Xbox is getting more expensive again. From August 1, Microsoft is bumping the Series X to $799.99 and the Series S to $499.99 in the US, part of a worldwide price change it confirmed back in June.
What is actually changing
The disc Series X goes from $649.99 to $799.99, a $150 jump. The all-digital Series X lands at $749.99. The Series S climbs $100 to $499.99. The 2TB Galaxy Black special edition is being retired rather than repriced. UK and EU prices move in step.
This is the latest in a run of increases, and it stacks on top of an earlier rise this year. The entry-level box that launched at $299.99 back in 2020 is now a $499.99 machine. That is the part that stings: the Series S was meant to be the cheap way in.
Microsoft's explanation
Microsoft is pinning it on components. In its statement, the company said console storage and memory prices have gone up more than 2.5x, driven by AI data-centre demand hoovering up supply, and it expects them to double again by late 2027. So this may not be the last one.
Is that the whole story? Memory and NAND prices have genuinely spiked, so it is not invented. But "our costs went up" is also the easiest line to reach for, and you are the one absorbing it. Microsoft is softening the blow with 0% APR financing through Amazon from launch day, which is a polite way of saying you can now pay for a games console in instalments.
Should you buy now
If a Series X or S was already on your list, buying before August 1 saves you real money. If it wasn't, a $799.99 Series X is a harder sell against a gaming PC or a PS5 that does much the same job. Sony raised PS5 prices earlier this year too, so there is no bargain hiding on the other side of the fence. This is just where console pricing sits in 2026.
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