Where To Buy Xbox Series X: All The Retailers To Check For The Console
ByJames Pickardlast updated 22 December 21
Want to know where to buy Xbox Series X? Here are all the places you should be looking
Even though the Xbox Series X stock situation has improved greatly a year from launch, consoles are still not readily available in stores at a moment’s notice. The good news, though, is that Microsoft’s latest Xbox isn’t selling out in a matter of seconds so your chances of getting one when there is a restock are much higher. To get you in the best position possible, we’re here to ensure you’re kept up to date with where to buy the Xbox Series X.
Latest: Those in the UK can currently find the Xbox Series X in stock at Game and Currys. While that’s a sign the situation continues to improve, Xbox Series X stock is still difficult to track down. More consoles have been popping up in a few stores in both the US and the UK – yet they still sell out within minutes. There’s was a surprise Xbox Series X restock at Amazon UK on December 20. As soon as we hear of any news on future restocks for the Xbox Series X console we’ll be back to update this page.
Do Games On The Xbox Series X Run Above 60 Frames Per Second
The Xbox Series X can output games at 120 frames per second, but youll need the right game, the right TV, and the right HDMI cable. The good news first: The Xbox Series X comes with a good HDMI 2.1 cable, so you wont have to look for the right cable on Amazon. The bad news: The option only works on new, high-end televisions with high-frame-rate displays, like the LG CX series. These TVs can cost $1,000 or more than comparable TVs of the same size.
So far, Ive only played one game with a 120 fps mode. Its neat! But in no way would I recommend buying a new TV for a feature that likely wont be common for another couple of years. By that point, high-frame-rate displays will be more common and more affordable.
The Xbox Series X doesnt support Bluetooth audio, but it does support USB headphones.
Xbox Series X Hardware And Design
The Xbox Series X casts a commanding silhouette. It’s a monolithic slab of matte black plastic that stands 11.8 inches tall, 5.9 inches deep, 5.9 inches wide, and weighs in at 9.8 pounds. On its face, you’ll find a pairing button that handily conceals an IR receiver, a 4K UHD Blu-ray optical drive, a USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, and an Xbox logo power button that lightly glows white while you play.
While the Xbox One was built to fade into the background of your home entertainment centre, the Xbox Series X is designed to quietly dominate it. If you can find a suitable place to stand it , it’ll soon feel like another fixture not unlike that of a PC tower. The Series X doesn’t draw attention to itself, like the provocatively designed PS5 an angular mass complete with pulsing strips of blue lighting that seems purpose-built to attract the eye.
Even with all of these system-intensive features in play, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that the console runs quietly and efficiently, even after lengthy sessions with games optimised for Xbox Series X. The console also runs considerably cooler than the Xbox One X, although there is clearly some expectation that owners will think carefully about where they place the Xbox Series X so that air is able to flow unimpeded from behind the console and up through the curved venting array that sits at the north end of the console.
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Microsoft Has Unveiled A New Xbox 20/20 Monthly Event Will Showcase The Future Of Xbox
In a bid to ramp up promotions for Xbox Series X, Microsoft has announced a monthly showcase event called Xbox 20/20. According to the developer, the showcase will feature whats next in the world of Xbox.
With the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Microsoft has had to switch up its promotional plans for Xbox Series X. It originally planned to reveal games for the upcoming console at E3, but with the events cancellation, Microsoft has now turned to a monthly digital update format, instead.
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New Xbox Console Reportedly Releasing Next Year
A new report has emerged stating that Microsoft may look to release an all-new Xbox console at some point within the coming year. While this supposed model wouldn’t be entirely new from top to bottom, it would instead look to update the Xbox Series S, which is currently the cheaper console that Microsoft offers to customers. Despite the platform’s lesser power when compared to the Xbox Series X, it seems like this new iteration may end up beefing up the internals just a bit more.
Word on this new version of the Xbox Series S comes from a recent video on YouTube channel Moore’s Law Is Dead. The video in question says that Microsoft is currently in the early stages of planning to “refresh” both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. However, the Series S is the console that is currently that Microsoft is placing a larger focus on and it might begin releasing a new model of the platform late in 2022.
As a whole, this report should be taken with the typical grain of salt until we learn more directly from Xbox. Still, what is being mentioned here isn’t all that surprising in the slightest given that mid-generation console upgrades are pretty standard nowadays. It seems to be only a matter of time until new Xbox consoles end up releasing to the public, but when that release actually happens remains to be seen.
