What‘s the Difference Between Xbox One and Xbox Series S?
As a gaming enthusiast excited for new hardware releases, I decided to closely analyze Microsoft‘s latest console the Xbox Series S and see exactly how it compares to its predecessor – the Xbox One S.
At a Glance: Key Differences Summary
| Xbox One S | Xbox Series S | |
|---|---|---|
| Release Year | 2016 | 2020 |
| CPU | 8-Core Jaguar 1.75 GHz | 8-Core Zen 2 3.6 GHz |
| GPU | 12 CUs GCN 911 MHz | 20 CUs RDNA 2 1.565 GHz |
| Memory | 8 GB DDR3 + 32 MB ESRAM | 10 GB GDDR6 |
| Storage | 1 TB HDD | 512 GB NVMe SSD |
| Maximum Output Resolution | 4K | 1440p |
As you can see from the table above, there are massive hardware improvements across the board going from Xbox One to Series S. Let‘s analyze them in detail section by section:
Blazing Fast Performance – CPU and SSD
The Xbox Series S packs a lightning fast 8-core/16-thread Zen 2 CPU running at 3.6GHz. This custom processor delivers over 3x the performance of the outdated 8-Core Jaguar CPU found in the base Xbox One which is capped at 1.75 GHz!
What does this translate to in games? You can expect massively faster load times and much better frame rates. For example, the Forza Horizon 4 loading screen takes only 24 seconds on the Series S while it‘s a painfully slow 1 minute 20 seconds on Xbox One according to Digital Foundry‘s analysis. That‘s nearly 3x faster with the Zen 2 CPU working in tandem with the advanced NVMe SSD storage.
Speaking of the SSD, the Series S utilizes a custom 512 GB NVMe drive with 2.4 GB/s of raw bandwidth and 4.8 GB/s of compressed throughput speeds. This enables transfer rates that are over 40x faster than the slow mechanical hard drive inside the Xbox One! Games load incredibly fast – for example, Fast Travel in The Outer Worlds takes just 5 seconds on Series S versus 15 seconds on Xbox One.
As a passionate gamer, I‘m thrilled that the Series S eliminates annoying loading screens this generation. It‘s remarkable how big of an impact the Zen 2 CPU and NVMe SSD make.
Cutting Edge Graphics
The Series S boasts an AMD RDNA 2 GPU with 20 compute units running at an impressive 1.565 GHz. When combined with hardware accelerated ray tracing support, variable rate shading, and machine learning capabilities, this little box can pump out some seriously pretty graphics!
Sure, the 12 compute unit GCN graphics chip inside the Xbox One is no slouch, but it‘s an aging architecture from 2013 that struggles to render modern visual effects efficiently. After extensive analysis, the experts over at Eurogamer Digital Foundry concluded that the Series S GPU delivers "more than 4x the GPU power" of the base model Xbox One.
What does this mean when playing games side by side? Expect higher frame rates, increased geometry detail, superior texture filtering, stable 4K upscaling to 1440p screens, and visual enhancements like ray traced shadows and lighting that are completely impossible on previous gen hardware.
Memory and Output Resolution
The Xbox Series S comes equipped with 10 GB of cutting-edge GDDR6 memory featuring a 320-bit bus providing up to 224 GB/s of total bandwidth. This dwarfs the 8 GB of antiquated DDR3 RAM and tiny 32 MB ESRAM setup found in the Xbox One. More memory bandwidth means the Series S can handle higher resolution textures and assets.
Speaking of resolution, the maximum rendering resolution of the Series S tops out at 1440p natively vs 4K on the Xbox One X and 1080p on the Xbox One S. However, performance is vastly improved – expect smooth 60 fps or even 120 fps depending on the game! The Xbox One really struggles to maintain its 30 fps target in demanding modern titles.
Ultimately, while the Series S has a lower peak resolution compared to Xbox One X, its massively improved CPU, SSD, and cutting edge RAM provide tangible performance, loading time, and visual quality improvements over any previous generation Xbox. You‘ll have to decide whether a consistent 60+ fps at 1440p or a wavering 30 fps at 4K is more important!
Backwards Compatibility
Good news for those with large Xbox One game libraries – the Series S supports thousands of backwards compatible Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles right out of the box! Over 500 games even get enhanced automatically by the Series S hardware including solid frame rate boosts. For example, Fallout 4 runs at 60 fps on the Series S vs 30 fps on Xbox One.
Certain Xbox One X enhanced titles can still run in their high resolution 1800p or 2160p glory on the Series S hardware by sacrificing some image quality.
So don‘t worry about leaving your game collection behind if you upgrade – the Series S invites you to bring it along for the next generation!
All-Digital Future
In keeping with its sleek and compact form factor that oozes minimalist modern design, Microsoft removed the ugly old disc drive featured prominently on the Xbox One. This leaves owners with an all-digital game collection.
Personally, I love this direction as I prefer the convenience of instantly downloading and launching games. It also enables awesome features like game sharing between family members. For example, purchasing one digital copy lets my brother and I both download and play without restrictions!
With digital storefronts becoming ubiquitous across not just gaming but music/movies too, the Series S embraces the cable-free lifestyle. Some gamers still prefer physical media, but opting for the Series S means you‘re going all-in on downloads. At least storage upgrades via the expandable SSD card slot are easy.
Xbox Series S – My Verdict as Passionate Gamer
As a hardcore Xbox fan eager to play next-gen games, I believe the Series S delivers an exceptionally powerful and advanced gaming experience, especially considering its reasonable $299 price point.
The Zen 2 / RDNA 2 hardware combo enables buttery smooth 60+ fps gameplay, super fast load times thanks to the SSD, and visual enhancements like ray tracing and variable rate shading that were impossible last generation. All in a stylish, compact chassis that looks great under the TV.
While the lower 1440p rendering ceiling and smaller 512GB SSD may be dealbreakers for those wanting uncompromising 4K fidelity or huge storage capacity out of the gate, I believe most gamers agree that responsive controls and high frame rates are far more critical for moment-to-moment enjoyment. And the Series S has GPU horsepower and memory bandwidth to spare for its intended resolution.
For the budget conscious looking to upgrade from an original Xbox One without breaking the bank, the Series S is a fantastic next generation system. Considering it‘s regularly half the cost of the more powerful Xbox Series X, I think Microsoft has an absolute winner here!
