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Xbox Series S confirmed? (alleged leaked controller packaging says yes!)

Tulipanzo

Member
It's going to be very appealing to parents buying for their young children.
How stupid do you think people are?

"Hi, I'd like to buy an Xbox for my son please."

"Great, does he have a 4k TV?"

"Nope.

" Okay, we have a Series X, which is the most powerful, or a Series S which will work fine on his TV. "

" Which one is cheaper? "

Where's the confusion?
There's confusion where you have to explain
- Why is this 1080p device better than all these other, cheaper ones, with more games on them? Good luck explaining CPU/SSD to a parent
- The X is actually better in GPU and RAM quantity. Explain why some 4K devices are actually not as good as this 1080p one
- "Where did this come from? I just heard of Series X, is this a knock-off?"
- You can't just point to games because everything is going to be cross-gen
- All the names are very similar, and give no indication on improvements/changes (unlike Switch or PS5 which are clearly distinct)

You're imagining a pretty roset scenario where
A) The parent knows they want a new XBox, and isn't just waltzing in on some vague hint from the kid
B) They know they have a 4k tv (you'd be surprised how many don't)
C) They know they'll never buy a 4k tv for the next 7 years
D) The sales guy can explain it perfectly (I've already had them get the name wrong, repeatedly)

Sprinkle this with XBox's dead brand in most of Europe and RoW, where people are going to barely get any advertisement or store space for it + the fact that MS is refusing to market it at all, despite it being clearly a tougher sell.
 
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DavidGzz

Member
Funny how xbots always try to make it a big deal.. maybe they dont belong into said group that can replace battery once in 10-15 years? :)

Xbots don't even own one. I own a PS4 and DS4 and I had to plug my controller in playing TLOU2 and Ghost of Tshushima so much that it was essentially a wired controller. You don't have to be a fanboy to say the battery life SUCKS.
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
There's confusion where you have to explain
- Why is this 1080p device better than all these other, cheaper ones, with more games on them? Good luck explaining CPU/SSD to a parent
- The X is actually better in GPU and RAM quantity. Explain why some 4K devices are actually not as good as this 1080p one
- "Where did this come from? I just heard of Series X, is this a knock-off?"
- You can't just point to games because everything is going to be cross-gen
- All the names are very similar, and give no indication on improvements/changes (unlike Switch or PS5 which are clearly distinct)

You're imagining a pretty roset scenario where
A) The parent knows they want a new XBox, and isn't just waltzing in on some vague hint from the kid
B) They know they have a 4k tv (you'd be surprised how many don't)
C) They know they'll never buy a 4k tv for the next 7 years
D) The sales guy can explain it perfectly (I've already had them get the name wrong, repeatedly)

Sprinkle this with XBox's dead brand in most of Europe and RoW, where people are going to barely get any advertisement or store space for it + the fact that MS is refusing to market it at all, despite it being clearly a tougher sell.
You do know that the new Xbox’s will be fully backwards comparable so will have as many games as the older console day one
 

Mister Wolf

Member
There's confusion where you have to explain
- Why is this 1080p device better than all these other, cheaper ones, with more games on them? Good luck explaining CPU/SSD to a parent
- The X is actually better in GPU and RAM quantity. Explain why some 4K devices are actually not as good as this 1080p one
- "Where did this come from? I just heard of Series X, is this a knock-off?"
- You can't just point to games because everything is going to be cross-gen
- All the names are very similar, and give no indication on improvements/changes (unlike Switch or PS5 which are clearly distinct)

You're imagining a pretty roset scenario where
A) The parent knows they want a new XBox, and isn't just waltzing in on some vague hint from the kid
B) They know they have a 4k tv (you'd be surprised how many don't)
C) They know they'll never buy a 4k tv for the next 7 years
D) The sales guy can explain it perfectly (I've already had them get the name wrong, repeatedly)

Sprinkle this with XBox's dead brand in most of Europe and RoW, where people are going to barely get any advertisement or store space for it.

All parents need to know is its the new xbox and one of them is cheaper. Do you really think the average electronics purchaser is unfamiliar with the terms 1080p and 4K?
 