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Xbox One Forwards Compatibility
In January 2020, Matt Booty, head of Microsofts internal development teams at Xbox Game Studios, announced that Xbox Series X games will also be playable on the Xbox One for the first year. This allows for cross-generation multiplayer and gives Xbox One owners the ability to play some of the Xbox Series X’s line-up even if they don’t choose to upgrade their hardware. The downside to this choice is that developing games for both a brand new console and a seven year console could cause some difficulties for developers.
Xbox Series X Storage
The Xbox Series X’s 1TB Custom NVMe SSD translates to 802GB of usable storage, with 198GB reserved for system files and the Xbox operating system. We were able to download 18 games of varying sizes before having to utilize the console’s expandable storage.
That’s a fair chunk to play through, then, but we’d advise picking up the Seagate Storage Expansion Card if you really want to take advantage of features such as Quick Resume and the plethora of titles available through Xbox Game Pass.
Its important to note that true next-gen titles will likely take up more storage space once their optimizations have been rolled out.
Along with our console, we were able to test Seagate’s 1TB expansion storage card for the Xbox Series X. This doesn’t come cheap at $219.99 / £219.99 / AU$359, but we found it extremely easy to use when we found we were running out of storage, we simply slotted the card into the back of the Xbox and accessed the extra terabyte. When the console detects that it’s approaching its storage capacity, it asks if you want to install on the card instead, while also offering a pretty straightforward option for freeing up space by deleting games.
The process of adding an external hard drive works in the same way as it did on Xbox One: you simply plug the storage into one of the systems USB ports, and the Xbox will detect it. If the drive needs to be formatted, youll see a prompt asking you to do this. Its a plug-and-play solution that works just as youd hope.
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Is The Xbox Series S Worth It
Costing just over half of the Xbox Series X, the Series S seems like a bargain. Microsoft positioned this console as an affordable entry point for upgrading and new Xbox owners, but that doesnt necessarily mean its the right choice for everyone.
The company had to cut a few corners to get the price down, so that means no optical drive and less raw power. The Series S targets HD gaming at 120fps and doesnt do native 4K output at all . That means it isnt technically much more powerful than the Xbox One X.
Even if you dont already have an Xbox One, the Series S looks much better. The all-digital approach might put off collectors, but when paired with an Xbox Game Pass subscription, youll instantly unlock hundreds of the best games from previous generations. As time goes on, it will fill up with next-gen titles, too.
The combination of an Xbox Series S with Xbox Game Pass is the best value you can get in gaming right now. That said, if the price isnt an issue, the Xbox Series X will outmatch it across the board.
Lego Stars Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Developer/Publisher: TT Games / Warner BrosGenre: Action-adventureGame Pass: No
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is giving you the opportunity to play through all nine Star Wars movies in Lego form, with the trademark TT Games humour. You can play them in any order, and there will be 300 playable characters to switch through. It’s going to be a Lego Star Wars game like no other, and it looks phenomenal.
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Is The Xbox Series X Worth It
The Xbox Series X is an impressive upgrade over its predecessor and features the same starting price as the Xbox One X that launched back in 2017. For buyers, the console has a lot going for it. Its powerful, offers amazing backwards compatibility, and has an ace in the hole in Xbox Game Pass. Overall, it offers a great balance of power and value for money.
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That said, there isnt a truly compelling reason to buy one just yet, especially if you have the Xbox One X. The library is still limited more than a year after release, and you can play most new games on an older console as well, even if not at the highest possible quality.
Theres definitely a lot to look forward to though! To answer the question, the Xbox Series X is absolutely worth it. If youre looking to buy into the Xbox ecosystem for the first time, the Series X is the best choice . If youre in the market for an upgrade though, you can hold off for a while. This is probably what youd have to do regardless, given how difficult it is to get your hands on one right now.
Where Can You Buy An Xbox Series X And How Much Does It Cost
The Xbox Series X formally hit shelves November 10, 2020, alongside its smaller cousin the Xbox Series S. Unfortunately, over a year later, getting an Xbox Series X online is still incredibly difficult. Your best bet would be to try a local store, especially if you live in a more rural area. Even then, the odds arent great. Due to ongoing supply chain issues, youre looking sometime into late-2021 or even 2022 before getting an Xbox Series X proves easy.
As for how much the two new consoles cost, here is a full list of Xbox Series X and Series S prices around the globe:
- Australia: AU$749 and AU$499
- United Kingdom: £449 and £249.99
- United States: $499 and $299
So where can you buy them? Well, the answer is a bit complicated. Scalpers still control a large section of the global stock, and if you want to buy from them youre going to pay well above retail value. If you can be patient, retailers receive more consoles from time to time. Check the links below and you might just get lucky.
