Xbox Series X Plays Discs, Except the $749.99 Digital One
The Series S has no drive at 512GB or 1TB, and targets 1440p where Microsoft says the Series X runs games in native 4K.
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Microsoft sells two kinds of Xbox Series console: the Series X, which it says runs games in native 4K, and the Series S, which targets 1440p and has no disc drive. Of the two Series X models you can buy on xbox.com, the 1TB Carbon Black one has a 4K UHD Blu-ray drive and the 1TB Robot White Digital Edition does not.
Prices below are xbox.com’s US listings, read 17 October 2026. Microsoft notes that prices and availability vary by retailer.
The six consoles on xbox.com
| Console | Storage | Disc drive | Gaming resolution Microsoft states | xbox.com, 17 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series S 512GB, Robot White | 512GB | None | 1440p target | $499.99 |
| Series S 1TB, Robot White | 1TB | None | 1440p target | $599.99 |
| Series X 1TB Digital Edition, Robot White | 1TB | None | True 4K | $749.99 |
| Series X 1TB, Carbon Black | 1TB | 4K UHD Blu-ray | True 4K | $799.99 |
| Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition | 2TB | 4K UHD Blu-ray | True 4K | $799.99 (sold out; being retired) |
| Series X25 Limited Edition | 1TB | Disc drive | True 4K | $899.99 (pre-order, sold out) |
Microsoft lists the same features for both lines: gameplay at up to 120fps, Quick Resume, hardware ray tracing and Dolby Vision gaming. Microsoft’s footnote says 4K at up to 120fps “requires supported content and display”.
What separates the S from the X
Microsoft’s own FAQ puts it in one sentence: the Series X “displays games in native 4K, is available with a UHD Blu-ray Disc player”, and the Series S “is designed for disc-free gaming at 1440p (with the ability to upscale to 4K)”.
The spec lists show where that gap comes from.
| Series X | Series S | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | 12 TFLOPS, 52 compute units | 4 TFLOPS, 20 compute units |
| Memory | 16GB GDDR6 | 10GB GDDR6 |
| CPU | 8 cores at 3.8GHz | 8 cores at 3.8GHz |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac dual band | 802.11ac dual band |
| HDMI cable in the box | Ultra High Speed | High Speed |
| Size | 15.1 × 15.1 × 30.1cm | 6.5 × 15.1 × 27.5cm |
| Weight | 9.8lb (disc), 7.9lb (digital) | 4.25lb |
The Series X has three times the GPU throughput of the Series S on Microsoft’s figures, and both share the same CPU, the same 2.4GB/s raw SSD speed and the same ports. On Microsoft’s stated targets, the X is built for a 4K TV, and the S renders at 1440p and upscales to one.
Within each line, storage and the drive
The two Series S options differ only in storage. The two Series X 1TB models differ only in the drive and colour: same storage, same 4K target, and on xbox.com the drive adds $50.
The drive matters for more than old discs. Microsoft’s footnote says its disc-to-digital licensing needs a “supported console with disc drive”, and the licence stays tied to the disc, as we set out in how Xbox’s digital copy of your disc works.
Running out of room is the other question. Both spec lists support Microsoft’s Storage Expansion Card (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab), which the compare page says gives “additional game storage at the same performance”, and a USB 3.1 hard drive. A USB drive cannot run games built for Series X|S, as what a console costs after you buy it explains, so the card is how you add space for current games.
The 2TB and the X25
The 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition, launched in October 2024 alongside the Series S 1TB (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) and the Series X Digital Edition (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab), is on its way out: Microsoft’s 25 June post says “we will also be sunsetting our 2 TB model”. xbox.com still lists it, marked sold out.
The X25 Limited Edition is a 1TB disc-drive Series X that Microsoft made for Xbox’s 25th anniversary; it was at pre-order and sold out when read.
How the prices got here
Microsoft raised US console prices from 1 August 2026: $100 on 512GB models and $150 on 1TB models. Its post says console storage and memory prices have risen by more than 2.5 times, and that it raised prices by $20 to $70 the previous October.
A review quotes the price on the day it was written, so check its date against 1 August before reading the review scores we averaged across six consoles. xbox.com also sells certified refurbished units, listed $100 to $150 under the new prices on 17 October.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between the Xbox Series X and Series S?
Microsoft says the Series X displays games in native 4K and comes with a disc drive on most models, while the Series S is disc-free and targets 1440p, upscaling to 4K. The X has a 12 TFLOPS GPU and 16GB of memory; the S has 4 TFLOPS and 10GB.
Does the Xbox Series X Digital Edition have a disc drive?
No. The Series X 1TB Digital Edition in Robot White is all-digital, with the same 1TB storage and 4K target as the disc model. On 17 October 2026 xbox.com listed it at $749.99, $50 under the 1TB model with a drive.
How much is an Xbox Series X right now?
xbox.com listed the Series X 1TB with a disc drive at $799.99 and the 1TB Digital Edition at $749.99 on 17 October 2026. The 2TB Galaxy Black ($799.99) and X25 Limited Edition ($899.99) were sold out.
Is the Xbox Series S 1TB worth the extra over the 512GB?
That depends on how many games you keep installed. On xbox.com the two differ only in storage, at $499.99 and $599.99 on 17 October 2026. A 1TB Storage Expansion Card is the other way to add space that current games run from.
Why did Xbox consoles go up in price?
