Microsoft XBOX (XBox One X / Project Scorpio) - Prerelease News and Rumours

[Deleted member 11852]

Well, technically the console was revealed at E3, including the main spec points. If anything was weird it was how early they did that, without a concept box or any prototype games.

I don't know what last E3 was, I'd call it a product announcement because they announced a product, albeit with few details. Tomorrow I would call a reveal because actual specifications will be revealed but they're arbitrary and subjective terms. The physical appearance of the box is arguably the least important aspect and other consoles have had specs revealed months before the box itself. Not any software, though.

I don't think MS needs DF to reveal the specs, but I guess you could view it as having your specs vetted. I imagine it's just a way for them to start generating buzz now to keep hardcore gamers interested until release date.

And that's what I think, so again, is this because Microsoft think they now lack credibility?

DF is selected as the place to talk about the specs ahead of talk about the system. It lays the groundwork among the console nerds (who'll be advising their peers) to talk technobabble and impress people. MS don't want to talk specs during the proper reveal because they'll bore much of their audience, but they don't want to avoid spec talk because it's a PR strong point. So they are messaging the correct people with the correct part of the message.

Yup. and to be clear I'm not saying DF's involvement is bad, if anything it'll likely result in a clearer technical message than if Microsoft were going it alone. But it's unprecented and weird. Weird isn't necessarily bad.

 

[iroboto]

I don't know what last E3 was, I'd call it a product announcement because they announced a product, albeit with few details. Tomorrow I would call a reveal because actual specifications will be revealed but they're arbitrary and subjective terms. The physical appearance of the box is arguably the least important aspect and other consoles have had specs revealed months before the box itself. Not any software, though.



And that's what I think, so again, is this because Microsoft think they now lack credibility?

Yea, I think that's definitely a factor. When look back at XBO's colourful launch, people came off bitter and upset with the communications. They have limited credibility in the hardcore market space. Though in the end it all comes down to strategy. And it's been a beauty watching Sony and MS take these moves. Lots of different things happening this generation, and I never got to see it before. But these are OT topics, I think we have a thread for strategy.

 

[Scott_Arm]

I don't know what last E3 was, I'd call it a product announcement because they announced a product, albeit with few details. Tomorrow I would call a reveal because actual specifications will be revealed but they're arbitrary and subjective terms. The physical appearance of the box is arguably the least important aspect and other consoles have had specs revealed months before the box itself. Not any software, though.

And that's what I think, so again, is this because Microsoft think they now lack credibility?

Yup. and to be clear I'm not saying DF's involvement is bad, if anything it'll likely result in a clearer technical message than if Microsoft were going it alone. But it's unprecented and weird. Weird isn't necessarily bad.

I guess we'll see what this is. I'm assuming it's just another tech interview/piece like the ones they've done before.

I'm not sure that Microsoft thinks they lack credibility. Gamers are generally suspicious of marketing claims, especially for brands that are outside their loyalties. You could argue about their credibility vs other brands, but I think it's still within the same ballpark. 99.99% of the gaming media isn't qualified to talk specs. Digital Foundry is perhaps the only well-known outlet that is. So they can go them, have them look at the details and get an accurate representation of what the hardware is and nothing will be lost in translation or misunderstood. If you're going to release specs for the hardcore gamers that want to know those things, Digital Foundry is probably the best place to do it.

I'll add, people wait on Digital Foundry to review games and hardware. You'd have to ask them why they want that source over others. From Microsoft's perspective I think it's just a good match for generating buzz and targeting the consumers that would buy this kind of hardware.

 

[Cyan]

I'm still holding out hope for being able to play PC games...fingers crossed, not long now!

If that becomes a reality I am going to erect a monument in your name. That's my hope too.

News... One of my favourite games this generation, The Witcher 3, might get the 4K treatment for Scorpio:

http://segmentnext.com/2017/04/05/the-witcher-3-4k-xbox-one-scorpio/

 

[Rangers]

PS fans are saying exclusive coverage comes with conditions. So the article could become a publicity piece.

DF had an actual video actually sponsored by Sony recently, to my knowledge MS never has sponsored a DF video (Sony sponsored Horizon's 4k footage on DF). And if they had I'll wager a much bigger hubbub would have ensued over on a certain other gaming forum.

XB fans think DF are not reliable because they made a lot of subjective statements about the PS4 technical advantage over the XB1.

I've seen a site saying "why would MS get DF the exclusive, they have been bashing Xbox by showing how much better PS4 is for years". No, they've been doing the same technical analysis they've always done. Just like how in 360 era, they highlighted a lot of PS3 shortcoming in multiplat after multiplat. That wasn't bashing PS3 any more than it's bashing Xbox now. They're just working with what theyre given.

