There isn't much point in buying an Xbox console these days, but Walmart's Black Friday prices make them more tempting

I’m going to level with you – there are very few practical reasons why I would buy an Xbox console these days. You can access Game Pass on pretty much any other smart device you own, so the investment of actually buying a console is a tough sell. Microsoft has shot a very clean, rather large bullet hole through its own foot by opening its game access up to so many devices, but it’s the direction the brand seems to be walking in.

Having said that, I personally still think there’s a lot of appeal in actually owning a Series X or S. If you’re like me, collecting various bits of gaming memorabilia means a lot to you. I’ve kept every console I’ve owned, because to me they’re pieces of video game history that, so long as you look after them, you’ll be able to enjoy for years into the future. Black Friday is a lovely opportunity to add to your collection, which is why Walmart’s early deals have stood out to me. For instance, the brand new Digital Edition of the Series X is up for grabs. You can get a bundled-in spare controller along with the Robot White console for only $489, just a month after this model launched.

Black Friday Xbox deals might not be as appealing as they have been in years gone by, especially when it comes to buying a console, but that means that the discounts we see will probably be better. This version of the Series X is still brand new – it only launched in October, so seeing it discounted, and in a bundle with a spare controller for an $18 saving isn’t bad when we’re still over two weeks out from Black Friday’s official start.

This isn’t the only bit of Microsoft hardware that’s on offer, either. The regular Xbox Series X is also on offer for $448, and might actually be an even better prospect for collectors thanks to its disc drive. We gamers have been told loads of times in recent years that we need to get used to “not owning” the games we play if we buy them digitally. If you’re thinking about collecting and preserving bits of gaming history, a console with physical media capabilities is probably going to be more appealing.

Should you buy an Xbox Series X this Black Friday?

Xbox Series X lying horizontally with an Xbox Wireless controller leaning up against it in a TV unit

(Image credit: Future)

Over the course of the last few years, Microsoft’s Xbox consoles have been trailing behind Sony‘s PS5 in terms of hardware sales. After a loss in the previous console generation, the company has now gone all-in on the Game Pass strategy, opening up access to its games even to PS5 owners, which must feel like a bit of a slap in the face for people who bought a Series X or S early on. Nowadays, thanks to excellent cloud streaming capabilities, you can play all of Xbox’s games on pretty much any device so long as you have a stable internet connection.

You can buy a Fire TV Stick and play Xbox games on it, you can do the same on your phone, tablet, Smart TV, or even Meta Quest headset. Of course, if you play on a gaming PC, Game Pass already caters to you because you can download and install games like you would on a console.

Still, there are reasons that owning a console can be way better. If your internet isn’t the best, then running games natively on an actual console is going to give you superior performance. There are some real benefits to owning Microsoft’s flagship hardware – including the SSD that can Quick Resume games, or the ability to play with different gamepads (which you’ll be able to get on the cheap soon thanks to Black Friday Xbox controller deals). If you don’t already own a PS5 or some other entertainment hub, a Series X can come in super handy for streaming TV shows and movies.

I, for one, love owning different bits of gaming hardware, so in that way, owning a console really appeals to me. Not to mention, being able to play physical media is going to be a huge bonus if you’ve owned previous versions of the Xbox. The question remains, will we even see too many more Xbox consoles released in the future? With the way Microsoft is going, who knows – this could be one of its last cracks at releasing hardware.

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