Xbox Series S Review (2023) - Should You Buy One?

#xbox #seriess #xboxseriess
Hello everyone, I've been playing the Xbox series S for over 2 months now and I'm seriously impressed. Find out why this is the best next generation gaming console you can buy at such a great price.
Follow me on Twitter: @rataulmanny
Follow me on Instagram: @mannyrataul
Buy The Xbox Series S: amzn.to/3JfSWvT
Xbox Series S Seagate Expansion: amzn.to/3KVjhkp
Expandable SSD: amzn.to/3ZuSHmI
Equipment Used to Record Video
1. Sony a6400 Mirrorless Camera: amzn.to/3Cqk1bX
2. Sigma 16mm Sony E Mount Prime Lens: amzn.to/3jIGB9i
3. Sigma 30mm Sony E Mount Prime Lens: amzn.to/3Qjfxtn
4. Deity Shotgun Mic: amzn.to/3WPqxBd
Timestamps:
0:00-Intro
0:59-Xbox Series S Unboxing
1:16-Ports and Storage
2:50-Cooling and Fans
3:16-Controller
4:15-Specs
5:25-Gameplay and Features
6:50-Online Features and GamePass
8:06-Media Capabilities
8:59-SPECIAL FEATURE!
9:40-Worth Buying?
P.S. If you decide to purchase items listed above through my links I do get a kick back but at no additional cost to you.

[@jeffchua2228]

Being a Playstation gamer since Playstation 1, I am thinking of jumping into next gen gaming and I see the Xbox Series S as the best option for me since being married and starting a family I am always on a budget.

[@MannyRataul]

The Xbox Series S is a very economical next gen console! I play it more than my PS5

[@DETERMINOLOGY]

With gaming on pc mostly with a 1440p monitor, The xbox series S would be the way to go honestly if i was to buy one.

[@TheEricJBotelho84]

I have the 1TB Series S and I love it, it does what it’s supposed to do, play games and stream videos/movies

[@brother8127]

I was having ps4 pro after I upgraded to Xbox series s I enjoyed so much, Fan sound not louder like ps4 pro, 4K 60fps without drop frame, fast loud time.

[@ashwinbhat95]

Great review, nice to see that you hit every aspect of the console! I have a PS5, and am considering buying this as a secondary console and as a Gamepass/Emulation machine. I might end up buying a pre-owned one for cheap! Thanks again.

[@MannyRataul]

Thanks for watching!

[@kingsmith3701]

I did the exact same. I fully support that decision. Make sure that you buy 12 months of Xbox live good then convert that to Xbox game pass ultimate for $1 so you will have 12 months of gamepass for $66

[@kawashnasim5463]

I bought it recently for £170 like $207 brand new, love it and is more than enough for me as a casual weekend player with a 10 year old tv. Thought of getting the series x but couldn’t even take advantage of it cause of the tv.

[@MannyRataul]

Solid purchase!

[@juggles5474]

Great review. I personally don’t care at all about counting pixels or frames per second or whatever, I just want to play the games that are coming out, so the S seems like a no brainer in my case

[@angelopebs]

Worth the money honestly if you just wanna game

[@viktorpanayotov5653]

Props for mentioning Edge on the Series S. A lot of people don't give it enough credit. I also use it a lot. Sometimes for watching TV too.

[@JosueTheBigot]

I'm also a PC gamer. My system will be down for a few weeks, so I picked up a Series S. I'm actually having a blast with it. I'm even considering getting a Series X for my living room television. Thx for the vid!

[@MannyRataul]

Im happy you found it helpful!

[@manny5848]

Verizon had these for $150.00 that was a steal !

[@MannyRataul]

150?!!!? THATS A CRAZY DEAL!!

[@Narkissos_1]

the biggest problem for me is the storage but with a hd is manageable , still can hold in the internal memory many games like wo long, atomic hearth , H legacy , saints row , f1 2022, dead space 1 OG with all the dlc's, red dead redemption 1 + zombie , fallgs and i have 8-9gb's left. latter with forza motosports and starfield that is games that ppl gonna have for years in the system i can see ppl struggling.

