Hulkabrgr

Looking for opinions here. Since the Series S is widely available (at least near me), it is worth purchasing instead of the X? I have a 4K TV, so the fact that it isn't true 4K is bothering me

tonyc3742

Personally, I lean toward no. Especially if you have a One or One X. But if you have a 360 or no Xbox system, and you want one now, you could always get it then upgrade and trade in if you want when the X has more availability. Current trade in values are credit 200/220 Pro, cash 160/176 Pro.
That buys you time, gets you into the ecosystem, and might cost ~100-150 or so as a temporary 'rental' of the system.

The S specs are lesser, it doesn't have a disc drive, and it has less HD space (ironic for a digital-only system.)
If you need a streaming box and want to spend more to get a console, or only want to use GamePass your digital library or digital content, or really want to ensure SOME console before Christmas, it could be a good fit.
If you have a big collection of 360 or One disc games that you still want to play and want to move on from those consoles, then definitely the X. (Not everything is backward compatible though.)
Even though it turns out I usually play digital content instead of from disk, I'm still glad I got the X instead of S. The extra hard drive space, the higher gaming resolution, and the processor made it worthwhile for me. Plus I do have a ton of discs.
I'll admit though, I tend to want the top-tier item, especially when there's a difference in the features. It's also slightly more future proofed.
If it's already bothering you about the 4k and not taking advantage of it, that might be a sign. And not all games really take advantage of it. But the S streams in 4k and the console/your tv may upconvert.

That said - an S and GamePass would provide a whole lot of gaming.

Here's some comparison thoughts.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/r...x-vs-series-s/

And another:
https://www.windowscentral.com/does-...port-4k-gaming

Ultimately it's up to where your priorities land - cost, availability, and immediate need/want.
Do you want to go ahead and start gaming, or try to get the 'best' hardware even if you have to wait a bit?

Interesting note - the state's biggest Costco opened near me today. Official opening was 0730. People began lining up just after midnight because they were supposed to have ~150 PS5s and "unknown" number of Xboxes available. The line as of this morning was quite long, went to the end of the side of the store. And oddly, I'm also strangely excited it's opening - apparently it's been a while since a new store or restaurant has opened near me
https://www.wral.com/dozens-snag-pla...ning/19941898/

gryffinmaster

Both of those are really enjoyable in very different ways. It's worth getting to them.

Kinda bummed that it won't be easy to go back and play The Saboteur on a console if the urge strikes.

Hulkabrgr

Thank you so much for the information. I have never owned an X-Box before, and missed the last generation (got married and had a kid during that time). I have always loved the Playstation, but am realistic about it not being available for another year. I really only play EA Sports games (and I used to love the Show going back to the PS2), so X-Box live seems perfect for me. I was also thinking that my now 7 year old son could play Roblox and some of the older games available on Live (he has a switch, and pretty much only plays Pokemon games on it). My one hesitation on the S is the memory and the fact that it isn't truly 4K

davidh777

I’m sure many of us have gotten frustrated enough to consider the X vs S question. My X One has several annoying issues and could really stand to be replaced, but I really want many of the features that are only on the X so I’m still holding out.

Spiderbite

Same here. I am waiting to get an Series X (dumbest name ever) if one ever comes available. Luckily my Xbox One X (another dumb name) is holding up great and still looks great.

It is ridiculous that we are a year into this console's life and you can't buy one unless you want to pay some scalper a stupid amount of money. And don't get me started on the whole limited availability of the Halo console or Halo LE game set. They sell out at some random time during a 5 minute window to scalpers. Fuck those people and fuck MS for allowing it to be like this.

Is the impossibility of finding the Series X due to the chip shortage? Or is there something more to it?

tonyc3742

IANAA (analyst), but:
- Chip shortage = lower production/inventory
- Shipping = vastly increased costs and vastly decreased availability means less regular release schedule
- Pandemic = increased interest in "inside" activities (board games, video games, exercise equipment, streaming) means increased demand
- Online shopping = people can, or can try, to buy from multiple places at once instead of having to wait in line at a store
- Robots = the scuzzy scalpers buying lots of the consoles up for resale
- Money = many people saw influxes of money over the past year with stimulus
- Money2 = all the above factors mean a sizeable population is willing to pay scalper/resale money to get a console, which keeps it going

I agree, it's ridiculous, and MS has a part to play in that, but it's not all their fault. I also agree that their console names have pretty much always been ridiculous

Hulkaburgr - with those additional details of your scenario, I can see the S being a reasonable choice for you, especially if you got GamePass. I don't know about Roblox but if you're into sports games including EA, right now there's about 40 sports games including multiple football, soccer, skating, hockey. I do see Show 21, but that's the only baseball game I see on GP. (Yes, I push GP a lot - I think it's awesome.)

