Peace be upon you, and welcome. Back in 2022, the Xbox Series S was referred to as the best gaming device for its price. Now, in 2025, the question is, does that still hold true? After a solid month of gaming exclusively on the Series S, it is time for a deep dive into experiences. We are looking at whether this console remains the top budget choice for gaming.
The Xbox Series S: A Look Back and a Look Forward
The original review of the Series S was super popular, garnering over a million views, which says a lot about this device. At launch, the Series S was an incredible value: low price, widely available, and with Game Pass. It was pretty much a no-brainer. But since then, some people have referred to it as weak and even a disaster. Is that justified?
The Series S is less powerful than the PS5 and Series X. It sports roughly a third of the graphical grunt as its big brothers and 45 percent less RAM, which can mean delays for some games, as evidenced by challenges with Baldur's Gate 3. And while development on PlayStation is more unified, where the Series S and X differ in specification, it's just not that black and white.
It's not all about hardware power. The core architecture and processor are identical to the more powerful devices. Just look at the Steam Deck: significantly weaker and yet a huge success. The Nintendo Switch, literally weaker than many smartphones, still outsells the PS5, Series X, and Xbox overall, while pulling in some of the best ratings and awards.
Putting the Series S to the Test: 2025 Edition
The Series S was pushed to its limits with the latest titles:
- Hellblade 2: This visually amazing game ran smoothly, but at a lower resolution. It's a tech demo of Unreal Engine 5 audio/visual rather than great gameplay.
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor: The other big title that ran faultlessly. It's a steady 30fps and, most importantly, part of Game Pass.
- Fortnite: Ran a stable 120 FPS; some fluctuation in the graphics thanks to the update with Unreal Engine 5. A still-strong competitive experience, even with mouse and keyboard.
- Warzone: The game has a 120 FPS mode, but it fluctuated between 70-80 FPS. The keyboard and mouse experience were still solid.
The Series S's Downsides in 2025
After about a month, two clear issues emerged:
- Storage Pains: Storage on the Series S is still a problem. With modern, large games, you’re limited to maybe 2-3 titles. A mix of old and new games might stretch to 6-7 titles. The usable space hovers around 350-500GB which just isn't enough in 2025. Microsoft offers a 1TB version, but it increases the price. At that level, the PS5 Digital Edition becomes a better option. Expanding storage is also not logical due to high costs.
- The Controller: Battery Blues: The controller of the Xbox is great, comfortable, and well-placed with good button placement, but the battery system is irksome. Either AA batteries need replacing every so often, or the rechargeable ones-sometimes defective and sold at high prices-may work for just about two hours max. And over time, having to buy new AA batteries once in a while does become annoying.
Why the Series S is Not a Must Buy in 2025
With changes in the market, the recommendation now is no longer a must-buy for all due to a couple reasons.
Value and Availability: Still Strong
The Series S remains a great value, particularly when paired with Game Pass, and it's still widely available. These points have not changed.
The State of PC Gaming in 2025
The game-changer is the PC gaming landscape. Gone is the mining crisis that made PCs prohibitively expensive in 2022. Now, you can build excellent PCs at reasonable prices. You may not be able to build a new PC at the same power and price as a new Series S, but now's the time to invest in a PC.
You get a device with much more potential for only a bit more than a Series S: the full Game Pass experience, competitive gaming at high framerates, and access to Sony exclusives. A PC goes way beyond gaming: it's for working, producing content, studying, browsing, and so on.
Note: The Series S is still a great option for casual gamers. If you're a parent looking for something super easy and plug-and-play, then it's perfect. But you guys-my readers? A full lean into PC is in order.
Final Thoughts
That's it for this updated review of the Xbox Series S in 2025. It's still a good, budget-friendly option, but not the no-brainer must-buy it was upon its release. Affordable PC gaming has changed the game.
