Seeing as the UK is going into a second lockdown, it's looking like you might have a bit more free time to play some new video games, which is good, as Microsoft's Xbox Series S and Series X consoles are out very soon.
Digital Spy has been lucky enough to get hold of both Xbox next-gen games consoles ahead of release on November 10, with roughly two weeks to compare the two and find out which is best.
Related: Xbox One X review - Is it worth the steep price?
With the Xbox Series S costing almost half the price of its more powerful cousin, many gamers might be thinking of saving a few quid, all while enjoying 4K next-gen graphics and ray-tracing.
But does the Series S hold its value against the Xbox Series X, and is it worth buying over the PlayStation 5? Read on for our full review of the Xbox Series S.
Xbox Series S review: Design
From a design standpoint, the Series S is our favourite of the two new Xbox consoles, mostly because you don't have to play gadget Tetris to make it fit in your gaming system.
The Series X is bulky, tall, and unwilling to fit into a TV case in most situations, so we love the thinner, shorter design of the Series S.
You can lay it flat on its side much like the Xbox One or prop it up on its end like a book, which is how we have ours. There's no negative for either choice, as the fan will still keep the Xbox cool so long as it has airflow over the top of the console.
There are two USB ports for external storage devices; and so you can plug in your controller (if it's wired), and there's no disc tray, which is actually a blessing in disguise as we are a bit sick of having to store all our game discs.
We do have to gripe at the storage space, which is a woefully small 512GB, with a useable storage space of just over 300GB. This is bad news when you consider how strong the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription looks and the sheer volume of games on offer.
To be fair, the Series X doesn't feel that much more expansive at 1TB (812GB useable storage), but with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War reportedly taking up 250GB storage, and top-end games like GTA 5, Destiny 2, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare all taking up more than 100GB, it's going to be a real headache to pick which games you store on the console.
You can buy external hard-drives to offset this problem and they are getting cheaper, but it's frustrating that Microsoft asks us to buy more storage.
Xbox Series S review: Performance
Right off the bat, if you're after the most advanced features on your new Xbox, you should definitely pick up the Series X, as it's simply better in every way for graphics and performance.
However, the Series S punches well above its weight by offering excellent value for its 4K capabilities so if you're on a budget, this is your best bet.
Half as heavy as the Series X and considerably smaller in size, the Series S offers an impressive list of specs on paper, with many of the numbers only marginally worse than its powerful upgrade in most cases.
The big downfall is the processing power, which is roughly a third of the Series X's abilities, at 4 teraflops instead of 12. It also renders graphics at a much lower ceiling, at 1440p, rather than the 2160p of the Series X, so the 4K images won't look quite as impressive.
However, you'll still get wonderful ray-tracing, the same SSD hard drive, variable frame rate up to 60FPS, and your games will be upscaled to 4K rather than being a native image at that resolution.
If that sounds too technical, it basically boils down to the Series S still having a staggeringly good image quality and resolution (much better than the Xbox One X or PS4 Pro), but it's just not as powerful as the Series X.
Xbox Series S review: Resolution and frame rate
You can sit and compare all the stats on paper all day, but it's the real-world gameplay that you need to concern yourself about, and we think the Series S stands up to scrutiny rather well.
We only have one 4K TV in the house, but we switched between the Series S and Series X, playing the same games on the same settings (120Hz refresh rate and the highest achievable resolution) and it was sometimes hard to remember which console we were playing.
There are some significant differences in some games where you'll really notice the optimisation of the Series X –for example the night-time reflections and lighting when playing Watch Dogs Legion on the better console is just magnificent and will look noticeably improved over the Series S.
However, unless you're scrutinising the image and really looking for differences with an advanced 4K TV, your eyes likely won't be able to spot anything tangible, meaning the Series S is still a worthy console to buy if the highest-achievable resolution isn't a deal-breaker.
Related: The best Xbox Series X and Series S pre-orders - Prepare for a second wave of Xbox pre-orders
We agree the Series X is conceptually better in almost all cases and has better image quality, but for most gamers who just want to play some cool-looking games, it doesn't make a bit of difference playing in either native 4K 60FPS (Series X) or upscaled 4K 60FPS (Series S) so it's basically down to how much you're willing to spend for that better performance.
