Xbox Series S Revealed As A $299 Next-Gen Console

Microsoft has officially announced the Xbox Series S, its long-rumored budget-priced next-gen gaming console. Xbox Series S will cost $299 in the US and comes housed inside what Microsoft calls the smallest Xbox ever. Xbox UK has also confirmed that the system will cost £250 there. Xbox Series S will release on November 10.

In terms of design, Series S looks exactly like the leaked image that surfaced on September 7–it’s a small, white rectangle with a minimalist design and no disc drive. The front features nothing more than a power button, USB port, and a sync button for the controller.

According to a report from Windows Central, the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X will both release on November 10, with the Series X selling for $499. The Series X price and release date both remain unconfirmed, but given that the Series S information was correct, it seems like a safe bet.

Microsoft announced the Series S in reaction to leaks; it didn’t hide the fact that it was planning to reveal the system at a later time (possibly after PS5 and Series X pricing had been announced, to further highlight the surprising $299 price). As such, so far it’s only officially shared select details about the Series S–its technical specs have not been announced.

However, a leaked Xbox Series S trailer also made its way online, revealing some of the key details about the system. That trailer has now been released officially, and you can watch it above. It states that Series S comes with a custom 512 GB SSD to allow for fast load times and instant game switching and support for 1440p gaming at 120 FPS. In other words, it appears to largely be what the rumors suggested: a box that’s every bit as capable as the Series X, but one that isn’t intended for native 4K gaming.

Xbox Series S Features List
All-digital
1440p at up to 120 FPS
DirectX ray tracing
Variable rate shading
Variable refresh rate
Ultra-low latency
Custom 512 GB SSD
4K streaming media playback
4K upscaling for games

Thurrott reporter Brad Sams first unveiled the design of the Xbox Series S in the video below. Industry insider Daniel Ahmad subsequently backed up the report, saying this is the design we should expect before Microsoft confirmed it to be real.

Windows Central reports that both Xbox Series X and Series S will be available through Xbox’s All Access subscription service, with the Series S being set at $25 USD a month and the Series X at $35 USD a month. Phil Spencer has previously said that All Access is “critical” to their next-gen strategy.