Microsoft Reveals New Xbox Series X Information Detailing Technology Behind the Console

Xbox Series X was revealed back at The Game Awards 2019 and since its reveal, Microsoft has been gradually releasing more and more information about the console. Last week we reported that Microsoft is planning to reveal more Xbox Series X details this week and staying true to its word, we now have tons of new information about Microsoft’s next-gen console including an in-depth look at the new controller.

We already knew that Xbox Series X features a 12 Teraflops GPU and will be capable of delivering 120FPS easily. Some of the games from the current generation will also make their way to the next generation of consoles such as Halo: Infinite and Rainbow Six Siege. CD Projekt Red also announced that all players who purchase Cyberpunk 2077 on Xbox One will get a free upgrade for the Xbox Series X version since the game will release on the next generation of consoles as well.

Today, Microsoft has detailed a lot more information about Xbox Series X starting with its three primary characteristics. According to Microsoft, three primary characteristics of Xbox Series X are Power, Speed, and Compatibility. Xbox Series X will be the most powerful Xbox ever and when we say powerful, it means really powerful. Microsoft says that with Xbox One X, the focus is not for the games to look good but also to play better as well.

Jason Ronald, Director of Product Management on Xbox Series X said:

While the Xbox Series X will deliver a massive increase in GPU performance and continue to redefine and advance the state of art in graphics with new capabilities such as hardware-accelerated raytracing. We don’t believe this generation will be defined by graphics or resolution alone.

The team behind Xbox Series X knew that the next-gen console had to deliver 4K at 60fps with no compromise on quality and performance. This also includes support for up to 120fps so that the console is ready for the needs of the largest blockbusters, competitive eSports and indie developers.

For this, the development team partnered with AMD to develop a custom-designed processor powered by an 8 core AMD Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2-class GPU. Both of these next-gen architectures deliver a new level of performance which allows the developers to create realistic and immersive video games that have been never seen before. Sebastien Nussbaum, Corporate Vice President & Senior Fellow, Semi-Custom Products and Technologies​ at AMD, said:

Xbox Series X is the biggest generational leap of SOC [System on a Chip] and API design that we’ve done with Microsoft, and it’s really an honor for AMD to be a trusted Microsoft partner for this endeavor. The Xbox Series X is going to be a beacon of technical innovation leadership for this console generation and will propagate the innovation throughout the DirectX ecosystem this year and into next year.

The full system specs of the Xbox Series X have now been revealed. You can check them out below.

Xbox Series X will also support hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing which simulates the properties of light and sound in real-time and it is better than any technology we have seen before.  You can check out the screenshots shared with Ray Tracing on and off below with a demo of Minecraft. At launch, Gears 5 will also launch on Xbox Series X which will be specially optimized for the next-gen console.

The second focus of Xbox Series X is Speed and this time around, the console will come equipped with a solid-state drive or SSD to ensure that load times are as small as possible. Apart from the faster loading times, the development team also implemented a brand new technology called Xbox Velocity Architecture.

This features tight integration between hardware and software which is optimized for the streaming of in-game assets. With the help of this technology, 100 GB of game assets will be instantly accessible by the developer and all components of Xbox Velocity Architecture combine to create an effective multiplier on physical memory which really boosts the performance of the machine.

Andrew Goossen, Technical Fellow on Xbox Series X at Microsoft, said:

The CPU is the brain of our new console and the GPU is the heart, but the Xbox Velocity Architecture is the soul. The Xbox Velocity Architecture is about so much more than fast last times. It’s one of the most innovative parts of our new console. It’s about revolutionizing how games can create vastly bigger, more compelling worlds.

The biggest benefit of this architecture will be for open-world titles such as Final Fantasy X, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 or any other game where players have the freedom to play and explore the world in their own pace. The increased processing power and the ability to stream in-game assets quickly is crucial for the best experience in such games and Xbox Series X is fully capable of handling this in the best way possible.

Goosen continued:

Competitive gamers and the best gaming experiences demand precise, responsive controls. The Xbox team analyzed the entire end to end input pipeline, from the controller to the console and from the console to the display and we challenged ourselves to identify every opportunity to further reduce latency to provide the best experience for gamers on Xbox.

This leads us to yet another brand new technology developed for Xbox Series X which is Dynamic Latency Input as well as the HDMI 2.1 which allows support for 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). The loading times are exceptionally low and players will be able to continue their games even quickly with the new Quick Resume Technology which allows players to resume the last game they played right from the spot where they left them without loading the whole game again.

The Quick Resume will allow you to resume multiple games with a press of a single button. You will jump back in the action instantly where you left off without the need of shutting down the previous game or starting the new game right from the beginning. The game states are stored directly on the system’s SSD so they will last there even when the console is turned off and even a system update.

The final aspect is Compatibility and Xbox Series X supports every game of every Xbox ever released. That means that Xbox Series X is capable of playing every game of the previous three generations of consoles so if you have some old titles lying around, do not throw them out just yet because Xbox Series X will fully support them. All of the previously released games will have the benefits of improved hardware of Xbox Series X such as HDR.

Another major step here is that all current accessories will also be fully compatible with Xbox Series X. A brand new feature Smart Delivery will ensure that you only have to purchase a title once and then have it with you always with the best version available to you without any further charge. This will allow players to move seamlessly between multiple consoles as their entire gaming library will move with them to the next generation.

The controller for Xbox Series X has also seen a major overhaul. It looks pretty much the same as the Xbox One controller however there are some major and notable changes in the design of the controller. Similar to the console, the controller was developed with speed, compatibility across generations and power in mind. The new Xbox Series X controller is also more inclusive of all players than any controller in the past.

The new controller features a brand new D-pad design to boost performance and make it more accessible for players. The controller takes heavy feedback from the current generation’s Elite controller and is a hybrid of two D-pad designs. It makes a slightly deeper dish that gives your thumb a small home to comfortably sit inside and angles around are fine-tuned to give you good leverage with minimum movement for maximum control.

The new controllers will support cross-compatibility with Xbox One which means that players will be able to use them with Xbox One and Xbox Series X as they both work with the same Xbox Wireless Radio. In addition, more platform support is also included such as PC, Android, and iOS. It will also have Bluetooth Low Energy(BTLE) which will ensure that pairing is much easier this time around. A USB-C port will ensure fast charging and a modern connection to use with multiple devices. A prominent Share button also sits in the middle of the controller allowing players to share their captures instantly.

Triggers and bumpers feature a tactile dot pattern which is great for increased grip, feel and performance while playing different games. Earlier, this was only present on special edition controllers but with Xbox Series X, this feature is now standard on every controller. The D-pad, bumpers and the triggers also come with a Matte finish to ensure that both wet and dry hands give a smooth and consistent feel.

These are the most comprehensive details that Microsoft has shared with us about their upcoming Xbox Series X next-gen console. You can check out even more details on the official Xbox Wire website. You can check out Xbox Series X tech, a detailed guide on the new Latency feature and the Q&A session on the new Xbox Series X controller.

Which new features of Xbox Series X did you like the most announced by Microsoft today? Let us know in the comments section below.