Walmart Black Friday deals are back with a new round of offers from the 'Deals for Day's sale. The retail giant is offering incredible bargains, and we've spotted an epic Black Friday TV deal that's sure to go fast. For a limited time, you can get this JVC 58-inch 4K TV on sale for just $298. That's a fantastic price for a big-screen 4K TV and an epic Black Friday deal to snag before the official Walmart Black Friday sale even begins.
JVC 58-inch 4K UHD Roku Smart TV:$298 at Walmart An incredible price for a big-screen 4K TV, you can get the JVC 58-inch TV on sale for just $298 at Walmart. The budget set includes the Roku experience so you can stream your favorite content from the home screen of your TV.View Deal
Even if this JVC TV isn't the best TV in the world, it's still a 4K Ultra High-Definition TV, which displays four times the number of pixels as a Full HD display. The smart TV also comes with the Roku experience, which gives you access to over 500,000 movies, TV episodes, and more than 5,000 streaming channels. You can also use the Roku app to search for titles, adjust the channel, and turn off the TV using just your voice.
This is a fantastic deal if you're in the market for a budget big-screen TV and one of the best bargains we've found from the early Walmart Black Friday sale. TVs at prices like this go fast, so we recommend adding to your cart now before it's too late.
For something so simple, the HP Omen Obelisk is surprisingly attractive. With its glass side window and obelisk-inspired facade trimmed with the renegade Omen logo, it’s got a lot of style in its otherwise straightforward chassis. This is an appealing gaming PC that isn’t so over-the-top in its gaming aesthetic that it ends up looking gaudy.
But, how does it fare against its powerhouse brother, the HP Omen Desktop PC. The Obelisk looks good, for sure, and it fits perfectly on the desktop of a gamer who values elegant design, but a gaming PC can’t just get by on looks alone. Can it match the Omen Desktop’s brute strength when you're playing the best PC games?
Short answer is yes. The long answer… well, it’s more complicated once you look at pricing, specs and its available configurations. The Omen Obelisk plays games like butter, but only if you’ve splurged on its innards. If you only have enough budget for one of the cheaper configurations, it might not be powerful enough.
The good news is the HP Omen Obelisk is expected to get some decent discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you're not completely convinced, we recommend waiting until then to hit that buy button until Black Friday and Cyber Monday roll around at the end of November.
Spec Sheet
Here is the HP Omen Obelisk configuration sent to TechRadar for review:
CPU: 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8700 (hexa-core, 12MB cache, up to 4.6GHz) Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 (8GB GDDR6 dedicated) RAM: HyperX 32GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (2 x 16 GB) Motherboard: Edoras micro-ATX Power Supply: Shadow Black tower with 500W Bronze efficiency power supply and side window Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD / 1TB 7200 rpm SATA Ports (front): USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A with fast charge, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A, audio combo jack, mic jack Ports (rear): USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C, 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A, RJ-45, 3 x audio outputs, 3 x Displayport, HDMI 2.08, DVI8 Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2x2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 M.2 combo Operating System: Windows 10 Home Weight: 20.28 lb (9.20 kg) Size: 6.5 x 14.06 x 17.05 in (16.51 x 35.71 x 43.31 cm)
Price and availability
Thundering specs help put our review model of the HP Omen Obelisk on the gaming PC map. It swaggers with an 8th generation Intel Core i7, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD storage and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 – a GPU far superior than the 1080 and has advantages over the 1080 Ti that was in the Omen Desktop we reviewed a while back. This configuration is unsurprisingly expensive at $2284, which includes the glass side window so you can showcase those amazing specs every chance you get. Although, at the time of the review, HP did knock $200 off the price and will most likely do so again.
A similar configuration is on hand in the UK with a couple of differences: it has half the memory, at 16GB, and a storage combo of 256GB SSD + 2TB HDD. That configuration, which is the most expensive in the UK, sets you back £1,899, which makes it more or less $100 pricier than its US counterpart.
