for example, it doesn't work well at 1080p, since it upscales from 720p
It works superb at 4K, upscaling from 1440p
It works mediocre at 1440p, upscaling from 960p

 

[DarkMage619]

Its not like the XSS wasnt sold at a loss too tho. The pressure is equally there for both.

I wouldnt be surprised if both consoles prices are close to their bill of materials cost. All we have is estimates about the PS5 at $450. If thats with the disc drive, minus about $20 for that and its looking like $430.

The XSS had to cost over $300 to make. Ppl thinking it didnt are dreaming.

With the way the PS5 is selling there is no need for Sony to feel pressure about cutting the price. Same scenario like the PS4. Just like the Switch.

All the pressure is on MS. Same situation like last gen.

Regardless what some, many think selling lots of consoles has its benefits. One of those benefits is no need to cut the price.

Glad you said this. This only proves that people thinking that MS should have had some sort of mega console with more RAM and higher specs was never realistic. Sony didn't put 20GB of RAM in the PS5 either. The XSS has been said numerous times is a BUDGET console. It is not for hardcore gamers and it is always going to be cheaper than any other console this generation. That was the point. It wasn't designed for developers to have unlimited resources it was designed to reach a larger audience. Even those complaining devs admitted it was a good deal for customers.

I'm still having a hard time understanding how the XSS is the massive road block to game development but the PC, which has specs all over the place, isn't a problem at all. Do you really believe that game developers will make minimum spec games on the PC that are HIGHER than the XSS? I haven't heard anyone explain how the XSS, which has the same feature set as the XSX, will be unable to handle this generations games with an equivalent CPU, and SSD. How big of a role does graphics really play especially when you are running on a 1080p set?

Yes, the Series S should have also been like the Series X, the power is weak and I don't see how this console will last more than 3 years on the market. It's even weaker than the One S.

I have a feeling most of the detractors are in this camp. Totally clueless about the specs of the device. No wonder you see people making comparisons to the Switch. In the end ask yourself a simple question. Name ONE console that has better specs than the XSS but costs less. Build a PC with better specs but cheaper. If you can't than the XSS is perfectly designed for its target audience. After all it has more games running at 120 FPS than the PS5 and that console is more expensive.

 

[Hitchyhero]

it’s funny that when is something related to MS all the sudden is ok, I still remember the recent times of people talking crap about Nintendo or going into Twitter demanding Phill for the most powerful console

but now it’s ok. Because MS has a weak console. See how the narrative adapts to suit everyone’s agenda?

I don't get why you or people are angry that they exist. Clearly there is a market for them. I love new GPUs and better graphical consoles but I also understand there's a market for less graphical consoles. Nintendo understood that ages ago as their console continues to outsell both rivals. If you want power XSX is there and if you want something cheap but plays the games you want to play, there's the XSS.

Just because hardcore gamers here are telling you all consoles/PCs must have a top end GPU or don't bother playing at all doesn't make them right.

 

[Lysandros]

Eurogamer: "Leaked documentation from the Sony SDK confirms this, and likely it's a factor of the platform holder adopting a 'mirror image' strategy on the GPU to ensure compatibility with the base system - the 32 ROPs of the original PS4 is doubled up along with everything else. As things stand, doubling up on ROPs is an intriguing postscript to what we know about the established Pro spec, but the docs also confirm that it's theoretically impossible to fully utilise them - the memory bandwidth just isn't there."

In that case, if it's 'theoretically impossible' for PS4 PRO to fully utilize it's pixel fill rate of 58.3 GP/s because of its limited 218 GB/s of bandwidth, i very much doubt that XSS would be able to fully utilize its pixel fill rate of 50.08 GP/s with its mere 224 GB/s since the difference in ratio is very modest.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

I think most people are gonna answer this from a enthusiast standpoint because let’s be honest anybody that frequents gaming forums is generally more involved then the standard person.

I’ll preface this by saying that I think 3/4 minimum of people buying an Xbox should just save a little and get a Series X if possible.

I think they made the right decision based on what they wanted from a Series S. They simply wanted to make sure to undercut Sony (and maybe uncut by a ton if they didn’t expect a $400 DE) and have a “next-gen” console out at a cheap price because they want people to sub to gamepass.

