Monday, June 12th 2017

Xbox One X Hardware Specs Give Gaming Desktops a Run for their Money

Jun 12th, 2017 03:41 Discuss (132 Comments)

Microsoft Sunday dropped its mic with the most powerful game console on paper, the Xbox One X, formerly codenamed "Project Scorpio." The bottom-line of this console is that it enables 4K Ultra HD gaming at 60 Hz. Something like this requires you to spend at least $1,200 on a gaming desktop right now. Unlike a Windows 10 PC that's been put together by various pieces of hardware, the Xbox One X is built on a closed ecosystem that's tightly controlled by Microsoft, with heavily optimized software, and a lot of secret sauce the company won't talk about. The console still puts up some mighty impressive hardware specs on paper.

To begin with, at the heart of the Xbox One X is a semi-custom SoC Microsoft co-developed with AMD, built on TSMC's 16 nm FinFET node (the same one NVIDIA builds its "Pascal" GPUs on). This chip features a GPU with almost quadruple the single-precision floating point compute power as the one which drives the Xbox One. It features 40 Graphics CoreNext (GCN) compute units (2,560 stream processors) based on one of the later versions of GCN (likely "Polaris"). The GPU is clocked at 1172 MHz. The other big component of the SoC is an eight-core CPU based on an unnamed micro-architecture evolved from "Jaguar" rather than "Bulldozer" or even "Zen." The eight cores are arranged in two quad-core units of four cores, each; with 4 MB of L2 cache. The CPU is clocked at 2.30 GHz.

The third major component of the Xbox One X SoC is the 384-bit wide GDDR5 memory controller, wired to 12 GB of memory. This memory is used both as system- and graphics-memory, and is the most ideal implementation of AMD's hUMA (heterogeneous unified memory architecture), where there's no visible partition between the system and graphics memory on the physical memory, and depending on the usage scenario, any amount of memory can be used by the CPU and GPU components. Developers are still forced to build their games under the assumption that the system only has 8 GB of memory; so that the remaining 4 GB is used as a kind of "guarantee" that 4K UHD @60 Hz runs smoothly. The total memory bandwidth available is a staggering 326 GB/s.

The SoC features an integrated audio CODEC with 7.1-channel output over HDMI, with support for Dolby Atmos, and HRTF, a new audio format Microsoft developed for the Hololens, which is optimized for VR.

A 1 TB 2.5-inch SATA hard drive comes standard on the Xbox One X. You can swap this drive out for larger HDDs, or faster SATA SSDs. You can also plug in external storage devices over the console's USB 3.0 ports. The console's operating system resides on a smaller eMMC chip that isn't accessible to end-users. The 1 TB HDD is used to store games you've downloaded from your online library à la Steam.

Microsoft switched from bulky external power bricks to internal PSUs with the Xbox One S, and the trend carries forward with the Xbox One X. Powering the whole thing is a 275W internal power-supply. A large fan-heatsink cools the SoC and GDDR5 memory chips.

Source: Eurogamer.net

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132 Comments on Xbox One X Hardware Specs Give Gaming Desktops a Run for their Money

#51

Tartaros

Hugh MungusWith skills a gamepad is so much better if it is sensitive enough.

That's why console fps have autoaim and have bigger hitboxes? Comparing widowmakers in console and pc can be a painful experience. But whatever.

Mid-range to high-end pc's and all games should be even better AMD optimized then DiRT 4 pc, so that rx480+/rx580- should be nearly as good as a 1070 and console devs know how to make something look pretty without taxing the console too much. Super sampling is going to make 1080p look great and 4k high-ish in pc terms should be no problem!

You know, this is what has happened every single time a console was released and lasted for a few months. The only reason this time it will last for quite a long time is because this console generation has been such a shitstorm even sony and ms couldn't deploy a console on par with pc. I suppose the developement kits hasn't changed much, so they are working on a known platform.

But if you think about it you had to spend 500 bucks on the first console to then spend other 500 on the good version. So unless you didn't have the previous version the bang for the buck theory is bullshit.

