It’s hard enough to get your hands on a modern console these days — let alone find one on sale. But if you’re in the market for an Xbox Series S, you can do exactly that right now.
Microsoft’s entry-level console is currently $279 at Woot!, which is $20 off and the first major discount we’ve a next-gen system. The deal is only available today (Jan. 21) and you’ll get free shipping if you’re an Amazon Prime member, so we recommend jumping on it quick if you’re interested. And even if you’ve had your sights set on the higher-end PS5 or Xbox Series X, there are plenty of reasons to add the Series S to your entertainment center.
The best console for most people
The Xbox Series S excellent performance and game library make it the best value in console gaming, especially at this rare $20 discount.
We consider the Xbox Series S to be the best overall value in console gaming right now, as it offers many of the same key features as its more expensive counterparts for a fraction of the price. This tiny white box delivers seriously strong performance, able to run top titles like Gears 5 and Doom Eternal at up to 120 frames per second and 1440p resolution (TLDR; your games will look very crisp and smooth).
And like the $499 Xbox Series X, it packs a super-fast solid state drive (SSD) for loading games instantly, as well as an incredibly handy Quick Resume feature that lets you suspend a handful of games at once and pick up exactly where you left off in each of them. All of that functionality is packed into the most compact and best-looking design of all of the new consoles, which will fit under your TV much more easily than a Series X or PS5.
Plus: The best accessories for your new Xbox Series X or S
The Series S can play all of the latest blockbusters ranging from Call of Duty to Guardians of the Galaxy, many of which are optimized to run well on Microsoft’s small console. And when you throw in an Xbox Game Pass subscription, which gets you hundreds of games and all first-party Xbox releases on day one starting at $10 a month, the cheapest Xbox becomes an especially great value.
Of course, you are making some sacrifices at this low price, particularly when it comes to performance and storage. The Series S can’t run games in 4K like the PS5 and Xbox Series X can, though it can still stream entertainment content at ultra HD resolution. It has a pretty tiny 512GB SSD with only 364GB of usable storage, which will fill up pretty fast if you don’t opt to get a memory card. It also lacks a disc drive, meaning you’ll be limited to downloading your games digitally and won’t be able to run physical titles and Blu-rays.
Still, despite these caveats, the Series S is the console I find myself turning to the most. Modern titles like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 look and run fantastic on it, and while I love the PS5’s exclusive games, I personally prefer the overall user experience on Xbox. And if you’re tired of relentlessly refreshing your browser for the latest PS5 restock or Xbox Series X restock, you’ll find a lot to love about Microsoft’s miniature games box at this rare discount price. Just make sure to put that $20 you save towards a Game Pass subscription — you’ll thank us later.
