Xbox Series : Specification, Release, Price and Games

Item: Xbox Series
Rating: 4.8
Author: Rahul Singh

Xbox Series - Series X $299 / Series 499 - Release November 10

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEXT GEN OF XBOX

Microsoft’s flagship next-generation console Striking cuboid design The Xbox Series X, first teased in 2018 under the name Project Scarlett, is the next generation Microsoft computer coming to take on the PS5. It was publicly announced at the 12 December 2019 The Game Awards, with the concept being seen for the first time, but we have heard much more since.

Microsoft reported it’s releasing not one but rather two new consoles the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. Both console will be releasing on same day that is on November 10, and the price of Xbox Series S will be $299 USD alongside the more powerful Xbox Series X, which will cost $499 USD.

Xbox Series - Specifications

Xbox Series S

Xbox Series X

Price

$299 USD

$499 USD

CPU

8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU at 3.6 GHz 3.4 GHz with SMT enabled

8 AMD Zen 2 CPU cores at 3.8 GHz 3.6 GHz with SMT enabled

GPU

AMD RDNA 2 GPU 20 CUs at 1.565 GHz 4 TFLOPS

AMD RDNA 2 GPU 52 CUs at 1.825 GHz 12 TFLOPS

RAM

10 GB of GDDR6 RAM

16GB of GDDR6 SDRAM

Performance Target

1440p at 60 FPS, up to 120 FPS

4K at 60 FPS, up to 120 FPS

Storage

512 GB SSD

1TB SSD

Expandable Storage

1TB Microsoft expansion card slot

Optical Drive

No disc drive

4K UHD Blu-ray

I/O Throughput

2.4GB a second raw, 4.8GB a second compressed

Max Output Resolution

1440p with 4K upscaling

8K

Max Refresh Rate

120Hz

Disc Drive

Digital Only

4K UHD Blu-ray

Cloud Gaming

Microsoft Project xCloud

Backwards Compatibility

Yes (Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

Dimensions

Smallest Xbox ever

5.94" wide, 5.94" deep, 11.85" high (15.1 cm wide, 15.1 cm deep, 30.1 cm high)

Color

White

Black

better thanks to more powerful graphics hardware and built-in support for more realistic lighting technology and feel more responsive in some cases also we have seen the to support for frame rates of up to 120fps. Games should also load quicker because both consoles now include fast solid-state storage, a big improvement over the mechanical hard drive included in the Xbox One.

We have seen only one new piece of hardware launched by Sony and Microsoft and each one appears to come with an exclusive library of games that you need to purchase a new console to play.Although Sony has also been operating a game streaming service for years, only PlayStation Now is usually used to provide access to older titles, rather than offering brand-new releases such as xCloud.

Xbox Series : Detail

Xbox Series S and Series X variations are more significant and are likely to have a major effect on how games look. Although Microsoft claims the Series X targets games running at 60fps at maximum 4 K resolution, the Series S targets a lower 1440p resolution at 60fps instead. Similar to what we saw between the Xbox One and the Xbox One X, this is a major power gap, But the two consoles will be available this time on day one, rather than launching years apart.

On its website, Microsoft has a clear description of the major differences between the Xbox Series X and Series S. Both have 8-core CPUs, but on Series S the X has a slightly higher maximum clock speed of 3.8GHz, instead of 3.6GHz. Both support up to 1 TB of expandable storage through an expansion card, both output over HDMI 2.1, and both are backward compatible with Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox games. Both support hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic lighting in games, both support Dolby’s high-end Atmos audio technology, and both will support the Dolby Vision HDR standard. They’re also both backwards compatible with all officially licensed Xbox One accessories like controllers and headsets — although there are no plans to support the Kinect camera.

However, there are vast differences between the two. The Series X has a Blu-ray 4 K Ultra HD drive, but the Series S is digital only, so you’ll need to download your games instead of purchasing them on a disc. And yet, the disc-based X also has double the amount of internal storage with 1TB as opposed to 512GB, and more RAM at 16GB compared to 10GB. Physically, the Series S is also a lot smaller than the Series X; Microsoft calls the console its “smallest Xbox ever.”

In the graphics department, maybe the most critical differences are. Since the AMD RDNA 2 graphics architecture is used for both consoles, the Series X has 52 computing units. Not only is it more than double the 20 compute units you can find in the Series S, but they are also clocked at 1.825GHz faster compared to 1.565GHz. In total, that means the Series X has 12.15 teraflops of graphical horsepower according to Microsoft, compared to 4 teraflops for the Series S.

