Xbox Series S Alternatives
Not sold on the Xbox Series S? These are the alternatives we would consider instead, with the specific reason to prefer each.
Last revised
If the Xbox Series S is not quite right, these are the Gaming we would look at instead, and the specific reason you might prefer each one.
Why you might look elsewhere
The most common reason people move on from the Xbox Series S is straightforward: 10GB of shared memory is the reason some ports run poorly. If that is a problem for how you work, one of the alternatives below will suit you better.
The alternatives
| Model | Price | Score | Why choose it instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Deck OLED | £479 | 5 / 5 | SteamOS is the only handheld software that does not feel like a desktop in disguise |
| ROG Ally X | £799 | 4 / 5 | The fastest handheld we have measured |
| Switch OLED | £309 | 4 / 5 | The lightest console here by a clear margin |
| PlayStation 5 Slim | £479 | 4 / 5 | The DualSense haptics are still the best controller feedback in gaming |
| Xbox Series X | £479 | 4 / 5 | Game Pass is the best value in gaming and nothing is close |
If you can stretch further
The Steam Deck OLED at £479 costs £230 more and adds steamOS is the only handheld software that does not feel like a desktop in disguise.
On the numbers that actually differ
Two devices in the same bracket usually share most of their specification sheet. These are the entries where they genuinely diverge, which is the only part of the comparison worth your time.
| Specification | Xbox Series S | Steam Deck OLED |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £249 | £479 |
| Our score | 4 / 5 | 5 / 5 |
| Released | 2020 | 2023 |
| Output | 1440p 120Hz | — |
| RAM | 10GB GDDR6 | 16GB LPDDR5 |
| Weight | 1.9kg | 640g |
| Power draw | 74W under load | — |
| Load time | 4.6s average | — |
The cost of switching
Changing manufacturer is rarely just the price difference. Budget for the accessories that will not carry over, an afternoon of migration, and a fortnight of not knowing where anything is. On Microsoft hardware specifically, the things that transfer least well are the settings you configured once and forgot about — they are invisible until they are missing. None of that is a reason to stay put, but it is a reason not to switch over a specification you would struggle to explain to someone else.
When to stay with the Xbox Series S
It remains the right choice if you are a second TV, a first console, or Game Pass on a budget. Nothing in this list beats it on that specific point.
Behind this page
This reference page is written from the same testing notes as the reviews it supports, and it is revised whenever the hardware or the software underneath it changes. Where a figure appears here it has been measured rather than quoted from a specification sheet.
If something on this page no longer matches what you are seeing, it is out of date rather than disputed — tell us and it gets checked again.
Related reading
The reviews this page supports go into the measurements behind these figures, and the knowledge base collects every reference page we keep.
Elsewhere in alternatives: Xbox Series X Alternatives, Xiaomi 15 Ultra Alternatives and eero 6+ Alternatives.