It looks like both Sony and Microsoft have decided to go the unconventional route when it comes to the design of their consoles. The Playstation 5’s “v” design looks like a piece of the Millennium Falcon that needs to be replaced before too many Stormtroopers board the vessel. Not to be outdone in terms of weirdness, the Xbox Series X debuted at the Game Awards on Dec. 12 and after it was unveiled, the memes came swiftly.
In terms of processing power and capability, customers are rumored to get a decently spec’d machine for the price. An 8-core CPU that runs around 3.5GHz, an all new GPU and a custom processor designed specifically for the console, 16GB Total RAM (3 for system, 13 for games) and user customizable solid state storage round out the system to create a package that is capable of 12 TFLOPS of power.
Most people don’t care about that, however, they’re more concerned with the fact that the thing looks like a stand for a modern coffee table, as illustrated by this hilarious meme that puts a PS5 on top of a slab of glass that’s being held up by an Xbox Series X.
The design looks like a cross between a monument, an old tower PC, and the cylindrical Mac Pro.
Phil Spencer, Xbox’s chief, said in an interview with GameSpot, “We wanted to have a dramatic upgrade from the Xbox One base console. So when we do the math, we’re over eight times the GPU power of the Xbox One, and two times what an Xbox One X is.”
The actual price of the Xbox Series X has yet to be determined, but it’s difficult to imagine it won’t be in line with previous console launches in the past. The Xbox One (minus Kinect) was $399 when it first dropped. The Xbox One X, however, due to its premium specs and pricing, was $499 when it was first hit shelves.
The console wars between Sony and Microsoft have been going on for some time, with Nintendo carving out a niche for itself and not engaging in the same type of spec, title vs title war that the two “grown up” video game systems are embroiled in.
One big question fans have is whether or not the Xbox Series X will be backwards compatible with previous titles, and it looks like from the press release from the Seattle-based company, that it will. Customers will be able to play, “thousands of your favorite games across four generations of gaming.”
Oh and if you’re worried about using your previous Xbox attachments, peripherals, controllers, achievements, and the ilk on the series X, you’ll be able to: “Leading the way with our first-party titles including Halo Infinite in 2020, we’re committed to ensuring that games from Xbox Game Studios support cross-generation entitlements and that your achievements and game saves are shared across devices.”
The Series X will also be packed with a brand new wireless controller that looks like more of the same, with slightly more refinements rather than a wildly different approach to gameplay: “Its size and shape have been refined to accommodate an even wider range of people, and it also features a new Share button to make capturing screenshots and game clips simple and an advanced d-pad derived from the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller.”
Will you be picking up one of these consoles? Or are you a PC-gamer, a PS5 die-hard, or does Nintendo suit you just fine? Regardless of what your console religion of choice is, you can still enjoy these tasty memes.
