5 reasons why you should buy the Xbox One S All-Digital

Photoshop mockup of the Xbox One S All-Digital edition.

Photoshop mockup of the Xbox One S All-Digital edition.

As we move into April, we get closer and closer to the official debut of the long-awaited disc-less edition of the Xbox One S console. A console system without a disc drive may sound like a bad idea at a glance, but I think it actually makes quite a bit of sense once you consider the direction that the Xbox brand has been headed towards in recent years. Here are five reasons why you may find an all-digital Xbox One console to be a valuable purchase.

More affordable Xbox

One of the key benefits of going digital-only with the new console is that it'll cost less money than if you were to buy a normal Xbox One S. No disc drive means a lower manufacturing cost, which will result in a lower price. It's unknown as of right now how much less this version of the Xbox One S will be, but it's likely that it will be a solid amount. This makes the console fantastic for new people who are looking to bring the Xbox One ecosystem into their homes.

Built for Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass (Image credit: Matt Brown | Windows Central)

Another big reason why you may like the all-digital Xbox One S is that it's perfect for people planning to use Xbox Game Pass, which is Microsoft's revolutionary subscription service that allows people to play over 200 games digitally, as much as they want, for just $10 a month. If you see yourself utilizing Xbox Game Pass for most or all of your gaming then this console is the perfect companion to it. Not only do you save money by using Xbox Game Pass, but you also save money by buying this console. It's a win-win.

Digital-only is convenient

Physical case for Fallout 76.

Physical case for Fallout 76.

While plenty of people like collecting shelves of physical copies of games, that's not something everyone is into. Going all-digital with your games is a great way to keep your living spaces less cluttered and all of your titles in one place: on your console library. By "cutting the disc," you no longer have to worry about losing any of your games or any of the discs wearing out.

Amazing for travel

An all-digital Xbox One S would also be perfect for people that like to take their consoles with them during long business trips or other outings into the world, as it would completely eliminate the need to take physical games with you. That would save you a ton of space in your luggage and bags, and would make it so that you could take your entire game library with you to a hotel, and not just a handful of titles. The only other physical thing you'd have to take alongside your console is a controller.

Less risk of damage

Last, but certainly not least, the lack of a disc drive would eliminate a lot of potential damage risk to your console. This is especially true for parents of small children; a regular Xbox One S may not survive a cookie jammed into its disc drive, but that's not a concern with this new all-digital device. As a bonus, you won't have to worry about your console needing any repairs for disc-reading either, since all you'd need is a connection to the internet in order to start playing.

Your thoughts

What do you think of the upcoming all-digital Xbox One S console? Do you think it's a good idea? Are there any other reasons you're planning on getting one that I didn't mention? Make sure to let me know what you think down below. Of course, if you prefer having a disc drive, the regular Xbox One S is great.

Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. You'll find him doing reviews, editorials, and general coverage on everything Xbox and PC. Follow him on Twitter.