Inside the Xbox Series X’s Top Specs
As the year goes by, we’re inching closer and closer to the eventual release of the Xbox Series X—much to the eagerness of fans around the world. Fortunately, Microsoft has started releasing some details to engage public interest. Last March 16, the company gave everyone an exciting sneak peek into what the next generation of console gaming will look like.
Here’s what we know about the Xbox Series X’s top specs so far.
Velocity Architecture
Before this month, Microsoft had already started teasing about the specs surrounding Series X, including its AMD Zen 2 Core CPU and an advanced GPU to support hardware-based ray tracing. SSD has also been confirmed, allegedly running at up to 1TB of RAM.
Previously, users were kept in the dark regarding the undefined slot on the back of the console. It has since been revealed that it will be used for a Seagate storage expansion card, which is a custom, removable 1TB NVMe drive. The NVMe interface connects directly to the PCI Express bus, which will ultimately minimise latency. The Series X will also feature “Sampler Feedback Streaming,” a dedicated hardware decompression block. All this—combined with Microsoft’s new method of utilising the SSD to reduce CPU overheads (called “DirectStorage”)—is what makes up the Velocity Architecture. Inarguably, this is the most advanced console hardware today.
Big Navi
Fans were initially not expecting Series X to hold AMD’s next generation of graphics tech. But last year, we saw a couple of PCB leaks for what was then AMD’s next big thing: a GPU that was paired with GDDR6 modules, had around 48 compute units, and operated over a 256-bit interface.
Although it was just speculation, Microsoft ended up performing a brief demo of it using one of the console’s upcoming games, Gears 5. Of course, the result was nothing short of phenomenal. Truly, the Xbox Series X is just one example of how important it is to have quality PCB design services, as these services operate under a unified system that keeps the parts secure and allows manufacturers to edit components as needed. This ensures that products have the best performance possible, without having to waste additional resources.
Incidentally, this demo has also shown the console’s capability to support 8K gaming and frame rates of up to 120fps. Such a feat is only present in some of the most advanced gaming PCs to date, like Alien and Razer. However, this was the result of Microsoft’s partnership with the HDMI forum and TV manufacturers, which enabled them to have the Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) on the Series X as part of its HDMI 2.1 support.
Controller
Microsoft has always campaigned for accessible gaming, further proven by their Xbox controllers last year that came with buttons in braille. Unfortunately, the Series X’s standard controllers won’t have this function, but its design is said to be able to suit different playing styles. Bumpers have rounded, triggers that have been reduced, and the grips have been purposefully sculpted to seamlessly fit in any gamer’s hands, including that of a child’s. Some of its other features include a share button, a transformed D-pad, and backwards compatibility with previous Xbox consoles.
Overall, the Series X aims to stand on top of high-performance gaming. No price has been announced for it yet, as the release date remains far into the end of the year. Still, Microsoft assures that they will be unveiling more details (especially on the list of launch games) sometime in June.