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Get $50 Off an Xbox Series S and Get a Free Controller During Target Deal Days

If you've been wanting to go all-digital, now is a great time to snag a deal on this next-gen console.

Adrian Marlow Writer I
Adrian is a deals writer on the Commerce team at CNET. With a love of books, entertainment, travel, tabletop games and, yes, even fandom, they can often be found at concerts, RenFest, Dragon Con or at home binge-watching everything from new hits to classics. After graduating from Kennesaw State with a B.A. in English and Professional Writing, Adrian had a short gig in casting, followed by a long stint teaching English lit, theater and film, before transitioning into commerce writing in 2021. Adrian enjoys sharing insights and favorite finds with their readers.
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Do you want to streamline your gaming experience and cut down on clutter in your home? Ditch the disks and nab the Xbox Series S console. Not only is the console more compact and less pricey than the Xbox Series X, but during Target Deal Days you can save an additional $50 and get a free controller, making this an early Black Friday deal worth splurging for. This deal is only available through Oct. 8, in stores while supplies last. Check Target's website to find the nearest location near you with this console in stock.

See at Target

With Xbox Series S, all of your games are kept in the cloud and the console has an easy app-based setup. Its also compatible with Xbox Game Pass, the monthly subscription service that offers a ton of gaming content. And all of the same Xbox games are available on both systems, so you won't lose any content by going with the all-digital model. 

The Series S includes both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for an immersive gaming experience -- and if you have a 4K TV, you can stream media in that quality. However, if resolution is an important factor to you, you might want to spend more to get the Series X. The Xbox Series S lacks an optical drive, has less storage and can't render games in full 4K quality. The Series S does provide up to 1440p resolution, though, which is an improvement over standard high-definition. Plus, it can handle ray-tracing. If you're having trouble deciding which console is best for you, we've broken down some key factors to consider. 

The console features an 80-core AMD Zen 2 processor, 10GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, and it gets up to 120 frames per second. If you've been waiting to upgrade from the Xbox One or other older systems, the Series S is a welcome upgrade. One concern people have has is about space, since your games are digitally stored. Storage expansion cards are available for purchase if you do need more space in the future. 

If you are a casual gamer, want to save space or want a way to get into gaming at the best price, this is a deal worth checking out.

Read more: Best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S With 4K, 120fps Input and VRR