All the key facts about Microsoft's next-gen console
The next Xbox, formerly Xbox Project Scarlett, is Xbox Series X, and Microsoft is calling it the future of gaming. Built around powerful new hardware from AMD, including its new Navi graphics architecture and a Zen 2 CPU, the Series X is designed to minimize (or completely eliminate) load times and get you into games as quickly as possible.
When it was first announced Microsoft employees threw out some pretty baller numbers: four times more powerful than the current most powerful console on the planet, the Xbox One X, four times better performance than the current generation in terms of load times, and the biggest generational leap in Microsoft's console history.
As for its design and general look, Series X is by far the most PC-like console we've seen in recent times. While it initially appears to be an absolute beast, it's only roughly the same height as the Xbox One X. It is a thicc old customer though, and the sheer width of Series X is what makes it resemble a PC mini tower.
Let's get technical. Xbox Series X will feature eight Zen 2 CPU cores at 3.8GHz. When combined with 12 teraflops of GPU power, we're left with a system capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing. That means more realistic lighting, reflections, and sound. 4K resolution at 60FPS is another welcome addition, with the potential for 120FPS in certain games.
It all means games will look better than ever, as evidenced by the likes of Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Call of the Sea. It's a reminder that the Xbox Series X specs are on-par with the best gaming PCs of today. Which shouldn't really come as a surprise - Microsoft has already promised that they'll deliver the "most immersive console experience ever", so it makes sense to stack their next-gen system with cutting-edge technology.
And considering what we saw from the Unreal Engine 5 tech demo, the best is yet to come; although it was running on a PS5, the same incredible visuals and seamless complexity will be possible on the Xbox Series X.
Microsoft is also throwing a Solid State Drive (or 'SSD') into the mix, allowing for lightning-fast loading.
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