Best Xbox Black Friday Deals 2026

The disc-drive Series X is the Xbox we would buy if we were buying one console. It has three times the graphics power of the Series S, targets 4K at up to 120 frames per second, and its 4K Blu-ray drive keeps used and borrowed games on the table. Reports put Microsoft's next console in 2028, so this stays the current Xbox for a while.

If you only play Game Pass or downloads, the Digital Edition does the same job for about $50 less, and the Series S below costs far less again.

This is not a deal yet. At just under $800 from Amazon, it costs about $8 more than its 90-day average. It sold for $573 on June 1, before the August price rise.

Most Xbox owners want a second controller or a replacement, and Microsoft's standard pad is the one to get. Windows Central ranks it first among Xbox controllers, and the same pad pairs over Bluetooth with a Windows PC or a phone for cloud gaming. This is the current model, with a USB-C port and a Share button.

It still runs on two AA batteries, so budget for the rechargeable pack below. There are no back buttons; competitive players should look at the Elite Series 2 Core instead.

At just under $50 from Amazon, it is about $15 under its list price, but that is simply what it has sold for over the past three months. It fell to $38 last December, and controllers were the most discounted Xbox items last Black Friday, so we would wait.

The Series S is the cheapest way to play current Xbox games. It runs the same games as the Series X at lower resolution, aiming for 1440p rather than 4K, in a box a fraction of the size. For a Game Pass player on a 1080p or 1440p TV, or a second console for a kid's room, it is the right Xbox.

Plan for storage: only about 364GB of the drive is free for games, and a few large installs fill it. There is no disc drive, so every game is a download.

We would not buy it at this price. Amazon itself was not selling it when we checked, and the price shown is about $550 from a third-party seller, roughly its 90-day average. It dropped to about $300 in mid-April, before the August rise. Wait for Amazon to restock it or for a Black Friday price.

The Stealth 600 Gen 3 is the wireless headset we would buy on a budget. SoundGuys got more than 80 hours from a charge and calls it the pick for console and PC players watching their spending, and RTINGS found it comfortable to wear. The Xbox version also works with a PS5, a PC and a phone, so it can follow you between screens.

Skip it if you play in a noisy room. SoundGuys found its isolation weak and its controls hard to learn, and RTINGS found the sound inconsistent. Some owners also find the clamp tight.

It is not a deal right now. At $109 from Amazon, it costs about $12 more than its 90-day average, and it dropped to about $85 last December. We would hold out for a price under $100.

Microsoft's own battery pack is the cheapest upgrade most controller owners can make. It replaces the standard controller's AA batteries, Microsoft rates it at up to 30 hours a charge, and it refills in under four hours inside the controller over the included cable. Complete Xbox called it the easiest of the official battery options to live with.

It only charges in the current USB-C controllers, including our second Pick, so owners of older micro-USB Xbox One pads need a different solution. The Elite Series 2 Core has its own built-in battery and does not need one.

At under $19 from Amazon, it sits a few cents under its 90-day average. It sold for $15 in late January, so this is a fair price rather than a deal.

The ROG Xbox Ally is the handheld for playing a PC Game Pass library away from the TV. It is a Windows PC built by ASUS with Microsoft's Xbox full-screen interface, and Notebookcheck liked its comfortable chassis, its 120Hz screen and its battery life.

It does not play Series X|S discs or console installs; it runs PC versions of games and Xbox cloud streaming. Notebookcheck also found the Ryzen Z2 A chip short of power and slower than the Steam Deck OLED in games. Players who want demanding new releases should look at the faster ROG Xbox Ally X, though we found it on Amazon only through a reseller at a large markup.

At about $600 from a third-party seller, it is about $80 under its 90-day average. It sold for $480 last December, so there is room for a deeper cut.

This is the clearest saving on the list as we checked it. At $109.99 from Amazon, the Elite Series 2 Core is about $20 under its 90-day average and matches its lowest price of the past year.

It is Microsoft's pro controller without the accessory kit: thumbsticks with adjustable tension, trigger locks with three stops and a built-in battery rated for 40 hours. Engadget calls it the cheaper route into the Elite experience, and the back paddles and extra sticks can be added later with Microsoft's parts kit. It suits players who want finer control in shooters and racing games.

The catch is durability. Windows Central and MobileSyrup both report bumpers failing on some units, so keep your receipt. A successor has leaked, but Microsoft has not announced it.

If you want a step up from the Stealth 600, the Stealth 700 Gen 3 is Windows Central's top Xbox headset this year. Its larger drivers sound fuller, a charge lasts about 80 hours, and its dual USB transmitter lets you switch between two platforms, such as an Xbox and a PC, with Bluetooth mixing in a phone. GamesRadar also praised its battery and sound.

Windows Central found the microphone only average, and updating the firmware through Turtle Beach's app is fiddly. GamesRadar noted that it costs more than mid-range rivals.

At $159 from Amazon, it sits about $12 under its 90-day average, a small cut. It fell to about $90 in late November last year, so a bigger Black Friday discount is possible, though not promised.