Xbox Series S pre-orders launched alongside the main console today, and while stock is still holding strong in the UK, the US has seen an incredibly competitive race to the checkout. That means Xbox Series S pre-orders are pretty rare right now, but you will find Best Buy has released a new wave of stock that is currently still in stock.
If you do miss Best Buy’s most recent offerings, we’re getting you prepped to meet that second round of Xbox Series S pre-orders by rounding up all the latest stock updates and retailers to check right here. We’re expecting Microsoft to release more stock shortly, so you’ll want to stay up to date.
Over in the UK, however, stock seems to be holding up well. Retailers like Very and AO currently have Xbox Series S pre-orders available, but we don’t know when this luck will run out so don’t delay too long.
We’re showing you everything you need to know about securing your Xbox Series S pre-order today. You’ll find quick links to retailers offering early orders just below, with more information on previous stock levels further down the page.
There’s plenty drawing the crowds to the cheaper Xbox today. Xbox Series X pre-orders cost an extra $200, and the super cheap Series S is uniquely positioned to appeal to a wide range of shoppers. We’re rounding up everything you need to know about Xbox Series S pre-orders right here, as well as going into more detail on exactly what you get for your cash in terms of Xbox One S specs, features, and the release date just below.
Xbox Series S pre-orders: quick links
US:
- Best Buy: pre-orders live now
- Microsoft: pre-orders previously live – keep trying
- Amazon: pre-orders currently unavailable
- Newegg: pre-orders currently unavailable
- Walmart: pre-orders listed out of stock – keep refreshing
- GameStop: pre-orders currently unavailable
UK:
- Very: pre-orders live and in stock
- Amazon: pre-orders previously live – awaiting stock
- AO: pre-orders live and in stock (with added extras)
- Argos: pre-orders live with regional stock
- Microsoft: pre-orders previously live – awaiting stock
- Currys: pre-orders previously live – awaiting stock
- John Lewis: awaiting pre-orders
It’s easy to see why there’s such demand – $299 price tag is going to be a massive draw for Microsoft’s budget bid in the console wars. In fact, the cheaper console has already sold out at some retailers.
Over in the UK, with the Series X running out of stock, Xbox Series S pre-order stock is just managing to hold on at a few stores. It’s out there for the taking, but we wouldn’t hold off much longer, as other retailers have already run out.
Xbox Series S, previously dubbed ‘Project Lockhart’ costs $299.99 / £249.99 / AU$499. It’s the cheaper, digital-only alternative to the Xbox Series X. Yes, Microsoft is releasing not one but two next-gen consoles this year.
It’s worth noting, however, that certain features like 4K gameplay aren’t available from cheaper Xbox Series S pre-orders, as that lower price tag makes way for less powerful specs in the budget model.
This disc-less, next-gen Xbox Series S specs are, however, substantially more powerful than the (now discontinued) Xbox One S All-Digital console, and the CPU, GPU and solid state disc drive storage only trail what you’ll get from the Series X.
Xbox Series S pre-orders
Xbox Series S pre-orders are live now, so the race is on to pick up the super cheap next-gen console. US shoppers can get their hands on the $299 console at the following retailers and pre-orders have been live in the UK for some time, but so far stock still seems to be holding on.
Check out the retailers below to head straight to the store offering the best chance of picking up an Xbox Series S pre-order today. We’re expecting these sites to be busy right now, so be sure to prioritise larger retailers that can handle the traffic to avoid frustrating lag.
You’ll find all these US and UK retailers offering Xbox Series S pre-orders just below, with all the latest and past stock levels and information. That means you have all the information you need to strike right when you need to.
Xbox Series S pre-orders in the US
Best Buy
Best Buy’s Xbox Series S pre-orders are live, which means you’ll be able to get your name down for the $299 console today. Move quickly, though, because we don’t know how long this second release will run for.
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Microsoft
Xbox Series S pre-orders are live at Microsoft now, which means you can pick up the console direct. We saw Microsoft hold onto its stock a little easier in the UK when orders launched earlier, but it looks like things are a little more competitive in the US. We’re seeing difficulties adding this console to cart, so be prepared to keep trying.
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Amazon
Amazon has listed its Xbox Series S stock on its site, but there’s currently none available for purchase. Keep checking here, because we don’t know when this stock will hit.
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Newegg
Newegg has also offered Xbox Series S pre-orders but they sold out immediately. They might be letting bigger retailers run out of stock first, however, so check back here if you come up unlucky.
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GameStop
Check for the latest information on GameStop’s Xbox Series S pre-orders here. The gaming focused retailer is likely to sell out fast, but has offered higher priced bundles with more gear in the past. That means if you’re really committed to the next generation you’ll find stock available here.
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Walmart
Walmart is a massive retailer, but they’re not so gaming focused as to draw hordes of expectant pre-orderers – although it will still be popular today. When the PS5 launched last week we saw flickering stock showing up with frequent refreshes, so don’t be afraid to keep reloading this page if you don’t see any units available.
