Microsoft Announces Xbox Series X: Available Holiday 2020
by Ryan Smith on December 12, 2019 11:20 PM EST- Posted in
- Consoles
- AMD
- Microsoft
- Xbox
- Zen 2
- Project Scarlett
- Xbox Series X
Microsoft this evening has finally given their long-awaited next generation gaming console a name, announcing the Xbox Series X. The device, formerly known as Project Scarlett, is said to be four times more powerful than the current Xbox One X, and along with its new Xbox Wireless Controller will be available in the Holiday 2020 timeframe.
Microsoft has been drip-feeding information about their forthcoming console for the better part of a year now, so today’s announcement of the name and revealing the final design is the latest element in that campaign. The black, monolith-shaped box is certainly unlike any previous Xbox console design, and while touching it probably won’t make you smarter, Microsoft has definitely evolved the design of their hardware. The same goes for the new Xbox Wireless Controller that ships with the console, which incorporates an unusual D-Pad derived from the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller. The controller will be compatible with Windows 10 as well.
While Microsoft is still not offering a detailed breakdown of hardware specifications at this time, the company has reiterated their E3 announcement – that the box is powered by an AMD APU combining their Zen 2 processor cores and next generation RDNA architecture – while revealing the first performance estimate for the console: four times the processing power of the Xbox One X. It’s not clear here whether Microsoft is talking about CPU performance, GPU performance, or both – but given that even AMD’s fastest discrete GPUs today don’t exceed 10 TFLOPS, it is likely a reference to the CPU side of matters and AMD’s much faster Zen 2 CPU cores (and going by comments made to GameSpot, this seems to be exactly the case).
As well, the company is reiterating the technical features for the console: hardware raytracing, variable rate shading, Xbox One backwards compatibility, and a “next-generation” SSD. All of which will be used to offer games at 4K@60fps or better, with Microsoft indicating that 120fps will also be an option for developers (no doubt driven by the high refresh rates allowed by HDMI 2.1). In their press release Microsoft is also announcing a new feature called “Dynamic Latency Input” (DLI), which although no specific details about the technology are being made available, is intended to minimize console latency in order to make it “the most responsive console ever”. I would expect to hear more about this in 2020 as the console gets closer to launch.
Finally, along with announcing the console itself, Microsoft has also released a separate video announcing a new Hellblade game, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. The trailer for the game is designed to show off the power of the console and is based off of in-engine footage; though it’s not clear at this time if it was captured in real-time or rendered offline.
Expect to hear a lot more about the Xbox Series X over the next year, as Microsoft ramps up to launch it for Holiday 2020.
Source: Microsoft
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boozed - Sunday, December 15, 2019 - link
In the menus or...?Spunjji - Tuesday, December 17, 2019 - link
Even the vanilla 5700 is more than 6x as powerful as the original Xbone GPU, and that's not accounting for the absolutely massive CPU performance increase between generations. 120fps at 1080p for original Xbone games should be a doddle. 4K *and* 120Hz seems unlikely, but then that's what VRR is for.HStewart - Saturday, December 14, 2019 - link
I personally see no reason for XBox Series X even though I had every one since original XBox, 360 and XBox One S because UltraHD. But now there is better options for 4k - so XBox is not needed for me .It does not matter what is in it for me - just maybe I am growing up finally.
Korguz - Sunday, December 15, 2019 - link
" I personally see no reason for XBox Series X " and why would that be?" But now there is better options for 4k - so XBox is not needed for me ." then dont buy it :-)
marees - Saturday, December 14, 2019 - link
Going by the gamespot interview, this new console is only twice as fast as the previous fastest consoleSo the X1X was a true generational leap over the X1b ( even tho CPU was the same)
The XsX otoh is only a half step improvement over the X1X (like the ps4 pro was over the ps4)
yetanotherhuman - Monday, December 16, 2019 - link
Maybe when we're talking graphical power, but CPU power is a completely different story. The old consoles have crappy netbook-class Jaguar cores.Spunjji - Tuesday, December 17, 2019 - link
The X1X was about 2/3 of a generational leap in GPU terms and 1/5 of one in CPU terms. This is the full monty - properly balanced CPU and GPU power in a console for the first time in many, many years.335 GT - Sunday, December 15, 2019 - link
The perfect machine, no having to deal with Nvidia drivers. Bonus!Zagor Te Nay - Monday, December 16, 2019 - link
I actually like the look. It is refreshing, if not practical. My PS4 sits on the same cabinet as my TV, but thanks to TV's stand, PS4 nicely "slides" under the side of TV screen. Cabinet is small, basically as wide as TV, so the only way to put new X would be behind TV, or beside cabinet, though I'd rather not keep it on the carpet... I guess I could also move TV a bit to one side, let one corner hang over the cabinet and make some space on the other side... like I said, it is not the most versatile shape, but I like it nevertheless.But the name. I understand that it is XBox - "X" is the theme... but c'mon. Someone has already noticed, parents and grandparents - or any other non-gamer adult - will be easily confused by Xbox One X and Xbox Series X. It will also let dodgy sellers fool customers on purpose, in order to get rid of the older stock.
O top of that, Series X inclines that there are going to be more models in it. Xbox X Series X? Xbox Series X Super X One?
It is just too nerdy, imho. They should have stayed with code names - Scarlet etc., or do a "proper" generational numbering. Xbox 4, Xbox 4X (for mid-gen refresh), Xbox 4 Slim. I couldn't fault that.
Spunjji - Tuesday, December 17, 2019 - link
They just don't want an Xbox 4 competing against a PS5. I'm pretty sure that's the entire "logical" basis for this nonsense they keep digging themselves further into.