Microsoft Unveils Xbox Series X, The Next Generation Xbox

Tonight, Microsoft pulled off a surprise and announced Xbox Series X, a new Xbox console that will arrive holiday 2020. Along with the actual design, yes that cube shape is it, we are learning a bit more about the specs.

Phil Spencer penned a blog post, which you can read here, that gives us our first look at the next-generation console. According to Spencer, the Xbox Series X will be the powerful console ever and set a new bar for performance. Specifically, he states that it will deliver 4 times the performance of the Xbox One X.

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The new console will support both horizontal and vertical orientations and that it was designed in the quietest and efficient way possible. Along with the new console, Microsoft is refining the Xbox controller with an updated shape and a new share button. Further, there is a new d-pad that was derived from the Elite V2.

Spencer notes that the console will support 4k games at 60FPS with a possibility of support up to 120 FPS including support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and 8K capability. The CPU of the console is based on Zen 2 and supports the company’s patented Variable Rate Shading (VRS) technology will allow developers to get even more out of the Xbox Series X GPU and the company says they have virtually eliminated load times.

One thing worth pointing out is that they call this ‘Series X’, does this mean that there will be other series in the Xbox family? Rumors of Lockhart keep coming back to life and this may be how they plan to fit it into the Xbox narrative.

While the company still has many secrets to reveal, including actual raw performance, price, release date, and more, this was a surprise unveiling of the console and comes much earlier than many expected. That being said, with the device now out in the open, expect to see a lot more of it in the near future.

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Conversation 35 comments

  • sherlockholmes

    Premium Member
    12 December, 2019 - 9:56 pm

    <p>Allthrough I bought a XBox One S at the beginning of this year, Im still more of an PC gamer. I use the XBox more for streaming and Entertainment. </p>

  • luthair

    12 December, 2019 - 10:37 pm

    <p>Why are we back to vertical, doesn't work for typical living room equipment, tippy, bad for disks…. If we can put it on its side, it appears a bit wide which would also be an issue.</p><p><br></p><p>I wonder if they will finally support HDMI CEC</p>

    • nickaufrecht

      13 December, 2019 - 2:03 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497872">In reply to luthair:</a></em></blockquote><p>He said it supports horizontal and vertical orientation. I personally wouldn't worry about the disc drive. I hardly use discs anymore.</p>

    • Chris_Kez

      Premium Member
      13 December, 2019 - 9:24 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497872">In reply to luthair:</a></em></blockquote><p>Laying on its side, it looks like it will be comparable to a dedicated A/V receiver.</p>

    • Stooks

      13 December, 2019 - 10:26 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497872">In reply to luthair:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yeah that cube looks so tippy????</p>

  • Rycott

    Premium Member
    12 December, 2019 - 10:37 pm

    <p>Man…Microsoft really buried themselves in a hole with their Xbox naming conventions.</p>

  • Sykeward

    12 December, 2019 - 11:29 pm

    <p>Okay…the announcement timing was certainly a surprise, and they got a leg up on Sony, so good for them I suppose. But was it really the best time to make this announcement? A relative bought an Xbox One as The Big Christmas Gift™️ for my Mom this year and has already texted me twice with buyer’s remorse over a system that isn’t even coming out for another year. The head says the XBOne is an awesome gift with a giant library of games already out there, but the heart says the bragging rights are gone now. I wonder if many others are going to feel the same way, especially those for whom a console is a major investment.</p>

    • IanYates82

      Premium Member
      13 December, 2019 - 12:26 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497875">In reply to Sykeward:</a></em></blockquote><p>I've gathered that a lot of games will run on all of the xbox systems. Similar to how some are "enhanced" for the x, they can be further enhanced for this new thing. I'm hoping to still have a lot of life in my original xbox one (bought just before the S was announced – that was some real buyer's remorse for a little while!) </p>

    • mattbg

      Premium Member
      13 December, 2019 - 10:39 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497875">In reply to Sykeward:</a></em></blockquote><p>More for the "Head" side: what are they feeling sad about? That they won't be able to play video games for another year and then get a system that may well cost twice as much as the current gen and will be revved within another year to be what it should have been in 2020, as well as being cheaper by that time?</p><p><br></p><p>I don't normally feel bad about missing a new wave of hardware if it's about a year out, because v1 of the new wave is never as polished as v2 or v3.</p>

      • Sykeward

        13 December, 2019 - 12:47 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#497947">In reply to mattbg:</a></em></blockquote><p>All that is true, and that's how I ended up talking him down. Still, even if they aren't going to "win" over the PS4, it seems strange to me for MS to undermine their own current console right in the middle of the holiday shopping season</p>

  • Pierre Masse

    13 December, 2019 - 2:10 am

    <p>I think it looks awesome. I'm starting to feed my piggy bank right now.</p>

  • My Hell baby speaking

    13 December, 2019 - 2:22 am

    <p>So, Microsoft builds a budget gaming pc with a limited range of games to run on it – games running on Xbox Se X will run on PC, but not all PC games will run on this machine, right.</p><p>The case design should help cooling with most possible distance between every side. </p><p>And of course, it's the most powerful XBox ever which is a relief for XBox fans. </p><p>What I'm more excited about is the Hellblade announcement. I really wouldn't have guessed Microsoft investing in a sequel of pretty serious game, but maybe there is a twist to it yet unknown like cosmetic microtransactions and psychotic battle royal mode. We'll see. A good thing is, the kept the actress from the first game. </p>

  • sherlockholmes

    Premium Member
    13 December, 2019 - 3:41 am

    <p>Actually that name is not bad at all. Name the highend series x, die lowend series whatever. makes things easier. </p>

