The Xbox Series S backwards compatibility allows to play older generation Xbox games. For instance, it can also be used as a console on which you can play older generation Xbox games. But how exactly does that work? There are some differences compared to the Xbox Series X.
Let’s start with the games that were released for the first Xbox, the Xbox console from 2001. We now know that those games can be played in an increased resolution. The resolution can be increased up to three times. Games that were previously available in 480p (480 by 640 pixels) are playable on Xbox Series S at a maximum of 1440p (2560 by 1440 pixels). Those games can probably also count on some other performance improvements.
Then we have the Xbox 360 games that were already improved on the Xbox One X (Microsoft’s previous game console). These games will also be enhanced on Xbox Series S, with a maximum multiplication of twice the native resolution. Games in 720p (1280 by 720 pixels) are therefore displayed at maximum in 1440p. Compared to the One X, this is a lower resolution. Xbox 360 games are displayed in 4K on that console. However, we don’t have to worry too much. Thanks to the better processor (the Zen 2 CPU), we can count on all kinds of performance improvements that the One X is not capable of. The Series S has a little more room for maneuver in terms of speed.
Xbox One games also work slightly differently
Fortunately, Xbox One games are still playable on the Xbox Series S. However, only the Xbox Series X introduces the same performance improvements that the Xbox One X made to existing games. That boils down to a boost for resolution, higher quality textures and other effects that look better graphically. The improvements that the Series S makes build on what the Xbox One S achieved at the time. This means that there are some limitations. For example, if a game has a resolution of 900p (1600 by 900 pixels), and the developer has fixed that resolution, the Xbox Series S can’t make more of it than it is.
Should games support things like dynamic resolution, the resolution can still be increased. In addition, when you play games from the internal SSD (solid state drive), games load much faster anyway. In addition, there is the Auto HDR function, which is also active on the Xbox Series X. All games must therefore look very nice on televisions and monitors that support HDR. Furthermore, we can count on the fact that frame rates in video games are generally more stable than on older consoles. The Series S owes this to its powerful processor.
Xbox Series S is more powerful than an Xbox One
It’s no secret that the Xbox Series S, with all its limitations, is more powerful than an Xbox One. For instance, Xbox Series S backwards compatibility. The performance of the CPU (processor) and GPU (graphics processor) has been doubled compared to that old console, which also gives games a much higher frame rate. These are Xbox One games, of which the frame rate is simply doubled in some cases. An Xbox One game that you play on the Series S recognizes the console and can therefore be handled by that console. In addition, there is the promise that Xbox One games will run better on an Xbox Series S than on an Xbox One X.
When you get one of the two consoles, you have to take into account that both consoles handle games that fall under backwards compatibility differently. The best console will still be the Xbox Series X, as it can display games in 4K and 120 fps. In some cases (some of) those improvements are also made for older games, so. Developers need to put in little to no effort for this. In any case, there is no need to port an existing game, because at least every Xbox One game is playable on a Series S or Series X.
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