I've always had a Playstation. From the PS1 to the PS4 Pro, but due to the persistent shortage of PS5s, and especially the gamepass ultimate advertising, this Xbox Series S has gone to enjoy a next-gen experience.
When unpacking the product, I immediately noticed that it does have some weight, which surprised me very pleasantly. There's nothing more dangerous than a console that immediately flies across the room with a light tap.
The sleek white design of both the console and the controller is a feast for the eyes, but be careful if you have dirty fingers, because you will immediately see spots or smudges.
The installation using the Xbox app on your smartphone went rather rough, the internet connection you need during the installation sometimes faltered, so I was able to start over a few times...
The UI of xbox does feel confusing if you are used to Playstation, but for the Xbox One (s/x) this is not a problem because the UI has remained completely the same.
I have a 1440p, 144hz monitor, and setting the 1440p resolution and 120hz (max) image setting went very smoothly.
The first game I downloaded was COD Warzone and oh boy does that look good in 1440p with a 120hz. It is almost impossible to compare with the PS4 Pro which could only handle 60hz.
After an hour I opened Forza Horizon 4, which also looked very good, and then switched to Warzone in a split second with the quick resume function. Quick resume works brilliantly.
In terms of storage capacity, I was able to download 4 games, because even though it says on the box that it has 512GB, in reality there is still a 360GB left after the OS. But for the people who are wondering..., you can install 4 games on it.
What really made the difference for me is Xbox Gamepass Ultimate. Xbox Gold, Gamepass, and EA Access for only $12.99 per month, with just $1 for the first month. That's 413 games for only €12.99 per month!!!
In comparison, with Sony you pay €8.99 per month, or €60 for a year to only "play" online...
Please note, Ubisoft, Activision and Rockstar have not yet signed a contract with this game pass, so you will not find games from these game developers on it, and you will have to buy them separately.
Safe to say that the gamepass ultimate is really a game changer.
I really don't have anything bad to say about this thing, but sometimes I think it's a shame that I can't pick up a used game somewhere that costs €20, while I can sometimes still get €45 for it in the Microsoft store pay, but... You'll know that immediately when you buy this console.
I would say, just buy this, and then maybe combine it with a PS5 later to enjoy both worlds, because Sony is still miles ahead of Microsoft in terms of exclusives.