  • geoslake

    13 December, 2019 - 4:29 am

    <p>So they are not done with terrible names, yet…</p><p>Will second gen of this be called Xbox X series X one X ?</p>

    • ryokurin

      13 December, 2019 - 7:14 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497899">In reply to geoslake:</a></em></blockquote><p> One X is probably going to be promoted to be the base unit. Then this is the top tier. Of course it won't actually be called Series X…</p>

    • Stooks

      13 December, 2019 - 10:25 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497899">In reply to geoslake:</a></em></blockquote><p>Honestly who cares what they call it. I will forget the name 5 seconds after I power it on. </p>

  • yoshi

    Premium Member
    13 December, 2019 - 6:52 am

    <p>My body is ready.</p>

  • dcdevito

    13 December, 2019 - 7:16 am

    <p>All I want is an Xbox gaming console that doubles as a PC. I always wanted this but it never came. Maybe someday</p>

    • beckoningeagle

      Premium Member
      13 December, 2019 - 7:56 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497907">In reply to dcdevito:</a></em></blockquote><p>I could live without the PC part, but I would like it if all games would support mouse and keyboard. I simply can't use a controller for FPS. I get my a** handed to me, especially by my 13 year old. </p>

    • skolvikings

      13 December, 2019 - 10:44 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497907">In reply to dcdevito:</a></em></blockquote><p>Can't you get a PC that plays Xbox games already?</p>

  • hassan_timite

    13 December, 2019 - 8:37 am

    <p>Surprise, surprise.</p><p>I like the design thus lets hope that i will like the games and the overall performance.</p><p>Actually i am more interested by PS games but i have been always really impressed by the Xbox One X. way more than by the PS4 Pro.</p><p>The trailer of HellBalde is gorgous.</p><p><br></p>

  • Patrick3D

    13 December, 2019 - 9:03 am

    <p>The name doesn't do anything for me but at least the acronym, Xbox SeX, is better than Xbox SAD. The one thing I want to know is if they fixed the tension on the controller that will ship with this or if it's the same wimpy Xbox One controller tension?</p>

    • gregsedwards

      Premium Member
      13 December, 2019 - 10:16 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#497924">In reply to Patrick3D:</a></em></blockquote><p><u>X</u> <u>B</u>ox <u>O</u>ne <u>X</u> was the perfect acronym…XBOX.</p>

      • tonchek

        13 December, 2019 - 12:54 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#497941">In reply to gregsedwards:</a></em></blockquote><p>I'll always take SeX over XBOX…</p>

        • gregsedwards

          Premium Member
          13 December, 2019 - 2:10 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#498004">In reply to tonchek:</a></em></blockquote><p>I dunno…those sharp corners kind of hurt. ?</p>

  • Chris_Kez

    Premium Member
    13 December, 2019 - 9:26 am

    <p>Maybe it’s a sign I’m getting old but I no longer care what they name these things or how they look. I only care if it does the job its supposed to. </p>

  • gregsedwards

    Premium Member
    13 December, 2019 - 10:15 am

    <p>Because surprise late-night announcements related to hardware developed by the Xbox team always end well. #MicrosoftBand</p><p><br></p><p>Anyway, this console is going to look great in my Tesla Cybertruck™.</p>

  • Stooks

    13 December, 2019 - 10:24 am

    <p>Day one purchase. Can I pre-order?</p><p><br></p>

  • techreader

    13 December, 2019 - 11:01 am

    <p>Vent on top rather than on back will mean much more dust inside. You’d need to lay it on its side. </p>

  • Slvrgun

    13 December, 2019 - 10:37 pm

    <p>Looks large at first glance but this thing likely won't be much bigger than the 1 gen amazon echo. Disk drive is about half the length of the unit so let's say it's 10 inches (disks are roughly 5 inches in diameter) tall by 4.5 wide by 4.5 length. Not big at all.</p>

  • orbsitron

    14 December, 2019 - 4:33 pm

    <p>That announcement was totally unexpected!</p><p><br></p><p>I think the device looks gorgeous. I'll probably use it in horizontal position given my AV setup but I'm not certain. Looks great vertically. </p><p><br></p><p>Aside from the looks, the performance they are hinting at and the brief scenes shown in the trailer (which look stunning) are very exciting! Hellblade II similarly looks incredible on this hardware! I'm amazed software running on Series X was shown in 2019. Given how incredible it looked, that was an awesome surprise!!</p><p><br></p><p>And with 15 first party studios and other exciting content from 3rd parties targeting next gen (some of which may also be exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem – which includes PC, much like like the upcoming DONTNOD game for this generation), there will hopefully be some incredible content for Xbox in the coming years. </p><p><br></p><p>I'm very much looking forward to gaming at 4l HDR, with surround sound on Series X at home and continuing my fun on the go on a thin laptop PC and/or Phone and headphones with xCloud. </p><p><br></p><p>2020 and beyond are looking great for Xbox players!</p>

  • ragingthunder

    14 December, 2019 - 6:48 pm

    <p>What exactly is "holiday 2020"?!</p>

    • Jackwagon

      Premium Member
      14 December, 2019 - 9:38 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#498401">In reply to ragingthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>Around the end of the year (the "holiday season", in other words).</p>

      • Cardch

        16 December, 2019 - 7:57 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#498425">In reply to Jackwagon:</a></em></blockquote><blockquote><em>I've booked a holiday earlier in the year, so am hoping to get this around July/August :)</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      15 December, 2019 - 8:49 am

      Seriously?

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