Microsoft has dropped an early look at its next-generation Xbox console, paving the underpinnings of the future of Xbox. The upcoming Xbox Series X has received several unveilings in recent months, pitching a console surpassing early expectations, bundling a ton of high-performance hardware. We now know the full lineup of planned internals, ahead of its release scheduled for late 2020.
Xbox Series X Full Tech Specs
Xbox Series X is a central component of Microsoft's future-facing gaming efforts, positioned as its flagship console headed into the next generation. Tailing the 4K-brandished Xbox One X, the elusive successor promises a generational shift akin to the original Xbox One debut in 2013. Development on the high-horsepower box remains underway, set to rival the Sony PlayStation 5.
While current reports allude to tiered Xbox consoles dubbed "Anaconda" and "Lockhart," Microsoft's public-facing efforts currently focus on one device. The console aims to achieve 8K resolutions, or 4K at up to 120 frames-per-second (FPS), complemented by ray-tracing, variable refresh rate (VRR) support, and more. Here's the full list of planned Xbox Series X specifications.
| Category | Xbox Series X |
|---|---|
| Processor | 8x Cores @ 3.8 GHz (3.66 GHz w/ SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU |
| Graphics | 12.155 TFLOPS, 52 CUs @ 1.825 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU |
| Die Size | 360.45 mm2 |
| Process | 7nm Enhanced |
| Memory | 16 GB GDDR6 w/ 320mb bus |
| Memory Bandwidth | 10 GB @ 560 GB/s, 6GB @ 336 GB/s |
| Internal Storage | 1 TB Custom NVME SSD |
| I/O Throughput | 2.4 GB/s (Raw), 4.8 GB/s (Compressed, with custom hardware decompression block) |
| Expandable Storage | 1 TB Expansion Card (matches internal storage exactly) |
| External Storage | USB 3.2 External HDD Support |
| Optical Drive | 4K UHD Blu-Ray Drive |
| Performance Target | 4K @ 60 FPS, up to 4K @ 120 FPS, 8K @ 60 FPS |
| Color | Matte Black |
| Size | 301mm x 151mm x 151mm |
| Release date | Holiday 2020 |
What do the Xbox Series X specs mean?
At the heart of Xbox Series X lies a custom-designed CPU founded on AMD's Zen 2 architecture. Previously behind chipsets fueling the Xbox One family, the leading U.S. manufacturer extends efforts via its latest processor technology. The Zen 2 family touts improved performance and efficiency, with Xbox Series X poised to deliver four times the CPU power of Xbox One X. With the current Xbox flagship heavily reliant on its GPU advancements, Scarlett's revamped system-on-chip (SoC) helps alleviate a primary bottleneck.
A Navi-based GPU flanks the Zen 2 brains, powered by AMD's latest wave of RDNA graphics technologies. It assembles a formidable SoC for next-generation gaming, clocking in at 12 teraflops, indicating its ability to process 12 trillion floating-point operations per second. In short, that means a console vastly superior to anything on the market (including the 6TF Xbox One X) and on track to surpass some of the best graphics cards like the GeForce RTX 2080.
The Xbox Series X also comes with the added capabilities of "hardware-accelerated" ray tracing. NVIDIA has already drawn eyes with its GeForce RTX GPU lineup's real-time ray tracing capabilities, and both Microsoft and Sony are set to follow suit for more realistic lighting.
Microsoft's added commitment to NVMe solid-state drive (SSD) storage is an understated and vital final inclusion under Series X. Microsoft has cooked up a custom setup tailored to the console, with faster overall storage meaning huge gains, drastically slicing load times and installations. Seagate has also aided on the production of proprietary SSD memory cards, enabling users to expand storage, while meeting the speed requirements for Xbox Series X optimized titles. However, older experiences for Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the original Xbox can use a regular external drive, powered by USB 3.2.
The result is a future-facing console built on strong foundations, already pushing the higher end of the PC market. Paired with the benefits of SSD storage, Xbox Series X establishes a promising baseline for the next generation of consoles.
Xbox Series X is slated to launch in the 2020 holiday season, with pricing still to be confirmed.
Xbox Series X/S
Main
- Xbox Series X: Everything we know
- Best games coming to Xbox Series X/S
- List of Xbox Series X specs
- What is the Xbox Series X release date?
- How much does Xbox Series X cost?
- Why you can't preorder Xbox Series X yet
- Best Xbox Series X Headsets
