Fans can now see how much bigger game file sizes are on Xbox Series X in comparison to the smaller Xbox Series S thanks to a new online report. Microsoft is offering up two distinct versions of its upcoming next-gen console: the fully beefed-up Series X for $500 and the cheaper but not as graphically impressive Series S for $300, both of which are set to launch on November 10.
While both Xbox Series consoles will play the same catalog of promising Xbox Series X launch titles, there are several noteworthy differences in how they function and perform. For one thing, the Series S has a much smaller Solid-State Drive memory unit than the Series X, only weighing in at about 346 GB of usable storage space. This is likely due to size constraints and the Series S’s graphics not having the same high-end ray tracing and 4K texture demands of the much larger Series X. On the plus side, video game downloads on the Series S won’t take up as much space.
Yesterday, the unofficial Xbox News Twitter account posted an image comparing download sizes for games on both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. According to this post, Sea Of Thieves takes up only 17 GB on Series S compared to 47 GB on Series X (a 64% difference), Dirt 5 takes up 56 GB instead of 72.5 GB (a 23% difference), and Gears Of War 5 is only 39 GB instead of 64 GB (a 39% difference).
Fans have started to speculate that this difference in file sizes between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S is due to the aforementioned difference in graphical capabilities between the two consoles, as demonstrated by upcoming releases like Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition lacking certain features on the Series S. Graphical power and storage space have been driving factors in the discussion between consoles in recent weeks, as the PlayStation 5 has a smaller SSD than the Xbox Series X - though it’s still larger than the Xbox Series S’s projected memory allotment.
The smaller download sizes on Xbox Series S are certainly surprising, but they make sense given the console’s less powerful hardware. If anything, not having to download as much data for Series S games is great news for fans, as their console won’t be wasting time and storage space downloading data for features that it won’t be able to use. All in all, Microsoft is giving its customers a choice between price and power this console generation, and fans will be able to decide for themselves which Xbox Series machine will fit their gaming needs better when both systems finally hit stores this week.
The Xbox Series X/S will be available on November 10, 2020.
Source: Xbox News