Graphic Department

In the graphics department, that should also make the Xbox Series X a shade more powerful than the PS5. While Sony’s consoles are also based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, both PS5 clock models come in with 10.28 GPU power

teraflops. They have a smaller number of computer units (36), but at 2.23GHz, their overall limit is higher. They have 8-core CPUs as well, but are clocked at 3.5GHz. However, it’s important to note that the PS5’s CPU and GPU clock speeds are variable based on the total workload, This approach could benefit the PS5 in certain scenarios but limit it in others. Otherwise, the PS5’s specs on paper are similar to the Series X. It has 16GB of RAM, 825GB of storage, and a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray drive.

Microsoft claim that the games should feel just as smooth to play regardless of which console you are playing on, but because of the lower target resolution, they will not be as comprehensive on the cheaper computer. Maybe it doesn’t matter as much if you’re playing on an older 1080p TV, but if you’re using a new 4 K set, it will be more noticeable.

Xbox Series controller

New controller with D-pad disc design and Share button in the middle. A new Xbox Wireless Controller will be launched with the Xbox Series X, which comes with a new Sharing button in the center and a similar D-pad disc to the one used on both the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 1 and 2.

One good aspect of the new console is that all existing Xbox One hardware, including its controllers, can work with it. That means that you can still use an existing Xbox One controller on the Series X, potentially lowering the local multiplayer gaming costs for two or more players.

Xbox Series connectivity

In terms of connectivity, the rear of the Xbox Series X features ports for power, Ethernet LAN, two USB 3.2 ports, and one HDMI 2.1 out. There is also a “storage expansion” that is for the optional, proprietary SSD card.

Xbox Series : Games for Xbox Series

Microsoft recently delayed Halo: Infinite, meaning it will now release in 2021, rather than arriving alongside the new console. News of the delay, which Microsoft attributed in part to the pandemic, came after the game’s visuals were met with criticism after their initial unveiling, prompting developer 343 Industries to admit, “We do have work to do to address some of these areas and raise the level of fidelity and overall presentation for the final game.”

The delay has left third-party publishers to fill in the rest of the launch lineup, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Marvel’s Avengers, Dirt 5, Watch Dogs Legion, and Tetris Effect: Linked, with other Xbox staples including Fable and Forza Motorsport without release dates.

These games support different Xbox Series X and Series S features. Watch Dogs Legion will, for example, run in 4K and support ray tracing for more realistic-looking lighting, according to Microsoft’s site, but there’s no mention of ray-tracing support on the page for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Another interesting title in the launch lineup is Dirt 5, which can run at up to 120fps on the Xbox Series X. A high frame rate like this is especially important in a fast-paced racing game, and it should make Dirt 5 feel more responsive to play on compatible TVs.

Halo Infinite Development Update pic.twitter.com/TFZvXhRN9f
— Halo (@Halo) August 11, 2020

Halo Infinite has been delayed.

The latest chapter in the Halo series, as the game has been delayed to 2021 – as revealed in an official tweet.

Xbox features and backward compatibility

Xbox Series is fully backward compatible with all Xbox One products, games, and controllers. One neat feature is that it will add virtual HDR to older original Xbox and Xbox 360 games, it can also upscale them intelligently and can increase their frame rates without further development.

It will also support Xbox Game Pass-Microsoft ‘s game subscription service that offers you access to over 200 games for one monthly fee to download and play. Halo Infinite will have Xbox Series X games coming to the service. Indeed, with the goal of moving Game Pass, Microsoft has now ended Xbox Live Gold annual passes.

Those who subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will also have free access to Project xCloud, Microsoft’s cloud gaming network, which is launching in September as a full service. It allows for more than 100 Smartphone games to be played, with Xbox One titles initially and versions of Xbox Series introduced in time.

Smart delivery

Smart Delivery is another neat aspect when it comes to supporting games. This is a cross-buy scheme that allows you to buy Xbox One games before buying an Xbox Series X and then update them free of charge when you have the latest machine available.

Faster load times are simpler to comprehend. Some games, including on the Xbox One X, can take ages to initially load between parts of the in-game. The Xbox Series X would drastically cut down on that period.

If you’d rather buy your hardware outright and buy a subscription to one of Microsoft’s game services separately, then Xbox Game Pass is available in a couple of different variations. Factor in the cost of these subscriptions to the total price of Xbox All Access, and the price of the console hardware itself drops to just $10 or $20 a month.