Xbox Series X features a 12 teraflop GPU, Dynamic Latency Input, Smart Delivery, more
Microsoft has published a new blog post on Xbox Wire that goes over a number of Xbox Series X features.
“We know you expect the next generation of consoles to set new standards in graphical power and processing speed, converging together in games that look incredible and feel alive,” head of Xbox Phil Spencer wrote. “This will be defined by worlds that are visually astounding and immediately immersive, with innovative leaps in CPU, GPU and storage technology to give you frictionless access to new stories and new creators constantly.”
The first big reveal is that the Xbox Series X will feature a GPU with 12 teraflops of power, which is twice that of the Xbox One X and eight times more powerful than the original Xbox One.
The console also makes use of Variable Rate Shading (VRS). This feature prioritizes GPU cycles on “individual effects on specific game characters or important environmental objects” to offer more stable framerates at a higher resolution, with no impact on image quality.
Another couple of new additions to Microsoft’s next-generation console are Quick Resume, which lets players continue multiple games from a suspended state, and Dynamic Latency Input, which “synchronizes input immediately with what is displayed” to make controls “even more precise and responsive.”
Spencer went on to reconfirm that Xbox Series X will be backward compatible with Xbox One, Xbox 360 and original Xbox games. These games will enjoy “steadier framerates, faster load times, and improved resolution and visual fidelity” without developers having to do anything.
Finally, the Smart Delivery feature was unveiled. The feature will be available for all exclusive Xbox Games Studios titles, including Halo Infinite, and makes it so players only have to purchase a game once to play both the Xbox One version and its upgraded Xbox Series X version. The feature will also be available to third-party developers and publishers who release games on Xbox One X first.
“This technology empowers you to buy a game once and know that – whether you are playing it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X – you are getting the right version of that game on whatever Xbox you’re playing on,” Spencer explains. “We’re making the commitment to use Smart Delivery on all our exclusive Xbox Game Studios titles, including Halo Infinite, ensuring you only have to purchase a title once in order to play the best available version for whichever Xbox console they choose to play on. This technology is available for all developers and publishers, and they can choose to use it for titles that will be release on Xbox One first and come to the Xbox Series X later.”
Xbox Series X is scheduled to release in holiday 2020.
Matt is one of the longest-serving members of the EGMNOW team. An ability to go many hours without sleep and a quick wit make him ideal for his role as associate editor at EGMNOW.com. He often thinks back to the days when the very idea of this career seemed like nothing but an impossible dream.