[@chriswright8074]

Biggest problem is Xbox one games play in Xbox one s specs

[@BigsmileH]

Memory cards are finally coming down in price.

[@mysticaladventuresofficial]

just bought one today. super informative video!

[@dahlilaliddell8191]

I gotta wait two weeks until I’m able to buy it so I’m counting down the days😂🥰

[@albiinengbeerg]

Yes you should! Bought at the launch and it’s a lot more impressing than a ps5 due to its size

[@WaynesWorldUnlimited]

I first purchased the series S about 11 months ago and it was brilliant. I still have it I don’t use it as much. Because five months ago I purchased a series X

[@MannyRataul]

How do you like the X? Thinking of getting it just to give it a try and compare.

[@calebd7371]

Had the Series S for right at 1 1/2 years and I gotta say it was a little beast…. However I have to admit that the Series X is by far the better console and worth the upgrade since having one now

[@jazzbrew68]

I have a PS5 but as a fan of the Gears of War series alone I'll be buying a Series X since my XBox One finally croaked.

[@_pnwmike_2067]

I’m a PlayStation guy always have been, that being said I have lots of family that play on xbox so I’ve always kind of missed out on that. After buying a ps5 I couldn’t justify buying a series X due to price so I got a S so I can play some games with out of state family and I have to say I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the little console, easy to store because of size, quiet, fast, Graphics aren’t as good as my ps5 (obviously) but they look amazing for the price. All in all I would say it’s definitely a great little console but the storage holds it back a ton. If you are a Xbox gamer then the X will be worth my bang for your buck but for someone like me that just wants a backup console this is perfect. (Also Gamepass is awesome)

[@MannyRataul]

Honestly this is the best explanation for the series s

[@_pnwmike_2067]

@@MannyRataul thank you! Loved the video!

[@scorpthe]

Love how it disappears from the shelf and goes back while it's owner don't even notice it 😂

[@MannyRataul]

It was part of the plan 😂

[@garymoon6230]

Nice review but some next gen aware games will run off the hdd external drive, assassin's creed origins and oddyssey have the x s enhanced badge but do run off a hard drive and you still get the 1080p 60fps so some x s games do run off a HDD,try it.

[@MannyRataul]

Thanks for the tip!

[@garymoon6230]

@@MannyRataul only works with certain x s games,zombie army 4 runs off HDD aswell still giving you 1080p 60fps,just the loading is slower.

[@SachinSharma-it9pe]

What’s the best/not too expensive monitor I can buy to make this console really shine. I’m playing hogwarts legacy right now and I want a better display.

[@MannyRataul]

Preferably a monitor that is at least 1440p and has a high a refresh rate (120hz or higher) is a good baseline for a gaming monitor. There are many many options available

[@Narkissos_1]

tbh if u are talking for the series S , even 1080p with 120+ hz with vrr or free syn premium its fine. i think samsung odysey g3 and g5 24-27 should be fine for desk gaming for fps etc.

[@fredshannon8110]

Hi Manny, your Xbox series S is different from mine. Mine is a few years old and I can put game disc's in my Xbox series S plus it has a TB of space. I'm a little confused.

[@MannyRataul]

You probable have the Xbox One S, which is the previous generation. The Series (s and x) is the most current generation of Xbox. Unfortunately it can be quite confusing with the naming done by Microsoft.

[@BigsmileH]

The best value in gaming!!

[@devillovexxx]

Months ago i sold my xbsx bcs i need for money..i alrdy have ps5..and i dont play xbsx too much...now i bought xbss bcs i miss the gamepass and play starfield..yeah the downside xbss is storage and if you want to add storage yes its really unconvinence in terms of pricing of the ssd external..overall its good to have back, its really compact lightweight and doesnt use lot of spacea nd i play only on 1080p monitor..if u are casual gamer want to jump in xbox gaming casually not need dvd drive then this is good for u..

[@Babaywayne93]

Am thinking of buying one today

[@MannyRataul]

Nice!

