5 Reasons why you should buy the Xbox One S (and a few why you shouldn't)

Xbox One S and Xbox wireless controller
Xbox One S and Xbox wireless controller (Image credit: Windows Central)

The Xbox One S has been on the market for just a few days, but there are still lots of questions for gamers and fans alike. Mid-stream console updates are always difficult to recommend as upgrades due to the minor improvements they offer.

Since the One S is not positioned as a next-gen console, I figured I would list the top reasons why you should consider getting the One S even if you own the Xbox One. I lay out the significant selling points of the One S and its biggest improvements over the One are in the video below.

However, the One S does not offer that much for people who use a current Xbox One primarily for gaming. Sure, you get slightly faster clock rate, but rigorous tests revealed the performance gains are modest with no perceivable difference in many games. While HDR gaming sounds great, it is also likely more of a bonus feature, rather than a must-have one at this time.

Because of those caveats I also detail four reasons not to buy the One S in a second video.

The conclusion should be obvious: People who game a lot with the current Xbox One should probably hold off, while those who want a 4K movie experience for a good deal should probably get one. Much of that debate, however, comes down to one thing: money.

If money is no object then getting a One S is a natural choice, just do it. It's a great console that looks better than the One, is smaller, and all the improvements make it an excellent experience. I can't imagine anyone hating the One S when compared to the Xbox One unless you are just averse to a white console in your AV center. (If you fall into that camp I'm sure Microsoft will have various 'limited edition' bundles in different colors during the holiday season).

To get a deeper dive into the pros and cons of the new Xbox One S make sure to read my full review.

Has anyone here reconsidered a decision to get – or not get – the Xbox One S? What could have Microsoft done differently to persuade you? Let me know in comments.

See at the Microsoft Store

Check out our other articles for more info on the Xbox One Summer Update.

Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.

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