Xbox Series S review: Enhanced games and launch-day line-up
Microsoft has said all the games you'll get on the Series X will be available on the Series S and the previous generation of consoles too (Xbox One, One S, etc) so you won't be missing out on any titles if you opt for the cheaper model.
For our play test, we have been running through Gears 5 and Gears Tactics (both optimised for Xbox Series S|X), Ori and the Will of the Wisps (optimised), Dirt 5 (optimised), and FIFA 21 (Smart Delivery).
We enjoyed Gears 5 on the old generation of console, and the upgrade to the graphics is a welcome bonus to a fantastic game – getting to play multiplayer in 120Hz silky smooth frame rate radically changes our appreciation for how smooth the game can play.
On launch day you'll be able to play Watch Dogs Legion, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, and all the old-gen games you've been enjoying previously like Destiny 2, FIFA 21, and Call of Duty.
And when you look at the 100 games all available to download when you sign up to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Get your first month for £1, then £10.99/month after), we doubt you'll be short of anything to play this Christmas.
It has the same issues to the Series X in that there are no mind-blowing, next-gen exclusive titles thanks to the lack of Halo Infinite or a new Forza Horizon or MotorSport game on release day, but there's still plenty for you to be playing in the first few months.
Xbox Series S review: Quick Resume
Similar to the Series X, the Xbox Series S will also have the highly anticipated Quick Resume feature, that we think will be a big improvement over the older consoles.
You can be slaying enemies in Gears 5 in 4K when you get an invite to play a few games of Warzone on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare with your mates. Just launch the game and the Quick Resume box on the top right will indicate the game will launch as fast as possible.
Within 10 seconds, you will be put into your mates' lobby and you can get playing straight away. After a few games, you can jump back over to Gears 5, launching the game and picking up exactly where you were last playing in another few seconds.
There's no need to go back to title menu screens or relaunch games from scratch, and the minutes it can save you when you're playing should not be sniffed at.
We can't praise this feature enough for helping save time – you play video games to play, not to wait around – and it's been sensational for cutting down the obscenely long load times on games like Destiny 2 and GTA 5 from a few minutes down to 40 seconds or so.
We timed our Series S when launching Gears 5, and from pressing on the game tile on the Xbox home screen to firing our first bullet in the single-player mode took 13 seconds. Remarkable.
We did have some issues where it was crashing our console if we tested this feature with certain games, but Microsoft assured us it was working to get it fixed in time for launch.
Xbox Series S review: Accessories
Microsoft has slightly improved the controllers for the next generation, though they are nowhere near as advanced as the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller.
The buttons are more responsive, and the joysticks are a little less sticky than previous iterations, improving precision and making it more comfortable to play your games over longer stretches.
We do recommend picking up one of the more advanced Elite 2 wireless controllers if you're serious about playing the Series X competitively. The Elite 2 is an incredibly good controller for getting a slight edge over your opponent with the advanced joystick customisation and the attachable button flaps on the back of the controller that you can remap whenever you want.
Xbox Series S review: Verdict
While the Series X will likely steal the headlines as the all-powerful Xbox gaming machine, we predict the Series S to be a stealth smash-hit thanks to its budget-friendly cost, impressive graphical capabilities, and manageable size.
The performance is decidedly better than the Xbox One X (which is now discontinued) with the added 4K compatibility and ray-tracing, putting it a level above the top-end, current-gen consoles that have served many gamers over the last few years.
And it all comes in a smaller (and, crucially, cheaper than a Nintendo Switch) box, which is streamlined and looks a little cleaner sat under your TV compared to the Xbox Fridge *cough* Series X.
This is truly a console for gamers who want some of the best graphics around but can't fork out money for the cutting-edge features of the more advanced PS5 and Series X that will cost almost double the price.
With gaming becoming a more attractive pastime as the country falls into a second lockdown, a budget device like the Series S is a great value-option to entertain families and casual gamers while pleasing the die-hard players who need next-gen graphics.
If you're still on the fence about which Microsoft console to buy – save yourself a few quid, go for the Series S and enjoy advanced Xbox gaming in 2021.
Xbox Series S review: Release date and price
The Xbox Series S will release in the UK on November 10. The console will cost £249.99 from most online retailers.
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