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Xbox Series S pre-orders in the UK
Microsoft
Xbox Series S pre-orders are now live, with Microsoft offering up its own early orders via its US store. We’re seeing stock holding up nicely right now, but we don’t know how much longer that will be the case.
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Amazon
Xbox Series S pre-orders are also available at Amazon, and as one of the most popular retailers in the country there will not only be a good amount of units available, but also plenty of fellow shoppers trying to pick one up at a retailer many already have an account with.
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Currys
Xbox Series S pre-orders are live at Currys this morning, so head on into the queue to secure your cheap Xbox today. We’ve seen new console stock hold a little longer over at Currys, but it’s all to play for today so don’t hold off.
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John Lewis
John Lewis has also been named by Microsoft as a retailer carrying Xbox Series S pre-orders this week. That means you might also be able to take advantage of the excellent electrical warranties this particular shop offers.
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Very
Very’s Xbox Series S pre-orders are also live right now, which means you’ve got even more options for a cheap Xbox pre-order right now.
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AO
AO are also offering Xbox Series S pre-orders today, and again there’s no landing page as of yet. It’s likely to expect a single product page here, so we’ll stay in touch when things start to shift.
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Xbox Series S release date
Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox Series S (Project Lockhart) is indeed real, and that its digital-only next-gen console will arrive on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.
That means the new Series X will launch right alongside the more expensive Xbox Series X – both coming right before Black Friday 2020 on November 27.
Xbox Series S price
Microsoft has quashed the endless speculation over the Xbox Series S price, revealing that the console will retail for $299.99 / £249.99 / AU$499 via its official Twitter account. This falls in line with the Xbox Series S being a lower-cost alternative to the Xbox Series X.
If we compare it to the Xbox Series X’s price of $499 / £499 / AU$749, the Xbox Series S undercuts it significantly by $200. In the US, the Xbox One S‘s RRP was $100 less than that of the Xbox One X at launch, while the Xbox One S All-Digital’s launch RRP was $200 less than the Xbox One X’s. The Xbox Series S will be a tempting proposition for those looking to experience next-gen games without breaking the bank, then.
Xbox Series S on Xbox All Access
The Xbox Series S will also be available on Microsoft’s Xbox All Access subscription service in select regions, including the US, UK and Australia. Xbox All Access bundles together the console with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on a 24-month plan (giving you access to the latter for the duration) at a price of $24.99 / £20.99 / AU$33 a month, with no upfront costs.
Xbox All Access is offered through various different providers, depending on your region, so if you’re in the UK or US you’ll want to check the official Xbox site for more details. If you’re in Australia, Xbox All Access is offered through Telstra, with pre-registrations open now.
Xbox Series S: specs
Microsoft has revealed exactly what its cheaper Xbox can do in the console’s official launch trailer, which you can watch below.
- CPU: Eight-core 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with SMT) custom AMD 7nm
- GPU: 4 teraflops at 1.550GHz
- RAM: 10GB GDDR6
- Frame rate: Up to 120 fps
- Resolution: 1440p with 4K upscaling
- Optical: No disk drive
- Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
The Xbox Series S is up to 60% smaller than the Xbox Series X, making it the smallest Xbox ever made. Games will target a resolution of 1440p instead of 4K on Xbox Series X, and will be capable of 120fps.
There’s also support for ray tracing, 4K media playback, 4K game upscaling, variable rate shading and variable refresh rates – same as on Xbox Series X. The console is all-digital, meaning there’s no disc drive, and has a custom NVME 512GB SSD.
If you’re worried about running out of disk space, Microsoft is also releasing a 1TB expansion card. An external hard drive can also be used to store Xbox One games and backwards-compatible titles.
The Xbox Series S will also support Spatial Sound, including Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision via streaming media apps at launch. Dolby Vision support for gaming will also come first to next-gen Xbox consoles in 2021.
Xbox Series S: a digital gateway
The Xbox Series S will primarily act as a digital gateway for both Microsoft’s game-streaming service, Project xCloud, and its ever-growing Xbox Game Pass service (which now also includes EA Play for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass for PC subscribers).
Project xCloud aims to leverage Microsoft’s existing data centers across the globe, literally loading up servers with the component parts of multiple Xbox One consoles, and using these to run the games streamed directly to your mobile device of choice.
This means that gamers will be able to play the likes of Halo Infinite, Forza and other classic console and PC big hitters on their phones, tablets or Windows 10 computers.
Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass is essentially a Netflix for games, allowing subscribers to access lots of Xbox games digitally. The service has grown massively since its launch in 2017, boasting over 10 million subscribers.
Services such as Project xCloud and Xbox Game Pass prove that physical discs aren’t always necessary, with Microsoft offering plenty of content for those who choose to go digital-only. Xbox Series S will undoubtedly take this initiative into the next generation, proving that these services alone can support a next-gen console.