The Xbox Series S initially launched as a more affordable way to enjoy the current generation of gaming. As more games have come out, Xbox Cloud Gaming gained capabilities and titles, and as accessories have rolled out, the Xbox Series S has become an even better value. The biggest thing holding back the console was its 512GB of built-in storage. Microsoft addressed that issue with the Xbox Series S 1TB Carbon, which doubles the console's storage and has a sleek new color.
Now, thanks to a deal that brings the Xbox Series S back to its lowest price ever, you can grab the Xbox Series S 1 TB Carbon Black for $299.99. That's $50 off its retail price and only a bit more than the Xbox Series S with only 512GB of storage (the difference varies based on current deals on the Xbox Series S 512GB).
Xbox Series S review highlights
The Xbox Series S has been around since 2020, so it's a worthwhile question to ask how the console stacks up in 2024. The good news for those looking to pick up an Xbox Series S today is that it's still an excellent choice for gamers on a budget.
Microsoft hasn't changed the Xbox Series S over the years, apart from a new color option and a 1TB model being available. The Xbox Series S still focuses on being affordable while delivering a current-gen gaming experience. Depending on the game you're playing, you should be able to get between 1080p and 1440p performance from the Xbox Series S.
While the resolution of gameplay on the Xbox Series S is lower than that of its powerhouse Xbox Series X sibling, the more affordable console has modern benefits, like its NVMe SSD that's the same as that on the Xbox Series X. That lowers loading times dramatically when compared to previous consoles.
In our Xbox Series S review (2024), our Jennifer Young explained she uses the Xbox Series S much more than the Xbox Series X, despite owning both consoles.
"In general, even though I have both the Xbox Series X and S at home, I find myself using my Xbox Series S around 90% of the time. I don't prioritize 4K visuals; instead, I simply want to play and enjoy the latest Xbox games in any room of my choosing. The portability of the Xbox Series S provides me with that flexibility. For more casual users, I highly recommend this console due to its incredible price point."
The biggest drawback of the Xbox Series S is the low amount of storage in the base model. Modern games are quite large, so it's easy to fill up 512GB of storage. That's not as much of an issue with the 1TB model that's on sale right now.
Expanding the storage of the Xbox Series S is easy with the Seagate Xbox Series X|S Storage Expansion Card, but it's also expensive. It's probably best to just grab a console with more built-in storage.
Other Xbox Series S deals
While the above deal through Dell is the best price we've seen for the Xbox Series S 1TB Carbon Black, it's not the lowest price on an Xbox Series S in general. Amazon has a bundle that includes three free months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. You can also get the Xbox Series S by itself for $248.99 through Walmart.
Depending on your budget and how you plan to use the Xbox Series S, any of these deals could be the best Xbox Series S deal, but I'd say paying about $50 more for double the storage is worth it, even when factoring in the other bundled items or a sale price.
