The release of the new console from Microsoft on November 7, 2017 was awaited by all fans of gaming devices. Unfortunately, only the name of the new Xbox was kept secret, the specifications and photos of the appearance were previously leaked to the network. Unfortunately, the breakthrough promised in the release did not come out.
The most productive console
Despite the lack of that same breakthrough, engineers were able to reduce the size of the device (but not the weight), greatly increasing performance. What awaits the lucky owner of Xbox One X?
First of all, this is a huge increase in performance, when measured in teraflops. Engineers say AMD’s redesigned Polaris chip peaks at 6 teraflops, which is 4 times more powerful than previous Xbox Ones. The console from Sony (Pro version) is only 1.8 times behind. The designers improved the old architecture, getting a 30% increase in performance on the same processor. This was made possible by increasing the frequency of each of the eight cores by 0.5 GHz, up to 2.3 GHz.
Compared to the Xbox One S, the Xbox One X has received additional processing speed due to the improvement of the graphics chip. Now it includes 40 cores with a frequency of 1172 MHz. At the same time, the Xbox one s had only 16 cores, the frequency of which reached only 914 MHz. All this hardware was put into the consoles back in 2013-2014, so you should not expect a huge jump in performance on the old architecture. The revolution failed.
A really needed improvement is the replacement of outdated graphics memory with the modern GDDR5 standard. Sony performed this procedure back in 2013. These changes made it possible to abandon the complicated design, those same eSRAM buffers designed to compensate for the lack of bandwidth. Now there are 12 gigabytes of memory on board, which provide a bandwidth of 326 GB / s.
Watch a video comparing graphics between Xbox One S and Xbox One X.
Among the connectors on the front panel, the first losses appeared: the Kinect controller is now connected to a standard USB connector. The former mainstay of the console is slowly fading away, giving way to newer developments like VR. The Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X all have similar external form factors but completely different weights. Of course, it has little effect, since the console is not a portable device. The developers have consistently moved along the path of downsizing, the new device received an updated design, despite the continuity of appearance
Consoles are storming the new resolution
Sony, unfortunately, could not immediately take the new resolution standard. Their PS4 Pro console uses the so-called "virtual 4K" resolution. Microsoft, in its Project Scorpio (the name of the console during development), took this permission to its fullest and the facts show that they succeeded. Ultra HD is finally available for console gaming at a decent 30-40 fps. The previous Xbox One S console did not support 4K gaming.
With roughly the same hardware, the graphics chip on both devices is the RX480. However, Microsoft was able to get around the limitations of this chip in One X, taking into account the mistakes of Sony developers. An increase in the amount of graphics memory, which received 4 additional Gb, compared to the PS4 Pro. Considering that the processor eats up about 4 Gb for its tasks, the Xbox One X has about 8 Gb of graphics memory for graphics computing only. This roughly corresponds to the capabilities of a similar high-performance computer graphics card.
In addition, Microsoft engineers in the updated version have optimized the operation, currents and losses of the video cores, this work was carried out thanks to the later release of the Xbox. They took into account the errors and shortcomings in the operation of the PS4, therefore, despite the similar architecture and even components, the Xbox One X allows you to really get the opportunity to play at 4K resolution.
Exclusive offers
At the presentation of the most productive console to date, too little was said about what really matters: exclusive games. The developers promised to transfer all cross-platform projects, that is, the most popular games to the new Xbox. However, the release itself was accompanied by a video demonstration that showed the capabilities of the new console for Minecraft. Of course, well-known and loved games such as Forza and the Halo series will be ported to the new 4K resolution.
Unfortunately, Sony is focusing more on the development of exclusive games related to the console. Microsoft is lagging behind in this regard. Extra $100 pay off only if you have a decent TV with UHD support. When comparing the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, it’s really necessary to recognize the technical superiority of the console from the makers of Windows. Sony’s support is seen primarily in its support for the development of exclusive series. It’s no secret that Drake is the face of not only the Uncharted games, but above all the PS console.
It may seem that the cost of $ 500 is excessive for the console, but still the developers succeeded, they really created the most powerful device. Using the old architecture, they were able to achieve significant performance gains.
Should I buy an updated shaitan box?
In the battle of Xbox One X vs Xbox One S, the first candidate confidently wins this competition. But at the same time, the new console is just a modified S-ka. Some fans are not happy with this, as they do not get the quality required by NextGen. The endless dispute between the adherents of the PC and the Xbox One X or previous editions of the consoles ends with one, the computers are cooler if the buyer invests several prices of the top console.
If you want to enjoy new 4K games on a big TV at an affordable price, then the new Xbox is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s hard to imagine that you can buy a computer that can handle 4K as well as the new Xbox One X. In addition, a high-quality UHD monitor will be the lion’s share of the price.