Xbox Series S confirmed by controller packaging — the budget console is real

Xbox Series S white console
(Image credit: jiveduder/Reddit)

The Xbox Series S has finally been confirmed in a leak after being the subject of various rumors leading up to the release of next-gen consoles. 

Images shared by Twitter user @TinyRakan show the new Xbox Wireless Controller in white with a redesigned D-pad, a Share button and a few other subtle changes. Most interesting is what is written on the side of the box: For Xbox Series X|S.

Shortly after those first posts went up, Twitter user @zakk_exe uploaded their own, explaining that they purchased the controller on OfferUp for only $35. 

See more

We still await an official announcement from Microsoft but The Verge obtained photos of Microsoft's next-gen Xbox controller and verified the references to the Xbox Series S. This is, so far, the most compelling evidence of a "budget-friendly" next-gen console from Team Xbox. 

The controller, as The Verge points out, was sold on a resale site over the weekend, and its packaging suggests it will arrive in stores soon.

Codenamed Lockhart, the Xbox Series S is expected to be a lower-cost version of the Xbox Series X. It'll use the same processor as its beefier counterpart but is expected to have 7.5GB of RAM (down from 16GB) and 4 teraflops of GPU performance (down from 12TF). Instead of supporting 4K gaming, the Series S will likely top out at 1080p and 1440p. 

Although the Series S has been the subject of plenty of leaks, including one involving official Microsoft documentation, its pricing still eludes us. We know it will cost less than the Xbox Series X but how much cheaper will it be? Can it undercut the digital-only version of the PS5? Will it really cost between $200 and $300?

We might found these answers out soon as Microsoft is expected to officially unveil the Xbox Series S at a virtual event in August.

Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.