Tuesday, September 19th 2023
Xbox Series X & S Refresh Roadmap Leaked
A hefty information dump—originating from documents relating to a Microsoft vs. FTC legal case—has revealed plans (dated April 2022) for an upcoming refresh of current generation Xbox Series X and S consoles. Microsoft Gaming's head honcho, Phil Spencer, dismissed the need for a mid-gen refresh of the more powerful model—his summertime 2023 declaration came after the rumor mill coughed up speculative details of Sony working on a more potent PlayStation 5. The leaked roadmap and slides points to a refreshed Xbox Series X console lined up for launch in October 2024. The new cylindrical design is codenamed "Brooklin" and features an all-digital entertainment scheme—internal upgrades include a 2 TB SSD, plus support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. An "improved sustainability story" suggests that the refresh will consume less power.
A 6 nm die shrink of the current Xbox Series X "Scarlett" APU with Zen 2/RDNA2 setup is reportedly in the cards. It seems that Microsoft is not preparing something that could compete with a theoretical "PlayStation 5 Pro." The leaked roadmap states that Brooklin's projected MSRP is $499—so no price hike over the original. The refreshed Xbox Series S—codenamed "Ellewood"—retains the existing Series S aesthetic, along with its entry-level $299 price tag. Microsoft's roadmap has it launching earlier than "Brooklin"—August 2024. Internal storage is set at 1 TB, and an updated southbridge grants support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. A low-power standby mode is said to consume only 20% of the current gen model's sleepy intake. The 2022 roadmap also mentions a refreshed "Sebile" Xbox controller, with the aim to get it launched by May 2024, so several months before the projected arrival of revised X and S consoles.
Sources:
Eurogamer, VideoCardz, Tom's Hardware, Resetera
A 6 nm die shrink of the current Xbox Series X "Scarlett" APU with Zen 2/RDNA2 setup is reportedly in the cards. It seems that Microsoft is not preparing something that could compete with a theoretical "PlayStation 5 Pro." The leaked roadmap states that Brooklin's projected MSRP is $499—so no price hike over the original. The refreshed Xbox Series S—codenamed "Ellewood"—retains the existing Series S aesthetic, along with its entry-level $299 price tag. Microsoft's roadmap has it launching earlier than "Brooklin"—August 2024. Internal storage is set at 1 TB, and an updated southbridge grants support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. A low-power standby mode is said to consume only 20% of the current gen model's sleepy intake. The 2022 roadmap also mentions a refreshed "Sebile" Xbox controller, with the aim to get it launched by May 2024, so several months before the projected arrival of revised X and S consoles.
19 Comments on Xbox Series X & S Refresh Roadmap Leaked
Other than that, a 2TB SSD from the factory would be really nice :)
It works for Volvo, so why not
What strikes me most is how they don't upgrade that 10GB to 12 on the Series S. So it remains a console devs have to spend an ungodly amount of time optimizing for, and then still be left with a subpar experience. Silly.
I especially like the new controller features, lift to wake was a huuuugggee oversight in the original design, glad they finally are adding that. Guess the original didn't have an accelerometer. Haptics are nice as well, although I'm extremely skeptical about them doubling as speakers, controller speakers always sound awful and aren't worth the cost of putting them in.
Why don't you stick to twitter where wrong people like to argue with each other about who's more wrong. Adults are talking, hush.
Stop the insults.
Stick to the topic.
If you have a problem report it... do not be the problem.
Stop the guideline violations.
The Series S should be put out to pasture considering the issues its already having in 2023, or turned into a handheld where compromises are more expected.
Xbox's performance advantage will not only evaporate, but be eviscerated next year with the PS5 Pro.
And no disc drive will reduce Xbox's already poor retail presence.
fortune.com/2023/05/05/microsoft-exec-phil-spencer-admits-the-console-war-lost-sony-playstation-nintendo-switch/
Xbox Series X -- despite having the most impressive technical specs of all current console hardware -- trails both the oft-derided wimpy Nintendo Switch (top with 125+ million units) and PlayStation 5. Xbox Series S is almost a no-show.
This is yet another example of the one truth of entertainment: content is king. Nintendo reigns supreme because of its first party franchises.