Unfortunately, Australian buyers won’t find a similar configuration. The closest you can get is an HP Omen Obelisk at AU$2,999, with considerably lower specs: AMD Ryzen 7 2700, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD+2TB HDD storage. It’s the most expensive option as well as one of the only two configurations available in Australia, the other being featuring an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 CPU, 128GB SSD+1TB HDD storage, along with the same GPU and RAM for AU$2,799.
If you want to completely splurge on the specs in the US, you can kit the HP Omen Obelisk out with an Intel Core i9, 64GB of RAM, 512GB SSD + 3TB HDD + 3TB HDD, and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti for a whopping $3,723.
Going down to the entry-level in the US, and you’ll find a $700 configuration featuring an AMD Ryzen 5 2500X CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, 8GB RAM and 1TB of HDD storage. It’s far from being a game-changer. If you want to save some money and still have a quality gaming experience, upgrading this to boast an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 CPU and 16GB RAM will only cost you $190 more and give you solid AAA gaming on medium to high settings.
On the other hand, the entry model in the UK has an Intel Core i5, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD+1TB HDD storage and the glass side window. It will set you back £899.
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Design
Those who are more partial to over-the-top gaming looks might find the HP Omen Obelisk’s aesthetic a tad underwhelming. Not that it doesn’t have gaming flair of its own – you can upgrade to a glass side panel so you can show off the innards, spotlighted by the RGB lighting on the chassis ceiling. The facade has its upper and lower sections tapered, reminiscent of the type of monument its named after, with the RGB-lit Omen logo etched on the upper section. Finally, the RGB lighting in both spots are customizable via the Omen Command Center software, which we will discuss in detail later.
Beyond that, however, the Omen Obelisk doesn’t have any design frills, which we honestly appreciate. We also like it better than the Omen Desktop’s aggressive Decepticon look. It reminds us of the old towers we use to have in the '90s, in that it’s a straight up rectangular tower – except it’s painted black, it’s classier and has the aforementioned trims for a modern aesthetic. Additionally, unlike the Omen Desktop, it’s slim rather than bulky.
Like the Omen Desktop, it boasts a tool-less design, even if it isn’t as extensive. The side panel pops open effortlessly; all you need to do is press the large, textured button on the back. This gives you easy access to the interior, especially if you’d like to upgrade or customize. The two hard drive bays located behind the front panel use tabs to lock the hard drives in place and pop them out quickly should you need to. In the spirit of upgradability, it’s made to micro-ATX standards so you can easily do so with many aftermarket parts.
The HP Omen Obelisk has a diverse number of available ports, also like the Omen Desktop, with some in the front and a few others in the back so you have several different ways of connecting your different peripherals and devices.
The only thing we don’t like about the Omen Obelisk’s design is the fact that it’s missing the top handle, perhaps to maintain the minimalist aesthetic. This exclusion is a little disappointing, as it makes the PC much harder to pick up and carry around. To do so, you’d have to pick the whole thing up from the bottom.
Our review unit does come with its own keyboard and mouse. They’re definitely not ideal for gaming, but since most, if not all, gamers invest in peripherals specifically designed for gaming, anyway, getting into details about these isn’t necessary.
3DMark:Sky Diver: 43,317; Fire Strike: 19,600; Time Spy: 9,443 Cinebench CPU: 1,319 points; Graphics: 144.75 fps GeekBench: 4,728 (single-core); 26,017 (multi-core) PCMark 8 (Home Test): 4,758 points Total War: Warhammer II (1080p, Ultra): 64.5 fps; (1080p, Low): 159.6 fps Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Ultra): 117 fps; (1080p, Low): 146 fps
Performance
Because the HP Omen Obelisk has three main configurations that are pretty distinct, it’s hard to generalize the performance of this gaming PC. For this review’s sake, therefore, we’ll focus on our review unit, which, while souped up, isn’t the most expensive option available in the US.
One awesome thing about this Omen Obelisk configuration is that it touts the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. This, we want to mention again, is a GPU far superior than the 1080 and has certain advantages over the 1080 Ti that the Omen Desktop has. Not only does it run faster, but its Turing architecture also allows for real-time ray tracing and deep learning supersampling (DLSS), which is an improvement over traditional Temporal Anti-Aliasing.