Mmnow

Member
And yet the elite 2, the highest quality Xbox controller, forgoes replaceables completely.

Why is that I wonder...

It was panned by fans of the first Elite and had issues with rapid draining. I wouldn't use that as proof of anything.

I guess quality means different things to different people. I appreciate a controller that is always usable within a few seconds after hitting a dead battery. You prefer being able to come on the Internet and post about how high quality your controller is, which is a good laugh for the rest of us.
 

TBiddy

Member
thereisnoneedtobeupset.gif

You should remember that the next time you barge in a thread and start talking about "fisher price" and "chinatown toy". Clearly you're upset about something.

You prefer being able to come on the Internet and post about how high quality your controller is, which is a good laugh for the rest of us.

Haha yeah. It's funny how a fucking battery is something that he can get that upset about.
 
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All parents need to know is its the new xbox and one of them is cheaper. Do you really think the average electronics purchaser is unfamiliar with the terms 1080p and 4K?
You know those parents could just keep their old console. If 1080p doesn't matter and there is hardly any new games for it yet, then why buy it yet?
 

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
you don't NEED batteries, you have the OPTION to use them.
and there is literally no negative about this.

want to use AA batteries? you can!
want to use AA rechargeable batteries? you can!
want to use the official rechargeable battery pack? you can!
want to use the vast array of third party battery packs? you can!

as opposed to:
want to use AA batteries? NOPE you can't!
want to use AA rechargeable batteries? NOPE!
want to use the official rechargeable battery pack? you can! but you will never be able to replace it without killing you warranty!
want to use the vast array of third party battery packs? NOPE!

if you can criticize anything about how Microsoft is handling this it is maybe the pricing of the controller in combination with a play and charge kit, that's maybe a bit too high, but the concept is absolutely perfect.
They should just pack the Xbox Series X with a play & charge kit, then it would be the best option. As it stands, the advantage is less clear to most customers.
 

Mmnow

Member
There's confusion where you have to explain
- Why is this 1080p device better than all these other, cheaper ones, with more games on them? Good luck explaining CPU/SSD to a parent
- The X is actually better in GPU and RAM quantity. Explain why some 4K devices are actually not as good as this 1080p one
- "Where did this come from? I just heard of Series X, is this a knock-off?"
- You can't just point to games because everything is going to be cross-gen
- All the names are very similar, and give no indication on improvements/changes (unlike Switch or PS5 which are clearly distinct)

You're imagining a pretty roset scenario where
A) The parent knows they want a new XBox, and isn't just waltzing in on some vague hint from the kid
B) They know they have a 4k tv (you'd be surprised how many don't)
C) They know they'll never buy a 4k tv for the next 7 years
D) The sales guy can explain it perfectly (I've already had them get the name wrong, repeatedly)

Sprinkle this with XBox's dead brand in most of Europe and RoW, where people are going to barely get any advertisement or store space for it + the fact that MS is refusing to market it at all, despite it being clearly a tougher sell.

It's like you live in a world where smartphones aren't a thing. Children don't end up with the latest iPhone every year because the parent doesn't understand that there are cheaper options, and how that scales in terms of features.

Even if you got the dumbest customer and the dumbest sales assistant, they could probably just about work out two skus, they could work out cost and they could work out how new the device is.

You seem to be under the impression someone looking for the new thing might accidentally buy a seven year old PS4 instead of the Series S. That isn't going to happen.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
You know those parents could just keep their old console. If 1080p doesn't matter and there is hardly any new games for it yet, then why buy it yet?

Yeah they could. Obviously it would be the child asking for something new or do you think the market not saturated enough with PS4s. Let Microsoft fuck around and reveal Minecraft RTX exclusive to the new Xbox and watch what happens.
 

anothertech

Member
It was panned by fans of the first Elite and had issues with rapid draining. I wouldn't use that as proof of anything.

I guess quality means different things to different people. I appreciate a controller that is always usable within a few seconds after hitting a dead battery. You prefer being able to come on the Internet and post about how high quality your controller is, which is a good laugh for the rest of us.
I have 6 Xbone controllers littering my house and from first hand experience, having to worry about replaceable batteries for a controller in 2020 is quite frankly dong water.

