Get a refurbished Xbox Series X or S from Microsoft for less with this wacky CDKeys gift card deal

This is perhaps one of the wackiest, but most effective deals I've come across in a long time. Using a combination of a Microsoft Store discount code and the current discounted prices on CDKeys for Microsoft gift cards, you can net yourself substantial savings on both of Microsoft's current gen consoles. Arguably the better deal here is on the Xbox Series X for just under £300, netting you a £120 saving on the refurb price, while the Xbox Series S is available for £149, saving you nearly £70 on the £210 list price.

• Get the Xbox Series X (Certified Refurbished) for £297.26 from Microsoft Store (was £420, with CDKeys gift card and XBOX22XSX code)

• Get the Xbox Series S (Certified Refurbished) for £148.96 from Microsoft Store (was £210, with CDKeys gift card and XBOX22XSS code)

The principle for redeeming both of these discounts is the same - as opposed to paying for the Series X or Series S by means of a card or PayPal, you can load up Microsoft gift cards onto your account to give you a balance equal to the amount of the console's purchase price with the respective discount code, and pay for them that way. If you'd be paying by more normal methods, the Series X would be £328 and the Series S would be £164. However, the way of getting them cheaper is through current discounts from CDKeys on Microsoft gift cards.

To break this down further - for the Series X discount, you'd need enough gift cards to have £330 on your Microsoft account balance which works out to:

• 13 lots of £25 cards (worth £22.49 each)
• 1 £5 card (worth £4.89)

So, that works out to £330, which is enough to pay for the Series X when using code XBOX22XSX at checkout - but, with the total cost of those discounted gift cards in mind, you're actually paying £297.26.

For the Series S, it's the same principle, but obviously less in terms of the quantity of codes:

• 3 lots of £50 cards (worth £44.99each)
• 1 £15 card (worth £13.99)

So, that total works out to £165, which is enough to pay for the Series S when using code XBOX22XSS at checkout using the account balance - but, with the total cost of those discounted gift cards in mind, you're actually paying £148.96.

This might seem like a faff for the both of them, but it is worth it considering what you're getting. These may be refurb consoles, but they're Microsoft's own, and come with a full 12 month warranty. Reports I've read of people purchasing these talk about the fact they're virtually in new condition, to provide you with peace of mind.

There's also no getting away from the fact that you can get next-gen gaming for £149 with the Series S, which is immense value, while the Series X at £297 is an absolute steal for full-fat 4K/120fps gaming - whichever console you go for, it's for an amazing price.