Xbox Series S Remains $250 Cheaper Than Series X as Hardware Gap Explains Price Difference

Microsoft's current Xbox consoles have become more expensive since launch, not cheaper nearly six years into the lifecycle. Engadget reported that the Xbox Series X and Series S have seen price increases in recent months. The PlayStation 5 also rose in price twice within a year, and the Nintendo Switch 2 received a higher price tag in 2026, largely because the ongoing RAMaggedon crisis has driven up component prices.

The main reason for the price difference is hardware. The Series S is a digital-only device without a disc drive. The Series X has a model without a disc drive that costs $50 less, but its other hardware remains the same. The digital-only design contributes somewhat to the Series S's lower price.

Storage also separates the two. The base Series S offers 512GB, and a 1TB model costs $100 more. The Series X includes 1TB of storage; Microsoft discontinued a 2TB Series X model in 2026. Both consoles can gain more storage through an expansion card that plugs into the back.

Performance specifications differ sharply. The Series X has 12 teraflops of processing power and targets 4K resolution, while the Series S has 4 teraflops and can reach 1440p in most games. Both can run at 120 fps. Both use a custom AMD Zen 2 CPU, but the Series X CPU is clocked higher, giving it an edge in speed. Both use an AMD RDNA 2 GPU, but the Series X version has 52 compute units while the Series S has 20.

Memory is another factor. The Series X has 16GB of RAM, with 10GB operating at 560 GB per second and 6GB at 336 GB/s. The Series S has 10GB of RAM, with 8GB at 224 GB/s and 2GB at 56 GB/s. Engadget described the Series X hardware as much more complex and capable, which contributes to its higher price.

For buyers, the choice depends on gaming style. If a player does not own physical games or largely plans to use Game Pass, the Series S's lack of a disc drive may not matter. If a player prefers disc-based game sales or wants to hold a game in their hands, the Series X is the better option.

The Series S is the more compact console, about 60 percent smaller than the Series X, making it easier to fit into an entertainment center. Game resolution and performance will be lower on the Series S, but the difference may not matter depending on the games played and the player's tolerance. The Series S supports 4K upscaling, not native 4K, and can achieve 120 fps in compatible titles. A performance purist who wants the best will want the Series X.

Engadget noted that buyers who do not want a console so late in its lifecycle could wait for Microsoft's Project Helix family. Those devices will almost certainly cost more than a Series X or Series S, and the scale of technical advancement between generations is unknown. Microsoft plans to start sending alpha Project Helix hardware to developers in 2027, which likely means at least another year before a final product is released.