The next Xbox consoles are due to drop later this year, but we still don’t know too much about what we can expect from Microsoft. In a new blog post, Xbox’s Phil Spencer has detailed more info about the next-generation of console gaming, and it’s sounding pretty darn tasty.
In the post, Spencer writes: “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.”
In terms of what that actually means, it looks like the PlayStation 5 is going to have some serious competition on its hands, as Xbox isn’t just promising 120 frames-per-second support, but also twice the horsepower of the Xbox One X.
According to Spencer, the Xbox Series X is “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.”
For all you non-tech-nerds out there, that’s “twice that of an Xbox One X and more than eight times the original Xbox One.”
The consoles will also use Variable Rate Shading (VRS), which Xbox explains as follows: “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.”
DirectX Raytracing – a first for console gaming – will also be a feature of the console, providing a hyperrealistic look that’s unparalleled.
Other features include next-generation SSD storage, Dynamic Latency Input and HDMI 2.1 Innovation.
Xbox Series X will also allow “developers to exceed standard 60 fps output in favor of heightened realism or fast-paced action,” up to 120 FPS.
And of course, the Xbox Series X is fully backwards-compatible, all the way back to the original Xbox. Check out the full blog of specs right here.
Are you excited for the Xbox Series X?
Featured Image Credit: Microsoft