Xbox Series X: Features, Photos, Controller and All the Details

Microsoft has today unveiled by surprise all the technical characteristics of Xbox Series X. Instead of doing it in some great event, the coronavirus has forced to make all these announcements through the Internet and without generating the media commotion that conferences usually have. We go with all the announced details.

Xbox Series X will have an 8-core AMD processor with Zen 2 architecture , which will reach 3.8 GHz . The graphics card will be based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, and will reach 12 teraflops of performance. The GPU will have 52 compute units and will reach a frequency of 1,825 GHz , higher than expected. Both the card and the CPU will be based on a 7nm node, where the Die will have a size of 360.45mm 2 .

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At a graphic level, we will find technologies such as Ray Tracing for more realistic lighting, which will be possible thanks to the new generation of AMD cards that implement DirectX Raytracing with hardware acceleration.

The console will have 16 GB of GDDR6 memory , which will also be used as RAM in a similar way to what current consoles do. The memory bandwidth will be 560 GB / s for 10 GB, and 336 GB / s for the other 6 GB, since the 10 GB will be reserved for the GPU, 3.5 GB for standard memory, and 2 , 5 GB for the operating system. The SSD will finally be 1 TB and will have an NVMe interface , so the performance will be beastly as promised.

The console has a compact design inside, divided into the motherboards. Everything will be cooled by a system that will have a 130mm fan that collects air from below and expels it upwards.

All Xbox Series X games will be 4K

Xbox Series X will also be compatible with 1TB expansion cards , which will be inserted through the back behind a slot. These cards have been designed together with Seagate, and will allow adding storage space for the console, where we can save our games without losing the performance advantages offered by the Xbox Velocity Architecture.

The ports will be USB 3.2 , and the Blu-ray drive will be compatible with 4K discs like the Xbox One X. The performance they hope to offer in games is 4K at 60 FPS , and some will reach 120 FPS . Therefore, it finally seems that we are going to stop watching games in 1080p or in intermediate resolutions. There will also be conversion of content from SDR to HDR, in addition to 3D spatial audio with support for Dolby Atmos, DTS: X and Windows Sonic.

So much so, that Microsoft has already adapted some Xbox One X games to Series X, such as Gears 5, which have managed to run comfortably in 4K at 100 FPS. For online gaming, they are working on implementing framerates of up to 120 FPS, compatible with high-end 4K televisions, although they do not specify whether it will be at the cost of slightly reducing the resolution.

Backward compatibility will be another of the console’s strengths, where we can take Xbox One discs and put them in the new console, and it will automatically run it in new modes compatible with the titles, which will allow us to play at higher resolution, at more FPS , or see much faster loading times.

The console’s HDMI 2.1 port will allow you to even play 8K titles or watch videos in that content up to 60 FPS, or 4K at 120 FPS. We will also find Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technologies to eliminate tearing and have the lowest possible latency. There are few televisions currently compatible with this technology, but those that start launching from this year and the next will implement it already, so the console is very prepared for the technologies of the future.

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At the software level, the console will allow you to follow a game exactly at the moment in which we were going instantly. This will be achieved together with the SSD in what they have called Xbox Velocity Architecture , where open environment games will be able to load all the elements in real time without loading times.

New controller with redesigned D-Pad and Bluetooth

The controller maintains a design very similar to the current one, but makes small changes that will improve its use. For example, we have better ergonomics, better compatibility for more users, and lower latency. Latency has been improved with the Dynamic Latency Input (DLI) , which through technology in the console and in the HDMI port, increases the sampling rate of the remote and matches the frames on the screen.

On a physical level we find a new D-Pad that makes it easier to press the buttons similar to what the Elite controller offers. We also see a new Share button to take a screenshot or record a video without navigating through the menus. The triggers are also textured for a better feel, though they say nothing about the haptic engine.

The controller can continue to be used with iOS and Android phones, as well as on PC by implementing not only the Xbox Wireless Radio, but also Bluetooth Low Energy . The charging port will also be USB C.

The only thing we need to know are two of the most important details: the final price and the specific launch date. The coronavirus could delay the arrival to the market of the console, which at the moment continues to go on sale for Christmas 2020 as we have seen in the videos that the company has published today.