In short, basically no site is completely unbiased of course, but DF pretty much catches more unfair flack than most any site. I guess due to the nature of their comparative content.

 

[Rangers]

I was half expecting to see Scorpio's specs had leaked early today. Surprised the lid is still on.

 

[eastmen]

I'm really thinking that MS's inside out tracking can be a huge win with the xbox. If you don't need any camera setup that could drive sales and it should make the over all headset cheaper. if they do have a wireless connection for it , it could be a killer app

 

[babcat]

Anyone read this yet....

https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/224428134?sort=0&page=0&path=1

"I have been 100 percent accurate as well just read ITS ALREADY BEEN GUARANTEED JAGUAR IS OFF THE TABLE AS XBOX SCORPIO IS USING ZEN PERIOD.....
SR5 RYZEN CPU @ 2.8ghz 8 cores 8 threads
AMD VEGA CUSTOM GPU @ 977 MHZ 6.2 teraflops, 12gb GDDR5x RAM 320gb per second bandwidth, WILL RUN ALL GAMES AT PC ULTRA QUALITY EQUIVALENT NATIVE 4K 60fps period.........
Listen I have absolute 100% inside factual information from a very close acquaintance of mine who has been working with an official Xbox Scorpio dev kit which his development team received from Microsoft back in November 2016. The developer is from a major 1st party studio and the information he has provided me is 100% accurate. The developer confirmed that the 343 industries developer who a few weeks ago publicly stated how the Xbox Scorpio was far more beefier than originally expected was absolutely correct as the console wasn't downgraded at all but rather the exact opposite. The Xbox Scorpio is using a brand new completely custom console only specific architecture that's using an all new rendering method which allows for an ultra efficient almost ZERO LATENCY communication between the system CPU & GPU which allows for a nearly 60% higher graphical rendering performance when compared to what's currently available on Pc graphics cards and or current game consoles. The new architecture essentially allows for the Xbox Scorpio to take 6 teraflops worth of GPU compute power and render that 6 teraflops at 60% higher than the exact same Pc graphics card in a Pc which means that the Xbox Scorpio 6 teraflops of GPU COMPUTE POWER IS EQUIVALENT TO a 9.6 teraflop Pc graphics card. The new custom architecture was developed in collaboration between Microsoft & AMD designed specifically for Xbox Scorpio and the new communication method IS 100% fully patented from Microsoft specifically for the Xbox Scorpio. The way in which Microsoft was able to develop and patent this new custom architecture was because Microsoft funded nearly 40% of the research n development costs associated with ZEN/VEGA in exchange for not jus the ability to develop and patent this brand new custom console only architecture communication method specifically for Xbox Scorpio only but in addition Microsoft also in return was able to secure an extremely cost efficient price on the new Xbox Scorpio chipsets from AMD WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY 100% ZEN/VEGA based chipsets. The CPU inside the Xbox Scorpio is an 8 CORE RYZEN SUMMIT RIDGE R5 CPU @ 2.8ghz, and the graphics chip inside Xbox Scorpio is a custom designed AMD VEGA GPU 6.2 teraflop GPU @ 970mhz. The Xbox Scorpio is also using 12gb of gddr5x memory with 320gb per second memory bandwidth. Those specs are the exact specs and exact hardware that's currently used inside the Xbox Scorpio dev kits as they are all using early engineering samples of both the RYZEN CPU & VEGA GPU. I was also informed that currently right now developers have numerous games that are currently up and running on the Xbox Scorpio dev kits. The games that I was told so far which are being tested n benchmarked that are currently running NATIVE 4K 60fps on Xbox Scorpio dev kits are as follows.......

DOOM 4K 60fps (Pc ultra equivalent)
BATTLEFIELD 4K 60fps (Pc ultra equivalent)
HALO 5 (4K 60fps Xbox One equivalent)
WITCHER 3 (4K 60fps Pc ultra equivalent)
FALLOUT 4 (4K 60fps Pc ultra equivalent)

