I have been playing Xbox since the original console came out in 2001. As such, I essentially grew up with an Xbox, and I still have one to this day. It's a great system to get into. You get popular games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Call of Duty, along with Xbox exclusives like Starfield, the Halo series, Forza, and the Gears franchise.
Best Xbox headsets: Top wired and wireless headsets
If you're looking for the best Xbox wireless and wired headsets out there, we've gathered the top options for Series X, Series S, and One.In addition, Xbox has one of the best subscription services with Game Pass and some of the best cloud gaming experiences you can get anywhere. It's a good gaming platform to get on board with, and modern consoles support all the newest features like variable refresh rate, 4K, HDR, and more. Here are some great beginner Xbox products if you're just starting out.
Xbox Series S Starter Bundle - Includes controller and Game Pass Ultimate 3 Month Membership
It's cheaper than the rest but still plays great
The Xbox Series S comes in a starter bundle that is perfect for new players. You get a console, a controller, and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to sample the platform's games.
- $300 is a very reasonable entry point for a new console
- Three months of Game Pass gives you plenty of time to browse titles
- Supports VRR, 4K, and HDR like the more expensive Series X
- No disc drive means you have to buy every game digitally
- 512GB of storage fills up quick these days
It turns out that Microsoft sells a starter bundle for new Xbox owners. This bundle includes a 512GB Xbox Series S, a matching controller, and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The Series S is a nice choice for beginners because it's cheaper than the Series X while still supporting most of the same features like 4K, HDR, and variable refresh rate. You lose out on the disc drive, so you'll have to buy games digitally, but otherwise, it's just a cheaper Xbox Series X.
Xbox Series S review: An ideal entry point for this console generation
The Xbox Series S is an entry-level current-gen console for those on a budget. Here's what we think of it.The three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is also a nice touch. Not only does that unlock cloud gaming, but you can download and play any game on Game Pass for free for three months.
You can then decide whether to buy the games or just keep subscribing to the service. This is the perfect opportunity for a new Xbox player to try out various titles without buying them, and you can also play them to completion.
Xbox Series X
No compromises
Microsoft's most powerful console includes a disc drive, 1TB of storage, VRR, 4K, HDR, and more. Buying a console also gets you a controller, so you don't need to purchase any accessories out of the gate.
- Has everything an Xbox can come with
- Unlike the Series S, the Series X comes with a disc drive
- Still supports modern features like HDR, VRR, and more
- The most expensive Xbox
- No free Game Pass offers with this one
Of course, you can skip to the front of the line and just pick up the Xbox Series X. It represents the highest tier of any Xbox in the world right now. Getting one of these ups the storage to 1TB and adds a disc drive. You also get the VRR, HDR, and 4K support of the Xbox Series S as well.
It's an overall larger console with more robust cooling as well. You'll pay for all these extras as this is also Microsoft's most expensive Xbox.
Xbox Series X review: A juggernaut picking up speed
Microsoft's console finally has some games to match its power - check out our updated verdict.For beginners, this is a bit of a tougher sell. You still get a controller, but you don't get any free Game Pass Ultimate, so you'll have to settle for the one-month free trial that everybody gets, pony up for a few games, or try out free-to-play games like Fortnite to get started. However, the nice thing is once you get into the platform, there is no better Xbox on the market, so you're set for a while.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
It works on mobile phones, PCs, and other platforms
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is an excellent way to try out Xbox without buying an Xbox. A three-month subscription runs $45-$50 depending on where you buy it, and you can use the cloud gaming service to try Xbox games on your PC or mobile device.
- A good way to try out Xbox without owning an Xbox
- Includes Xbox Cloud Gaming, which works on non-Xbox devices
- Game Pass gives you access to a bunch of games
- Cloud gaming isn't great for competitive gaming
- You'll still need another device to play
Xbox Cloud Gaming is a surprisingly good way to try out the Xbox platform without investing in a full console. It is limited to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, so you'll need that in order to use it. That runs between $45 and $50, depending on where you buy the pass. Once done, you can game on the cloud using a supported device. Fortunately, the list is rather long and includes most Android and iOS devices, macOS, Windows, and even some smart TVs.
Xbox Game Pass: Games list, price, and different tiers explained
Microsoft offers monthly subscription services for unlimited play on hundreds of games. See the list here and how much Game Pass costs.As we mentioned earlier, you'll have full access to games on Xbox's Game Pass, so you'll have quite the selection to play with. We only recommend steering clear of competitive gaming since cloud gaming isn't the best platform for that due to latency. Otherwise, it's a nice way to try out new titles like Starfield and classics such as Halo. If you like what you see, you can buy a console, and your Game Pass Ultimate subscription will continue to work there.