Microsoft’s 25 June 2026 post says console storage and memory prices have risen more than 2.5 times, and it expects another doubling by autumn 2027. Prices rose $100 on 512GB models and $150 on 1TB models from 1 August 2026.
Is the Xbox Series X 2TB discontinued?
Microsoft said on 25 June 2026 that it is “sunsetting” the 2TB model. xbox.com still listed the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition at $799.99 on 17 October 2026, marked sold out.
How we researched this
No one at bitcritiq has handled this product. Everything here comes from published sources, listed below.
- What this cannot tell you
- Microsoft marks the 2TB Galaxy Black and X25 prices “ERP”, with a footnote that prices vary by retailer, and lists both as sold out; its June post says the 2TB model is being retired, so its price is a listing rather than a price you can pay at Microsoft. The Series S spec list still names a 1TB Carbon Black model that the page does not offer to buy; we report the two options it does offer. Microsoft does not state a Wi-Fi standard beyond 802.11ac dual band, and gives one frame-rate figure, up to 120fps, for every model. We have not used any of these consoles, and this page does not rank them or judge their games.
How we chose this, and what we did
- Why this subject
- “best gaming console” is a durable query heading into Black Friday on 27 November, and Microsoft now sells six Xbox Series consoles in the US under names that mix storage, colour and drive. Our console posts rank the Series X and S on review scores and price what a console costs to run; none sets every current model side by side with Microsoft’s own specs and prices.
- How we looked at it
- Read through a browser on 17 October 2026: xbox.com’s US all-consoles listing, its Series X and Series S product pages including the tech-spec lists, the option selectors and the collapsed FAQ text, and its compare page; Xbox Wire’s console price update of 25 June 2026 and its post of 21 August 2024 announcing the Series S 1TB Robot White, Series X 1TB Digital Edition and Series X 2TB Galaxy Black. For the Digital Edition’s lack of a drive, the control was the same spec list’s Optical Drive line, which names a 4K UHD Blu-ray drive for the Carbon Black and Galaxy Black models and gives no entry for the Digital Edition, whose option is labelled “All-Digital”.
What this rests on
6 claims, all official. Nothing here was measured by bitcritiq — see how we test for why. Open a claim to read the source it came from.
xbox.com lists the Series S at $499.99 (512GB) and $599.99 (1TB), the Series X 1TB Digital Edition at $749.99 and the Series X 1TB with a disc drive at $799.99.Official
xbox.com US all-consoles listing, read 17 October 2026: “XBOX Series S – 512GB $499.99”, “XBOX Series S – 1 TB $599.99”, “XBOX Series X - 1TB Digital Edition $749.99”, “XBOX Series X – 1TB $799.99”.
The Series X 2TB Galaxy Black and the X25 Limited Edition are listed at $799.99 and $899.99, both sold out, and Microsoft is retiring the 2TB model.Official
All-consoles listing: “SOLD OUT XBOX Series X - 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition $799.99”, “SOLD OUT XBOX Series X25 Limited Edition $899.99 PRE-ORDER”. Xbox Wire, 25 June 2026: “We will also be sunsetting our 2 TB model.”
Microsoft says the Series X displays games in native 4K and is available with a UHD Blu-ray drive; the Series S is designed for disc-free gaming at 1440p.Official
Series X page FAQ: “The primary difference between the two consoles is that the XBOX Series X displays games in native 4K, is available with a UHD Blu-ray Disc player, and you can choose between 1TB SSD or 2TB SSD. XBOX Series S is designed for disc-free gaming at 1440p (with the ability to upscale to 4K) and you can choose between 512GB SSD or 1TB SSD.”
The Series X has a 12 TFLOPS GPU and 16GB of memory; the Series S has a 4 TFLOPS GPU and 10GB.Official
Series X tech specs: “GPU. 12 TFLOPS, 52 CUs @1.825 GHz”, “Memory. 16GB GDDR6 w/320 bit-wide bus”. Series S tech specs: “GPU. 4 TFLOPS, 20 CUs @1.565 GHz”, “Memory. 10GB GDDR6 128 bit-wide bus”.
From 1 August 2026, Microsoft raised console prices by $100 for 512GB models and $150 for 1TB models.Official
Xbox Wire, 25 June 2026: “Effective August 1, 2026, we will be updating prices worldwide. The price of XBOX consoles will increase by US$100 for 512 GB models and US$150 for 1 TB models.”
Of the two Series X 1TB models, the Carbon Black one has a 4K UHD Blu-ray drive and the Robot White Digital Edition has none.Official
Series X tech specs: “Optical Drive. XBOX Series X Carbon Black: 4K UHD Blu-Ray XBOX Series X – 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition: 4K UHD Blu-Ray”; option selector: “1TB | All-Digital | Robot White”.
Sources 6
- All Xbox consoles — Xbox (US)Officialaccessed Oct 17, 2026
- Xbox Series X — Xbox (US)Officialaccessed Oct 17, 2026
- Xbox Series S — Xbox (US)Officialaccessed Oct 17, 2026
- Compare Xbox Series X vs. Xbox Series S consoles — Xbox (US)Officialaccessed Oct 17, 2026
Show 2 more · 2 official or standards
- Updated Xbox Console Prices — Xbox Wire, 25 June 2026Officialaccessed Oct 17, 2026
- Pre-Order Three New Xbox Series X|S Console Options Starting August 21 — Xbox Wire, 21 August 2024Officialaccessed Oct 17, 2026
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