While ray tracing is not currently being utilized in many games, this functionality does make the RTX 2080 future-proof, as well as a powerhouse when handling demanding, AAA games on Ultra settings and high resolutions.
HP pairs this GPU with an 8th Generation Intel Core i7 and 32GB RAM, both designed to handle very demanding games and applications, to guarantee top-notch gaming performance.
We do see some minor frame drops in Total War: Warhammer II, but it also averages close to 65 frames per second (fps) on Ultra, which is good. There are also a couple of frame drops in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, but it also averages at 117 fps on Ultra.
In other AAA games, however, everything plays like butter. Whether we’re playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy XV, The Witcher 3, Sekiro, Far Cry 5, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Total War: Warhammer 2 or Hitman 2, we run into almost zero issues, even with all maxed out settings. That is, we don’t experience any latency or tearing, only smooth movements and rock-solid performance. Hitman 2 did crash on us just once, but only once.
Honestly, our only regret is that we can’t test it with the HP Omen 27 Gaming Monitor, which can be overclocked to 165Hz and has G-Sync technology.
Upgradability and the Command Center
Not all of the HP Omen Obelisk’s configurations are future-proof, but our review configuration definitely is, as well as some higher end configurations that are not as pricey. It is, however, highly upgradeable, not only because it has a tool-less design, but also because of its micro–ATX compatibility. This allows you to configure and upgrade with aftermarket parts, or at least those that are micro-ATX compatible.
There’s also space for a liquid cooled radiator to help keep CPU thermals in check, making it better for overclocking. And, the HP Omen Obelisk supports up to a 1300W power supply in case you want to upgrade with parts that require more power.
Unfortunately, as far as customizations via the Omen Command Center, there’s not much you can do.The Omen Obelisk only has Lighting Control and Network Booster on hand, the former to let you set the animation and color for the RGB lighting in front and inside the chassis, the latter allowing you to set network priorities and boost bandwidth usage for running programs.
It doesn’t, however, give access to overclocking, and only displays GPU, CPU and memory utilization for monitoring. It’s missing the Overclocking section that the Omen Desktop has access to.
Final verdict
The HP Omen Obelisk configuration reviewed here is an excellent, future-proofed gaming machine that looks good and feels good in-game. Simply put, it’s a powerhouse, capable of running any processor-hungry, graphics-heavy AAA game seamlessly, so that your gaming experience is completely immersive. That applies to similarly-demanding applications like video editing programs.
Yes, you’ll have to shell out more cash than you would if you were looking for a budget gaming PC, but if you’re looking to have a smooth and easy gaming experience on Ultra settings, you’re not really doing any gratuitous spending, especially since you’re essentially investing for the future as well as the present.
If you can’t spare more than $1,500, that’s OK as well. There are a few configurations that will set you back less than $1,000 and get you through medium settings beautifully. And since it is designed to be very upgradeable, you can just upgrade later on when you can afford to.
First reviewed May 2019
Image Credits: TechRadar
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If you are new to PC gaming or well on your way to getting your game face on, one of the biggest - and best - changes you can make is replacing your mouse.
Choosing a gaming mouse is always going to be a tricky task but we have a small horde of them, all ready and waiting to improve your game.
The mice we have chosen are all ultra lightweight. The benefits of having an ultra lightweight mouse are massive. Not only will it offer faster movements and pin-point accuracy, it will also mean you will have an edge on your counterparts.
A lighter mouse also means that you shouldn't get as tired when it comes to those high-intensity, extended gaming periods.
Below we highlight three fantastic gaming mice to boost your PC gaming. And remember: Currys PC World is always open online for home delivery, or order and collect from the store.
The Razer Viper Optical Gaming Mouse combines high precision and incredible responsiveness in a cutting-edge, ultra-lightweight ambidextrous body weighing just 69 grams.
