Xbox Series X Specs Revealed - 12 Teraflops, Custom RDNA 2 and Zen 2 Processor, Next Gen SSD, More - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 24 February 2020 / 5,634 Views
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer in a new Xbox Wire post has revealed the specs of Microsoft's next generation console, the Xbox Series X.
The Xbox Series X will feature a GPU with 12 teraflops of power and a custom Zen 2 and RDNA 2 processor from AMD. The console will deliver four times the processing power of an Xbox One and a GPU that is twice as powerful as the Xbox One X and eight times that of the original Xbox One.
The console will also feature a next generation SSD to greatly improve load times over traditional hard drives and the ability to suspend several games at once to instantly return to games where you last left them. There will be support for up to 120 fps, HDMI 2.1 for the ability to enable Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate.
Read the entire Xbox Wire post below:
The future of gaming has never been more inspiring. Creativity in games is flourishing. New services empower you to discover more games—and bring you closer to the games and creators and streamers you love. The cloud creates a massive opportunity to stream console-quality games and play with the people you want, wherever you want. And for many of us, nothing is more inspiring than the dawn of a new console generation.
We know you expect the next generation of consoles to set new standards in graphical power and processing speed, converging together in games that look incredible and feel alive. This will be defined by worlds that are visually astounding and immediately immersive, with innovative leaps in CPU, GPU and storage technology to give you frictionless access to new stories and new creators constantly.
We’ve been using Xbox Series X in our internal Takehome program and are energized by the feedback we’ve been receiving. At Xbox we value being open and transparent with you, and I’m proud to be able to share details about some of the technologies we are enabling for the next generation, and look forward to boldly sharing more as we head towards E3.
A superior balance of power and speed
Compared to the previous generation, Xbox Series X represents a superior balance of power and speed in console design, advancing on all technological fronts to delivering amazing, dynamic, living worlds and minimize any aspects that can take you out of the experience. Our job at Team Xbox is to give teams the tools they need to achieve their ambitions and tap into the console’s power with efficiency, a few of which we’re detailing today. Raw power is just part of the story:
- Next Generation Custom Processor: Xbox Series X is our most powerful console ever powered by our custom designed processor leveraging AMD’s latest Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures. Delivering four times the processing power of an Xbox One and enabling developers to leverage 12 TFLOPS of GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) performance – twice that of an Xbox One X and more than eight times the original Xbox One. Xbox Series X delivers a true generational leap in processing and graphics power with cutting edge techniques resulting in higher framerates, larger, more sophisticated game worlds, and an immersive experience unlike anything seen in console gaming.
- Variable Rate Shading (VRS): Our patented form of VRS empowers developers to more efficiently utilize the full power of the Xbox Series X. Rather than spending GPU cycles uniformly to every single pixel on the screen, they can prioritize individual effects on specific game characters or important environmental objects. This technique results in more stable frame rates and higher resolution, with no impact on the final image quality.
- Hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing: You can expect more dynamic and realistic environments powered by hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing – a first for console gaming. This means true-to-life lighting, accurate reflections and realistic acoustics in real time as you explore the game world.
Immersion in an instant
The next console generation will be defined by more playing and less waiting. And when play begins, we know many gamers demand ultra-low latency to be as immersed and precise as possible. To this end, the team analyzed every step between player and game, from controller to console to display, and asked how we could make it faster.
- SSD Storage: With our next-generation SSD, nearly every aspect of playing games is improved. Game worlds are larger, more dynamic and load in a flash and fast travel is just that – fast.
- Quick Resume: The new Quick Resume feature lets you continue multiple games from a suspended state almost instantly, returning you to where you were and what you were doing, without waiting through long loading screens.
- Dynamic Latency Input (DLI): We’re optimizing latency in the player-to-console pipeline starting with our Xbox Wireless Controller, which leverages our high bandwidth, proprietary wireless communication protocol when connected to the console. With Dynamic Latency Input (DLI), a new feature which synchronizes input immediately with what is displayed, controls are even more precise and responsive.