#52

Steevo

TartarosThat's why console fps have autoaim and have bigger hitboxes? Comparing widowmakers in console and pc can be a painful experience. But whatever.
I prefer real life shooters, where there is no autoaim and the hitboxes are real, plus the adrenaline...... since we are talking out our ass let's just take it to the next level?

You know, this is what has happened every single time a console was released and lasted for a few months. The only reason this time it will last for quite a long time is because this console generation has been such a shitstorm even sony and ms couldn't deploy a console on par with pc. I suppose the developement kits hasn't changed much, so they are working on a known platform.

But if you think about it you had to spend 500 bucks on the first console to then spend other 500 on the good version. So unless you didn't have the previous version the bang for the buck theory is bullshit.

No console was ever on par with PC, as none were X86 until recently. And those were only watered down due to process limits that AMD and Nvidia were faced with, but through engineering they made them work decently. Now it sounds like AMD has pulled some black voodoo magic with DX12 and better process the chips are being built on and it scares some..

I welcome it, it will make 4K HDR 60Hz a standard and we will benefit from it, with more TV and monitor options and loemwer prices, games better optimized to X86/64 and ready to utilize newer instructions and hardware.

#53

Diverge

If they actually enable HDMI-CEC this might find a place in my living room.

My current Xbox One sits in it's box for this reason alone. I don't care about gaming. I care about replacing a cable box (HDHomerun Prime - network cablecard tuner), streaming (Plex, Netflix, Amazon, etc), and the ability to control all my devices with one remote and it not being based on ancient IR technology... hence the need for HDMI-CEC.

#54

Slizzo

fynxerIt is good hardware but if they gone with 384-bit wide GDDR5X memory it would have been insane with almost 50% more bandwidth.

Specs for this console were locked in well before GDDR5X hit market, unfortunately.

#55

Prince Valiant

Hugh MungusCrappy visuals? Nah. Just med-high instead of ultra BS. Looks almost as good when you actually play the game, especially on a beamer or tv from a distance. Cherry-picked settings is much more realistic than cherry-picked titles.

Optimizations help a lot as well. Rx580 gets close to a 1070 in DiRT 4 and xbox one x titles will be even better optimized for AMD. DiRT 4 xbox one x will be insanely good I think!

In other words, it won't be giving desktops a run for their money.

As for this whole gamepad talk:
Hasn't every cross platform (console/PC) server ended in segregation? Has anyone strolled into an FPS tournament with a controller and won?

#56

Unregistered

Prince ValiantIn other words, it won't be giving desktops a run for their money.

As for this whole gamepad talk:
Hasn't every cross platform (console/PC) server ended in segregation? Has anyone strolled into an FPS tournament with a controller and won?

Yes, it will and yes, someone has. It gives desktops a run for their money since it delivers 1070 performance at a lower price than that of a desktop with similar real performance.

Also, weren't controllers quite popular for fps at one point?

#57

Prince Valiant

Hugh MungusYes.

To everything or something specific? I was asking those questions in earnest.

#58

Unregistered

Prince ValiantTo everything or something specific? I was asking those questions in earnest.

Read again. It doesn't say that anymore.

#59

Gasaraki

qubitConsoles giving PCs a run for their money sounds like an oxymoron lol. At least it raises the bar for game quality and if we're lucky, might just help to bring down hardware prices a bit, especially graphics cards. Not holding my breath though.

Also, I've got a PS4 Pro and can tell you that it doesn't shame myself compared to my gaming PC. Main limitations are the framerate of 60fps tops at 1080p and a lack of detail compared to the PC at times. Given this, I can see how this new Xbox will give PCs a run for their money and that's good for gamers of both platforms.

Pretty hard to build a $500 PC that can do 4K gaming.

#60

Unregistered

GasarakiPretty hard to build a $500 PC that can do 4K gaming.

Dare I say nigh impossible?

#61

Prince Valiant

Hugh MungusYes, it will and yes, someone has. It gives desktops a run for their money since it delivers 1070 performance at a lower price than that of a desktop with similar real performance.