"The rest of you" keep laughing as technology passes you by.
 

DavidGzz

Member
There's confusion where you have to explain
- Why is this 1080p device better than all these other, cheaper ones, with more games on them? Good luck explaining CPU/SSD to a parent
- All the names are very similar, and give no indication on improvements/changes (unlike Switch or PS5 which are clearly distinct)

You keep saying "this 1080p device" as if that is on the packaging. No, it's simply Xbox Series S not Xbox 1080p Device. If the kid can't specify that he/she wants a Series console and not the One, then maybe they deserve to get the One. Also, there are things called return policies. The kid wouldn't even open the box when he unwraps the gift unless he's a moron. If the sales clerk can't say, yes, these are the latest Xbox products then they should be fired. Man, you guys make the simplest shit seem so confusing. LOL

Also, like phil said, the XSS will play all Xbox One games.
 
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anothertech

Member
You should remember that the next time you barge in a thread and start talking about "fisher price" and "chinatown toy". Clearly you're upset about something.



Haha yeah. It's funny how a fucking battery is something that he can get that upset about.
Tbh I'm just pointing out the obvious. Quality vs trash tier shit.

If your upset that people think of your favorite controller that way, maybe you should stop defending it.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
You keep saying "this 1080p device" as if that is on the packaging. No, it's simply Xbox Series S not Xbox 1080p Device. If the kid can't specify that he/she wants a Series console and not the One, then maybe they deserve to get the One. Also, there are things called return policies. The kid wouldn't even open the box when he unwraps the gift unless he's a moron. If the sales clerk can't say, yes, these are the latest Xbox products then they should be fired. Man, you guys make the simplest shit seem so confusing. LOL

Thats because most of it is concern trolling. If I was getting Gamepros and EGM's as a kid and knew what the consoles had to offer then all the more these kids that have the internet that they all know how to use.
 
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Yeah they could. Obviously it would be the child asking for something new or do you think the market not saturated enough with PS4s. Let Microsoft fuck around and reveal Minecraft RTX exclusive to the new Xbox and watch what happens.
I will believe it when I see it. Minecraft could have been made Xbox exclusive, but Microsoft isn't willing to lose money over Xbox.
 

Mmnow

Member
I have 6 Xbone controllers littering my house and from first hand experience, having to worry about replaceable batteries for a controller in 2020 is quite frankly dong water.

"The rest of you" keep laughing as technology passes you by.
If you really have SIX Xbox controllers and haven't worked out a system for power, that's on you. I have three, and just keep four batteries fully charged in a drawer. It takes no thought, no planning. I can't imagine you'd need more than that, but if you have a big family or something like that, how is charging batteries harder than ensuring PS controllers are plugged in for every device?

I'm interested in your second comment. I'd love you to tell me what you think the purpose of improving technology is, if not to improve experience. What's the better controller experience? Going from a dead controller to a fully charged one in two seconds, or having to sit with it plugged in if you want to continue playing? What about when the battery goes faulty? What's better? Spend a fiver on a new battery and get on with your life, or have to fiddle around with taking the controller apart?

Listen, I don't really have a horse in the controller wars. It always surprises me that people put so much stock in one or the other. They're pretty much identical to me when I'm playing.

But I can't believe that anybody would spend any amount of time arguing that the battery situation for Xbox isn't a mile better than on PlayStation. Even if you just go by 30 being miles better than 12, what else comes into it? No amount of twisting and turning can change that.
 
Xbots don't even own one. I own a PS4 and DS4 and I had to plug my controller in playing TLOU2 and Ghost of Tshushima so much that it was essentially a wired controller. You don't have to be a fanboy to say the battery life SUCKS.

Hard to believe, my 2013 launch controllers have 4000-5000 hours of gameplay on them, they still last maybe 4-6h of gameplay (havent measured, but long enough not to have to be used as wired controller).

none of my friends have said that their battery wont last for multiple hours (maybe 30-40 controllers total, new and old ones).

So either your controller is faulty, or you are exaggerating. Because if you really have to use your controller as wired, it means that battery wont last even an hour?