[@Babaywayne93]

@@MannyRataul am home now with the xbox setting up I feel so happy about it

[@liv7980]

Definitely worth it had it for a year with no problems

[@sterlingruth5623]

How much do you think it will be on Black Friday this year

[@MannyRataul]

It may go on sale for $299 with a bundle, but nothing is for certain

[@kaiulbricht1156]

I have a Xbox Series X 💚 and ilove it 😌✌🏻🇩🇪

[@Alexander_Bahgheera]

Just snagged one and I’m rocking DESTINY 2 , though I am new, the community seems super nice and supportive 😮🎉❤

[@nicholasbrown1436]

I have a ps5 I might buy xbox series s for gamepass and shooters

[@cojeda-jm5yz]

What tvs you recommend for series s? I am thinking of getting a 4K (not just for gaming) but the fact that the series s is not a true 4K console

[@MannyRataul]

The best bang for buck right now is a 1440p monitor with a high refresh rate!

[@Flameville]

I’m only thinking of one for starfield but bugthesda has me wondering if I should buy the X instead

[@Harvz78]

Only 2 Call of Duty games can be install. 2 games. Might as well buy the X instead of buying expansion card for S.

[@MannyRataul]

Call of duty games are notorious for extremely large file sizes, that is not indicative of other games.

[@Loophole23742]

I got game pass ultimate for a whole month for £1. Couldn’t believe it. I’m going to cancel it after the trial period, though. I already pay monthly for Netflix,Amazon prime and KZbin prime. I’ve been playing games by streaming them directly through the cloud on my Xbox one x. It feels fast enough. Don’t see any need to get a series s. Got a few games lined up in my play next list. So far I’ve sampled life is strange true colour and injustice 2. Both loaded fast and ran perfectly. Microsoft must be struggling to be giving people game pass ultimate for only £1. Personally I prefer to have physical copies of games. Just thought I’d check out game pass because the last time I used it was when I had a free subscription for 3 months of the basic game pass when I first got my one x back in Feb 2019. I don’t think it had the streaming feature back then and I couldn’t be bothered to spend ages downloading games to play.

[@jeffreyfricke2304]

Xbox one games also works on HDDs and you can put Xbox series x/s on the HDDS you just have to transfer games to the actual Xbox when you want to play them

[@MicahDoesIt]

I saw an Xbox series s at the local own shop by my work for $180 should I buy it.. I have a ps5 digital and Xbox one s

[@MannyRataul]

Great deal!

[@adm712]

Being a Series S owner since day 1, I've watched countless review videos during the past 2 and a half years. I have to say, I think your review was the best one I've seen yet. As far as the console, it's ok. The positive is the graphic quality. I use this machine for Flight Simulator, and it runs this demanding program excellent. The negative is that the wifi connectivity can be very glitchy at times. You can get around this with an Ethernet cable, but still, it can be annoying. Overall, the system does not suck, but it's not fantastic either. It's ok.

[@MannyRataul]

Im really happy you found it a great video!

[@Tetsuya_EyeToe]

Lol the wifi is the same as a X...this makes no sense.

[@adm712]

@@Tetsuya_EyeToe It does make sense as the connection settings got messed up which was corrected. You can either connect to wifi automatically or manually. Somehow this got messed up but corrected.

[@NSGLV4]

Its just a matter of time before the launch of the upgraded black model which is more powerful than the base model!

[@MannyRataul]

When is that launching?!

[@NSGLV4]

@@MannyRataul The first of September! 😊😊😊✌🏿✌🏿✌🏿

[@jeffreyfricke2304]

I think it's the same hardware just the storage is bigger

[@___AWFUL___]

It’s the same console just with 1 tb of storage I believe

[@mojtabasheikhi8208]

If you can help me to buy a game console, please, I want to buy XSS and I just want to play FIFA game and it is important for me that it runs until the end of the generation with 1080 quality, do you think this console is suitable for me to buy? ?

