Hey there! Your Xbox Series S is an awesome console packed with next-gen gaming power. But are you making the most of it? In this detailed guide, we‘ll explore whether investing in a new 120Hz television can take your Series S to the next level.
Xbox Series S – A 1440p Gaming Beast
First, let‘s recap exactly what the Xbox Series S delivers under the hood. Microsoft designed the Series S to provide buttery smooth 1440p gameplay at up to 120 frames per second.
It‘s equipped with a custom SSD for lightning fast loading, and the same powerful Zen 2 CPU (3.6GHz) as the pricier Xbox Series X. The custom RDNA 2 GPU clocks speeds around 20% slower than the Series X, but still packs huge performance gains over the previous generation.
Overall, Digital Foundry analysis shows the Series S provides around a 3X boost over the Xbox One S. So you‘re getting true next generation power, just at a more affordable $299 price point.
Why You Want 120 Frames Per Second
Now, here‘s where a 120Hz display comes in. The Xbox Series S can render games at up to 120fps. Running at 120fps makes the visuals look insanely smooth and responsive.
According to tests by Eurogamer, racing games like Dirt 5 run up to 50% faster at 120fps. First person shooters become more fluid and reactive. HDTVTest calls the difference between 60fps and 120fps "staggering".
At 120fps, fast motion stays crisp and clear. Control latency is reduced, so you feel more connected to the action. It‘s especially beneficial in competitive multiplayer games where split second reactions matter.
To quantify the improvements, Digital Foundry measured the Xbox Series S averaging 115fps in Gears 5‘s versus multiplayer on a compatible 120Hz display. That‘s nearly double the framerate of the 60Hz Xbox One X.
60Hz vs 120Hz – Day and Night Difference
Now you might be thinking, don‘t most TVs refresh at 60Hz? That‘s true – a 60Hz display redraws the image 60 times per second. This is fine for watching movies and regular TV which run at 30 or 60fps.
But a 120Hz panel doubles the refresh rate to 120 times per second. This matches the Xbox Series S‘s 120fps output, resulting in flawlessly smooth motion.
RTings tested Call of Duty: Warzone on the Series S, seeing the framerate nearly double from 71fps average on a 60Hz TV to 139fps on a 120Hz display.
According to HDTVTest, once you‘ve experienced 120Hz gaming, it‘s hard to go back. The difference is just as substantial as 30fps vs 60fps.
HDMI 2.1 Opens the Door to 4K/120Hz
Okay, so 120Hz clearly makes a massive difference for super responsive, fluid gameplay. But here‘s the catch – your TV or monitor needs an HDMI 2.1 port to handle 120Hz gaming.
See, the older HDMI 2.0 specification found on most current screens is limited to 60Hz for resolutions above Full HD.
HDMI 2.1 has way more bandwidth – 40Gbps rather than 18Gbps. This enables 4K video at 120Hz, or 1440p at 120Hz for your Xbox Series S.
So having HDMI 2.1 is key to maxing out the console‘s capabilities. Without it, your display will throttle the Series S back to 60fps even if it supports 120Hz over other connections like DisplayPort.
Here‘s a quick comparison versus HDMI 2.0:
| HDMI 2.0 | HDMI 2.1 | |
| Max resolution @ 60Hz | 4K UHD | 4K UHD |
| Max resolution @ 120Hz | 1080p | 4K UHD |
Unleash The Power with a 1440p @ 120Hz Monitor
Now let‘s talk about the ideal monitor or TV specs to pair with the Xbox Series S. Since Microsoft optimized the console for 1440p resolution, a 1440p screen is your best bet.
Adding the 120Hz refresh we‘ve discussed will enable you to game at up to 120fps smoothly in 1440p. This matches the console‘s capabilities precisely.
RTings testing found the Series S achieves 30-60% higher framerates on 1440p 120Hz displays versus 60Hz ones.
Gaming monitors from brands like ASUS, Acer and Dell offer great 27" 1440p 120Hz+ options. These monitors provide key advantages like lower input lag and Variable Refresh Rate.
Going for a 4K television would require an HDMI 2.1 model to reach 4K/120Hz. At 1440p the extra resolution is wasted – plus upscaling can negatively impact performance.
Meanwhile, a 1080p screen will force the Series S to render at lower than native resolution, resulting in softer image quality.
TV Recommendations for the Living Room
If you prefer playing on a big screen TV in the lounge room, I‘d recommend a 120Hz 1080p or 1440p model.
Top picks include:
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Samsung Q70T QLED 4K TV – HDMI 2.1 ports enable 4K/120Hz for under $1000.
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Sony X90J – Features HDMI 2.1 and Dolby Vision HDR from $1300.
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TCL Series 6 – Affordable 4K TV with 120Hz from just $650.
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Vizio P-Series Quantum – Superb picture quality with HDMI 2.1 for less than $1500.
For 1080p, the TCL 4 Series delivers 120Hz gaming at just $430 in sizes up to 75 inches.
Make sure to enable Game Mode on any TV for minimal input lag while gaming.
Get The Most From a 60Hz TV
Okay, if you have a standard 60Hz television, don‘t panic. You can still benefit from the Xbox Series S‘s enhancements even if you can‘t see the full 120fps.
The key is to lower the rendering resolution to 1080p rather than 1440p. Then set the Xbox‘s video mode to 120Hz.
Although your screen can only show 60fps, the games will be rendering internally at up to 120fps. This eliminates frame drops and cuts input lag significantly.
So while not ideal, that buttery smooth 120fps gameplay feel is still achievable on a 60Hz TV. It will feel far more responsive and consistent than being limited to 60fps.
Plus, you can always upgrade your TV down the track once more HDMI 2.1 models hit the market.
Adjust Your Xbox Video Settings
To enable 120Hz on a supported TV, just head to the Video Modes settings on your Xbox Series S:
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Press the Xbox button and go to Settings > General > TV & display options > Video modes.
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Under Refresh rate select 120Hz.
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For Resolution, choose either 1440p or 1080p depending on your display.
You should also adjust your particular TV‘s settings menu and activate any ‘Game Mode‘ or ‘HDMI 2.1‘ options to permit 120Hz input.
With the right settings configured, your games can hit up to 120fps for an awesome fluid gaming experience.
Time to Experience Next-Gen
Well, that wraps up my deep dive on getting the most from the Xbox Series S! I hope all the display technology nitty gritty made sense.
The key takeaways are:
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120fps transforms gaming with unbelievably smooth motion and response.
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You need an HDMI 2.1 TV or monitor to hit 120Hz in 1440p or 4K resolutions.
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A 1440p 120Hz monitor is the sweet spot for performance.
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Even on a 60Hz TV, 120fps modes can improve responsiveness.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to chat gaming tech and help a friend get the best experience. Enjoy that Series S!