And if it lasts only for minutes/hour, then why dont you just change the battery? really easy even without instructions + new one is like 5-10$/€

And yes, it is fanboy BULLSHIT when people are praising AA-batteries to be somehow easier, cheaper and more convenient.

Switching batteries "all the time" vs. having 2 controllers on cradle, no contest there.

I asked my only friend that have had xboxs, he said that it sucked to have AA and when he bought "play & charge" kit, its battery went bad in few years. So maybe xbox people think it is similar for ds4, that battery dies in few years?

And anyway:

Internal battery is just much easier, cradle is cheaper than set of rechargeable (good) batteries +charger.

So just cradle 2 controllers, always one full and it is fast to switch if one battery starts to die.

ps. what will happen when xbox AA's are dying and gamer have zero left? he can plug in the wire or have to run to a store?

pss. yes it sucks if battery have gone bad, but in my experience that rarely happens
 

DavidGzz

Member
Hard to believe, my 2013 launch controllers have 4000-5000 hours of gameplay on them, they still last maybe 4-6h of gameplay (havent measured, but long enough not to have to be used as wired controller).

none of my friends have said that their battery wont last for multiple hours (maybe 30-40 controllers total, new and old ones).

So either your controller is faulty, or you are exaggerating. Because if you really have to use your controller as wired, it means that battery wont last even an hour?

And if it lasts only for minutes/hour, then why dont you just change the battery? really easy even without instructions + new one is like 5-10$/€

And yes, it is fanboy BULLSHIT when people are praising AA-batteries to be somehow easier, cheaper and more convenient.

Switching batteries "all the time" vs. having 2 controllers on cradle, no contest there.

I asked my only friend that have had xboxs, he said that it sucked to have AA and when he bought "play & charge" kit, its battery went bad in few years. So maybe xbox people think it is similar for ds4, that battery dies in few years?

And anyway:

Internal battery is just much easier, cradle is cheaper than set of rechargeable (good) batteries +charger.

So just cradle 2 controllers, always one full and it is fast to switch if one battery starts to die.

ps. what will happen when xbox AA's are dying and gamer have zero left? he can plug in the wire or have to run to a store?

pss. yes it sucks if battery have gone bad, but in my experience that rarely happens

It lasts for 4-6 hours. I need to plug it in for hours on every other game session and I don't unplug it for a long time because I have no idea how long it takes to charge while using it. So say it gets low, I plug it in to not be distracted and that can be only 3 hours in because as soon as I see it's low I plug it in. I only own one controller since I only use my PS4 for the exclusives.

I am used to my Xbox controllers that last 30 hours. That 8-10 times as long. So in comparison, it feels terribly limiting. When the Xbox controller gets low, I plug it in or change the batteries that are rechargeable so no running to the store because I own several and I have at least 3 sets fully charged ready to go and I only have to do it once a week.
 
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Sony

Nintendo
You're so right. So glad apple and Samsung went the AA battery pack in their phones for the last decade for that quality approach.

It doesn't make the controller feel like a cheap Fisher Price toy at all.

Also thank goodness their controller costs so much less than Sony since they don't include rechargeables.

Ah I see that you've made the analogy with the smartphone industry. If you replace AA-battery with swappable battery, then in that analogy you're dead wrong.
That's because for the longest time, reviewers and customers both hated how battery packs in modern smartphones are not replaceable. Swappable battery in a flagship 2020 smartphone would be a significant USP.

Now let's change the naming:
- Xbox controller has a replaceable battery
- DS4/5 doesn't have a replaceable battery

Why would anyone choose for non-replaceable over replaceable? Especially in a product like a game-controller.
Now, to be fair, my comparison is flawed, because even though Xbox controllers have replaceable batteries, the controller themselves won't recharge them.
You need extra hardware for that (dock, play-charge kit etc).

However the price of a play and charge kit is between 10$ (third party) and 30$ (official).
In that case, I personally would much rather have a controller with repleaceable batteries for +/- 65$ than have a controller without a replaceable battery for 55$.

Lasty, and this is an unintended advantage of the Xbox controller to people that care enough about it: if wired, the Xbox controller doesn't need any battery at all. You can leave the case empty.
That takes a noticeable bit of weight out of the controller for people that prefer that.
 
