Starting November 10, Microsoft will start selling its next-gen Xbox consoles, the Series X and Series S, in major international markets. The Series X will cost $499, the Series S will cost $299, and they can be preordered beginning Sept. 22. The aggressive retail price of the Xbox Series X and S is seen as a masterstroke by the Redmond, Washington-based tech giant.
Xbox Series X and Series S price in India vs the US
But if you live outside the US, these next-gen game consoles won’t come cheap. In India, the Xbox Series X costs Rs 49,990, which roughly translates to $680. The flagship Xbox Series X costs roughly $180 (Rs 13,229) more in India compared to the US. Similarly, the cheaper Xbox Series S costs $299 in the US. But in India, you will have to pay Rs 36,990 or $503 for the Series S, which is marketed as the budget-friendly next-gen Xbox console. That’s a lot of money to shell out on Microsoft’s next consoles.
There’s a catch, though. While the UK and Singapore prices are inclusive of taxes, American prices don’t include taxes, which can be as high as 10 per cent in some states. In California, you have to pay $328 for the Series S, thanks to the state’s 9.25 per cent sales tax. Still, buying an Xbox console from the US is way cheaper.
Check out how much the Xbox Series X and Series S costs in major markets:
Which country is the cheapest to buy Microsoft’s next consoles?
Hong Kong is the cheapest place to buy Xbox Series X and Series S in the world. The Xbox Series X costs just HK$ 3,380 ($436 or Rs 28,469), a total saving of Rs 21,529. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S costs only HK$ 2,280, which translates to Rs 21,637 in Indian Rupee.
Game consoles are expensive in India
As long as we remember, game consoles have always been expensive in India. The PlayStation 4, which will soon succeeded by the PlayStation 5, costs Rs 27,990. This is for the PlayStation 4 Slim, which costs only $299 (Rs 21,980) in the US. And if you want to buy the Xbox One S, which is again expensive than what you pay for the console in the US.
The high price of consoles isn’t anything new to gamers in India. Both Sony and Microsoft have a history of charging consumers different prices based on which country they are based in and how the local currency compares to the US dollar.
???? The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
For all the latest Technology News, download Indian Express App.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd