Microsoft continues hyping its beastly next-gen Xbox Series X console and promises games will look, play, and feel better than ever before.
The Xbox Series X is shaping up to be the ultimate games console. Powered by a next-gen 12 TFLOP Navi GPU, an 8-core Zen 2, and a custom SSD, the system will allow 8K gaming, 4K 60FPS, and even up to 120FPS gaming--all with buttery-smooth variable refresh rates. Developers will use tons of new technologies like ray tracing, variable rate shading, and other software tricks to make games run incredibly well at all perf specs and resolutions. That's the theory at least. We haven't actually seen any games in action yet.
Now according to Xbox exec Jason Ronald, the Xbox Series X's in-game performance is unprecedented. The next-gen Xbox uses "bleeding-edge" tech from AMD to open a new dimension of high-FPS, high-resolution console gaming. It's basically a new era for the console market.
"The Xbox Series X is a massive increase in overall performance, but not only that, but with the new RDNA 2 graphics technology that we've leveraged from AMD, it's actually significantly more efficient as well. So it's a much more higher performance. What you'll actually see in the titles that ship on the Xbox Series X is unlike anything you've ever seen before," Xbox director of program management Jason Ronald said in a recent Major Nelson podcast.
"We have a great partnership with AMD, and we're really leveraging the bleeding-edge technology from them to make sure this console's really designed for the future."
Read Also: Xbox Series X may enhance Xbox 360, OG Xbox games too
Ronald also touched briefly on how Microsoft is making it easier than ever for developers. The Xbox Series X is part of Microsoft's big Xbox SDK pipeline, which allows devs to make a single game and scale it across Xbox One, Windows 10 PCs, Project xCloud, and now the Xbox Series X.
"We've also really focused on how we make it really easy for developers to ship their game on PC, on console, and with Project xCloud. So we're really focused on making it as easy as possible for developers to reach the largest audience of players and really focus on making the best game possible."
Another exciting path with the Xbox Series X is with backwards comaptibility. Microsoft has confirmed the Xbox Series X will play the Xbox One's full library, and it'll do so even better than the base console.
The Xbox SX natively boosts in-game performance of all comaptible games like raising and tightening frame rates, increasing resolution, and reducing screen tearing.
Developers will also be able to release special enhancement patches to ensure older games run even better on the Xbox Series X. That means older Xbox One games will have an extra layer of depth, speed, and overall perf boosts.
We're not sure what the limit is on these upgrades, or whether or not older games like Halo 5: Guardians could get ray tracing or 120FPS support. But the possibility is there and if it's used properly, the Xbox Series X could breathe new life across the full generation of Xbox gaming.
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
- Navi GPU on RDNA architecture
- Highly customized 7nm SoC from AMD
- 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
Lockhart (Unconfirmed lower-end Xbox Series hardware)
- 1440p 60FPS
- No disc drive
- Super-fast SSD that can be used as VRAM
- 7nm AMD SoC w/ scaled-down 8-core, 16 thread Zen 2 CPU at 3.5GHZ and Navi GPU
- Lower GDDR6 memory pool (Possibly 12GB)
- ~6-8 TFLOPs of power?
- Aims to rival PS4 Pro/Replace Xbox One S
- Full backward compatibility with all Xbox One games
- Cheaper MSRP
Anaconda/Xbox Series X/Project Scarlett
- 4K 60FPS
- Disc drive with 4K UHD playback
- Super-fast SSD that can be used as VRAM
- 7nm AMD SoC with 8-core, 16 thread Zen 2 CPU at 3.5GHz and Navi GPU
- 16GB GDDR6 RAM
- 12 TFLOPs of power
- 2x GPU power as Xbox One X/aims to replace Xbox One X
- Full backward compatibility with all Xbox One games
- More expensive MSRP
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