Target’s Early Black Friday Deal Discounts the Xbox Series S and Includes a Free Gift Card – CNET [CNET]

With this deal you save $50 on the console and get a free $50 Target gift card which can be used towards a future purchase.

Gamers have had a frustrating time getting their hands on certain consoles during the past few years, including the elusive Xbox Series X. However, accessing next-gen titles just got a little bit easier and more affordable. Right now at Target’s early Black Friday sale, you can snag a Series S, the “lite” cousin of the Series X, for just $250. That’s $50 off and matches the lowest price we’ve seen on this console to date. Target is also throwing in a free $50 gift card with the purchase so you cans start building your library of games as well.

This deal is available through Saturday, though there’s a chance it could sell out before then. It’s also worth noting that these consoles aren’t available for shipping, so you’ll have to find one in stock at a store near you if you’re hoping to take advantage of this offer. 

The Series S is the compact version of the bulkier Xbox Series X. While it can still run next-gen games like Halo Infinite, the Series S doesn’t have a disk drive, so all of your games will have to be digital downloads. And because of that, the 512GB storage will fill up quickly, though that is easily (if expensively) remedied with an expansion card.

While it doesn’t support 4K video, it does match the 120-frames-per-second frame rate of the Series X for super-smooth motion. And at less than 3 inches thick, it’s also significantly more compact. If you’re hard-core about your gaming, it might be worth waiting out the stock issues to try and snag a Series X, but if you’re just looking for a way to enjoy some of those next-gen games, the Series S is a great option for more casual gamers. Especially when you can find it on sale.