Xbox Series S is finally delivering on its next-gen promise

A recent analysis shows that the Xbox Series S is runs games better than the Xbox One X

(Credit: Microsoft)

• 🆚 The Xbox Series S has started to widen the gap between the Xbox One X

• 💪 Recent comparisons show big advantages for Microsoft’s $299 machine

• 👋 Many titles are also now skipping the last-gen Xbox

• 🤔 It may be time to upgrade to Microsoft’s latest console

Microsoft’s Xbox Series S is its best-selling console compared to the Xbox Series X, but it’s fair to say the more affordable machine has received some criticism for its performance in certain titles. I’ve argued in the past that it deserves more love from gamers for what it offers, but it’s fair to say those with an Xbox One X might not have been compelled to upgrade – until now.

Despite delivering a next-gen experience for often less than $299.99, the Xbox One X has managed to keep up in many respects when it comes to the latest games. The Xbox One X was the most powerful console on the market before the Xbox Series X was released, offering 6TB of computational power compared to the 4TB of the Xbox Series S.

However, according to Digital Foundry, which pitted the Xbox Series S and Xbox One X against each other two and a half years ago, the Xbox Series S is now “powering ahead” when it comes to cross-gen titles.

The Xbox Series S delivers greater performance in titles like Diablo 4, Persona 3 Reload, Like A Dragon: Ishin!, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. The gap isn’t always clear, mostly due to the Xbox One X’s more powerful GPU, but the Xbox Series S’s faster storage, improved CPU, and next-gen development techniques are now coming to fruition.

What’s more, many titles are simply no longer releasing on the Xbox One X. Hellblade 2, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 14, Skull and Bones, Suicide Squad, and Baldur’s Gate 3 aren’t compatible with the last-gen Xbox One X, along with older titles like Flight Simulator 2024.

Digital Foundry concludes that if you’ve been clinging on to last-gen, now is the time to upgrade to the Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X if you want fewer compromises. Check out our Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S comparison to see how Microsoft’s consoles stack up.

Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.