Project Scorpio | Tech Information Released
So, what exactly did we find out?
Microsoft gave us
the full tech specs of the machine. The central processor (CPU) has eight
custom x86 cores clocked at 2.3GHz. The graphics processor (GPU) has 40
customised compute units clocked at 1172MHz - a very high clock speed for a
console - and it does achieve Microsoft's stated six-teraflop performance
figure. There's 12GB of GDDR5 RAM, with a memory bandwidth of 326GB/s. There's
a faster 1TB 2.5-inch hard drive, and a UHD Blu-ray drive. Like Xbox One S, it
has an integrated power supply, so no external power brick. In terms of
input/output ports, it is identical to Xbox One S (so, no Kinect port, but HDMI
in is retained).
Did you understand
any of that? Me neither!
Ok then. So the CPU is
about 30 per cent faster than the Xbox One's. The GPU is 4.6 times more
powerful than Xbox One's. What matters just as much, though, is the huge amount
of very fast memory available. Even with 4GB reserved for the system, games
have a whole 8GB to play with, up from 5GB of much slower memory on Xbox One.
That means fast streaming of very high-quality art assets, which will really
help at the 4K ultra HD resolutions that Microsoft is gunning for.
Does the power match the hope and the hype?
Pretty much, yeah. Given Microsoft's mandated compatibility with all existing Xbox One
software we were never going to see next gen CPU tech but what we do have is a more modest evolution of the Xbox
One unit. But the GPU is a beast. It's very, very fast.
More powerful than
PlayStation 4 Pro?
This is where it gets a bit tricky. The simple answer is yes, looking at the numbers. But the PS4 Pro is an extremely smart unit in the right hands. What it boils down too is who is writing the software and how well they use the power available to them.
All I can say is E3 is going to be very interesting this year and I cannot wait to see what Microsoft has in store for us.
Keep it locked here for updates as we get them and check the video's on our Facebook page for Lucas and I covering the release.
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