Following the Xbox Series X, we got our hands on the new generation of Microsoft's junior console, which caused so much controversy on the network. With next-gen gaming on the horizon, the lower-end Xbox Series S seems like a great option for gamers who haven't got an expensive 4K OLED TV and aren't keen on paying extra for a disc drive and more powerful hardware. The low-cost console is capable of delivering a maximum resolution of 1440p, while all projects of the so-called "starter line" like Gears 5 are optimized for the Series S and usually take up 20-30% less disk space. This will allow us to hope that in the future, with the advent of really cool and beautiful projects, the console will not lose its relevance. Roughly speaking, it will be like now with a competitor — they take the usual PS4 for FullHD, PS4 Pro for 4K.
Console rated at 1440p + 60 FPS
But what do we see now? Gears 5 does indeed run at 1440p and 60 FPS, however dynamic scaling is used which makes it hard to judge the actual resolution. Other popular Microsoft titles, Forza Horizon 4 and Sea of Thieves only support Full HD. At the same time, Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Touryst run at 4K/60 FPS like on the older console. And Watch Dogs: Legion even has ray tracing, but the quality of textures and shadows has been significantly reduced. It seems that the quality of games on the Xbox Series S will depend on the degree of developer interest.
Stylish small
Perhaps, Microsoft chose the price tag and design as the main points of pressure on the buyer. $300 bucks for a pandemic versus $500 for regular boxing is a serious claim to success. In addition, it was the Xbox Series S that turned out to be the most beautiful among all nextgen. If the curling iron looks like a heater from the starship Enterprise, and the Xbox X looks like a refrigerator, the younger Xbox S resembles an old vintage radio. A thin, light and small white box, in the centre of which a grid of black "speakers" flaunts. Only it is not music that flows out of it, but excess heat from the cooling system. Throw in the cheapness of an Xbox GamePass subscription and you've got an perfect option, not for avid gamers, but for people who sometimes want to launch a new high-profile toy and pass a couple of evenings behind it.
