Microsoft revealed full specs for its next-generation console, the Xbox Series X, on Monday morning. The company said the console will “set a new bar for performance, speed and compatibility” — and the specs seem to support that.
In a letter to fans, Xbox head Phil Spencer detailed the Xbox Series X’s custom processor that’s said to be “four times the processing power of an Xbox One,” allowing developers to use 12 teraflops of GPU performance — “twice that of an Xbox One X and more than eight times the original Xbox One.” He also outlined the console’s variable rate shading and “hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing,” as well as details on how the Xbox Series X will reduce load times — “more playing and less waiting.”
Here are the full specs:
Xbox Series X specs
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Feature | Details |
| CPU | 8x Cores @ 3.8 GHz (3.66 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/ 320mb 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 |
DirectX raytracing is supposed to simulate “the properties of light and sound in real time more accurately” than earlier technology — like light coming through a window or reflecting off water.
Microsoft also detailed the Xbox Velocity Architecture, which includes four components: “custom NVMe SSD, a dedicated hardware decompression block, the all new DirectStorage API, and Sampler Feedback Streaming.” This is what Microsoft said is to thank for its faster load times and the ability to make games “more immersive” — without using “epic elevator rides or lengthy hallways” to hide reloading assets.
To round things off, Microsoft ended with compatibility, which the company has promised for a while now. Microsoft said that not only will players be able to play old games on the Xbox Series X, but they’ll run better: “improved boot and load times, more stable frame rates, higher resolutions and improved innovation,” according to its post.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is slated for a holiday 2020 release date. Microsoft will hold a livestream this week to share more details on the Xbox Series X and Project xCloud, among other things.