IMO I think Microsoft know they probably aren’t going to beat Sony and a Nintendo in the “war” (barf) especially with how hard they are pushing gamepass and never announcing numbers which is fine. I think the Series S will sell as a secondary console for people that play primarily on PlayStation.

There are multiple use cases for the Series S despite me not seeing the value personally. Personally I would have preferred a $400 digital Series X, but the $300 Series S fits Microsoft’s needs.

 

[SomeGit]

It's an interesting idea, no machine in the market at the moment can play the games the XSS plays with that level of performance, with most of them playing at 60FPS or closer to it than last gen consoles. Yes, the X1X and PS4Pro can some times have better resolutions, but they drop the framerate to 30, plus with the SDD and Zen 2 CPU it's just overall a better experience that those consoles.

I think what will define it as a success or failure will be how low it can go, if it can go to 199$ and as low as 99$ by the end of the generation and if they can drop the 1TB expansion cards price to 99$ at that point it will find itself competing with stuff like Apple TV and be in the price range for an impulsive buy for someone who has a PC/PS5 for GamePass or an XSX for a secondary machine.

It may set a floor target for the GPU, but honestly with the supply issues with PC GPUs and the rise of GPU prices in general it won't be the lowest performance target for PC/Xbox titles for a while.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Gamers moved behind digital and that’s the leading sales, it’s the digital generation.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

Some games are already below 1080p, it won’t ruin next-gen but it’ll definitely hinder it. The fact the X1 didn’t have a showcase that matches most mid-gen PS4 exclusives is reason enough to be worried. I fully expect the SS to have switch style ports as opposed to “versions” ala PS5/SX

I agree on the first part to a point but we won’t know until games start to be current gen focused.

However I disagree that Xbox One didn’t have a showcase. Forza Horizon 4 and Gears 5 look amazing for the hardware.

 

[NickFire]

I think most people are gonna answer this from a enthusiast standpoint because let’s be honest anybody that frequents gaming forums is generally more involved then the standard person.

I’ll preface this by saying that I think 3/4 minimum of people buying an Xbox should just save a little and get a Series X if possible.

I think they made the right decision based on what they wanted from a Series S. They simply wanted to make sure to undercut Sony (and maybe uncut by a ton if they didn’t expect a $400 DE) and have a “next-gen” console out at a cheap price because they want people to sub to gamepass.

IMO I think Microsoft know they probably aren’t going to beat Sony and a Nintendo in the “war” (barf) especially with how hard they are pushing gamepass and never announcing numbers which is fine. I think the Series S will sell as a secondary console for people that play primarily on PlayStation.

There are multiple use cases for the Series S despite me not seeing the value personally. Personally I would have preferred a $400 digital Series X, but the $300 Series S fits Microsoft’s needs.

You hit the nail squarely on the head about how most of us will answer from an enthusiast stand point. My mind screams yes to the OP's question, but it's coming from my lingering annoyance over the belief Series S will be holding 3rd party games back. Walling those thoughts off as much as possible, and I think my answer is that it's too soon to really form an opinion. The consoles are all in short supply still, and we kind of need to see how popular Series S is when people are able to casually pick one or the other. If it turns out to be popular and helps MS grow its market share, then obviously they made the right call. If it goes a different way, it may turn out to have been a disaster. Just too soon to tell imo, until people have a choice day to day.

 

[TheMan]

I've had an S for a few weeks now and honestly it's great. Your point about its lack of power compared to X is not that unfair, but we're not at a point where bespoke games are being held back. SO right now, as a gamepass machine, it's fantastic.

That said i do own a ps5 and a decent PC, so maybe i'd feel differently if the S was my only next-gen machine.

 

[Tutomos]

Series S is SAD all over. It's a gimped console when compared to Series X and PS5. Nobody will look at it like it's the standard.

 

[Hendrick's]

Series S is the best looking console. And we all know looks matter.

 

[OptimistPrime]

Its not like the XSS wasnt sold at a loss too tho. The pressure is equally there for both.

I wouldnt be surprised if both consoles prices are close to their bill of materials cost. All we have is estimates about the PS5 at $450. If thats with the disc drive, minus about $20 for that and its looking like $430.

The XSS had to cost over $300 to make. Ppl thinking it didnt are dreaming.

