Xbox Series X and S: Buy Before Price Increase

Microsoft has recently announced an increase in prices for Xbox consoles, controllers, and soon, games. The new recommended retail prices for hardware are effective immediately, whereas the $79.99 price tag for new first-party games will take effect during the upcoming holiday season. If you're considering purchasing a new Xbox Series X|S or a controller, acting quickly could save you some money. The updated, higher prices are now reflected on Xbox's official store, but some retailers might still offer the original prices for a limited time.

Xbox Series X

Xbox Series X - 1TB

Xbox Series X - $499 (Going Up to $599 Soon)

• Get it at Amazon
• Get it at GameStop
• Get it at Walmart (third-party seller)

Xbox Series X 1TB Digital Edition - $449 (Going Up to $549 Soon)

• Get it at Amazon
• Get it at GameStop
• Get it at Target
• Get it at Walmart (third-party seller)

The Xbox Series X stands as the flagship model, boasting the power to run games at stunning 4K resolution. As a proud owner, I find it outperforms even my PS5. For those who enjoy physical media, the standard model is the way to go. However, if you're comfortable with an all-digital library, the digital edition offers a $50 saving.

Xbox Series S

Xbox Series S - 512GB

Xbox Series S 512GB - $299 (Going Up to $379 Soon)

• Get it at Amazon
• Get it at GameStop
• Get it at Target
• Get it at Walmart

Xbox Series S 1TB - $349 (Going Up to $429 Soon)

• Get it at Amazon
• Get it at GameStop
• Get it at Target
• Get it at Walmart

The Xbox Series S is ideal for gamers who are ready to embrace an all-digital future. However, it comes with a trade-off in performance, designed to run games at 1440p rather than 4K. If this resolution suits your needs, the Series S is a fantastic choice. It's available in both 512GB and 1TB models. Considering the hefty size of modern games, I recommend opting for the 1TB model to avoid running out of space quickly, especially given the high cost of additional Xbox storage.

Xbox Wireless Controllers

Out August 13: Xbox Wireless Controller – Sky Cipher Special Edition

Some Xbox controllers are also seeing a price increase, though not all models are affected equally. The pricing for controllers has been more dynamic than for consoles, so the impact of the price hike might be less noticeable. Here are the new prices for Xbox controllers:

• Xbox Wireless Controller (Core) - $64.99
• Xbox Wireless Controller (Color) - $69.99
• Xbox Wireless Controller - Special Edition - $79.99
• Xbox Wireless Controller - Limited Edition - $89.99 (up from $79.99)
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Core) - $149.99 (up from $139.99)
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) - $199.99 (up from $179.99)