Also, weren't controllers quite popular for fps at one point?

I have nothing with shooting at higher targets than X upscaled to Y at 30FPS max and I'd even rather see a nice compromise between everything instead of overtaxing a system. That said, what I was getting at is that it's disingenuous to draw comparisons between whatever they end up with on the console, and no holds barred 4K on PC.

It's impossible to win the price game when you're going up against enormous bulk and being able to take a loss.

I'd think that someone winning a PC FPS tournament with a controller would make the news rounds. I don't follow such things though, which is why I asked.

#62

XiGMAKiD

Interesting, now I'm curious about the review especially the noise level

#63

Kofoed

The fact that the CPU has more cores gives me hope for better CPU support on PC ports as well. Perhaps in the future a bad console port won't be as "bad" as it can be today.
275W power supply is worrying though isn't it? I mean it is advertised for 4k 60hz is it not??

#64

efikkan

btarunrXbox One X Hardware Specs Give Gaming Desktops a Run for their Money
…
The bottom-line of this console is that it enables 4K Ultra HD gaming at 60 Hz. Something like this requires you to spend at least $1,200 on a gaming desktop right now. Unlike a Windows 10 PC that's been put together by various pieces of hardware, the Xbox One X is built on a closed ecosystem that's tightly controlled by Microsoft, with heavily optimized software, and a lot of secret sauce the company won't talk about. The console still puts up some mighty impressive hardware specs on paper.

These claims are ridiculous.
These specs can barely be considered mid range today, and by next year Volta will demote this performance level down to the "low end". This hardware is not capable of rendering high detals in 4K, just as the old Xbox One couldn't render high details in ~1080p.

JermelescuI don't think you know how great console optimization can be.

There is nothing inherently in consoles making them perform better at rendering the same. Console games are usually calibrated for a target frame rate on that specific hardware, but that does not mean it will perform better per TFlop/s etc.

#65

Unregistered

efikkanThese claims are ridiculous.
These specs can barely be considered mid range today, and by next year Volta will demote this performance level down to the "low end". This hardware is not capable of rendering high detals in 4K, just as the old Xbox One couldn't render high details in ~1080p.

There is nothing inherently in consoles making them perform better at rendering the same. Console games are usually calibrated for a target frame rate on that specific hardware, but that does not mean it will perform better per TFlop/s etc.

High-end gpu that performs like a 1070 because of AMD/console optimizations, console trickery to make everything look nice, 4k is less than 4 times as taxing as 1080p, xbox one could just about do somewhere between 900p and 1080p with the one s just about doing 1080p in most games.

The xbox one x has 4.3 times the raw tflop/s, much newer architectures with much better IPC getting it to something like 5.5-6 times the power realistically, then there is the memory getting it to 6.5-7 times the performance, then there is the more dx12-like API which gets it to 7-8 times-ish performance of xbox one (s) and lastly the better dev kit should mean greater optimization by devs.

7-8 times xbox one performance should be adequate for 4k60.

#66

ironcerealbox

T4C FantasyIn ff14 bard with controller can out dps easilly a mouse and keyboard

You don't say? Hmm...I must have been playing my main DPS class wrong this whole time [using keyboard and mouse]. Guess I'll out-DPS everyone else by a mile then since I'm already out-DPSing everyone else in the raids (again, using keyboard and mouse). /hint of sarcasm

#67

rtwjunkie

PC Gaming Enthusiast

Hugh MungusHigh-end gpu that performs like a 1070 because of AMD/console optimizations, console trickery to make everything look nice, 4k is less than 4 times as taxing as 1080p, xbox one could just about do somewhere between 900p and 1080p with the one s just about doing 1080p in most games.

The xbox one x has 4.3 times the raw tflop/s, much newer architectures with much better IPC getting it to something like 5.5-6 times the power realistically, then there is the memory getting it to 6.5-7 times the performance, then there is the more dx12-like API which gets it to 7-8 times-ish performance of xbox one (s) and lastly the better dev kit should mean greater optimization by devs.

7-8 times xbox one performance should be adequate for 4k60.

