Microsoft claims Xbox Series X the most powerful gaming console

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Microsoft revealed more details about its latest creation, the Xbox Series X.

The company originally made the announcement during the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, in 2019 as ‘Project Scarlett.’ It later unveiled Series X at The Game Awards in December 12, 2019, and scheduled the console’s release in late 2020. This placed the new Xbox in direct competition with Sony’s PlayStation 5, which is also slated to launch in 2020.

[RELATED: Sony unveils latest gaming creation PlayStation 5]

But just like Sony, the company has not yet announced both a release date and its cost.

What’s new with the Xbox Series X?

While both Microsoft and Sony have been angling towards an evolved immersive gameplay, Microsoft has deemed its newest creation ‘the most powerful gaming console,’ a bold claim that gamers will hold expectation to.

Here’s an overview of its specs:

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

Microsoft says that the new Xbox will deliver four times the processing power of an Xbox One, and over eight times the performance of the original Xbox, which was released in 2001.

Long loading screen times have also been addressed, according to the company.

A new feature powered by the Xbox Velocity Architecture will allow players to switch easily between multiple titles and resume instantly from where the player last left off in ‘Quick Resume.’

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

For appearances, nothing too drastic to see in the new console but some refinements were made. Previous Xbox consoles took up space, but the Xbox Series X is designed to ‘fit seamlessly’ into the player’s home. It resembles a desktop CPU, a mini-fridge, or even a combination of both.

Microsoft retained its sleek, black outer shell, and is designed to support both vertical and horizontal orientation.

To get an idea of how big it will actually be, it will measure 151 mm by 151 mm by 301 mm (roughly six by six by 12 inches).  

Refinements made to its newest controller

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

Little was also done to the appearance of its newest controller, retaining its general shape and original dark color.

But Microsoft did refine, and even add, some aspects such as its new ‘Share’ button to make capturing screenshots and game clips easier and faster.

A new hybrid d-pad was also installed, inspired by the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2.

“Some gamers need to hit accurate diagonals or perform sweep actions, which is where the facetted dish is designed to excel. And, of course, based on personal playstyles, some people just prefer one over the other,” said Xbox Senior Designer Ryan Whitaker.

The company also made adjustments to its ergonomics for a wider range of people, enabling a child with small hands to play comfortably without sacrificing the comfort for those with larger hands.

A tactile dot pattern was also added to its triggers and bumpers.

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

“That’s something we’ve had on special edition controllers and fans love it. Now it’s the new standard,” Whitaker said.

Latency was also reduced, which will improve the responsiveness of the controller. That also includes the time it takes for the player’s input to be registered by the console and then displayed on the screen. 

And the new controller won’t just be compatible to the Xbox Series X. It will also be playable with the Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs.

The controller will come with every Xbox Series X console.

What games will be available at launch?

Thousands apparently, according to Microsoft. In addition to new titles, thousands of games from four generations will be available to play at launch. An additional library of over 100 games will also be available with the Xbox Game Pass.

“We believe that not only should gamers be able to play all of their games from the past without needing to purchase them again, but they should play better than ever before,” said Jason Ronald, Director of Program Management for Xbox Series X.

The new console will continue to feature backward compatible titles, and many of those games will be able to be played at an even higher performance and visual quality than when it was played on its original launch platform.

The Xbox Velocity Architecture’s ability to address in-game load times will also be applied to those backward compatible games as well.

Here’s a quick overview of what’s confirmed to come out:

(Bolded titles are will only be exclusive to the Xbox Series X, and * means that at no additional cost, players who bought the game on Xbox One will be able to play it on the Xbox Series X.)

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