What Is the New Xbox Called? Xbox Series X and Series S Explained

If you've been out of the gaming loop for a while — or you're trying to buy a gift and keep seeing different Xbox names everywhere — the current lineup can feel confusing fast. Here's what's actually going on with the new Xbox consoles, what they're called, and what separates them.

The Current Generation of Xbox Is Called Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S

Microsoft's newest Xbox consoles launched in November 2020 under the Xbox Series branding. There are two main models:

• Xbox Series X — the flagship, high-performance console
• Xbox Series S — the smaller, more affordable digital-only option

Both belong to the same console generation and run the same game library. The differences come down to hardware power, storage, physical disc support, and what kind of display they're designed to drive.

What Makes the Xbox Series X Different From the Series S?

The Series X is built for maximum performance. It's a large, tower-shaped console designed to output games at up to 4K resolution at high frame rates. It includes a disc drive, meaning you can buy and play physical game discs in addition to digital downloads. It also comes with a 1TB custom NVMe SSD, which dramatically reduces load times compared to older Xbox generations.

The Series S takes a different approach. It's significantly smaller — one of the most compact home consoles ever made — and targets 1080p to 1440p gaming rather than 4K. It's digital only, so there's no disc drive. Its SSD is 512GB, which is smaller than the Series X's, though Microsoft has made expandable storage cards available for both systems.

Both consoles use the same underlying CPU architecture, both support ray tracing, and both offer Quick Resume — a feature that lets you suspend multiple games and switch between them almost instantly.

What Happened to the Xbox One?

The Xbox One was the previous generation — released in 2013 and updated over the years with the Xbox One S and Xbox One X models. Microsoft stopped manufacturing Xbox One consoles around the time the Series X/S launched.

This is where some of the naming confusion creeps in. The jump from Xbox One X (old) to Xbox Series X (new) is easy to mix up. They sound similar, but they're separated by a full console generation and a significant hardware gap.

🎮 A quick shortcut: if someone says "the new Xbox," they almost certainly mean the Xbox Series X or Series S.

Is There a Newer Model After the Series X?

As of the most recent confirmed information, the Xbox Series X and Series S remain Microsoft's current-generation home consoles. Microsoft has released updated variations — including a disc-less version of the Series X and a Special Edition Series S with expanded storage — but these are variations on the same hardware generation, not a new one.

Microsoft has also continued expanding its Xbox Game Pass subscription service alongside these consoles, which affects how many players access games regardless of which model they own. Whether you're on Series X or Series S, you're playing from the same game ecosystem.

The Naming Strategy Behind "Series"

Microsoft's shift to the "Series" naming convention was intentional. Rather than numbering consoles sequentially (Xbox 1, 2, 3…), they moved to a tier-based system where X signals the top tier and S signals the more accessible tier. This mirrors how they brand other product lines, like the Surface Pro vs. Surface Go.

The tradeoff is that the naming doesn't tell you when something was made the way numbered generations do. That's partly why shoppers still search "what is the new Xbox called" — the branding doesn't make generational jumps obvious at a glance.

What Variables Actually Matter for Your Situation?

Here's where it gets personal. The "right" Xbox isn't determined by which one is newest — it depends on several factors that vary significantly from person to person:

• TV or monitor resolution — If your display tops out at 1080p, the Series X's 4K capability doesn't help you
• Physical media preference — If you buy disc-based games or want to play Blu-rays, only the Series X supports that
• Storage habits — Heavy downloaders will feel the 512GB cap on the Series S more quickly
• Budget sensitivity — The Series S is meaningfully cheaper, which matters a lot for some buyers and not at all for others
• Physical space — The Series S's compact size is a genuine practical advantage for some setups

🖥️ Neither console is universally "better." They're designed for different user profiles.

Someone with a 4K TV, a large physical game collection, and no budget constraint is looking at a very different decision than someone who streams most media, plays at 1080p, and wants the smallest possible footprint under their TV.

The Series X and Series S both represent the same generational leap in Xbox hardware — but what that leap means in practice depends entirely on the setup and habits of the person using it.