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Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X can both run supported games at 60 frames per second, and either console can reach up to 120fps when the game and display support that mode. That headline is a capability ceiling, not a guarantee for every title. Series S is built around 1440p output (with 4K upscaling), while Series X targets native 4K, so the right choice depends on each game’s available modes, your screen, disc requirements, storage needs and local price for the exact model.
Microsoft’s specifications describe what the hardware is designed to support; they do not provide a current 60fps list for every game. Use the comparison below as a buying framework, then verify the performance mode for the games you actually intend to play.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X | Native 4K, physical discs and the strongest performance headroom | 12 TFLOPS, 52 compute units; native/true 4K target; up to 120fps in supported content | Xbox Series X|S games and backward-compatible Xbox library | November 2026 |
| Xbox Series S | Lower-cost digital gaming at 1440p, including supported 60fps modes | 4 TFLOPS, 20 compute units; 1440p target with 4K upscaling; up to 120fps in supported content | Xbox Series X|S games and backward-compatible Xbox library; digital only | November 2026 |
Microsoft’s current Xbox comparison page lists the resolution, storage and disc differences, while the separate Series X specifications and Series S specifications provide the GPU figures. “Up to 120fps” on both rows is conditional on supported content and a compatible display.
What does 60fps mean on Xbox Series S and Series X?
60fps means a game is producing up to 60 frames every second. It can make camera movement, aiming and scrolling look more fluid than a 30fps mode, but the number shown on a console’s specification page is not a per-game promise. Developers choose a frame-rate target alongside resolution, visual effects, world detail and other settings.
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A game can therefore offer a 30fps quality mode, a 60fps performance mode, both, or neither. Some games may also include a 120fps option that lowers resolution or visual settings. Microsoft’s “up to 120 FPS” language is explicitly dependent on supported content and a compatible display, so it should be read as a hardware capability rather than a guarantee that every game reaches 60fps, let alone 120fps.
The practical question is not “Which console says 120fps?” Both do. Ask instead: does the particular game have a 60fps (or 120fps) mode on the console you are considering, and what resolution does that mode use?
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Does Xbox Series S run games at 60fps?
Yes, Series S can run supported games at 60fps. Microsoft’s September 2020 hardware fact sheet described Series S as designed for 1440p at 60fps, with support for upscaled 4K at up to 120fps. That is an original design target, not a measured result or a promise covering every current release.
Series S has a custom RDNA 2 GPU rated by Microsoft at 4 TFLOPS and 20 compute units. Its lower graphics budget is paired with a 1440p target rather than Series X’s native 4K target. A developer may use that budget for a 60fps performance mode, reduce resolution dynamically, reduce effects, or select a 30fps quality mode when a game’s visual demands are high.
Because modes are game-specific, check the developer or publisher’s current documentation, patch notes and in-game graphics options for each title on your list. Do not infer a game’s frame rate solely from the console’s “up to 120fps” badge or from its resolution target.
Is Xbox Series X better for 60fps gaming?
Series X is the safer choice when you want the greatest chance of combining a high frame rate with higher image quality, especially on a 4K television. Its custom RDNA 2 GPU is specified at 12 TFLOPS and 52 compute units—three times the listed compute-unit count and GPU throughput of Series S—and Microsoft positions it for native/true 4K gaming with up to 120fps in supported content.
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For a 1080p or 1440p display, Series X’s extra graphics capability may be less visible than it is on a native-4K screen. You may still value it for a disc drive, larger storage configuration or future game requirements, but those are separate reasons from the frame-rate ceiling.
What is the resolution difference between Series S and Series X?
Series X is designed for native/true 4K output. Series S is designed around 1440p and can upscale its output to 4K. Upscaling means the console or display reconstructs a higher-resolution output from a lower internal render; it is not the same as rendering every game at native 4K.
