Xbox Series X|S console price hikes are now in effect — as the August 1 deadline increases listings by up to $150

An Xbox Series X console, controller, and retail box standing under vibrant pink, purple, and blue atmospheric lighting and the words "Xbox Price checker" on the lower thirds.
(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Recent updates

Saturday, August 1 @ 4:55 AM ET: The deadline arrives, and Microsoft's price hikes are going live. For now, you can pick up an all-digital Series X for $798.00 or a Series S for $448.00.

We just hit the deadline as Xbox Series X|S prices rose on August 1, though you might be able to grab a console without spending a small fortune from delayed retailer listings. With RAM and NAND costs climbing across the industry, everyone from Apple to Dell to Valve — and now Xbox — is adjusting hardware prices upward.

This page tracked the latest deals and inventory for the Xbox Series X, Series S, and key accessories like expansion cards, helping you find the best prices before the increase hit. We'll keep an eye on any potential hints of price changes to make sure you don’t miss a chance to save.

Xbox Series X prices

The Xbox Series X (see our updated review) is the top-tier Xbox model and is aimed at 4K/60 FPS gaming for those who want the best and fastest available.

Because it's in such high demand, this one often sells out or goes through frequent and rapid price shifts. We think it's the version most people should buy.

We have seen Xbox Series X (1TB, optical) drop down to $573 before the price hike (during Prime Day), and that could happen again during future sales events.

Xbox Series X (1TB)
Controller included
Xbox Series X (1TB): $809.99 at Walmart

With new steep price hikes only about a month away, this killer Xbox Series X deal is a must-buy right now if you're interested in picking the console up.

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Walmart for $809.99 (shipping only)
Newegg for $869.00 (IN STOCK)
Target for $799.99 (no stock)
Best Buy for $799.99 (no stock)

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Xbox Series X 1TB All-Digital
No optical drive
Xbox Series X 1TB All-Digital: $798 at Walmart

The Xbox Series X Digital Edition 1TB ditches the disc drive to give you additional savings. The white console is otherwise largely unchanged, save for a new CPU process that should boost power efficiency slightly.

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (out of 5)

🟡Walmart for $798.00 (shipping only)
Best Buy: N/A (1TB) (unavailable)
Newegg: $699.99 (1TB) (no stock)
Target: $749.99 (1TB) (no stock)
❌Amazon: N/A (no stock)

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Xbox Series S prices

If you want to save some more money and don't quite need the power of the Series X (or simply can't afford it), you can go for the more budget-friendly Xbox Series S. If you're not familiar with this model, you can read our Xbox Series S review (2025) for more context and to see what we have to say about it.

The tl;dr is the Xbox Series X is the more powerful console, built for native 4K gaming, higher frame rates, and larger storage with its 1TB SSD. The Xbox Series S is a smaller, more affordable model designed for 1440p gaming, with reduced GPU power and a 512GB or 1TB SSD.

Both run the same games and features, but the Series X targets premium performance while the Series S focuses on value and accessibility.

Xbox Series S  (1TB)
1440p
Xbox Series S (1TB): $448 at Walmart

The Xbox Series S is a smaller, more affordable model designed for 1440p gaming, with reduced GPU power and a 512GB SSD or 1TB SSD.

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(out of 5)

512GB Model
🟡Walmart for $499.00 (shipping only)
🟡Target for $499.99 (shipping only)
Best Buy for $549.99 (no stock)
Amazon N/A (no stock)
Newegg N/A (no stock)

1TB Model
Walmart for $448.00 (IN STOCK)
🟡Best Buy for $649.00 (shipping only)
Newegg for $509.99 (no stock)
Amazon: N/A (no stock)
Target for $599.99 (no stock)

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The good news is that while the savings haven't been as much for Xbox Series S, they were often in stock at most stores either for pickup or shipping.

How much (and when) are Xbox prices going up?

Since August 1, the Xbox Series X Digital rose to $749 (up from $599) and the Series S to $499 (up from $399) in the United States, with similar jumps across multiple regions.

