Since you and your family are stuck at home right now (and it looks like things won’t be going back to normal anytime soon), you need to find ways to keep the kids entertained so they’d stop pestering you while you work. We suggest treating them to a shiny new games console, like the Xbox One. We’ve found three irresistible deals on the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X at BrandsMart and eBay that let you in on up to $200 worth of savings. Hurry, though: These Xbox One deals certainly won’t last long.
Xbox One S All-Digital Edition (1TB)
— $209, was $299
We think the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is a capable game console, but its price might be too steep considering that it doesn’t play discs. Yes, the future of gaming is online and digital downloads might completely replace physical games sooner than expected, but pre-loved games tend to be much cheaper, so not being able to use discs with this console requires serious consideration. At least out of the box it already includes download codes for Sea of Thieves, Forza Horizon 3, and Minecraft.
Appearance-wise, the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition looks nearly identical to the Xbox One S (see below) minus the disc drive on the front. It is sleek, small, slightly lightweight, and takes up far less space than the original Xbox One. Ports include three USB 3.0 ports, an Ethernet port, an IR blaster, and S/PDIF. Unfortunately, this console does not include a Kinect port. If you have a Kinect camera from the original Xbox One, you will have to connect it via an adapter.
When it comes to gameplay, there’s not much difference between the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition and the slightly pricier Xbox One S. As expected, this console lacks 4K gaming but if you don’t really have a 4K display then this will serve you well. Besides, there’s hardly any difference in the video output. Framerate is good and most games don’t appear choppy as plenty of titles on all Xbox systems run at 60 frames per second – but those who demand the absolute best out of their games won’t find it here. It also doesn’t offer 4K Blu-ray support so those wanting an inexpensive way to enjoy 4K Blu-ray movies should look elsewhere.
If your home doesn’t really have the space needed for storing physical media, then the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is for you. Get it at eBay right now for $209 instead of $299 – a huge $90 off.
Xbox One S Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 Bundle (1TB)
— $250, was $300
The Xbox One S has two very important things that are sorely missing in the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition: It comes with a disc drive so you’d be able to play physical games on it, and it’s a great Ultra HD Blu-ray player as well. Best of all, it comes at an attractive price, only a few dollars more than the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition. Overall it’s just a better value for your money and it’s currently on sale at BrandsMart for $250 instead of $300.
Microsoft has shrunk the Xbox One S by 40% compared to the positively enormous original Xbox One. It’s now nearly as svelte as the PlayStation 4, which means it’s going to take up less space on your entertainment cabinet. On its front, you’ll find a physical power button, controller sync button, the disc eject button, and a single USB 3.0 port – which is a bit disappointing since the PlayStation 4 has two. On the lower right corner hides the IR blaster, and around back there are two HDMI ports (one in, one out), two more USB 3.0 ports (one for Kinect), S/PDIF, and Ethernet. There’s no longer a dedicated Kinect port, which means you’ll need a USB adapter to plug a previous Kinect into this console.
The Xbox One S has support for 4K video, as well as a 4K Blu-ray player that isn’t found in the PlayStation 4, its direct competitor. Does 4K have any significant impact on gameplay? Not really. They render with pretty much the same frame buffer as the original Xbox One, but being able to play HDR Blu-rays on your UltraHD screen and stream Netflix in glorious 4K is definitely something.
You don’t have to purchase a separate Bluray player if you get the Xbox One S, which makes it not just a good game console but also a great home theater appliance. Get it bundled with Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 for $250 at BrandsMart.
Xbox One X Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Bundle (1TB)
— $300, was $500
The Xbox One X is a beast of a game console, and it should be, considering its $500 price tag. It has the power to improve performance for all games, Xbox One X Enhanced games are amazing, it works as a 4K UHD Blu-Ray player as well, and it possesses possibly the most user-friendly console interface out there. Thankfully, you don’t even have to pay that much for it, as we’ve found a superb deal on it that’s bundled with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for $300 at BrandsMart.
The Xbox One X is roughly the same size as the Xbox One S, which means a smaller entertainment space footprint. It boasts the most impressive console hardware to date, including an 8-core 2.3 GHz x86 CPU, a custom AMD GPU that can crank out 6 teraflops, and 12 GB of DDR5 RAM, which makes Sony’s top-of-the-line PS4 Pro look feeble in comparison. In fact, its sole hardware “failure” is its one terabyte hard disk drive, which might not be enough for people who buy games online frequently. Port selection is similar to the Xbox One S. You get HDMI for filtering your TV service through Xbox or for using Cortana instead of a remote to switch channels; USB 3.0 if you want to pair it with a mouse, keyboard, or external drivel; Ethernet for network connection; and IR-out and S/PDIG for connecting to advanced surround setups. These ports don’t really contribute much to gameplay quality but are quite useful for your home theater setup. The Xbox One X is basically a 4K UHD Blu-Ray player, game console, and TV streaming box all at once.
Although its games catalog isn’t as extensive as the PS4 Pro’s, the Xbox One X puts the focus on upscaling the visual of all games on the platform to be able to deliver a next-level immersive gaming experience. Games that have been branded by Microsoft as Xbox One Enhanced show off the console’s maximum potential. These titles run at 4K resolution in high-dynamic range without any toll on the game’s framerate. You will never have to worry about bugs and performance issues that can ruin your gaming experience. Simply put, this console makes gameplay even more stunning and electrifying.
The Xbox One X is the one game console to rule them all. Get it bundled with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for a huge $200 less at BrandsMart.
