- The affordable Xbox Series S will not compromise gaming experience despite the lower price tag.
- The cheaper next-generation Xbox version will sport a faster processor than the PS5, according to a report.
- Other Xbox Series S specs reportedly include 8GB of RAM and 4 teraflops of GPU performance.
Microsoft is widely expected to unveil the cheap version of the Xbox Series X soon, with an announcement event reportedly set for August. Codenamed Lockhart, the Xbox Series S will help Microsoft undercut at least one of the two PlayStation 5 versions that Sony unveiled a few weeks ago. The PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition will both hit stores this fall, with a leaker saying the cheaper model will cost just $399.99. The regular PS5 will be priced at $499.99, according to the same insider. Several reports also noted that Microsoft is looking to make the Series X more affordable than the PS5 this year, in a bid to win over more customers. The Series S could cost as low as $200, according to one insider. That’s a price tag that would help Microsoft win customers that wouldn’t necessarily want a console. On top of that, Microsoft has its Xbox All Access program that lets gamers purchase new hardware on an installment plan bundled with Microsoft’s gaming subscriptions. The 2020 consoles would also qualify for All Access.
The Series S might be much cheaper than the Series X, but it’ll still be very powerful. And a new report indicates that the Series S will feature a faster processor than the PS5.
The Verge’s Tom Warren took to Twitter to tell the “Lockhart will hold back next-gen” crowd that the Series S CPU is faster than PS5, and that the cheap Xbox console will support Ray Tracing technology.
to the “Lockhart will hold back next-gen” crowd:
• Lockhart CPU is faster than PS5
• Lockhart supports raytracing
• Game developers have been building PC titles for multiple GPUs for… decades🔒💚
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) June 29, 2020
A few days before that, the same Warren listed some of the Series S specs in a blog on The Verge. He addressed the leaked Microsoft document that mentioned the cheaper console, which made the rounds last week. On top of that, sources shared with The Verge more details about the console:
The devkit, codenamed Dante, allows game developers to enable a special Lockhart mode that has a profile of the performance that Microsoft wants to hit with this second console. We understand that includes 7.5GB of usable RAM, a slightly underclocked CPU speed, and around 4 teraflops of GPU performance. The Xbox Series X includes 13.5GB of usable RAM, and targets 12 teraflops of GPU performance.
A cheaper Xbox Series S would definitely be hard to pass on, especially if all these details turn out to be accurate. And especially considering what’s happening in the real world. The novel coronavirus is far from being contained, and the pandemic has hurt the global economy. Millions of people are unemployed, and many gamers might not afford the Series X or regular PS5 this year.
