Xbox Series X vs Series S: Which Xbox Should You Buy in 2026?
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Our top picks
- Best overall
View on AmazonMost people: a $498 digital Xbox with a controller, 120 FPS and a small box
Read more - Best Shoppers who want a disc drive, true 4K and 1 TB of storage
View on AmazonShoppers who want a disc drive, true 4K and 1 TB of storage
Read more
Most people should get the Xbox Series S. It costs $300 less, comes from Amazon, and plays up to 120 FPS. Get the Xbox Series X if you want a disc drive, true 4K and 1 TB of storage.
We compared the best-selling listing of each console that Amazon sells new today, both sold by Amazon.com. The 1 TB Series S and the digital Series X are separate listings that we did not open, and a Series X listing sold used by a third-party seller was set aside.
How this pick was made
Xbox Series S | Digital Gaming Console | 512GB SSD | Includes Wireless Controller, 1440P Gaming, 120FPS, Robot White is the top pick. This is the work behind that choice.
- 2Amazon search results read, across 1 search
- 2finalist pages read in full
- 16shopper reviews read
- 1expert source cross-checked: Microsoft
Run on October 17, 2026. AI read the listings and what shoppers say, then wrote this guide. Full method and limits
Our picks in detail
Xbox Series S | Digital Gaming Console | 512GB SSD | Includes Wireless Controller, 1440P Gaming, 120FPS, Robot White
Best for: Most people: a $498 digital Xbox with a controller, 120 FPS and a small box
- $498.00
- Pros $300 less than the Series X, and sold by Amazon
- Cons No disc drive, so it plays digital games only
Prices and ratings as of October 17, 2026.
Pros and cons
Best Shoppers who want a disc drive, true 4K and 1 TB of storage
Xbox Series X | Disc Gaming Console | 1TB SSD | Includes Wireless Controller, 4K Gaming, 120FPS, Carbon Black
- $798.00
- Pros Three times the power of the Series S, per the listing
- Cons It costs $300 more than the Series S
Prices and ratings as of October 17, 2026.
Pros and cons
Compare the picks
Prices and ratings as of October 17, 2026. They change often, so check today's price on Amazon.
| Picture | Product | Outcome | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Xbox Series S | Digital Gaming Console | 512GB SSD | Includes Wireless Controller, 1440P Gaming, 120FPS, Robot WhiteStorage: 512 GB (1 TB edition also sold) · Disc drive: None, all-digital · Power: 4 teraflops · Weight: 6.71 lb | Price $498.00 | Not listed | Rating Not listed | Not listed | Winner. Best for: Most people: a $498 digital Xbox with a controller, 120 FPS and a small box |
| 2 |  | Xbox Series X | Disc Gaming Console | 1TB SSD | Includes Wireless Controller, 4K Gaming, 120FPS, Carbon BlackStorage: 1 TB · Disc drive: Yes, plays 4K UHD Blu-ray · Power: 12 teraflops · Weight: 13.07 lb | Price $798.00 | Not listed | Rating Not listed | Not listed | Best for: Shoppers who want a disc drive, true 4K and 1 TB of storage |
The short version
- Want the lowest price? The Xbox Series S is $498.00 against $798.00.
- Own discs, or want to watch Blu-rays? Only the Xbox Series X has a drive.
- Play on a 4K TV? The Series X lists true 4K. The Series S listing’s spec table says 4K while its title says 1440P.
- Short on shelf space? The Series S weighs 6.71 lb. The Series X weighs 13.07 lb.
- Install many big games? 512 GB runs out fast. The Series X has 1 TB, and both take a storage expansion card, per Microsoft.
How to choose between them
Microsoft’s compare page lists both consoles with the same four generations of games, Quick Resume, Game Pass access and the same storage expansion card. The differences are the ones on the listings: power, the drive, storage and size. Read the page as the maker’s own view.
- Price. The Series S is $498.00 and the Series X $798.00 today.
- Seller. Amazon.com sells both.
- Power. The Series S lists 4 teraflops and the Series X 12.
- Drive. The Series S is digital only. The Series X plays discs and 4K UHD Blu-ray.
- Storage. 512 GB against 1 TB.
- In the box. Both include one wireless controller, a power cable and AA batteries.
What owners complain about
- On the Xbox Series S: storage that fills quickly, controllers that wear out or arrive faulty, random controller disconnects, and games that run slowly through Xbox cloud on it, per one owner.
- On the Xbox Series X: crashes even after factory resets and sudden shutdowns in Amazon’s summary, a price one owner calls expensive, and mix-ups with third-party sellers on a sibling listing.
- On both: the controller is the part owners replace first.
What we left out, and why
We read two listings and 16 reviews.
- Xbox Series S 1 TB. A separate $598.00 listing seen on the search page. We did not open it.
- Xbox Series X digital 1 TB. A separate $748.00 listing. We did not open it.
- A Series X sold used by a third party. Set aside because it had no new offer.
- PlayStation 5. A different console. See our PS5 vs Xbox comparison.
How we researched
On October 17, 2026 we read the Amazon listing pages for the Xbox Series X 1TB disc console and the Xbox Series S 512GB digital console. We read each page's bullets and specs, Amazon's review summaries and the reviews we could see. We also read Microsoft's Xbox console comparison page and checked Google's top results for this question. AI wrote this guide from that research.
None of the visible Series X reviews and none of the visible Series S US reviews were 1 to 3 stars, so most complaints come from Amazon's summaries and critical lines inside 4 and 5 star reviews. The Series X rating pools five years of reviews from several countries, and its spec table calls the model "Internacional". The Series S rating pools its 512 GB and 1 TB editions, which are separate listings. We did not read the 1 TB Series S or the digital Series X. Microsoft's page is the maker's own comparison, so we use it for the designs and not for opinions.
Prices, ratings and review counts come from Amazon and were read on October 17, 2026.
Sources
- Microsoft: Compare Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S consoles, read October 17, 2026
Why trust TwelveTabs
- What this guide rests on: 2 Amazon search results, 16 shopper reviews and 1 expert source.
- No brand paid for a place on this list.
- Dated, not timeless: the research was read and this page updated on October 17, 2026.
- The limits of the research are written down, in how we researched.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Series X worth $300 more than the Series S?
Only if you want a disc drive, true 4K or 1 TB of storage. For a digital player on a 1080p or 1440p TV, the Series S is enough.
Can the Series S play discs?
No. Its listing says the console does not play physical discs.
Do both play the same games?
Yes. Microsoft’s page lists four generations of games and the same Game Pass access for both.
How did TwelveTabs choose between them?
We read the Amazon listings for one Series X and one Series S, their spec lists, Amazon’s review summaries and the reviews we could see, plus Microsoft’s comparison page. We put the facts side by side and checked each against its listing.
For a TV to go with either console, see our best TVs for PS5.
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