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Xbox Series X: Design
Youd be forgiven for saying that the Xbox Series X looks like a small-form-factor PC, because it does at least when its standing upright. Its monolithic design could be seen as uninspired. But I rather like the system’s clean and unfussy appearance. Its big, however.
Measuring 15.1 x 15.1 x 30.1 centimeters and weighing 9.8 pounds, the Series X is a rather bulky machine, though not as large as the PS5. This means youll struggle to fit it into an entertainment unit, unless you place the device on its side. Theres a quartet of soft pads on one side of the console to show you which way it should be positioned when lying sideways. These also prevent the console from slipping around.
I think the Xbox Series X looks a little clunky and clumsy on its side, a bit like the lovechild of an audio amplifier and a brick. I keep mine upright and sitting partially behind my TV, and it looks rather nice in that space, particularly as you can peer into the top vent of the console, which has some green accents around the holes towards the middle.
In fact, while it might look a little clunky peeking out from behind my TV, I think the Series X looks rather good sitting on a desktop. If you plan to plug the system into a 4K or high-refresh-rate monitor, you could be pleasantly surprised.
Xbox Series X Ui And Dashboard
While the external design of the Xbox Series X is a considerable departure from its predecessors, the console’s UI and dashboard have undergone more subtle changes.
The Xbox Series X dashboard is pretty much the same as the Xbox Ones. The main reason for this is because Microsoft rolled out a meaty update to the Xbox One back in August 2020 to make its UI more streamlined, and to converge it with that of the Xbox Series X.
That means the Xbox Series X UI still has a tiled layout, with customizable pins, so you can choose which games and apps you want to see first on your home screen, and offers easy access to games, apps, party chat and other features via the Xbox button on your controller. It’s a pretty streamlined interface, and allows for plenty of customization options and easy navigation.
Customization seems to be at the heart of the Xbox Series X UI. In addition to being able to move around your pinned games and apps, Microsoft is also letting players express themselves a bit more with the inclusion of new profile themes that act as a background for your profile page. Players can also now finally use dynamic backgrounds, which offers a more personalized home screen option for those who are bored of the Xbox One’s static offering.
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Whats The Latest Update For The Xbox Series X
On October 12, Microsoft released a new launch trailer for the upcoming Xbox Series X and S consoles, featuring Black Panther and Get Out actor Daniel Kaluuya.
The trippy launch trailer follows Kaluuya as he boots up the next-gen Xbox system, only to get pulled into another dimension. As he floats through time and space, Kaluuya is transported to the world of Valhalla, from the upcoming Assassins Creed game, and later has a run in with Halos Master Chief.
In early October, Aaron Greenburg, the general manager of games marketing at Xbox, responded to the next-gen game price hike issue. During an appearance on the Real Deal podcast, he described the issue as super complex, noting that titles no longer launch at a uniform price point.
In the old days, every game launched at one price and that was it, he said. But we launched Ori And The Will Of The Wisps at $30, and Gears Tactics is a new title launching this holiday and its launching at $60. State Of Decay 2 launched at $40. So theres not a simple answer to that.
The Xbox marketing chief then suggested that a price increase for next-gen might be the expectation rather than the rule, noting that upcoming titles like Assassins Creed: Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077 and Dirt 5 are all set to launch at US$60.
The Xbox Series X and S will allow players to selectively uninstall different components of games, according to Jason Ronald, the director of programme management on the Xbox team.
Is The New Xbox Backward Compatible With Older Games
The Xbox Series X and Series S are backward compatible with all but a handful of Xbox One titles which were based around the no longer supported Kinect sensor. The Series X and Series S will also play the hundreds of Xbox 360 and Xbox titles that Microsoft made the Xbox One backward compatible with as well. Almost all backward-compatible titles will have a variety of graphical enhancements.
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Xbox Series X Features And Specs
Microsoft revealed just about everything there is to know about the Xbox Series X in a March 16 Xbox Wirepost.
Here are other standout features that Spencer previously announced:
- More comprehensivebackward compatibility than the PS5, including Xbox 360 and original Xbox games.
- The Xbox will support ray tracing, a graphical rendering technique used by high-end gaming PCs that let games look more lifelike than ever.
- Quick Resume will let gamers continue multiple games from where they last left off instantly, no lengthy loading screens required.
- Dynamic Latency Input will supposedly further decrease any lag gamers might have experienced when using their wireless Xbox controllers.
- Smart Delivery will let gamers buy a game once on any Xbox console and let them play it across the platforms without repurchasing it.
- Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play Series X games on their phone or tablet anywhere with a decent wi-fi network, revealed Spencer in a July 16 blog post.