With the way the PS5 is selling there is no need for Sony to feel pressure about cutting the price. Same scenario like the PS4. Just like the Switch.

All the pressure is on MS. Same situation like last gen.

Regardless what some, many think selling lots of consoles has its benefits. One of those benefits is no need to cut the price.

I think it’s pretty obvious the difference in cost to manufacture between PS5DE and XSS is a lot more than $100. XSS is a relatively small SoC that only hits 100W paired with relatively cheap memory and storage. It’s a tiny, simple design.

PS5 has more expensive silicon across the board, a lot more cooling hardware, and a much more complicated controller with crazy haptics. Not to mention a huge and heavy box they have to ship around.

Both companies might be losing on the sale, but I guarantee Sony is losing a lot more.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

You hit the nail squarely on the head about how most of us will answer from an enthusiast stand point. My mind screams yes to the OP's question, but it's coming from my lingering annoyance over the belief Series S will be holding 3rd party games back. Walling those thoughts off as much as possible, and I think my answer is that it's too soon to really form an opinion. The consoles are all in short supply still, and we kind of need to see how popular Series S is when people are able to casually pick one or the other. If it turns out to be popular and helps MS grow its market share, then obviously they made the right call. If it goes a different way, it may turn out to have been a disaster. Just too soon to tell imo, until people have a choice day to day.

Absolutely true. I’m in the camp that while I love my PS5 and Series X I would have preferred the consoles to be delayed, and either launched cheaper or been more powerful overall as a result. You are right that we won’t get an answer until things go back to “normal”.

I've had an S for a few weeks now and honestly it's great. Your point about its lack of power compared to X is not that unfair, but we're not at a point where bespoke games are being held back. SO right now, as a gamepass machine, it's fantastic.

That said i do own a ps5 and a decent PC, so maybe i'd feel differently if the S was my only next-gen machine.

Yeah, I think if you are an Xbox guy and it’s your main platform there’s no point in buying a Series S even with a 1080p display as the Series X will basically always look/perform better plus have useable storage. However your use case is one of them that makes sense for me. A cheap game pass machine for the tv. Plus gamepass on console is much better then on pc IMO.

Series S is SAD all over. It's a gimped console when compared to Series X and PS5. Nobody will look at it like it's the standard.

The thing is Microsoft have stupid amounts of money and can afford to take risks. The Xbox One SAD was nothing but a test bed for the Series S and future all digital consoles and I believe was the best selling console during certain big sale days in a few countries (Too lazy to lookup the threads but I remember seeing them).

Microsoft can afford what other companies like Sony can’t which is throw a bunch of money to test an idea and they don’t care if it works out. It’s market research.

 

[Ps5ProFoSho]

I think it would've been smart for them to make a digital series X. But I'm glad they made the series S b/c I will be picking it up to play exclusives and I don't really need 8k/120 for that.

 

[kingpotato]

If you can't than the XSS is perfectly designed for its target audience. After all it has more games running at 120 FPS than the PS5 and that console is more expensive.

This is kind of an odd value argument to me.

The games that series s runs at 120 fps are older generation games. And at least in my area you can pick up a refurbished Xbox One for $150. Plus maybe the display this budget gamer is using doesn't benefit much from the performance, but I'm not sure on that guess.

At any rate to imply the PS5 is a worse value because it can't play a last gen game at 120 fps is probably not an opinion shared by many of the people interested in the PlayStation brand in the first place, but I may be mistaken.

 

[Tutomos]

The thing is Microsoft have stupid amounts of money and can afford to take risks. The Xbox One SAD was nothing but a test bed for the Series S and future all digital consoles and I believe was the best selling console during certain big sale days in a few countries (Too lazy to lookup the threads but I remember seeing them).

Microsoft can afford what other companies like Sony can’t which is throw a bunch of money to test an idea and they don’t care if it works out. It’s market research.

Sure, but according to your description of how MS operates, why not just make it even cheaper like $99 and make Series X the same price as S?

 

[skit_data]

This is kind of an odd value argument to me.

The games that series s runs at 120 fps are older generation games. And at least in my area you can pick up a refurbished Xbox One for $150. Plus maybe the display this budget gamer is using doesn't benefit much from the performance, but I'm not sure on that guess.