Fitted with Razer's 5G, 16,000 DPI sensor, tracking and accuracy are assured for those pinpoint headshots. For ultra-fast clicks, the Viper uses Razer's Optical Mouse Switches, with an infrared light beam, to reduce response times to a match-winning 0.2ms.
With 8 programmable buttons, and customisable DPI switching, the Viper can be customised to suit your play style, with those game-winning extra functions mapped to your button of choice. And by using Razer's new Speedflex cable, there's no drag or snags as you swipe across the mouse mat, keeping your aim true and ensuring your clicks hit the mark.
The lightweight chassis, Optical Mouse Switches and precision sensor combine to make the Razer Viper Optical Gaming Mouse a deadly addition to any gamer's set-up.
There is a huge amount of sensitivity control with the ADX M0620 optical gaming mouse. With 6 DPI levels up to 12000, you won’t have any worries about your quick-fire responses going amiss.
It's a great-looking mouse too, with a honey-combed chassis that feels fantastic in the hand and has been designed this way to reduce weight. And that all-important weight? A mere 73g.
There's RGB LED lighting on board, too, to add to the aesthetics. This can be tweaked to any colour you want - perfect, then, for matching up with an RGB keyboard or even the components in your PC.
The Logitech Pro Wireless mouse is the ultimate gaming mouse for esports professionals, so you can be assured that this is a very competent device.
It's packed with innovation, including a 1ms report rate, Logitech's most advanced sensor (that goes up to 25,000 DPI) and it's ultralightweight, too, at 88g.
The outer shell of the mouse is durable, while the L/R buttons are built to last for over 50 million clicks and the travel distance and actuation force of the buttons have also been reduced and refined.
The moveable left and right side buttons make the Pro Wireless ambidextrous, and let you decide how many side buttons you want - from zero to four.
Battery life is great, too, at 48 hours when you have the default lighting on. This stretches to 60 hours when you turn the lighting off.
If you're looking for the best current deals for Sky TV in the UK, you've come to the right place. We keep a keen eye on the latest and best Sky TV packages to make sure we're always recommending the best Sky deals currently available.
And Black Friday 2020 is a great time for bargain hunters looking at Sky, as it has 50% off all its add-on packages.
And if you're looking to add a Sky broadband deal with your TV bundle, we've got you sorted there, too!
Step 1: Everyone gets the basic Sky TV package
Everyone who signs up for Sky TV has to begin with the basic Sky Signature package. From there you can add the extras like Kids channels, Movies and Sky Sports etc.
We've outlined this basic package for you below so if you're planning on opting for the cheapest option, the below deal. For everyone else, you can scroll down and pick from the latest deals on Sky Q, Sky Movies, Sky Sports etc.
Sky Signature | £20 setup fee | £25 a month
For a flat rate of £25 a month you're getting over 300 Sky channels including Sky Comedy, Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports News, Fox, MTV, National Geographic and many more. And if that isn't enough you can add Netflix for an extra £2.50! Just to give you a taste of what these channels include, you'd be able to watch one of the most popular HBO shows ever - Chernobyl, as well as Modern Family, Game of Thrones, Parks and Recreation, Watchmen and many more. Considering Netflix normally costs £8.99, the cost here is excellent.View Deal
Step 2: Check for relevant deals
If you want to check out all of the latest Sky packages you can go straight to the Sky website. But most people that aren't satisfied with the basic plan are likely to want a combination of three add-ons: Sky Sports, Sky Cinema or Sky with Broadband.
For the biggest savings, you have to go all in with a Sky TV and broadband deal. So if you're able to switch broadband provider then you're in the box seat for the best deals.
The good news for everyone is that as a new customer, once you purchase a Sky TV package, the Sky Q 1TB box comes as part of the bundle. So you don't need to worry about having to purchase the device separately.
And if you're wondering what a Sky Q is and whether you need it or not, just keep reading as we explain this all below.
