Forget the Xbox Series X deals this Black Friday weekend – buy this instead

Video game consoles are some of the most sought-after products over Black Friday and you can often find them available for great prices.

Sadly, this year, weve not seen the kind of blockbuster discounts wed hoped for. With the gaming industry in turmoil there have been thousands upon thousands of job cuts as development costs soar and profit margins shrink manufacturers have been less inclined to slash the price of their flagship products.

You can currently pick up Microsofts Xbox Series X for £460 on Amazon but thats only £10 less than its average price since April 2023. And, compared to the £350 it cost in December last year, that price is seriously offputting.

As such, Id urge you to avoid buying the Series X for now. Theres still a chance it will see a proper discount in time for Christmas though, so brace yourself for some last-minute present wrapping.

I would, however, like to point you towards this Black Friday Xbox Series S deal, which sees the console available for £200, down from £249. The Series S is of course a less impressive console. Its limited to a resolution of 1440p (the Series X supports 4K), has no disc drive, half the internal storage (512GB vs 1TB) and a less powerful gaming processor.

But for those willing to make a few compromises, its an appealing purchase. Its significantly more compact than the behemoth that is the Series X but loads games quickly and the UI is both slick and snappy. Microsofts Quick Resume feature, which enables you to jump straight back into where you left off across different games, is supremely useful, and despite lacking 4K support, the gaming experience at 1080p/60Hz is a satisfying one.

Hardcore gamers will likely already own a Series X or PlayStation 5 (perhaps even a PlayStation 5 Pro) but if youre a casual gamer looking to make a current-gen upgrade, the Xbox Series S is a cost-effective option.

I wouldnt be surprised to see it fall even lower before the end of the year £180 by Boxing Day isnt beyond the realms of possibility but for the sake of having your kids Christmas present sorted, it might be worth snapping the Series S up now while its on offer.

For a selection of our favourite Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals across a whole range of categories, head on over to our main deals hub, where youll find offers on everything from TVs and headphones to mattresses and coffee machines.

Written by

Andy White

Andy was appointed Tech Editor in 2024 following four years spent putting a huge range of products through their paces. Formerly a sports journalist at Greenways Publishing, he cut his tech teeth testing laptops before taking over as the site’s TV and audio expert. He’s cast his eye over more headphones and televisions than you can shake a stick at but has also reviewed football boots, handheld game consoles and just about everything in between. As well as testing, writing and editing, Andy covers product launches and key industry events in the UK and overseas.

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