Resolution and frame rate are linked trade-offs. Rendering more pixels consumes graphics resources that could otherwise support higher frame rates, effects or world detail. A game’s 60fps mode on Series S may therefore use a lower or dynamic internal resolution than its quality mode, while Series X may offer a higher-resolution 60fps mode—or a choice between 4K quality and a faster performance mode.
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Do not treat “4K TV” as proof that Series S games render natively at 4K. The console can upscale to a 4K display, and the result can still look clean from normal viewing distance, but Microsoft’s stated design targets distinguish 1440p Series S rendering from native 4K Series X rendering. Select the console according to the resolution you want the hardware to target, not merely the maximum output signal your television accepts.
How much GPU performance does each console have?
Microsoft lists these official figures:
| Console | GPU architecture | Compute units | GPU throughput | Official design emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X | Custom AMD RDNA 2 | 52 | 12 TFLOPS | Native/true 4K and up to 120fps in supported content |
| Xbox Series S | Custom AMD RDNA 2 | 20 | 4 TFLOPS | 1440p at 60fps design target; upscaled 4K at up to 120fps in supported content |
The figures come from Microsoft’s current Series X technical specifications, Series S technical specifications and the dated September 2020 Xbox Series X|S fact sheet. They are manufacturer specifications, not independent benchmark results. Teraflops and compute-unit counts help explain the intended tier, but they cannot predict a particular game’s frame rate without that game’s settings and optimization.
How should I compare game-specific 60fps modes?
Compare the exact game, platform version and mode—not just the console label. A reliable check uses the following order:
- Identify the Series version. Confirm that the game has an Xbox Series X|S version rather than only an Xbox One build. Different versions can have different resolution and frame-rate options.
- Look for the developer’s current mode list. Use official patch notes, support pages or release information that names the Xbox Series S and Series X modes. Avoid assuming that a mode documented at launch remains unchanged after updates.
- Record the target for each console. Note whether the option is 30fps, 60fps or 120fps, and whether it is described as a performance, quality, resolution or balanced mode. Also note any dynamic-resolution qualification.
- Check display requirements. A 120fps option requires a compatible high-refresh display; a 60Hz television cannot show 120 unique frames per second. A 60fps mode can still be useful on a 60Hz set because it matches the panel’s refresh ceiling more closely than 30fps.
- Check update status. Patches can add, remove or alter modes. Verify the information for the current version you will play rather than relying on an old launch article.
This process matters because Microsoft’s published information for these consoles establishes specifications and design intent, not a complete current game-by-game performance catalogue. If a game is central to your purchase, its own documentation should outrank a generalized console comparison.
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Is Series S enough for a 60Hz TV?
For a 60Hz television, Series S can be a sensible fit if your priority is supported 60fps gaming at 1080p or 1440p output. The display cannot refresh at 120Hz, so a 120fps mode would not be fully visible; you should evaluate whether the game offers a 60fps mode and whether its image quality is acceptable at your viewing distance.
Series X also works with a 60Hz television. Its extra GPU capability may show less clearly without a 4K or high-refresh display, although you may still prefer it for native-4K output on a future screen, physical discs or additional storage. The display should be treated as part of the decision, not as an afterthought.
What are the disc and digital-library differences?
Series S is digital-only and cannot play physical game discs. That makes it unsuitable if you own a disc library, buy used discs, borrow boxed games or want to resell physical copies.
Series X configurations with a disc drive can play physical game discs, while digital purchases remain an option. Before comparing console prices, list the games you already own physically and the games you expect to buy. A lower-priced digital console can lose its apparent advantage if you must repurchase titles digitally, while a disc-capable Series X can preserve access to an existing physical collection.
Microsoft notes that configurations can vary by market, so verify the exact Series X model offered in your region before assuming a drive or a particular storage capacity is included.
How much storage do Series S and Series X offer?
Current official pages list Series S configurations with 512GB or 1TB of storage and Series X configurations with 1TB or 2TB, depending on the model and market. Usable space is lower than the advertised capacity because the operating system and reserved data occupy part of the drive.