[@MannyRataul]

For 1080p? Absolutely buy this for Fifa you will have no issues

[@kartikeyupreti007]

Can now New-gen fifa 23 run on an "xbox Series-S" with "120fps" at atleast 1080p with variable refresh rate now or is the game is capped at 60 fps. Really in need of this info for a purchase decision.

[@MannyRataul]

Only if your TV or Monitor support it

[@kartikeyupreti007]

@@MannyRataul what about tv monitor every thing is capable but the game itself locked at 60fps like many games on series s are but not on series and goes 120 fps full, just want to know is this case or not, have u tried your series S with a high re fresh monitor tv or as you have series S already can u try, i will be a huge help. thank you

[@mohammadrafid5203]

will gta 6 run on it when released?

[@maplemoonplayz6290]

Question, do you need a Xbox console to connect to a PC, or can you just buy a controller and connect to the pc without the console?

[@MannyRataul]

Are you just trying to use the controller to play PC games?

[@maplemoonplayz6290]

@@MannyRataul Yeah

[@richardphillips8316]

Yes well worth it. Cannot go wrong. 🙂👍

[@_n8thagr8_63]

if i didn't have a pc i'd get one

[@zerosyks9255]

I got my series x for 350...at the pawn shop. Lol

[@robertbrown3984]

Will a Xbox series s EU Version will it work in the United States?

[@MannyRataul]

Yes, Microsoft does not region lock their consoles.

[@Chertograad]

The power adapter plug will be different

[@ryanzyla]

I like my Series S.... However I am getting annoyed hearing about quick resume. Its like thats all Xbox has to brag about. Backwards compatibility and Emulation are major sellers..

[@MannyRataul]

Its a pretty significant feature that other consoles and even the PC doesn’t have so its a huge marketing point for Microsoft

[@Narkissos_1]

bruh quick resume and play anywhere is the best features xbox has. u are pressing a button and u can resume your game from your console , pc , ipad , phone in like 20 sec overall.

[@vaporjoes]

There are issues with the S and newer games coming out. Bouldersgate is an example. There is no Series X/S version because they cant get it to run proper on Series S. Microsoft has a rule that all games must have the same features on the X and S versions, thus they cant release it until they make these work arounds. I owned a S for a while and never had any issues. I upgraded to the X when it was on Amazon for retail price. Couldnt resist.

[@MannyRataul]

This is very good to know! Thanks for sharing. I will be giving a flagship console a try next, most likely the PS5 to see how much of a difference there is between both the Xbox Series S and X. I've always been a playstation guy and they are finally starting to come back in stock

[@Narkissos_1]

dont trust everything u read or some ytbers selling. i have a pc and a series S they coop great with game pass ultimate. for the bg3 that is a pc game since 2020 this is the min req Processor: Intel I5 4690 / AMD FX 8350 Memory: 8 GB RAM Graphics: Nvidia GTX 970 / RX 480 (4GB+ of VRAM). so the game can play from a 10 years old hardware with 22nm 4c/4t cpu and the steam deck but not from the series S ? i am not a game dev but because i own a pc pretty much all of m life i cant just eat that statement.

[@nicholasavis1705]

Might be worth adding cloud gaming in game pass. You can never download anything and play a majority of the games

[@Narkissos_1]

most ppl convert the xbox live gold in to game pass ultimate to pay like 60$ per year for ultimate that incloud pc + console game pass + gold + cloud

[@UNPOCOLOCO444]

​@@Narkissos_1how do you do that here in the USA? THANKS!!!

[@Narkissos_1]

@@UNPOCOLOCO444 is the same way around the globe, u buy a 12 month xbox live gold gift card from a physical or key shop for 40-60 $/€ and then u add 1 month xbox game pass ultimate and will convert the 12 months gold in to 12 months of gpu. Like that i have gpu till 2026. U can stack 35 months. The only requirement to do this is to not have game pass or gpu. If u have u need to let it dry 1st and then do the method. U can find many videos with more / clear info because i am not native eng speaker.

[@UNPOCOLOCO444]

@Narkissos_1 thank you for the information!

