Paying for a new gadget over several months is a good way to spread the cost, especially if you can grab an interest-free deal. However, Microsoft is going a step further and selling the Xbox Series X or Series S with Game Pass for less if you choose to pay over a 24-month period.
The Xbox Series X will cost $499 while the Xbox Series S is $299. If you want Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (and who wouldn't?), it's $14.99 per month. Alternatively, Microsoft is offering Xbox All Access across 12 countries, which allows you to grab either console with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and pay for it interest-free over a 24-month period. As Ars technica reports, here's where the pricing gets interesting.
Purchasing an Xbox Series S using Xbox All Access costs $24.99 per month, where as Xbox Series X is $34.99 per month. The total cost after 24 months therefore comes to $599.67 for the Series S and $839.76 for the Series X. While that may seem like a lot, it's actually cheaper than buying either console upfront and paying for Game Pass Ultimate every month for two years. If you do that, then the Series S costs $658.76 ($59.09 more expensive) and the Series X costs $858.76 ($19 more expensive).
In other words, if you're definitely going to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate after purchasing a next-gen Xbox, it's cheaper to spread the cost. The only thing to keep in mind is there will be a penalty if you miss one or more of the 24 monthly payments, as there would be with any credit agreement. After the two years are up, you own the console and the payments stop, so it's up to you to choose to continue to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate for $14.99 per month (assuming the price remains the same in late 2022). Tempted?
Further Reading
- Xbox Series X vs. PlayStation 5: What We Know So Far
- Xbox Series X: Release Date, Price, News, and More
- Xbox Series X Launches Nov. 10 for $499, Pre-Orders Open Sept. 22
- Report: Nintendo Increases Switch Production, Asks Developers for 4K-Ready Games
- More in Gaming Systems