For most gamers, upgrading from a PS4 to an Xbox Series S is definitely worth considering. The Series S provides noticeable improvements in loading times, frame rates, and graphics over the aging PS4. Xbox Game Pass also gives access to hundreds more games for a low monthly fee. While the Xbox Series S isn‘t as powerful as the PS5 or Series X, its budget-friendly price makes it an intriguing option for cost-conscious gamers looking to upgrade from the PS4.
Faster Loading Times Are a Game Changer
One of the biggest frustrations of playing on the PlayStation 4 is the long load times. Huge triple-A games like Red Dead Redemption 2 can take over two minutes just to boot up, and loading new areas or dying means sitting through more endless loading screens.
The Xbox Series S massively improves this experience thanks to its custom SSD which boasts 40x faster read speeds compared to the mechanical hard drive in the PS4. Here are some real-world examples:
| Game | PS4 Load Time | Xbox Series S Load Time |
|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2 min 10 sec | 46 seconds |
| Final Fantasy VII Remake | 55 seconds | 14 seconds |
| Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey | 1 min 7 sec | 11 seconds |
As you can see, loading times on the Xbox Series S are 3-6x faster across popular games. This has a huge impact on gameplay. Fast traveling and retrying challenging sections is almost instantaneous instead of a tedious wait. Even waiting to respawn after death only takes a few seconds instead of killing the game‘s momentum. Faster loading is a genuine game changer coming from the PS4.
Enjoy Much Smoother Frame Rates
The PlayStation 4 often struggles to run modern AAA games at its 30 FPS target. Graphically intensive titles like Horizon Forbidden West frequently dip into the low 20s during action scenes. This results in annoying stuttering and sluggish controls that disrupt the experience.
The Xbox Series S performs noticeably better here thanks to its quad-core Zen 2 CPU. When paired with optimized games, it can push frame rates up to 120 FPS at 1080p resolution. Even at 1440p, many titles achieve a rock-solid 60 FPS with none of the irritating dips and stutters that plague the PS4.
Digital Foundry tested performance across a variety of games and found the Series S averaged 57% higher frame rates than the base PS4. This leads to much smoother, more responsive gameplay free of choppiness or slowdown. Going from PS4 to Series S finally allows you to experience games as the developers intended.
Sharper Visuals Despite Lower Resolution
The maximum resolution of the Xbox Series S is 1440p versus 4K on the PS4 Pro and PS5. However, when you compare them side by side, the Series S‘s image often looks sharper and cleaner.
How is this possible? It comes down to the advanced upscaling and anti-aliasing techniques leveraged by the Series S. The custom 512-bit Navi GPU uses machine learning to intelligently upscale 1440p to 4K. The results are so good that Digital Foundry says the image quality is "basically identical to native 4K."
In addition, the powerful processing capabilities smooth out jagged edges through methods like MSAA and FXAA. So while on paper the resolution is lower, the Xbox Series S frequently matches or exceeds the visual quality of the PS4 in real-world usage.
Xbox Game Pass Is a Steal
Arguably the best reason to upgrade to the Xbox Series S is access to Xbox Game Pass. For just $9.99 per month, you gain instant access to a Netflix-style library of over 400 games spanning Xbox exclusives, AAA blockbusters, and independent hits.
To put into perspective how incredible the value is, here are just some of the games available day one on Game Pass:
- Halo Infinite
- Forza Horizon 5
- Hades
- Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy
- Doom Eternal
- Stardew Valley
- MLB The Show 22
Sony has no equivalent service on PlayStation. You would have to spend $70 per game to build a comparable library. If you‘re switching from PS4, Xbox Game Pass single-handedly justifies the upgrade to Series S. Thesubscription pays for itself many times over.
But Supply Limitations Could Be an Issue
Now for some downsides. The Xbox Series S is an incredibly popular console since it‘s the cheapest entry point into next-gen gaming. As a result, finding one in stock continues to be a challenge ever since launch.
Searching popular retailers shows the Series S is out of stock at most locations. Even when the consoles are available, they sell out within minutes. Unless you get lucky and can buy one the moment new inventory appears, you may be stuck struggling to find a Series S.
Scalpers have also plagued the console, using bots to buy up supply and then resell at outrageous markups. It‘s not uncommon to see Series S consoles listed on eBay for $400-$500 when retail price is just $299. The supply constraints make actually purchasing an Xbox Series S at a fair price difficult. You‘ll need persistence and patience.
Storage Space Is Limited
While the built-in SSD delivers much faster loading times, the trade-off is you only get 364GB of usable storage. That may sound like a decent amount, but modern AAA games easily take up 50GB+ each. Here‘s an example of how quickly that 364GB fills up:
- Call of Duty Vanguard – 72GB
- NBA 2K23 – 121GB
- Forza Horizon 5 – 103GB
With just three games, over half the SSD is used up already. And that doesn‘t include future titles which will likely be even larger. You‘ll constantly need to juggle and delete games to manage space.
Expanding the storage is pricey compared to the mechanical drives used by PS4. The recommended Seagate 1TB expansion card costs $220 – nearly the price of an entire Series S! It‘s an unfortunate downside you‘ll have to account for in your budget if upgrading from a PS4.
It‘s Less Future-Proof Than PS5
While the Xbox Series S brings tangible improvements over the PS4 today, its lower power and memory does raise concerns about its long-term viability. The custom 8-core Zen 2 CPU puts out 4 TFLOPS compared to 4.2 TFLOPS in the PlayStation 4 Pro. And it only includes 10GB of total RAM versus 16GB in the PS5.
What does this mean? Basically as developers make games exclusively for next-gen and push boundaries, the Series S may struggle to keep pace in 4-5 years. There are already a few titles like Monster Hunter Rise that need to drop resolution to 900p on the Series S while maintaining 4K on PS5.
Of course, tech evolves so rapidly that you‘ll probably want to upgrade after a few years regardless. But for those wanting the most future-proof next-gen console, the PS5 is likely the better long-term option compared to the budget Series S.
The Xbox Series S Is a Worthy Upgrade from PS4
Overall, the Xbox Series S convinces as a cost-effective upgrade over the aging PlayStation 4. You can expect way faster loading, smoother performance, Quick Resume, sharper visuals, and an amazing game subscription service. For casual to mid-core gamers, the $299 price point is very appealing.
However, the limited storage, occasional stock shortages, and concerns about long-term viability require careful consideration. Gamers focused on 4K gaming or wanting the most powerful hardware should look at the PS5 or Series X instead. But for everyone else looking to upgrade affordably from their PS4, the Xbox Series S is a great choice you won‘t regret.