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Sleepwalker

Member
Hard to believe, my 2013 launch controllers have 4000-5000 hours of gameplay on them, they still last maybe 4-6h of gameplay (havent measured, but long enough not to have to be used as wired controller).

none of my friends have said that their battery wont last for multiple hours (maybe 30-40 controllers total, new and old ones).

So either your controller is faulty, or you are exaggerating. Because if you really have to use your controller as wired, it means that battery wont last even an hour?

And if it lasts only for minutes/hour, then why dont you just change the battery? really easy even without instructions + new one is like 5-10$/€

And yes, it is fanboy BULLSHIT when people are praising AA-batteries to be somehow easier, cheaper and more convenient.

Switching batteries "all the time" vs. having 2 controllers on cradle, no contest there.

I asked my only friend that have had xboxs, he said that it sucked to have AA and when he bought "play & charge" kit, its battery went bad in few years. So maybe xbox people think it is similar for ds4, that battery dies in few years?

And anyway:

Internal battery is just much easier, cradle is cheaper than set of rechargeable (good) batteries +charger.

So just cradle 2 controllers, always one full and it is fast to switch if one battery starts to die.

ps. what will happen when xbox AA's are dying and gamer have zero left? he can plug in the wire or have to run to a store?

pss. yes it sucks if battery have gone bad, but in my experience that rarely happens


Holy shit, no wonder you got banned.
 

MadViking

Member
Why would anyone want to buy 1080p console in 2020 and beyond? Even on 1080p TV there is very big difference between PS4Pro/X1X and base consoles. Microsoft botched one console generation and they learned nothing apparently.
 

THE DUCK

Banned
Could still be a huge wildcard here with ai upscaling, what if ms positions this as a second 4k machine with 80-85% of the visual fidelity (see nvidia ai wizardry/dlss if you think it's not real). Imagine the video comparisons showing their $299 machine being very close to true next gen at much lower price......
This could be a real threat, and ms won't care if they sell an x or an s, it's just another potential live/gamepass subscriber.

Just think how the general public eats up that a $600 TV is just as good as a $1200 TV, or a mid range phone is as good as a flagship. They market this as a 4k next gen console and it could be accepted as such by people who would never visit this forum.

New! Xbox series x, true 4k gaming up to 120fps, 960gb blazing fast ssd, next gen amd graphics, new improved controller, full backwards compatibility
$499.99

New! Xbox series s, ai upscaled 4k gaming up to 60fps, 480gb blazing fast ssd, next gen AMD graphics, new improved controller, full backwards compatibility
$299.99
 
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Could still be q huge wildcard here with ai upscaling, what if ms positions this as a second 4k machine with 80-85% of the visual fidelity (see nvidia ai wizardry/dlss if you think it's not real). Imagine the video comparisons showing their $299 machine being very close to true next gen at much lower price......
This could be a real threat, and ms won't care if they sell an x or an s, it's just another potential live/gamepass subscriber.

Just think how the general public eats up that a $600 TV is just as good as a $1200 TV, or a mid range phone is as good as a flagship. They market this as a 4k next gen console and it could be accepted as such by people who would never visit this forum.

Umm....no. That would eat Series X sales. There is no upscaling secret in Series S that can't be applied to X.

It's just a cheaper box we'll be stuck with for 7-8 years.
 

THE DUCK

Banned
At first I thought that was true too, but after some thought couldn't come up with a reason why ms would care if they sold just as many s as x.
 

FunkMiller

Gold Member
I still can’t get my head around how you can design and program games that take full advantage of the Series X’s power, but will also run on this less powerful console.
 

THE DUCK

Banned
I still can’t get my head around how you can design and program games that take full advantage of the Series X’s power, but will also run on this less powerful console.

It's not that hard with modern day development tools, they push to the max on the most powerful platform, and scale back on resolution and effects to get it to run after on the weaker one. Doesn't even take long now that the consoles are glorified PC's with closed architecture.
 

