This time around, Microsoft has pulled back the curtain a bit more to show just how powerful its next-gen console will be, including more specs and how load times and the already-announced suspended points will work.
Here’s the latest information from the official Xbox site on the Xbox Series X:
MORE POWER
Microsoft continues to call its forthcoming console the “most powerful” and it starts with its processor.
The Xbox Series X will run on a custom-designed processor, powered by an eight core AMD Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2-class GPU. This processor will allow developers to create realistic and immersive experiences.
AMD, the chipmaker who has worked with Microsoft since the Xbox 360, will also seed a next-generation DirectX ecosystem that will continue to push the technology of gaming forward post-launch.
Here are the specs for the upcoming Xbox Series X:
GAMES WILL LOOK BETTER
The processing power of the Xbox Series X will also advance how good games will look in terms of graphics, lighting and more.
The hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing simulates properties of light and sound in real time more accurately than ever before.
A demo for this new technology was shown in both Minecraft and in Gears 5.
The Gears 5 team showcased a technical demo, powered by Unreal Engine, for Xbox Series X using the full PC Ultra Spec settings, which included higher-resolution textures and higher-resolution volumetric fog, as well as a 50-percent higher particle count than the PC Ultra Specs allowed.
Gears 5’s opening cutscene could now run at 60 frames-per-second (fps) in 4K. The original game on the Xbox One X ran at 30 fps.
The Gears 5 team also announced that they will have an Xbox Series X Optimized version available at the console’s launch, which players will get free if they own the Xbox One version of Gears 5 and will leverage Smart Delivery depending on which console you’re using.
LOAD TIMES AND SPEED
Like before, Microsoft wants to have players immersed in their games for longer periods of time without having to wait through load times.
The new processor in the Xbox Series X allows players to limit the amount of time they have to wait for a game to load while also being able to play multiple titles at once using the solid-state-drive (SSD).
Xbox Velocity Architecture optimizes the streaming of in-game assets. Meaning, this new system inside the Xbox Series X will push out certain assets faster for players to jump right into gaming. This architecture allows 100 GB of game assets to be instantly accessible by the developer, cutting the need for loading screens or scenes where characters don’t do anything (long elevator rides, climbing ladders, etc.)
The Quick Resume technology used in the Xbox Series X will allow players to suspend games and boot up another.
Players will be able to do this with multiple titles, with limited load times allowing gamers to continue where they last left off without having to shut down the software completely.
Xbox Series X is scheduled for a 2020 holiday release.
What do you think of the latest information on Xbox Series X? Let us know in the comments section.
