The Xbox Series S is smaller than the 4K-capable Xbox Series X, but it can still play the same digital games — albeit topping out at 2560 x 1440 QHD resolution.

First up, controllers. You probably already know that the last-gen Xbox Wireless Controller is compatible with the Xbox One as well as the new Series X / S consoles. However, the older controller model lacks a few features that might make the newer one a worthy upgrade for you.
For instance, the revised controller has a dedicated share button for saving clips and screenshots and sharing them online, a USB-C port for charging up Microsoft’s play-and-charge rechargeable battery, and a few cosmetic and physical improvements to the D-pad and triggers. It’s not a completely new controller, like the PlayStation 5’s DualSense, but that comes through with its lower price tag. Regularly $60, you can currently pick up the Xbox Wireless Controller for $54.99 and $54 in white or black respectively at GameStop. Meanwhile, Amazon is selling the shock blue version for $59, while Best Buy is selling the same color for $64.99. Amazon is also selling the $74.99 Forza Horizon 5 limited edition for $69.
In addition to working with the Xbox consoles, the new controller also has Bluetooth support so you can easily connect it to your Android phone, iPhone, or PC. If your PC doesn’t have Bluetooth, you can pick up the Xbox wireless adapter made for Windows 10. Best Buy sells the aforementioned PC adapter for $24.99. Microsoft launched a new controller with a translucent design in honor of the console’s 20th birthday last year, too, one that is reminiscent of the first see-through controllers Microsoft shipped with the original Xbox debug kits. You can buy them for $69.99 at GameStop.

Delegating your older games to slower, but far cheaper storage is a clever way to let you have all of your games accessible without crowding your already-limited SSD space — especially when there’s a sale. Right now, you can pick up Seagate’s special edition Game Pass version of the 4TB Game Drive For Xbox at $107.24 instead of $149.99. This model comes with two complimentary months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which offers access to more than 100 games and other perks.
However, it’s worth pointing out that any external USB drive will be significantly slower to load than what the Series X’s and Series S’s respective SSDs can handle. If you’re hungry for more info, check out this in-depth look at different hard drive performance points from Digital Foundry’s Richard Leadbetter.

Of course, you can buy faster storage to add onto your Series X / S console, but it’ll cost you significantly more money than the option above. Microsoft partnered with Seagate to make proprietary SSDs that can be inserted into the rear of either console. The SSDs are currently available in multiple configurations, including a 512GB model for $139.99, a 1TB variant for $216.95, and a 2TB version for $399.99. All three are supposedly just as fast as the storage inside your new console, so this is the best place to keep all of the new games you want to quickly load and switch between at will.