But the memory and the 4k are big differences.

davidh777

I wish MSFT would offer the console lottery like Sony does. I’ve been on Gold for forever and on Ultimate Game Pass since the beginning, but it’s my free PS account that gets me in the lottery queue and with a PS5 on my first try. I’m sure the lottery can be abused as well, but it still seems like a better chance to get these in the hands of customers instead of scalpers.

OldBoy

Still can’t buy FEAR 3. Very frustrating. Only game I get error. Weird.

gerrythedon

So much left out , (Backwards compability) Damn License and rather do remasters and sell them. The rest should have been added.

360
007: Quantum of Solace
007 James Bond: Blood Stone
007 Legends
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Army of Two: The 40th Day
Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate - Deluxe Edition
Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando Rearmed
BlackSite: Area 51
Blades of Time
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Bulletstorm
Call of Duty: Classic
Call of Juarez
Charlie Murder
Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Dead Island
Dead Island: Riptide
Dead or Alive 5
Dead Rising
Dead Rising 2
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record
Dead to Rights: Retribution
Deadlight
Deadpool
Devil May Cry HD Collection
Devil May Cry 4
DmC: Devil May Cry
Dishonored
Dishwasher: Dead Samurai
Dishwasher: Vampire Smile
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Duke Nukem 3D
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
GoldenEye 007: Reloaded
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
Homefront
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Last Remnant
Lollipop Chainsaw
Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
Lord of the Rings: Conquest
Lord of the Rings: War in the North
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor: Warfighter
Metro 2033
Metro: Last Light
Painkiller: Hell & Damnation
Quake 4
Red Faction: Guerrilla
Remember Me
Resident Evil 4 HD
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil: Revelations
Shank
Simpsons Game
Singularity
Sleeping Dogs
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Soulcalibur IV
Soulcalibur V
Stranglehold
Tomb Raider
Transformers: The Game
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: War for Cybertron
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Turok
Wolfenstein
X-Blades
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z


XBOX
Area 51
Blood Omen 2
BloodRayne
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds
Call of Duty
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Darkwatch
Dead to Rights II
Deus Ex: Invisible War
Dino Crisis 3
Genma Onimusha
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
House of the Dead III
Indigo Prophecy
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire
007: Everything or Nothing
007: Nightfire
007: From Russia with Love
GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
Legacy of Kain: Defiance
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
Mafia
Medal of Honor: Frontline
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Medal of Honor: European Assault
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
Painkiller: Hell Wars
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Project: Snowblind
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 3
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Sniper Elite
Soul Calibur II
Suffering
Suffering: Ties That Bind
Thief: Deadly Shadows
True Crime: Streets of LA
True Crime: New York City
Unreal Championship
Unreal II: The Awakening
Van Helsing

OldBoy

Can you buy these bc games like Goldeneye: Reloaded for XBSX? I only see non purchasable for 360. If anyone has link I would really appreciate. Thanks in advance.

Music

Since it is a list of games that were not added as backwards compatible, no.

OldBoy

Ah.

Xander

Fuck. By the time I'm able to buy one, the next gen will have come out!

stingermck

Picked up the S over the weekend. Xbox has never been my main system, just a Halo machine, so I did not need the X. And the S was available

Music

Dan

Obligatory "Decker already owns all four of those!" post.

Music



davidh777

Xbox emailed me a Fortnite/Rocket League bundle offer… for the Series S.

Decker



Decker

Um what? You know I own a XSX, just traded in an XO and a XOX, and have renewed my GPU membership for the next three years. I might prefer PlayStation both with the console and some exclusives, but I own all three systems and enjoy them all. Plus I love Forza Horizon and am having a blast with the new one.

Music

Yes, of course I do. Just having fun with ya.

OldBoy

If I have an X/S in my games’ window prior to opening does that mean it is definitely XBSX optimized and should only run on an SSD drive or run to full capabilities on SSD? Thanks.

davidh777

My mother-in-law called to say that QVC seems to have the Series X in stock, and their website shows a bunch of different bundles. They’re all $1k+, though, with random combos of hardware, games, and ambiguous “vouchers,” so I’m assuming they have pretty significant markup.

SunMonkey

^ yeah, that is some scalping-level markups.