- HDMI 2.1 Innovation: We’ve partnered with the HDMI forum and TV manufacturers to enable the best gaming experience through features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). ALLM allows Xbox One and Xbox Series X to automatically set the connected display to its lowest latency mode. VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate, maintaining smooth visuals without tearing. Ensuring minimal lag and the most responsive gaming experience.
- 120 fps Support: With support for up to 120 fps, Xbox Series X allows developers to exceed standard 60 fps output in favor of heightened realism or fast-paced action.
The next generation of game compatibility
The benefits of the next console generation extend in every direction, bringing greater visual fidelity and improved loading speeds to your existing gaming legacy, in addition to new games. We’re continuing our commitment to compatibility with Xbox Series X and investing in technology that makes game ownership easier across generations.
- Four generations of gaming: Our commitment to compatibility means existing Xbox One games, including backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, look and play better than ever before. Your favorite games, including titles in Xbox Game Pass, benefit from steadier framerates, faster load times and improved resolution and visual fidelity – all with no developer work required. Your Xbox One gaming accessories also come forward with you.
- Smart Delivery: This technology empowers you to buy a game once and know that – whether you are playing it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X – you are getting the right version of that game on whatever Xbox you’re playing on. We’re making the commitment to use Smart Delivery on all our exclusive Xbox Game Studios titles, including Halo Infinite, ensuring you only have to purchase a title once in order to play the best available version for whichever Xbox console they choose to play on. This technology is available for all developers and publishers, and they can choose to use it for titles that will be release on Xbox One first and come to the Xbox Series X later.
- Xbox Game Pass: In addition to games from across four generations of consoles, our leading game subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, will continue to have our first party games, like Halo Infinite, included at their launch. We look forward to millions of you experiencing the Xbox Game Pass portfolio and immersing yourselves in a deep library of high-quality games, playing those you love now and also discovering your next great adventure.
A generation with players at the center
Xbox Series X is our fastest, most powerful console ever, designed for a console generation that has you at its center. This means a high-fidelity gaming experience enclosed in a quiet and bold design, with the ability to discover thousands of games across four generations, all with more playing and less waiting.
Whether it’s empowering amazing creators at our 15 Xbox Game Studios, fueling game discovery with Xbox Game Pass, or expanding what and where you can play with Project xCloud, Team Xbox stands for frictionless pathways between players and the best experiences our remarkable art form has to offer. Xbox Series X represents that same commitment for players who want immediate immersion in games that also look and feel better than ever.
We can’t wait to share more details about the new Xbox with you in the coming months.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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And all is specs and power , but what about games that are the life of a system, Sony have that, and demostrated year after year. XBOX 360 win the beggining of the past generation but ps3 beat them in the final cycle. And in this generation Xbox one began already death with many restrictions so Sony with so many exclusive games show how solid is the company. So they can do the same thing that they do bring games. Jajaja
Well it goes to show with your last part you said that X1 was dead due to restrictions however it had games. Games are important but the console itself needs to be just as important. Good systems have died even with decent libraries. Gamecube, Dreamcast, Wiiu and even the N64 with some of the best games of all time still sold less than expectations.
It’s weird 2020 so far. Xbox has been dominated for years and now Sony has been letting MS have the spotlight since the VGAs and are backing out of all these gaming conventions. I never would have thought Sony would shy away from a fight
Sony’s not shying away from MS, seeing as other large companies have backed out of the same gaming events for the same reasons. If they backed out because they actually value the health and safety of their employees, I don’t know how that’s interpreted as “lolz, tay r afrayd of teh Xbawks!”. As frustrating as their silence is, it’s way to early in the year to flat out assume there’s no news on the horizon.