[@simonrodgers2375]

Can paid a series X up for £300 second hand these days here in the UK. Get a series S and you're ultimately going to have to upgrade the hard drive or at least but one of them card slot ones. Microsoft have played a blinder with this one, release a cheap console but then drop an official hard drive that's the price of the console itself. Proper Nintendo tactics going on there, 100%

[@MannyRataul]

I agree with the SSD pricing being ridiculous, I guess there goal is to maximize profits no matter what console you buy.

[@BREEZYM6015]

I'm just now getting around to buying a PS1. 😂

[@mellothomas]

I might just get the series x so i can play 2k

[@williamlopshire2428]

No if you have to ask that question the answer is no

[@MannyRataul]

😂😂😂

[@lauragawley]

Is an Xbox series X or a PS5 better to purchase?

[@MannyRataul]

Good question! They are both pretty similar in specs, it really comes down to what games you want to play. Both consoles have exclusive titles and series

[@barcster2003]

Depends on what you want I guess but I suggest PS5.

[@LeoKo116]

Hi!! Edit:OMG I'm FIRST

[@rashedgamingpg3d501]

My dad said the ps5 is too expensive so I have to get it

[@MannyRataul]

Its a great compromise, you wont be disappointed

[@rashedgamingpg3d501]

Its okay I have a theatre room with my ps4 my dad said I can keep the ps4 to upgrade my room and my dad said a passed the exams in school in Eid I will have 900 dirhams 😎😎😎

[@rashedgamingpg3d501]

I am from syria

[@rashedgamingpg3d501]

I am gonna get it now or maybe tomorrow because I passed the English test

[@Tetsuya_EyeToe]

I love it besides the shitty storage space.

[@MannyRataul]

Expand it

[@Tetsuya_EyeToe]

@MannyRataul I ain't paying $200 for it. I got a Switch and PS5...I'm good.

[@DonnieDaytime]

Idk why idiots think upscale 4k isn’t 4k

[@MannyRataul]

Because it isn’t the same, you don’t get full colour accuracy and details because now you are using a computer algorithm to extrapolate a pixel from 1080p to 4k

[@vidflu6920]

I play it more then ps5 lol gamepass ftw

[@mbf6160]

I sold my series s in my opinion it’s not a next gen console just from a hardware standpoint being I have a pc and can play game pass games for my Xbox fix I didn’t see the need for the console anymore I then took that money and I plan to put it towards a ps5

[@trevor5412]

This is 1080p machine

[@MannyRataul]

Not true, does 1440p

[@JM-pm1yb]

No!

[@j.kedeshturner2086]

Don't buy it. Nothing but a beefed up Xbox One

[@Jay053]

Not even close to a Xbox one

[@irfanm5892]

Nope

[@DUNKELTROLL666]

How many games does the xbox one run at 120 fps? Series S runs more games at 120 fps than ps5

[@techh9171]

Lol what? Series is powerful than the one x too and you are comparing to xbox one?

[@sharathk42]

Its a scam… and most of us fell for it

[@MannyRataul]

How is it a scam it’s a literal product 😂😂😂

[@sharathk42]

@@MannyRataul they want to capture low end client with xbox series s ,, just imagine if you add ssd into series s then price will be equivalent to series x… They know storage is no way enough for future games and it will not gone cope up with future intensive games… ps5 digital is value for money

[@MannyRataul]

@@sharathk42 i think you need to brush up on your definition on what a scam is, you’re paying less than half for the Series s than the X and getting value out of it. By your definition then the playstation digital and Nintendo switch lite must also be scams because they don’t have all the features of the flagship model.

[@De1usionsofGrandeur]

​@@sharathk42 series s still offers more value then a ps5.. had more features, can run emulators, and gamepass.. ps5 your paying $70 on every new game

[@sharathk42]

@@De1usionsofGrandeur i am a owner of ps5 and xbox series s.. so i can tell xbox series s cannot hold future games… if we are still playing 1440 ps with 30 fps for AAA games in 2023 then its just a joke… it dont deserve next gen tag