Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X Sales Comparison: 2026 Data Report
The Xbox Series X and Series S have sold a combined 34.10 million units worldwide through November 2025, about 10.76 million behind where the Xbox One stood at the same age. This report compares Series S and Series X sales across global totals, the US model split, regional numbers, and the price hikes that pushed 2025 to a record low.
Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X Sales – TL;DR
- Combined lifetime sales reached 34.10 million units by November 2025, based on VGChartz estimates.
- The Series X passed the Series S in cumulative US sales in September 2024, at 51% versus 49%.
- Digital-only Xbox models made up 66% of US units sold in 2025, up from around 50% a year earlier.
- US Xbox unit sales fell 70% year over year in November 2025, an all-time low for the brand.
- The PS5 led the Xbox Series X|S by 52.02 million units at the 61-month mark.
The gap between the two Xbox consoles has narrowed at the top of the range while the overall line keeps shrinking. Series X now sells slightly more units than Series S in the US, but nearly two-thirds of all Xbox hardware sold there ships without a disc drive. Both models fell together in 2025 after two price increases and the arrival of Switch 2. For the full Sony-versus-Microsoft picture, the PS5 versus Xbox Series X breakdown tracks the same window.
Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X Global Sales by Year
Combined sales peaked in 2023 at 9.8 million units, then fell more than half in 2024 to 4.79 million. Estimates put 2025 near 1.7 million units, the weakest year of the generation.
| Year | Global Units | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4.7 million | — |
| 2022 | 8.1 million | +72.3% |
| 2023 | 9.8 million | +21.0% |
| 2024 | 4.79 million | -51.1% |
| 2025 (est.) | ~1.7 million | -64.5% |
| Lifetime (Nov 2025) | 34.10 million | — |
Source: VGChartz
Over the same 61-month window the PS5 reached 86.12 million units, giving Sony a 71.6% share of ninth-generation sales against Xbox’s 28.4%. The 2025 fall lined up with the June launch of Switch 2, whose first-year sales run outpaced every Xbox figure that year.
Xbox Series X vs Series S: Which Model Sells Better?
Circana analyst Mat Piscatella reported that the Series X made up 58% of US Xbox Series X|S units in September 2024. That month pushed the US life-to-date split to 51% Series X against 49% Series S, the first time the Series X led on a cumulative basis.
| US Market Metric | Series X | Series S |
|---|---|---|
| September 2024 monthly units | 58% | 42% |
| September 2024 life-to-date | 51% | 49% |
Source: Circana via Windows Central
The $449.99 white all-digital Series X, launched in October 2024, moved the mix further toward disc-free hardware. Digital-only SKUs, meaning every Series S plus the white Series X, reached 75% of US Xbox sales in Q1 2025 and 66% across the full year, up from about 50% in 2024. That trend matches the wider shift toward digital across console platforms.
Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X US Sales Performance
The US market has shown the sharpest decline. Xbox unit sales fell 29% year over year in November 2024, then dropped 70% in November 2025, which Piscatella called the brand’s worst US result on record.
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| November unit YoY change | -29% | -70% |
| Digital-only share (lifetime) | ~50% | 66% |
| US November console hardware spend | $949M | $695M |
Source: Circana via Game File
Total US console hardware spending fell to $695 million in November 2025, the lowest November figure since 2005. Through the first 50 months ending December 2024, the Xbox Series X|S trailed the Xbox One’s pace by 18%, while the PS5 ran 7% ahead of the PS4 at the same point.
Xbox Series X and Series S UK and Europe Sales
UK sales dropped 39% in 2025 to roughly 278,500 units, the worst annual Xbox hardware result recorded in that market, according to The Game Business editor Christopher Dring. Six straight years of decline have brought cumulative UK sales to about 3.28 million units.
| Region | 2024 | 2025 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK annual units | 456,553 | ~278,500 | -39% |
| UK lifetime (through 2025) | — | 3.28 million | — |
Source: VGChartz
Across ten tracked mainland European markets, including France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, Xbox Series sales fell 48% in 2024, against a 20% drop for the PS5 and 15% for the Switch. Sony’s matching numbers sit in the PlayStation hardware and PSN figures.
Xbox Series S vs Xbox Series X Price History
Microsoft raised Xbox prices twice in 2025, in May and again in October, citing US tariffs on China and Vietnam plus a global RAM shortage. By the second increase the base Series X reached $649.99 and the Series S 512GB reached $399.99.
| Model | Nov 2020 Launch | 2026 US Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series S 512GB | $299.99 | $399.99 | +33.3% |
| Series S 1TB (white) | $349.99 | $449.99 | +28.6% |
| Series X (disc) | $499.99 | $649.99 | +30.0% |
| Series X 1TB Digital | $449.99 | $599.99 | +33.4% |
| Series X 2TB Galaxy Black | $599.99 | $799.99 | +33.4% |
Source: Wikipedia
The average tariff rate on Chinese-made consoles peaked at 88% in May 2025 before settling near 30%. Piscatella tied the 70% November 2025 US decline directly to these back-to-back increases, a pattern covered in the broader console market revenue data.
Xbox Series vs PS5 and Switch 2 Sales
At 61 months the PS5 held an 86.12 million-unit lifetime total, 52.02 million ahead of the Xbox Series X|S. Switch 2 sold 12.49 million units in roughly six months, more than five times the Xbox Series total for all of 2025.
| Console | Lifetime (Nov 2025) | 2025 Units | Share (61 mo.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | 86.12 million | 9.2 million | 71.6% |
| Xbox Series X|S | 34.10 million | ~1.7 million | 28.4% |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | 12.49 million | 10.36 million | — |
Source: VGChartz, CNBC
The combined Xbox Series lineup now sits 10.76 million units behind the Xbox One at the same lifecycle point. For context on where Nintendo’s install base started, the original Switch lifetime run reached past 153 million units.
Key Takeaways
The Series X leads the Series S in cumulative US sales at 51% versus 49%, but the disc-free mix reached 66% of US Xbox sales in 2025.
Combined global lifetime sales stood at 34.10 million units through November 2025. Both the UK (-39%) and the US (-70% November) recorded their worst Xbox years on record, tracked further in the wider Xbox ecosystem numbers.
FAQs
How many Xbox Series S and Series X consoles have sold?
Combined Xbox Series X and Series S sales reached 34.10 million units worldwide by November 2025, per VGChartz. About 1.7 million of that total came in 2025.
Does the Series X or Series S sell better?
The Series X passed the Series S in cumulative US sales in September 2024, at 51% versus 49%. It made up 58% of US units that month.
What share of Xbox sales are digital-only models?
Digital-only Xbox models, meaning every Series S plus the white Series X, reached 66% of US Xbox units in 2025, up from around 50% the prior year.
How much do the Xbox Series S and Series X cost in 2026?
The Series S 512GB costs $399.99 and the base Series X costs $649.99 after two 2025 price increases. Both rose about 30% from their 2020 launch prices.
How do Xbox Series sales compare to the PS5?
The PS5 reached 86.12 million lifetime units by November 2025, 52.02 million ahead of the Xbox Series X|S. Sony holds 71.6% of ninth-generation sales.