And those are the entry-level models!

Xbox Series X (1TB) with optical drive went up to $799 (from $649), while the Xbox Series S (1TB) increased to $599 (from $449).

To put that in perspective, the Xbox Series X (1TB) with optical drive launched at $499, but is going up a total of $300.

The company cites rising manufacturing and component costs as the primary driver, noting that the broader hardware market continues to face pressure that shows no signs of easing.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
New Xbox price structure (Aug 1, 2026)

Product

New Price

Previous Price

Xbox Series S (512GB)

$499.99

$399.99

Xbox Series S (1TB)

$599.99

$449.99

Xbox Series X Digital

$749.99

$599.99

Xbox Series X

$799.99

$649.99

Analysts expect component prices to climb again in 2027, driven by supply constraints and increased demand for advanced chips. Microsoft’s own internal projections suggest that the “Rampocalypse” — the ongoing surge in RAM and component pricing — will continue well into 2028, making this price hike potentially the first of several.

For consumers, the timing is significant. Xbox consoles have remained relatively stable in price for years, but this shift signals a new era where premium hardware will cost more to produce and more to buy.

With the August 1 increase landing, the window to buy an Xbox Series X|S at lower pricing closed quickly. We’ll keep updating this tracker as retailers react, any potential deals appear, and the market adjusts, so you know the best time to make your move.

What about expansion cards?

If you're picking up an Xbox Series X or Series S, extra storage becomes essential fast. Constantly deleting games or clearing space for updates interrupts play and makes managing your library a chore.

The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S adds more room instantly with true plug‑and‑play support, giving your console the storage it needs without slowing anything down.

Like Xbox consoles, we've seen pricing on these vary a lot, and many times they go out of stock, so give it some serious thought, as we do expect these cards to cost even more later this year.

Seagate 1TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S
1TB Storage Card
Seagate 1TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S: $199 at Walmart

"Seagate's Storage Expansion Card is the best way to add more space to the latest Xbox consoles, while avoiding the annoying limitations of USB drives. While it's an expensive investment that might be hard to justify, those who drop the cash won't be disappointed with the returns." — Matt Brown, former Senior Editor

Windows Central review:⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Seagate 2TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S
2TB Storage Card
Save 14% ($50)
Seagate 2TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S: was $349.99 now $299.99 at Best Buy

This 2TB model has double the storage of the base expansion card and is a great way to get more space for games on your Xbox Series X|S.

❌ No stock

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Seagate 4TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S
4TB Storage Card
Save 23% ($160)
Seagate 4TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S: was $699.99 now $539.99 at Best Buy

This massive 4TB expansion card is the largest available for your Xbox Series X|S.

❌No stock

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WD_Black 1TB C50 Storage Expansion Card
1TB Storage Card
WD_Black 1TB C50 Storage Expansion Card: $149.99 at Amazon

"The WD_BLACK C50 is a great expansion card for Xbox Series X|S, with a new lower price point, a fantastic design, and impeccable performance." — Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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WD_Black 2TB C50 Storage Expansion Card
2TB Storage Card
WD_Black 2TB C50 Storage Expansion Card: $423.89 at Amazon

"The WD_BLACK C50 is a great expansion card for Xbox Series X|S, with a new lower price point, a fantastic design, and impeccable performance." — Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer

Windows Central review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🟡2TB WD C50 is $549.99 at Amazon (in stock)
🟡2TB WD C50 is $499.99 at Best Buy (shipping only)

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As to why get a storage card, it really depends on the size of your gaming library.

For instance, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 alone is 161 GB, without any DLC. The Seagate Expansion Card delivers similar speeds to the native storage of the Xbox Series X|S, so you can store games on the card and play them without having to transfer or delete files.


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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 lead 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 wearable tech. He has reviewed laptops for over 10 years and is particularly fond of Qualcomm processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics studying brain and syntax, performed polysomnographs in NYC, and was a motion-picture operator for 17 years.

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