Large modern games can make a smaller internal drive fill quickly, especially if you keep several Series X|S titles installed. Compare the exact capacity, not only the console family name. If you regularly rotate games, a smaller drive may be manageable; if you keep a broad installed library, the 1TB or 2TB configuration can reduce deletions.
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An Xbox Series X|S Storage Expansion Card is optional and is sold separately. Microsoft says these cards match the performance of the internal storage, so they are intended to run optimized games without the limitation of a slower archive drive. Expansion increases available space; it does not add a 60fps mode or change a game’s resolution settings.
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There is no defensible universal price winner from the supplied evidence. Microsoft states that prices and availability vary by retailer, market and configuration, so compare current local offers for the exact capacity and disc-drive model. Treat any price shown on a retailer page as time- and region-specific rather than as a permanent global MSRP.
Build a total-cost comparison around your own library:
- Console configuration: match 512GB, 1TB or 2TB storage and confirm whether a disc drive is present.
- Game acquisition: include the value of discs you already own and whether you buy used or boxed games.
- Storage expansion: add the cost of an optional expansion card if you expect to keep many optimized games installed.
- Display: account for whether your current television is 60Hz, 120Hz, 1440p or native 4K. Buying a console for a capability your display cannot show may not improve your experience immediately.
- Target games: prioritize the modes those games actually provide on each console instead of paying for a headline specification you will not use.
Check these prices and configurations locally at the time of purchase; the official comparison page does not support a single current-value verdict for every market.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which console should you buy for 60fps games?
1. Choose Xbox Series X for native 4K, discs or maximum performance headroom. It is the better fit for a 4K display, a physical library or buyers who want the higher official GPU specification and the strongest chance of retaining visual quality in a game’s performance mode. It still does not guarantee 60fps in every title, so verify your must-play games.
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If both consoles are connected to a 60Hz 1080p television and you buy only digital games, Series S may provide the better value when its local price is substantially lower. If you own discs, use a 4K display, want more storage or prefer the highest-resolution version available, Series X is the more appropriate purchase even when your immediate goal is simply 60fps.
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How we picked
The ranking uses the evidence supplied by Microsoft: official GPU specifications, stated resolution targets, the conditional nature of the 120fps claim, disc support, storage configurations and the warning that prices vary by market. It does not use an independent benchmark or a universal game list. Because current 60fps support is title-specific, the final decision should be checked against the games, display and local models you actually intend to buy.
What should I verify before buying?
- Write down the three or four games that matter most to you.
- Find each game’s current Xbox Series S and Series X performance information.
- Check whether your display is 60Hz or 120Hz and whether it is 1080p, 1440p or native 4K.
- Decide whether physical discs are essential.
- Compare the exact storage configuration and local price, then add any expansion-card cost you realistically need.
This checklist prevents the most common mistake: treating “up to 120fps” as if it were a promise that every game will run at 60fps on both consoles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Xbox Series X|S games include a 60fps mode?
No. Frame-rate options are chosen by each game’s developer, and some titles may offer only a 30fps mode or may use different options on Series S and Series X. Check the current developer or publisher documentation for the specific game rather than relying on the console’s maximum capability.
Will a 120fps mode work on a 60Hz television?
The console can output a supported high-frame-rate mode, but a 60Hz panel cannot refresh 120 times per second. For a 60Hz set, the useful comparison is whether the game provides a stable 60fps option and what resolution or visual compromises that mode uses.
Should I buy the 1TB Series S instead of the 512GB model?
Choose based on how many optimized games you keep installed and the price difference in your market. The official listings include both capacities, but usable space is lower than the advertised number because system data occupies part of the drive.
Does a Storage Expansion Card improve frame rate?
No. Microsoft describes the expansion card as matching internal-storage performance, which helps provide space for installed games. It does not change a title’s programmed frame-rate, resolution or graphics mode.
