Full Xbox Series X specs: 3.8GHz Zen 2 CPU, 16GB GDDR6, 52CU Navi GPU

Microsoft today revealed the full specs of its new next-gen Xbox Series X console, and they're absolutely monstrous.

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The Xbox Series X is going to revolutionize console gaming. Outfitted with a beefy 8-core 16-thread 3.8GHz Zen 2 CPU with hyperthreading, a 12.15 TFLOP Navi GPU clocked at 1.825GHz, and 16GB of GDDR6 memory, the system's raw hardware specs rival today's modern PC builds. Digital Foundry's latest deep-dive on the Xbox Series X delivers an illuminating reveal at the transformative system.

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8-core, 16 thread Zen 2 CPU @ 3.8GHz

The Xbox Series X's 7nm SoC has 15.3 billion transistors, up 118% from the Xbox One X's 14nm Scorpio Engine SoC.

Games can use 7 CPU cores, and one is reserved for the OS. Microsoft says the Xbox Series X will deliver 4x the single-core performance of the Xbox One X.

The Xbox Series X's CPU has two modes: It can run at 3.8GHz on up to 8 cores of the Zen 2 CPU with SMT off. With simultaneous multi-threading on, developers can hit 3.6GHz using all 8-core 16 threads of the Zen 2 CPU. Digital Foundry says the system won't have a boost clock mode to raise frequencies and perf is locked in these modes. Microsoft expects most developers to use the non-SMT option to ensure more streamlined backward compatibility with current Xbox One games, which are designed for 7 cores.

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12.15TFLOP Navi 2x GPU@1.825GHz

The Xbox Series X's 12TFLOP Navi 2x GPU uses AMD's new RDNA 2 graphics architecture and runs at a hard-locked 1825MHz, delivering peak performance of 12.15TF of FP32 compute power. It sports 3328 shaders over 52 Compute Units (the console has 56CUs total but four of them are deactivated).

Games like Gears of War 5 are already running at Ultra PC presets on the Xbox Series X, complete with hardware-accelerated ray tracing effects and 60FPS cinematics. That's after only two weeks of optimizations.

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How the Xbox Series X compares to its predecessors.

Unified 16GB GDDR6 RAM

The console's memory solution has a 16GB GDDR6 shared unified memory pool on a custom 320-bit interface, comprised of 6x 2GB GDDR6 chips alongside 4x 1GB GDDR6 chips, delivering a throughput of 14GB/sec memory throughput.

The memory is pooled into two different performance tiers:

• Optimal - 62% of the memory, or 10GB, runs at at a supercharged 560GB/sec for higher-end loads like graphics processing.
• Normal - 6GB of the memory hits 336GB/sec, or regular speeds, and is expected to power CPU and other applications through the pipeline.

2.5GB of the normalized GDDR6 memory pool is reserved for the operating system, and 3.5GB will be available for games.

Xbox Series X architect Andrew Newsome told Digital Foundry this multi-perf memory pool was the only way the system could actually ship.

1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD

The console uses a customized proprietary 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD made by Seagate that delivers 2.4GB/sec bandwidth, lower than the 3.7GB max limit available by the Phison E19T memory controller. That's uncompressed speeds, though. The SSD can deliver up to 486GB/sec speeds when data is compressed.

Microsoft developed a new Xbox Velocity Architecture that synergizes the SoC and SSD like never before. This architecture allows the system to use the SSD as a virtual RAM cache for Quick Resume functionality, and even pools off resources and data to the SSD. The Velocity Architecture is powered by DirectStorage, a new specially-made DirectX API optimized for storage operations.

Xbox Series X is due out by Holiday 2020. No pricing has been announced.

Check below for confirmed specs and details, and a huge content listing of everything we've heard about Xbox Series X so far:

Xbox Series X confirmed details (Formerly Project Scarlett):

• 8-core, 16-thread Zen 2 CPU
• 12.15 TFLOP Navi GPU on RDNA 2 architecture
• 7nm+ AMD SoC
• 16GB GDDR6 memory
• 2x Xbox One X's 6TFLOPs of GPU perf
• 4x CPU power of Xbox One generation
• Can deliver up to 40x more performance than Xbox One in specific use cases
• Adaptive sync supported
• Super-fast SSD that can be used as VRAM
• Supports 8K resolution (likely media playback)
• 120FPS gaming
• Variable refresh rate (adaptive sync/FreeSync)
• Variable Rate Shading
• Raytracing confirmed with dedicated raytracing cores
• Backward compatible with thousands of Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games
• New controller with a dedicated share button
• Compatible with Xbox One accessories

Xbox Series X coverage:

• Xbox Series X's Smart Delivery game upgrades explained by Microsoft
• Xbox Series X may enhance Xbox 360, OG Xbox games too
• Xbox Series X's new Quick Resume function is revolutionary
• Microsoft: Xbox Series X's real magic is hardware and software synergy
• Xbox Series X enhancement patches will upgrade current-gen games
• Microsoft: Xbox Series X's real magic is hardware and software synergy
• Xbox Series X natively plays all Xbox games better
• Xbox Series X 12 TFLOP GPU confirmed, 4x Xbox One CPU and 8x GPU power
• Xbox Series X packs dedicated audio hardware acceleration
• How publishers will approach current-gen on PS5, Xbox Series X
• Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 pricing expected to be $500
• Xbox studio using AI to upscale low-res textures in real-time
• Coronavirus may delay PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X launch past 2020
• Xbox Series X may support CFExpress memory cards
• Xbox Series X might support UltraWide monitors thanks to Samsung
• Xbox Series X CPU is the key to next-gen frame rates, Spencer teases
• China trade tariffs won't directly raise PS5, Xbox Series X prices
• AMD unknown APU: is this the mid-range Xbox Series S chip?
• Xbox Series X SSD: DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 NVMe with up to 3.7GB/sec speeds
• First photo of an Xbox Series X prototype has leaked
• Next-gen console exclusives will be few and far between through 2021
• No, Xbox Series X won't run Steam or the Epic Store
• Ex-Xbox VP won't buy next-gen Xbox, will play exclusives on PC instead
• Xbox Series X HDMI pass-through currently not supported
• New Xbox Series X renders show ventilation and back ports
• Xbox Series X new die shot teases beautiful AMD custom 7nm APU
• Analyst: $500 Xbox Series X will take wind out of Microsoft's sails
• PlayStation 5 to outsell Xbox Series X in 2020, analyst predicts
• Xbox Lockhart going digital-only at launch would be a mistake
• Xbox Series X new die shot teases beautiful AMD custom 7nm APU
• Xbox Series X will destroy PlayStation 5 with its MUCH faster GPU
• Xbox Series X rumor: launching November 22 for $499
• Xbox Series X GPU is better than any Navi GPU released so far
• Xbox Series X may be more powerful, but will third-party devs use it?
• Xbox Series X will boost performance of previous gen Xbox games
• PS5, Xbox Series X SSD may use software-defined flash to boost speeds
• Microsoft to 'virtually eliminate' loading times on Xbox Series X
• How the Xbox Series X will look in your living room
• Clarifying the Xbox Series X name
• Xbox Series X's custom SoC built with backward compatibility in mind
• Next-gen Forza is playable on Xbox Series X, is 'vastly different'
• Xbox Series X size comparison vs Xbox One, PS4 Pro, Switch
• Next-gen Xbox controller has a share button
• Xbox Series X naming scheme leaves door open for Lockhart
• Xbox Series X may allow suspend and resume for multiple games at once
• Microsoft reveals next-gen Xbox console, the Xbox Series X
• Xbox Series X may allow suspend and resume for multiple games at once
• Next-gen Xbox Lockhart has 'significantly less RAM' for 1440p gaming
• Next-gen Xbox Scarlett specs: 12TFLOPs, 16GB RAM, 3.5GHz Zen 2 CPU
• Cheaper next-gen Xbox Lockhart targets 1440p 60FPS
• Cheaper next-gen Xbox Lockhart targets 1440p 60FPS
• Project Scarlett devkits aren't widely available yet
• PS5, Xbox Scarlett SSD may use Optane-like ReRAM to supercharge speeds
• NVIDIA G-Sync monitors to improve PlayStation 5 and Xbox Scarlett
• Project Scarlett won't get VR gaming, Microsoft doesn't care about VR
• Next-gen Xbox Scarlett plays four generations of Xbox games
• Microsoft teases next-gen Xbox: 8K, 120FPS, super-fast SSD
• Xbox Scarlett CPU: 'no compromises', allows for 4K 120FPS gaming
• Microsoft: Xbox Scarlett will kick PlayStation 5's ass in perf/price
• Next-gen Xbox may hit 4K 60FPS in every game
• Project Scarlett to hit 1080p 120FPS gaming
• Project Scarlett trade-in program announced, but there's a big catch
• New Viking Assassin's Creed may be next-gen console launch game
• Next-gen Xbox may get room-scale VR gaming
• PS5 and Xbox Scarlett will both handle ray tracing differently
• Gears 5 developer says Xbox Scarlett has dedicated ray tracing cores
• GTA 6 on PS5, Project Scarlett to have insane hyper-realistic visuals
• AMD 'Flute': Xbox Scarlett SoC: Zen 2 8C/16T @ 3.2GHz on 7nm
• Project Scarlett's price isn't locked in yet
• Project Scarlett isn't the last Xbox console