Sony’s not shying away from MS, seeing as other large companies have backed out of the same gaming events for the same reasons. If they backed out because they actually value the health and safety of their employees, I don’t know how that’s interpreted as “lolz, tay r afrayd of teh Xbawks!”. As frustrating as their silence is, it’s way to early in the year to flat out assume there’s no news on the horizon.
@sales, that’s assumptions from the Bloomberg article. We still don’t know what’s going on behind Sony’s doors.
People are getting all excited about terraflops, and I'm just sitting here like "multiple game suspend points! Awesome!"
Remember the cheaper option that supposedly exists as well. So this one is only the premium model only hardcore gamers who love high end stuff will buy. For most people, the other model will be there. Maybe the other model is $350 and halfway in specs between X and series X while series X is $500
It's nice that at least one of the big three is being transparent about what's coming up from them.
I'll be honest. Those are very good specs and features.
What a beast.
MS seems pretty confident throwing these specs around like that. Either they're making a terrible mistake by showing their hand too early, or they already KNOW what's inside of PS5.
These companies know what each are doing, its not like MS cannot get PS5 dev kits.
Even if Series X has potentially less features than PS5, I think it's good idea to get people excited about what your new console does do. But everything MS is showing looks incredible for a console.
Looks good.
Daddy is ready for the baby! So READY!
Only 4 times the processing power? Wasn't the cpu supposed to see bigger gains compared to the gpu?
Damn, 12 Teraflops would make the GPU in a series X almost comparable to a 2080 Ti! https://www.anandtech.com/show/13249/nvidia-announces-geforce-rtx-20-series-rtx-2080-ti-2080-2070
So what's that mean?
That doesn't exactly mean or tell us much.
Also there will be the 3000 series due either this yr or the next as well.
@shikamaru137 Thanks for clearing that up. I didn't know an Nvidia flop and AMD flop were not equal.
@Chazore It tells us Series X will have a GPU comparable to the higher end of the GPU market. At least comparable to a 2070 Super. That doesn't mean everything though, because CPU, and RAM are also important. I agree that 3000 series will likely return the PC/Console power gap back to normal though. But hey, at least we aren't getting milquetoast launch consoles this time!
It doesn't work like that.
Yeah, like Matt says, it simply doesn't work like that. People cannot just throw out a flop number and say it's instantly comparable. There are far more variables to consider, as well as actual benchmark tests, in order to fully determine what it can actually do vs a 2080ti.
Besides, while consoles will start out with this new hw, |PC will continue to expand it's hw lineup as time goes on. What may start out as something of a closed gap, simply expands each gen. This is something I do not see changing, unless consoles completely abandon being, well, a console.
I think it'd be better that they actually try sticking to 60fps+ this time, rather than bullet pointing "120fps", and then having us see them only use it for a few small map MP based games. 8k and 120fps is not going to happen, certainly not with open world/large map titles and quite possibly even smaller map MP games, not unless there are sacrifices made to achieve that.
The rumor from Jason (Kotaku) and Windows central are on point. Microsoft will deliver a beast and will not repeating the same mistake from the past. But they need to prove other things which is next gen exclusives. But like Matt Boty said we will have to wait for 2 years .
Xbox no longer does exclusives, we do not need to hear about it constantly.
Just because the games will also be on Xbox One doesn't mean they won't be next-gen. All the biggest games of 2013-2015 were cross-gen. MGS V, Destiny, Watch_Dogs, TitanFall, Shadow of Mordor, etc. The best selling game of the entire generation on both PS4 and Xbox One is Grand Theft Auto 5, a port from 360/PS3. Meanwhile most "true" launch exclusives in 2013-2015 like Ryse, ShadowFall, Knack hardly even held a candle to the aforementioned cross-gen titles. It's really a title-by-title basis.
$599 and £649.
I don't think there's a chance this launches at 399$ with these specs unless Microsoft is willing to take hundreds of dollars of losses for each system sold, which I doubt since they know how much money they lossed on the OG Xbox for doing that. My best bet is 500$, maybe 600$ if Microsoft is feeling extremely confident in their system.
