It’s been a massive few weeks of video game announcements. We recently saw the 2023 Summer Game Fest kick off with a bucketload of game reveals, while other companies shared their own exciting projects. Earlier this week, Microsoft hosted the Xbox Games Showcase which included some brand new hardware: a 1TB Xbox Series S console with a slick Carbon Black finish.
It’s the first new hardware iteration from the Xbox brand since it launched the Series X and Series S consoles late in 2020. Previously, the Series S, which only came in a white finish, shipped with a 512GB SSD. Many modern games have large install sizes, filling up storage quickly.
Here in Australia, the 1TB Xbox Series S costs $549.99, positioning it between the $499 512GB Series S model (which regularly goes on sale for less than $400) and the $749 Series X console. It’s an attractive option if you want more storage but don’t need the most powerful hardware.
Should you get a 1TB Xbox Series S?
Despite similar names, there are some core differences between the Series S and Series X consoles. For one, the Xbox Series X is Microsoft’s most powerful games console to date. It’s a great machine but comes with a corresponding price tag. If you want something capable of playing games in native 4K at up to 120 frames per second, it’s your best bet.
- Power your dreams – Experience next-gen speed and performance with Xbox Series S in Carbon Black, featuring a 1TB SSD
- Play more, wait less – Make the most of every gaming minute with Quick Resume, lightning-fast load times, and gameplay of up to 120 FPS—all powered by Xbox Velocity Architecture
- Discover your next favorite game – Get the most out of your Xbox Series S – 1TB with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (membership sold separately) and be the first to play new games like Starfield and Forza Motorsport on day one. Plus, enjoy hundreds of games like Minecraft Legends, Halo Infinite, and Forza Horizon 5 with friends on console, PC, and cloud
Alternatively, the Xbox Series S is smaller in physical size, taking up less room, although there are some tradeoffs. Arguably, the biggest difference is that it doesn’t have a disc drive, making it a digital-only console. Additionally, it has a smaller processor and less power overall, so the console’s native resolution caps out at 1440p. Mind you, it’s still capable of upscaling to 4K, it just doesn’t look quite as detailed as if it was native. Otherwise, many of the Series S features achieve parity with the Series X.
Before the announcement of the 1TB Xbox Series S model, the digital-only nature of the console meant that its storage would fill up super quickly not being able to install games from a disc. Now with more storage, the Series S is an even more viable option for more people. According to recent sales data from the IGEA, digital purchases outpace physical retail and subscription services like Xbox Game Pass are growing in popularity. This means that fewer people use disc drives anyway, although it’s nice to have the option.
Of course, you can easily expand existing console storage by connecting external drives or getting an SSD expansion card, although they can be expensive. At $549, the 1TB Series S model is a relatively cheap way to get more storage, and you still have expansion options on top of that.
There are a lot of games to look forward to, as seen during the Xbox Games Showcase, including Starfield, the massive sci-fi RPG from Bethesda that’s coming out on 6 September. For now, retailers like Amazon, JB Hi-Fi and EB Games have pre-orders live for the Carbon Black 1TB Xbox Series S console due to arrive by 12 September 2023.
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