Xbox Series X & S: Info, Release, Games & Backward Compatibility

In this guide to the new Xbox console generation "Series X & Series S" you will learn:

  • What makes the new Xbox consoles
  • Which hardware specs and features the Series X & Series S bring with them
  • Why there will be no exclusive titles for the time being
  • When and at what price the next Xbox generation will be available

Just like Sony with the PlayStation 5, Microsoft has already presented some details about the new console generation. The next console generation from Microsoft will directly start with two different consoles: Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. While the Series X is the powerful flagship model, the Series S is supposed to offer an affordable entry into the next gen.

Our Xbox guide tells you all the important information about the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

The new design of the Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S

The first thing that should catch your eye is the extraordinary and console-unusual design of the Xbox Series X. Unlike conventional consoles, the Series X doesn't lie flat on the floor, but rises up into the sky like a tower. It should still be possible to place the console vertically as well as horizontally.

The Series X is about as wide as the new Xbox controller, which looks like the Xbox One controller at first glance. However, there's much more to the console's tower-like appearance than simple design.

© Microsoft
The new design of the Xbox Series S
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The official Xbox site states that the console has been specially designed to keep the outgoing noise as low as possible. This is mainly to help bring about a deeper immersion.

The second console that Microsoft will launch in 2020 is the Xbox Series S. Compared to the Series X, it is completely white. Only the fan on the side is black. In addition, the Series S is 60 percent smaller than the Series X, but can also be placed vertically or horizontally.

Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S: Hardware specs in comparison

The official news from Microsoft states that the Series X is the fastest and most powerful console ever developed. The new Xbox Series X is supposed to set completely new standards in terms of performance, speed and compatibility.

The graphics unit is supposed to achieve a whole 12 TFLOPS. That's twice as much as the Xbox One X and eight times as much as the original Xbox One. The processor, on the other hand, is supposed to be four times as fast as the Xbox One. This should make native 4K resolution in games possible.

Microsoft is again working with chip manufacturer AMD for the Xbox Series X.

According to Windows Central, the Xbox Series S will only have 4 TFLOPS and thus offer a cheap entry into the next console generation. The Series S is supposed to offer a resolution of up to 1440p.

However, both consoles have hardware-accelerated ray tracing in real time and up to 120 FPS in games in common. The patented Variable Rate Shading technology (VRS) is supposed to enable developers to get even more out of the Xbox's processor, and a next-generation SSD is supposed to virtually eliminate load times and thus transport gamers into the virtual world incredibly quickly.

With the so-called Quick Resume feature, you should also be able to pause multiple games in the background and return to the desired game without waiting.

Xbox Series X specifications at a glance:

  • CPU: 8 core 3.8 GHz with 3.6 GHz/SMT Custom Zen 2 CPU
  • GPU: 12 teraflops, 52 CUs @ 1.825 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU
  • RAM: 16GB GGDDR6 (10GB @ 560 GB/s & 6GB @ 336 GB/s)
  • Storage: 1TB Custom NVME SSD
  • Drive: 4K Ultra-HD Blu-Ray
  • Expandable storage: 1TB expansion card available & USB 3.2 External HDD supported

Xbox Series S specifications at a glance:

  • CPU: 8 core 3.6GHz with 3.4GHz/SMT Custom Zen 2 CPU
  • GPU: 4 Teraflops, 20 CUs @ 1.565 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU
  • RAM: 10GB GGDDR6 (8GB @ 224GB/s & 2GB @ 56GB/s)
  • Storage: 512GB Custom NVME SSD (expandable by 1TB card)
  • Drive: not available
  • Expandable storage: 1TB expansion card available

For comparison, here's the official hardware specs for the PlayStation 5.

Are Xbox Series X & S backwards compatible?

Good news for all long-term fans of the Xbox! Just like the Xbox One, the new Xbox generation will be backwards compatible with all Xbox generations.

According to Phil Spencer, all Xbox One games, as well as all Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles already playable on the Xbox One, will be playable on the Series X as well as Series S. Whether more Xbox 360 titles will be supported on the Xbox Series X & S in the future is not yet known.

Thus, a large number of Xbox games will already be available at the launch! However, the compatibility does not only affect the games, but also the hardware of the Xbox One, such as the controllers, which was never the case before.

The new Xbox controller

Many gamers agree that the Xbox controllers are among the best controllers on the market. The new controllers therefore rely on the tried and tested ergonomic design and a few new features.