FunkMiller

Gold Member
It's not that hard with modern day development tools, they push to the max on the most powerful platform, and scale back on resolution and effects to get it to run after on the weaker one. Doesn't even take long now that the consoles are glorified PC's with closed architecture.

OK, but what about gameplay innovation? I don’t really care all that much about resolution or FPS. I want new games to provide fresh, innovative experiences, with great storytelling and characterisation, and fresh, interesting gameplay loops that take full advantage of the increase in power.

How is that possible on Series X, if all games must also run on a much less powerful console?
 

Mmnow

Member
OK, but what about gameplay innovation? I don’t really care all that much about resolution or FPS. I want new games to provide fresh, innovative experiences, with great storytelling and characterisation, and fresh, interesting gameplay loops that take full advantage of the increase in power.

How is that possible on Series X, if all games must also run on a much less powerful console?
Innovative experiences such as what? What non-gimmicky ideas do you have that can't be done on the Series S?
 

THE DUCK

Banned
OK, but what about gameplay innovation? I don’t really care all that much about resolution or FPS. I want new games to provide fresh, innovative experiences, with great storytelling and characterisation, and fresh, interesting gameplay loops that take full advantage of the increase in power.

How is that possible on Series X, if all games must also run on a much less powerful console?

I think for this generation, we really aren't going to see huge jump in gameplay vs last gen, with exception of what the ssd can do, which is present in both machines, and ps5. Both the ps5 pro and xbox one x were already pretty capable graphically thanks to the mid generation update.
 

Orta

Banned
I dont remember a poll. Someone should make one on who is getting it.

Most hardcore X fans are getting SX. But, if the price is right it could attract PS gamers who want to add gamepass, or harrdcore Nintendo fans who want the same.

Maybe SX fans who want a bedroom system. Who knows.

I'd buy the series S if the price is right (no more than €300), is compatible with the OG/360/XBO back catalogue, has the odd third party console exclusive not on pc and doesn't look or run like shit compared to the SX/PS5 version.

It could be a pretty nice little package.
 
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T-Cake

Member
I'd buy the series S if the price is right (no more than €300), is compatible with the OG/360/XBO back catalogue and has the odd third party console exclusive not on pc and doesn't run like shit compared to the SX/PS5 version.

The only thing putting me off is that memory though - 7.5GB reportedly available. Which means it wouldn't be running the Xbox One X versions of games in BC mode but the (usually) poor S version.
 
So what was the rumor about Lockhart being powerful than Ps5, like Microsoft has two powerful consoles? thought the strategy was have an entry level lower specd Xbox and a higher specd Series X? Like One Plus Nord for midrange consumers and One Plus whatever Pro for higher end enthusiasts
 
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MrFunSocks

Banned
I still can’t get my head around how you can design and program games that take full advantage of the Series X’s power, but will also run on this less powerful console.
PC gaming has been a thing for a very long time.

Also the difference between the S and X is supposedly basically the power needed to go from 1080p to 4K, so the exact same game will run on both consoles, just at different resolutions (and maybe framerates).

So what was the rumor about Lockhart being powerful than Ps5, like Microsoft has two powerful consoles? thought the strategy was have an entry level lower specd Xbox and a higher specd Series X? Like One Plus Nord for midrange consumers and One Plus whatever Pro for higher end enthusiasts

Have there been rumours of that? I haven't seen any, and it doesn't make sense. Why would MS make two 10-12TF consoles? The leaks have all been that the S is a next gen @ 1080p console, the X is next gen @ 4K. The PS5 will be next gen with reconstructed 4K/1440-1800p.

OK, but what about gameplay innovation? I don’t really care all that much about resolution or FPS. I want new games to provide fresh, innovative experiences, with great storytelling and characterisation, and fresh, interesting gameplay loops that take full advantage of the increase in power.

How is that possible on Series X, if all games must also run on a much less powerful console?

But what do you mean by that? What gameplay loops do you think there could be that have required the power that these consoles have? You're just going to get more or bigger versions of what we have had for the last decade. There's not going to be some magical new style of gameplay that needed x teraflops to be possible. Resolution, framerate, graphical quality and scale are the only things that are going to change. Storytelling/characterization especially has nothing to do with power or new architectures.
 
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