Xbox Series S: The Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S (collectively, the Xbox Series X/S[b]) are home video game consoles developed by Microsoft. They were both released on November 10, 2020, as the fourth generation of the Xbox console family, succeeding the Xbox One. Along with Sony's PlayStation 5, also released in November 2020, the Xbox Series X and Series S are part of the ninth generation of video game consoles.[3]
Rumors regarding the consoles first emerged in early 2019, with the line as a whole codenamed "Scarlett" and consisting of high-end and lower-end models codenamed "Anaconda" and "Lockhart" respectively; "Anaconda" was teased by Microsoft during E3 2019 under the codename "Project Scarlett", and unveiled during The Game Awards in December as Xbox Series X. On September 8, 2020, Microsoft unveiled the lower-end model, Xbox Series S.
As with the Xbox One line, the consoles utilize an AMD CPU and GPU. Both models feature a new storage architecture based around solid-state drives to reduce loading times, support for hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and spatial audio, the ability to convert games to high-dynamic-range (HDR) color using machine learning ("Auto HDR"), support for HDMI 2.1 variable refresh rate and low-latency modes, and updated controllers. Xbox Series X was designed to nominally render games in 2160p (4K resolution) at 60 frames per second (FPS). The lower-end Xbox Series S, which has reduced specifications and does not include an optical drive, was designed to nominally render games in 1440p at 60 FPS, with support for 4K upscaling.
Xbox Series X and Series S are backwards-compatible with nearly all Xbox One-compatible games and accessories (including Xbox 360 and original Xbox games that were made backward-compatible with Xbox One), with the ability for games to automatically benefit from performance and visual improvements enabled by the newer hardware. At launch, Microsoft encouraged a "soft" transition between generations similar to PC gaming, offering the "Smart Delivery" framework to allow publishers to freely and automatically provide upgraded versions of Xbox One titles with optimizations for Xbox Series X and S. Publishers are not required to use Smart Delivery, and may publish Xbox Series X/S-exclusive titles if they so choose.
Xbox Series X and S received a mixed to positive critical reception on launch, with critics praising the hardware specifications of the Series X in comparison to older Xbox One models, and Microsoft's emphasis on cross-generation releases, but believing that the games available at launch did not fully leverage the hardware capabilities of the consoles. Microsoft has not officially released sales data for the Xbox Series X and S, but stated on July 27, 2021 that they were the fastest-selling Xbox models to-date, and it was estimated that Microsoft had shipped at least 12 million units of the two consoles worldwide by the end of 2021.
By using our affiliate links we may receive compensation for purchases through those links.
