Xbox Series S technical leak suggests 1440p gaming without physical media

Newly reported details about the technical mark-up of the Xbox Series S paint an interesting picture for value-oriented gamers who don’t want to miss out on what next-gen gaming has on offer without breaking the bank.

According to Tweaktown findings and Tom Warren from The Verge, Microsoft’s cheap next-gen variant will offer the real next-gen experience with only a few concessions. The biggest ones here are also the most obvious. Resolution and physical media.

While both Microsoft and Sony have been screaming 4K ever since the start when it comes to their next-gen game consoles, the Xbox Series S will supposedly aim for 1440p. It might not sound as flashy as full 4K but in reality, it’s still a massive increase over 1080p. Close to 80% more pixels to be precise.

Conversely, 1440p offers 44% of the raw pixels that a 4K image displays. In the age of image reconstruction, checkerboard rendering, and AI upscaling, that’s a great and absolutely viable starting point for 4K screens.

But in the end, the success of the Xbox Series S all depends on one factor. Price. With the cheaper Xbox next-gen console playing all next-gen titles, if Microsoft manages to achieve a sweet spot on the price sticker, we might be looking at the sleeper hit of next-gen.

Doubly so if one considers that Sony doesn’t really have an answer for the Series S. Yes, there is a digital-only PlayStation 5 but apart from the omission of a Bluray disc drive, it still features the exact top-of-the-line hardware underneath its stylish hood. Unless Sony decides to go extremely aggressive and undercuts the PS5 Digital Edition’s price with hopes of making money back by virtue of forgoing the second-hand market altogether, it’s likely that the Xbox Series S will be the cheapest next-gen option.

Expect Microsoft to formally unveil the Xbox Series S in the very near future.