During The Game Awards Show 2019, Microsoft took to the stage to announce the official name of their next-generation Xbox; Xbox Series X. No more Project Scarlett, as that’s a name of a family, while Xbox Series X will be the first of many upcoming next-gen Xbox consoles.
Here, we break down what the new console is, what you can expect, and more.
Will the Xbox Series X be Backward Compatible
Going into the next-generation and even this generation, a big focus for Xbox has been backward compatibility and hardware unification. With Xbox Series X, this trend will continue as the new system will play existing Xbox One and Xbox 360 games. In addition to this, all current hardware will also work with Xbox Series X. That means your collection of Xbox One controllers, including the Xbox Elite controllers will function on Xbox Series X.
It was also announced that Xbox One owners can load up an external hard drive with Xbox One games and plug it directly into the Xbox Series X. Most if not all of those games will be backward compatible with the Xbox Series X and immediately playable.
Was that a new controller that debuted with the Xbox Series X
Good eye, yes that is a new controller that was featured alongside the Xbox Series X. While this controller doesn’t have a new name, it does feature a couple of updates when compared to existing Xbox One controllers. The controller has a slightly reshaped mode, it’s a bit smaller and thanks to the development of the Xbox One Elite controller, a better d-pad.
There’s also a new share button, something that both the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch have had for some time. Now Xbox Series X will include this feature, allowing anyone to take a screenshot or gameplay snippet and save it or possibly even upload it on the fly.
How much power is this thing packing
According to Xbox, the Xbox Series X will be twice as powerful as Xbox One X. That’s a lot of power, all thanks to AMD’s Zen 2 CPU and Navi GPU. In a recent article over on Xbox.com, they talked about what we can expect. Such as 4K 60 FPS gaming, with the possibility of 120 FPS in the future.
The system is packing 12 Teraflops of graphical power, which is 2x the amount of the Xbox One X. Support for VRR or Variable Refresh Rate, a next-generation NVMe SSD to minimize or eliminate loading times. The cooling system, thanks to the design of the console will ensure that all those components stay cool, even during the most intense gaming session. This will be the fastest, most powerful Xbox ever released. If you thought Xbox One X was an amazing piece of tech, the Xbox Series X is going to blow you away. At least, we hope it will.
Here are the official specs
- CPU 8x Cores @ 3.8 GHz (3.6 GHz w/ SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU
- GPU 12 TFLOPS, 52 CUs @ 1.825 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU
- Die Size 360.45 mm2
- Process 7nm Enhanced
- Memory 16 GB GDDR6 w/ 320b bus
- Memory Bandwidth 10GB @ 560 GB/s, 6GB @ 336 GB/s
- Internal Storage 1 TB Custom NVME SSD
- I/O throughput 2.4 GB/s (Raw), 4.8 GB/s (Compressed, with custom hardware decompression block)
- Expandable Storage 1 TB Expansion Card (matches internal storage exactly)
- External Storage USB 3.2 External HDD Support
- Optical Drive 4K UHD Blu-Ray Drive
- Performance Target 4K @ 60 FPS, Up to 120 FPS
Storage-wise, the Xbox Series X will utilize a new generation SSD, that will also allow the console to use it as virtual ram for saving game states. Basically you’ll be able to save a game, switch to another one in seconds.
What about new games
While we already knew that Halo Infinite is going to be a launch title for the Xbox Series X. We also know now that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is currently being developed by Ninja Theory (Now an Xbox Game Studio).
In addition to this, Xbox’s Phil Spenser has confirmed the all 15 of the Xbox Game Studios are working on Xbox Series X games. Outside of that, there are 3rd party developers who have access to project kits and are also working on games for the console.
Microsoft plans on having a number of 1st party games available once Xbox Series X hits the stores. This won’t be a repeat of the Xbox One’s original release.
Here are the games we know that are already confirmed.
- Halo Infinite
- Gears 5 (Optimized for Xbox Series X)
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
- Rainbow Six Quarantine
- Gods and Monsters
- Cyberpunk 2077 (Upgrade from Xbox One version as well)
- Battlefield 6
- Watch Dogs Legion
Can you lay it on its side
When the Xbox Series X was first shown, it was done so in a vertical position. Leaving many of us wondering how this would fit in our entertainment setups. But not to worry as Microsoft has assured that you can also position the console on its sides as well. That won’t help that console will stick out like a sore thumb.
Why does the Xbox Series X look so bulky
There’s no denying that the console breaks the traditional console mold. It’s big, it’s bulky and it looks like a PC tower. However, there’s a reason for this and one you’ll appreciate. This console is a beast and as such, it’s packing a lot of power. Power also means that there’s going to be a lot of heat that’s going to be generated by the console. The bigger the case, the better the airflow, the less heat will be trapped in the system.
Will the Xbox Series X be expensive
That is the question on the minds of everyone. With Microsoft packing so much power into the Xbox Series X, one has to wonder how much this console will cost. Microsoft hasn’t mentioned a price tag and we likely won’t get one until either Sony announced the PlayStation 5 price or not until E3 2020 rolls around.
Make no mistake, this will set you back by at least $500, and possibly more.
When can we get our first hands-on
Now that Xbox has revealed the actual system, we’re hoping to see it shown off during E3 2020. Actually, we’re were hoping that it will be shown at both PAX South 2020 and PAX East 2020. Sadly, thanks to COVID-19, all the game events have been canceled, so there’s no telling when we’ll get our first hands-on, if we even do before it reaches the launch date.
Releasing next Holiday 2020
Microsoft has stated multiple times that the new Xbox console, now Xbox Series X, would be available as of Holiday 2020. Which gives you a year to save those pennies. It also happens to be the same time that Sony’s PlayStation 5 is going to be released. Needless to state that this time next year is going to be costly for those who want both consoles. We should know more about an exact release date closer to the release or during E3 2020.