At any rate to imply the PS5 is a worse value because it can't play a last gen game at 120 fps is probably not an opinion shared by many of the people interested in the PlayStation brand in the first place, but I may be mistaken.

Also I find the argument strange about 120fps offering a better value, while at the same time saying ”a lot of people have 1080p TVs still, lower income etc.”

Its just comes across as a counter intuitive statement

-Most People that use 1080p TVs surely can’t take advantage of 120 fps, if anything those TVs are an outlier even smaller than 4k ones. Same goes with VRR.

Edit: I think that MS could have cut these capabilities from the Series S, saved a few bucks and made Series S even cheaper if that’s what they were going for, right now it has a couple of features that go against the main point of the console: offering a low entry price machine

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Name ONE console that has better specs than the XSS but costs less. Build a PC with better specs but cheaper. If you can't than the XSS is perfectly designed for its target audience. After all it has more games running at 120 FPS than the PS5 and that console is more expensive.

You would be hard pressed to make a pc at all for $299, let alone match Series S on specs.

For $400 you get intel graphics, SATA HDD, 8 gb ram etc.

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[hououinkyouma00]

Sure, but according to your description of how MS operates, why not just make it even cheaper like $99 and make Series X the same price as S?

Just because they can throw some money at experimenting doesn’t mean they want to knowingly bleed dumb amounts of money. They are still a business, and even when they throw money at an idea they are doing it in the least risky way possible.

Sony can’t afford to really experiment at all because If it does really bomb then they are fucked much more then Microsoft even if it was a Series S @ $299 equivalent.

 

[Tutomos]

Just because they can throw some money at experimenting doesn’t mean they want to knowingly bleed dumb amounts of money. They are still a business, and even when they throw money at an idea they are doing it in the least risky way possible.

Sony can’t afford to really experiment at all because If it does really bomb then they are fucked much more then Microsoft even if it was a Series S @ $299 equivalent.

I remember how they shut down Mixer after they made investments into Ninja and other streamers. I guess if things don't work out they can just abandon it. I predict Series S will be discontinued in a couple of years, and they will introduce Series X Pro around the same time.

 

[TheGodfather07]

its just so weak and will become outdated very quickly. a digital series x at $399 would have been perfect for me. also it would have been better and easier for developers. it feels like the series s only exists because microsoft were worried and not confident in their product. they wanted a cheap console that will move more units and increase their marketshare.

 

[OrtizTwelve]

Now that we are a full 6 months into the new generation of consoles and have gotten to see some performance metrics for new releases, we're starting to get a sense for the performance gap between Xbox Series X and Series S.

There is no denying Series S actually provides amazing value. A bargain bin price for access to a new generation of games. Microsoft offers compelling streaming/subscription services now, so the lack of a disc drive is certainly more palatable than it was last generation.

The detriment here is the performance gap of course. Was it really worth pursuing the lowest price point at the cost of a significant performance gap? We're taking about last generation performance in some respects. Should Microsoft have pursued a Series S that was the same specs as the Series X but without the disc drive like the PS5 digital? It may have cost $100 more but that would still be competitive with regard to the competition and then you ditch the unevenness between the experiences players have. Another option may have been to keep Series S as is and introduced a third Series console. Thus pleasing all the juvenile gamers with a Series E .

So what do you think? Did they make the right call?

Spoiler: Disclaimer

My apologies if this discussion already happened and I just missed the thread. Also, I'm not really interested in discussing Sony's decision here, just wondering what people think about Microsoft's choice with the Series S so far.

As a Series S owner, I think it was a good business decision by Microsoft to push Game Pass and get next gen features into many hands with a lower price of entry. I DO NOT feel left out when playing games that I didn't buy a Series X. A few years from now, that may change as I may upgrade to one or whatever is out on the market.

I can see Microsoft eventually releasing the Series S in the future with beefier specs akin to Series X and the Series X getting even beefier specs, both as a mid cycle upgrade.

 

[Renozokii]

a bluray-less series x will come once they can meet demand, so probably next year.

the series s is NOT for you, its for casuals, its for the kids room, its a 2nd box for game pass, NOT for nerdcore forum gamers.

Who the hell are these casuals that don’t care at all about power but need the new Xbox as soon as possible? Are they all dying to play the medium, the only next gen only game on Xbox consoles?