Sky TV and Sports | 18 months | Sky Q | Sky Sports | £20 set-up |£60£39 a month For the last 30 years or so, Sky has been the place to go for the world's best sports coverage - and frankly, we'd be surprised if that changes any time soon. You probably won't need us to tell you what it includes: Premier League football, PGA golf tournaments, F1, Test cricket, horse racing, and so much more. And now, it's even cheaper! View Deal
Sky Big Bundle |£40 setup fee |£106£66.50 a month If you're after the full Monty, you can save a huge £40 a month if you go for Sky's flagship Big Bundle. That'll get you Sky Sports, Cinema, and Kids, plus Netflix and the standard selection of Sky channels – all available in Ultra HD and with Multiscreen so you can watch on up to 4 screens. View Deal
Step 3: Select your add-ons
Sky TV deal add-ons are much easier to understand since the reshuffle. Better yet you get to customize and create your perfect Sky TV package, this is ideal for new or existing customers.
Sky TV in HD | £6 a month This is one of the most essential add-ons to any Sky TV package. If you have a HD TV, you'll want to upgrade to HD and enjoy your content with five times more detail than the old standard definition pictures. View Deal
Ultra HD + HD | £10 a month So you may be asking, what's the difference between HD and ultra HD? Well according to Sky, with Ultra HD you're getting "four times the detail of HD". Plus, it gives you access to watch Netflix on four screens rather than just two. So if you want the best screen quality, we recommend getting this add-on. View Deal
Multiscreen | £14 a month This is ideal for anyone who wants to be able to enjoy Sky on multiple devices. With this add-on you can watch Sky on up to four different devices in your home.View Deal
Sky Sports |£22£18 a month
Watch live action from all 8 Sky Sports channels, in HD as standard (you'll get 4K if you've selected the Ultra HD add on), with the Complete Sports pack. It's a pricey add-on so it might be worth going to the Sky TV website and checking if they have any bundles or packages with the add-on to see if it comes out cheaper. View Deal
Sky Cinema | £11 a month
With a new premiere every day and over 1000 other films to choose from, the Sky Cinema is great for movie fans. You'll be spoilt for choice with this add-on, with plenty of movies from Aladdin, to Bad Boys, Crazy Rich Asians, Venom and many more! View Deal
BT Sport | £25 a month
Thanks to BT's latest TV packages, you can now get the best of both worlds. So why not subscribe to this add-on for £25 a month and get access to all four BT Sport channels? You'd be getting access to exclusive Premier League games and every match of the UEFA Champions League! View Deal
Sky Kids | £5 a month
A mere fiver a month grants access to over 4500 episodes on demand. There's more though as there are also 10 live channels. Don't worry about them hogging the TV though as you can also have up to 10 individual profiles on the Sky Kids app with shows tailored to the age of your little ones. View Deal
Sky Q is a subscription that allows you to seamlessly stream and record in 4K , across multiple screens (depending if you purchase a 1TB or a 2TB Sky Q box). To access Sky Q you need a Sky Q 1TB or a Sky QTB box. If you need more information make sure you check out our Sky Q review.
All basic Sky TV packages come with a Sky Q subscription but this doesn't include HD - for an extra £5 per month you can get HD.
Now if you're deciding if you should pick between a Sky Q 1TB or a Sky Q 2TB box all we can tell you is that the 2TB box costs start from £50 (one-off) but they do come with a few benefits. These include being able to record six shows at once instead of three, while watching a seventh, you'd also get the fancier Sky Q Touch remote control, an extra tablet allowance, and you'll be able to enjoy select channels in Ultra HD.
And if you don't want it to be all or nothing there are also options to buy a 1TB Sky Q box and a mini box. Whichever you decide to get, we recommend visiting the Sky website to check out all the Sky Q boxes options and pick the ideal one for you.
What HD Channels do I get on Sky TV?
Sky's basic package gives you over 300 channels, including TV's familiar favorites such as BBC One, ITV, Channel 4, MTV, Sky Atlantic, Comedy Central and many more!
In terms of HD, with all packages you get at least the standard free to air HD channels. To be honest you also get a fair few of these with standard Freeview HD. If you sign up for Sky Sports, there's no longer an extra fee to be paid to get them in HD as the channels now show in High Definition by default.