In March 2020, Microsoft delivered new details about the Xbox Series One pad. The RB/LB and RT/LT buttons will feature an uneven dimpled surface, which should provide increased grip. There has also been more focus on compatibility, as the new controller should work without issue on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Project xClound streaming service, and popular smartphones.

Thus, the new Xbox controller does not need to be set up every time you change devices, but saves the connection to multiple platforms. The connection between console and gamepad is possible via USB-C or Bluetooth.

It was already known that the new controller comes with a "share button""The team at Microsoft most likely took a leaf out of the PlayStation controller's book. The Share button will allow you to easily take screenshots or share recordings from your games.

The new Share button is located in the center of the new controller, right between the D-pad and joystick. The other "new feature", which is already known from the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller (), is the special D-Pad. The special feature of the D-Pad is that it has more than four directions.

Release date: When will Xbox Series X & S be released?

Microsoft already announced the official release date of the new Xbox Series X at E3 2019. According to this, the successor to the Xbox One should make it to retail in the run-up to Christmas 2020.

Sony's PlayStation 5 will also be released in the same period. Thus, we can once again expect an exciting head-to-head race between the console manufacturers.

After the official hardware specs of the Xbox Series X were announced in March 2020, Microsoft confirmed on August 11 that the Xbox Series X will be released in November 2020.

Windows Central reported on September 7, 2020, that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are scheduled for release on November 10, 2020. The information is said to come from trusted sources. As soon as there is official info from Microsoft, we will of course update the article.

The price: How much will the Xbox Series X and Series S cost?

The price question is interesting because Microsoft has to make sure not to repeat the same mistake that happened with the launch of the original Xbox One. This was around 100 Euros more expensive compared to the PlayStation 4, which was also new at the time - and with weaker hardware (at the time).

The Xbox One X was the current top model of the Microsoft console.

On September 8, Microsoft not only officially presented the Xbox Series S, but also directly named the price of the weaker next-gen console: The Series S will cost 299 Euros.

However, Microsoft is still silent about the price of the Xbox Series X. However, Windows Central's sources assume that the premium model - Xbox Series X - will cost $499 (probably €499 for us).

Will the new Xbox still have a Blu-ray drive?

The thought that Microsoft could come up with the idea of doing away with the internal disc drive in their new generation of consoles in the face of their own streaming services is probably already making gamers break out in a sweat.

The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition released in 2019 could have been a harbinger for the Xbox One successor. This lower-priced version of the Xbox One is Microsoft's first console without an optical drive.

However, we can give the all-clear. Microsoft has confirmed a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox Series X, and the first pictures also show a drive. The cheaper Xbox Series S will, however, do without a drive and will thus only be able to access games from the Xbox Online Store or the Xbox Game Pass game lineup.

Xbox Series X games: No exclusive titles at launch?

Matt Booty - Head of Xbox Game Studios - revealed in an interview with MCV that all first party titles will be of the Xbox Series X will also be released on the Xbox One in the first and possibly even in the second year after the release of the next-gen console.

Thus, there will effectively be no exclusive titles on the Xbox Series X & S for the time being. Owners of an Xbox One S or One X will also be able to enjoy announced titles like Halo Infinite and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2. Thus, Microsoft plans to continue supplying its existing platforms with fresh content. Whether this plan will work out and enough people will still opt for the new hardware remains to be seen.

Phil Spencer explains the Smart Delivery system, as Microsoft calls it, in more detail. You will only have to buy all first-party titles from Microsoft once to be able to play them on the Xbox One and Series X/S.

The system is also open to third party developers should they release their titles on Xbox One first and Xbox Series X later. However, no publisher will be forced to use the system.

You can find all the games announced so far in our big Xbox Series X game guide.

Will the Xbox Game Pass be available on the Xbox Series X/S?

Yes, Xbox Game Pass - the Netflix for video games - will also give you a variety of games on the Xbox Series X/S for a monthly fee.

First-party titles from Microsoft will also continue to be available on Game Pass right at launch. Phil Spencer cites Halo Infinite as an example here, which is scheduled for release on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S in 2021.

Xbox Series X vs. PlayStation 5: Next Gen consoles in comparison

If you're still not sure which representative of the next console generation should be under this year's Christmas tree, we offer an article on the PlayStation 5, where you can find all the info and leaks on Sony's next console.

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