You are more than slightly delusional. What is the purpose of this 4K in "every title" on console if it is not at high or max details? You yourself said it is only "trickery." epeen is about all I can think of

#68

efikkan

Hugh MungusHigh-end gpu that performs like a 1070 because of AMD/console optimizations, console trickery to make everything look nice

There is nothing in gaming consoles making them perform better with the same class of hardware.
And BTW; GTX 1070 will only run the most demanding games in 1080p, not 4K. It's not nearly high-end, and this console is even slower.

#69

Rauelius

So instead of having an RX-490/RX-590 to compete with the GTX1070, they use it for the XOX. Come on, everyone knew that AMD had a higher performance Full Polaris in the pipeline, but instead AMD lied to everyone about the RX-480 being the "full-Polaris" and saved them for the XOX.

#70

ERazer

so console peasants got new toy, good for them

#71

Unregistered

efikkanThere is nothing in gaming consoles making them perform better with the same class of hardware.
And BTW; GTX 1070 will only run the most demanding games in 1080p, not 4K. It's not nearly high-end, and this console is even slower.

So negative. DiRT 4 is well optimized for AMD and a rx580 is about as good as the xbox one x gpu and is about equal to a 1070. Add more API and gpu optimizations and the one x should be about equal to a 1070. On consoles you oy get the right setrings, not extremely good shadows and heavy details you don't evsn notice, so you get the best visuals on the bits you notice. More than adequate for 4k60 I would say.

DX12 stuff definitely helps consoles right now, so keep that in mind.

#72

efikkan

Hugh MungusSo negative. DiRT 4 is well optimized for AMD and a rx580 is about as good as the xbox one x gpu and is about equal to a 1070. Add more API and gpu optimizations and the one x should be about equal to a 1070. On consoles you oy get the right setrings, not extremely good shadows and heavy details you don't evsn notice, so you get the best visuals on the bits you notice. More than adequate for 4k60 I would say.

DX12 stuff definitely helps consoles right now, so keep that in mind.

That's 100% BS. There is nothing giving consoles an advantage over desktops. There is no optimization specific for the consoles. In fact, desktops got superior CPUs compared to the consoles.
Consoles are simply rendering at lower details.

#73

cadaveca

My name is Dave

Prince ValiantHas anyone strolled into an FPS tournament with a controller and won?

Not a tournament, but you know, I had shoulder surgery and could not lift my arm to use a mouse. I had to use a controller, and when playing BF3 with a controller, I still kicked ass. There's more to FPS games than just twitch-based skill; strategy is key.

efikkanConsoles are simply rendering at lower details.

There are plenty of people on the PC side of things doing the exact same thing using DSR in a way (but in reverse). And while I hate to say it, I game on PC pretty much exclusively, but one of my kids has a PS4, and the quality of the image in many games, for me, beats PC. GTA5 is the big stand-out title for me that I'd rather play on console than PC, and purely based on image quality.

#74

Prince Valiant

cadavecaNot a tournament, but you know, I had shoulder surgery and could not lift my arm to use a mouse. I had to use a controller, and when playing BF3 with a controller, I still kicked ass. There's more to FPS games than just twitch-based skill; strategy is key.

There are plenty of people on the PC side of things doing the exact same thing using DSR in a way (but in reverse). And while I hate to say it, I game on PC pretty much exclusively, but one of my kids has a PS4, and the quality of the image in many games, for me, beats PC. GTA5 is the big stand-out title for me that I'd rather play on console than PC, and purely based on image quality.

For sure, though I'd say the importance of strategy varies game to game or even map to map.

#75

evernessince

JermelescuI don't think you know how great console optimization can be.

I don't think you realize that console optimization hasn't been a factor since the Xbox One and PS4. Console optimization was only a thing when the additional obfuscation layers required on the PC played a significant burden on the CPU and GPU, something consoles didn't have. The difference now is that one: The overhead for these PC APIs is now such a small portion of modern CPUs and GPUs power that it is insignificant and two: PCs have had low level APIs for a decent amount of time now.

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