And if you get the extra HD add-on for £5 a month you'd be getting 35+ all Sky channels in HD! Below, are all the channels that come in HD without the added £5 a month.
BBC One HD
BBC Two HD
BBC Four HD
BBC News HD
CBBC HD
CBeebies HD
ITV HD
4 HD
5 HD
NHK World HD
RT HD
All latest Sky TV deals
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The Sony WF-1000XM3, our favorite true wireless earbuds, have plummeted to the lowest price we've ever seen in a fantastic early Black Friday deal from Best Buy.
Also available at Amazon and Walmart, the noise-cancelling buds have been slashed from $229.99 to just $168, saving you $61. (Not in the US? Scroll down for the best Sony WF-1000XM3 deals in your region.)
Today's best wireless earbuds deal
Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds:$229.99$168 at Best Buy Save over $61 on one of the most popular premium wireless earbuds today at Best Buy Featuring industry-leading noise cancellation and fantastic battery life, the Sony WF-1000XM3 have consistently ranked as TechRadar's favorite pair of wireless earbuds.They're a great buy but act quickly if you want to grab them at their lowest price – this deal is also available at Amazon and Walmart. View Deal
If that stunning discount appeals, you'll want to act fast – we wouldn't be surprised if this price rises again in the lead up to Black Friday on November 27.
The Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds are quite simply some of the best earbuds you can buy right now and a perennial favorite here at TechRadar.
Rated highly in both our review and buying guides, they're a great option for those who want an understated, sleek, feature-packed set of noise-cancelling earbuds that still manage to come in at a reasonable price. While the noise-cancelling might not reach the lofty levels of excellence featured on their Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear cousins, they still square up to anything offered from the likes of Apple and Bose - and with great battery life to boot.
Not in the US? Check out the best Sony WF-1000XM3 deals in your region below.
The PS5 Digital Edition and Xbox Series S ditch the disc drive in favor of an all-digital approach. But what are the differences between the two consoles, and have you considered the pros and cons of leaving physical media behind?
With both companies offering a digital-only model of their next-gen consoles, you might think that’s all there is to it – but you’d be wrong. While the PS5 Digital Edition is essentially a PS5 without a disc drive, the Xbox Series S is an entirely different proposition when compared to the Xbox Series X. It’s important to know the differences, then.
To help relieve you of any next-gen headaches, we’ve got all the details of both digital consoles below so you can make the right choice based on your gaming needs and budget size.
PS5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S price and release date
(Image credit: Microsoft)
By removing the 4K Blu-Ray drive, Sony has managed to knock $100 off the price of the PS5 Digital Edition compared to the standard PS5. It's available now depending on your territory, and retails for $399 / £359 / $AU599.95.
In comparison, Microsoft’s Xbox Series S is the cheapest next-gen console on the market at just $299 / £249 / AU$499. It released alongside Microsoft’s flagship console, the Xbox Series X, on November 10, 2020.
The Xbox Series S has a price advantage of $100 over the PS5 Digital Edition, then, but as we’ll go on to explain, that doesn’t mean it’s a clear cut victory for Microsoft's smaller box – unless price is your most important factor.
PS5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S specs
(Image credit: Sony)
The PS5 Digital Edition is literally identical to the standard PS5 apart from the fact it doesn’t include a 4K Blu-Ray drive. Its removal helps give the console a more symmetrical shape, but appearance aside, you won’t find any differences when it comes to technical specs between Sony’s two PS5 consoles. Check out the specs below:
CPU: Eight-core up to 3.5GHz (variable frequency) custom AMD Ryzen Zen 2
GPU: 10.3 teraflops, variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz
RAM: 16GB GDDR6
Framerate: Up to 120fps
Resolution: Up to 8K
Optical: No disk drive
Storage: 825GB NVMe SSD
If you’re happy to forgo physical media and prefer buying your games digitally, then the PS5 Digital Edition makes sense. There are a few caveats to consider, though. Physical games tend to be cheaper than their digital counterparts, and are more prone to heavy price cuts and sales. You can trade them in and recoup some of your investment, too. There’s also something rather comforting about owning a disc as opposed to a digital copy, but this isn’t an issue for some.