Xbox Series S Fortnite & Rocket League Bundle
Bundles, in general, make for great gifts for kids
We already recommended the Series S for beginners, but this bundle adds some Fortnite and Rocket League swag that should make your kids happy this holiday season.
- You still get all of the benefits of a current-gen Xbox console
- Extra Fortnite and Rocket League loot makes it feel like multiple gifts
- Fewer moving parts for kids to break
- Not ideal if you don't like Fortnite or Rocket League
- 512GB of storage still fills up quick these days
As it turns out, the overall best pick for Xbox beginners, the Series S, is also suitable for kids. In this case, the lack of a disc drive is a benefit as it means fewer moving parts for the kids to break. Plus, it's more budget-friendly than the Xbox Series X, even in this bundled format, by over $100.
Best kids tablet: Parent approved and reviewed
The best tablets for kids are durable, educational, and entertaining.The bundle comes with a few neat extras, including 1,000 V-Bucks and Rocket League credits. Your kid will also get some Fortnite skins and special customizations in Rocket League. The extra swag is worth the price of admission. However, if your kid doesn't like either of these games, you can surf around on Amazon, Best Buy, or GameStop for other bundles with games your kid might want more.
Or you can buy a used Xbox One
One final option is to buy a used Xbox. The Series S and X are still pretty expensive, even used, but you can find some excellent deals on the previous generation consoles. We recommend checking out the Xbox One X if you go this route since it'll still do 4K and HDR. That makes the gap between generations just a bit smaller.
There are too many links to post here, but Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay are good spots if you want to browse around. GameStop also keeps a selection of used Xbox One consoles lying around. Most of them are under $200, which is $100 less than the Xbox Series S, so this also serves as a good budget option if you don't want to go with a current generation console.
The bottom line: What is the best Xbox for beginners?
Without question, the Xbox Series S starter bundle we have linked to above is a winner. You get the console for its MSRP price of $300, along with three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to sample the latest games like Starfield. The Game Pass Ultimate alone is worth $45 on its own, and it's a great way to get a lot of games on day one without spending a ton of extra money. That's what we recommend, provided you don't mind not having a disc drive.
Xbox Series S Starter Bundle - Includes controller and Game Pass Ultimate 3 Month Membership
For more serious gaming, the Xbox Series X is the best Xbox money can buy right now, and it comes with more storage and a disc drive than its less expensive predecessor. You lose out on the starter bundle deal, but you don't have to worry about repurchasing a game console for a while. If you already own a PC, mobile phone, or iPad, you can just get three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and stream the games to see if you like them and then decide on buying a console later.
How did we choose these consoles?
Honestly, and we're being really honest here, these are about your only options. You can find the occasional special edition console here and there, and bundles come and go every year. However, as it stands, there are only two new Xbox consoles you can buy right now, and they are the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X.
Xbox Cloud Gaming is technically still in beta, but it's a clever way to try out Xbox games without needing a console to do it. Buying bundles for kids or buying older, used Xbox consoles on a budget is mostly common sense. This is not the most difficult article I've ever written.
Are previous-generation Xbox consoles still good?
Yes, they are. In fact, you can still play the vast majority of Xbox games on the prior generation consoles. Only a few titles, like Starfield, can't be played on an Xbox One console, even the Xbox One X. However, you can use Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to stream any Game Pass-enabled Xbox game to your Xbox One, so there are still ways to play at least some of the latest titles.
Depending on which Xbox One you get, you will miss out on some newer features. None of the Xbox One consoles supports variable refresh rates. Only the Xbox One S and One X support 4K and HDR, and the One S doesn't have the best HDR support. All Xbox One consoles use a traditional HDD hard drive, which means longer load times. However, you can still get into Xbox parties and play with people who are on a Series S or X.
Are there any other accessories I should consider getting for my Xbox?
Yes, a gaming headset. We have a list of great wired and wireless Xbox headsets right here if needed. A headset will let you join Xbox parties and chat with folks while you play together. Xbox is a very social-focused platform with a lot of multiplayer games, and you'll eventually want a way to talk to the people you play with. Plus, you can put them on late at night and immerse yourself in-game audio without waking up your whole house.
Is there a benefit to getting the Xbox Series X over the Series S?
Yes. The Xbox Series X is the better overall game console. On the user side of things, you get a larger console with better cooling, more storage, and a disc drive. However, the Series X also has beefier internal specs than the Series S, so you're not just paying for a couple of extra features. The entire console is more powerful.
Thus, you'll be able to game at a higher refresh rate and resolution more consistently with a Series X over a Series S. That said, the difference is really only noticeable in heavier games, and if you drop the resolution down to 1080p, there's no real difference at all. The Series S is definitely worth its money.