With digital titles often costing full price, if not more, it means that the $100 you initially save might quickly disappear once you've bought a few $70 / £69.99 PS5 games, and you’ll have no choice but to pay full price on the PlayStation Store.
The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, is fundamentally different to the Xbox Series X, and in turn, the PS5 Digital Edition. Microsoft’s cheaper console targets a resolution of 1440p instead of 4K, and has a significantly less powerful GPU. However, thanks to the advances in hardware over the last few years, the system should prove to be extremely capable, albeit less so than the PS5 Digital Edition when it comes to raw specs. Check out the Xbox Series S specs below:
CPU: Eight-core 3.6GHz (3.4GHz with SMT) custom AMD 7nm
GPU: 4 teraflops at 1.550GHz
RAM: 10GB GDDR6
Framerate: Up to 120 fps
Resolution: 1440p with 4K upscaling
Optical: No disk drive
Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
Microsoft’s strategy of targeting both the high and low-end of the market is an interesting one, and the company has already tipped the Xbox Series S to outsell its more expensive sibling.
While it’s easy to dismiss the Xbox Series S as being the weakest console and therefore the most inferior of the bunch, it still promises to deliver a next-gen experience. It supports all the key technological advancements that both the PS5 and Xbox Series X boast: that includes ray-tracing, super-fast load times, and 120fps capabilities. But its more modest resolution target means it can achieve these goals for a much lower price point.
It also means Microsoft’s been able to create the smallest, and its arguably most aesthetically pleasing console to date. The Xbox Series S is significantly smaller than the Xbox Series X, and absolutely tiny compared to the gargantuan PS5, so if you’re looking for something that’s more discreet and able to fit into any space, the Xbox Series S might appeal.
One thing to note, though, is that the Xbox Series S only comes with a 512GB SSD. That means space will fill up fast, but Microsoft has said that game files should be 30% smaller than on Xbox Series X as they won’t be using 4K textures, which can seriously bloat up some titles. There's also a expandable storage solution at launch in the form of Seagate's 1TB Expansion Card, but it's pricey.
Games are subjective – and that’s why competition and variety is so important. Thankfully, there’s a deluge of great-looking games on the way for both consoles, but both Sony and Microsoft’s approach is different once again.
With its superb library of exclusive games on PS4, Sony is backing its studios to deliver enticing titles once again to help sell its new console. The PS5’s launch is being bolstered by games such as Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls and Sackboy: A Big Adventure, all of which can only be found on Sony’s console, and more blockbusters are on the way with Horizon Forbidden West and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
Microsoft, meanwhile, doesn’t have a new first-party studio game at launch after Halo Infinite was unexpectedly delayed. Instead, the appeal of Xbox Series S and X revolves around Microsoft’s phenomenal Xbox Game Pass service, which includes hundreds of games that can be downloaded and played à la carte. It also includes backwards compatibility for four generations of Xbox games, meaning players can return to Xbox 360, original Xbox and Xbox One games, all of which promise to look and play better than ever before.
Both systems will be accompanied by various timed exclusives and third-party titles, of course, such as Yakuza: Like a Dragon on Xbox and Godfall on PS5. The choice then ultimately comes down to which games you find appealing, or which ecosystem you’ve already invested in.
PS5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S verdict
(Image credit: 343 Industries)
The decision over which digital console to buy will honestly come down to personal preference: both remove the disc drive, so physical media is a no-go, and the Xbox Series S is aimed squarely at opening up the market to make next-gen gaming more affordable. The $100 saving on the PS5 Digital Edition is appealing at first glance, but you may end up spending more in the long run, so bear that in mind if you're sticking firmly with Sony's machines.
Either way, both consoles promise to offer a superior experience over their predecessors. As it stands, both Xbox Series S pre-orders and PS5 pre-orders are extremely hard to find, so it’s clear there’s demand for both disc-less systems.
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