Those games are all currently running at NATIVE 4K on the Xbox Scorpio dev kits, and while they're definitely more games being tested n benchmarked internally by different development teams I was told that the ones I listed above are the only games that my sources own personal development team has seen 1st hand running NATIVE 4K 60fps.
I was informed that the reason 343 industries developer came out and publicly expressed the fact that Xbox Scorpio was far beefier than originally expected isn't because the hardware itself is beefier or upgraded but BECAUSE DEVELOPERS HAS ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT MICROSOFT & AMD had developed a brand new custom architecture that's console specific for XBOX SCORPIO which is why so far apparently the system is running NATIVE 4K 60fps at the Pc ultra setting equivalent without even putting the hardware under full load where essentially Xbox Scorpio dev kits are rendering these games at NATIVE 4K 60fps with a lot of wiggle room as the hardware isn't being pushed anywhere near its full capabilities as the new architecture is the biggest jump in graphical rendering power efficiency since the Xbox 360 launched with a custom and Radeon GPU which had the first ever unified memory architecture that wasn't available on Pc graphics cards at the time which is why when Xbox 360 launched there wasn't a Pc graphics card on the market that could compete with Xbox 360 for nearly 18 months until Pc graphics cards started to adopt the new unified graphics architecture at which point that's when Pc caught back up and surpassed consoles. I was told that this time around Pc graphics cards won't be able to adopt this new architecture AS MICROSOFT HAS FULLY PATENTED THIS NEW ARCHITECTURE AS XBOX SCORPIO CONSOLE SPECIFIC which means neither Pc nor PlayStation will be able to use and or develop graphics chipsets using this new architecture as it's fully custom and designed specifically for Xbox Scorpio.

The last thing I wanna share is that at least in the case of my specific source I was told that internally when testing and benchmarking the Xbox Scorpio dev kits the graphical rendering performance is on par with the NVIDIA TITAN X PASCAL in terms of 4K rendering power and that's using an early engineering sample of the RYZEN/VEGA chipset which I was told the final chipset used in Xbox Scorpio will be roughly 15% more power efficient than what's being used in the dev kit as AMD are still tweaking and optimizing the specific APU being used for Xbox Scorpio. I was also informed that in addition to the overall graphics rendering power Xbox Scorpio also has the absolute fastest GAMING CPU in the world right now as the RYZEN CPU IS THE 8 core 8 thread R5 version and it's faster in both single core and multi threaded applications than the intel i7-6900k CPU and while Xbox Scorpio isn't getting the RYZEN r7 CPU which has 8 cores 16 threads I was told it honestly won't make any difference for Xbox Scorpio, however the 8 core 8 thread R5 version is significantly cheaper and vastly more power efficient than the highest end 8 core 16 thread R7 version and that's why Microsoft has chosen to run with the RYZEN R5 version with 8 cores 8 threads ALTHOUGH I WAS TOLD XBOX SCORPIO GAMES WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE 8 extra virtual cores as those will be locked down and fully reserved specifically to run the system software and all background tasks etc.........

I wanna finally end what I've said by saying the last bit of information which I was told was that with Xbox Scorpio and its new architecture which will enable the 6 teraflops of GPU COMPUTE POWER INSIDE XBOX SCORPIO to be the equivalent of a 9.6 teraflop Pc graphics card but also I was told that because of the nature of development for a closed loop console type environment with an ultra low level console API I was told that the optimization for this console will enable Xbox Scorpio to have a very serious initial advantage over even the most expensive ultra high end gaming computers and because of the patent on the new custom console specific Xbox Scorpio only architecture the developer community pretty much all agree that this initial advantage could hold strong for at least 18 to 24 months and so yea I'm sure ok get all sorts of flack and pissed off Pc master race haters talking shit about what I've said but TRUST ME GUYS WHAT IVE SAID IS ABSOLUTELY THE REAL DEAL AND APPARENTLY MICROSOFT WILL BE SHARING DETAILS REGARDING THE NEW RYZEN/VEGA APU and also the new custom patented Xbox Scorpio architecture sometime around and or at this years upcoming E3 convention......."

 

[Cyan]

Anyone read this yet....

https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/224428134?sort=0&page=0&path=1

Thanks for sharing. I hope that's true and that is a PC/console hybrid -though that won't be shown tomorrow I am sure-. We shall know soon, although I can't watch it tomorrow at 2PM UK time -3PM where I live- but I hope we can see the information in the forums after the presentation so first thing tomorrow is taking a look at the forums and the link to the article.

 

[babcat]

Hello Cyan,

I think Microsoft MUST have some sort of "ace in the hole" with Scorpio beyond just a moderately more powerful GPU and a significantly more powerful CPU. The rumor of some sort of special processors that give performance a boost is believable to me. If they do a demonstration tomorrow that shows the Scorpio running a game at the same settings and the same frame rate as a 1080 GTX -- much less a 1080ti -- it will give Sony a run for their money. Importantly, it would push Sony to make the PS5 even more powerful.

I have a question.

Do you think that the Scorpio will require an internet connection?

If I am to ever buy a console again, I don't want to be forced to have an internet connection to activate it or play games.

 

[Cyan]

This part sounds awesomely puzzling...

The Xbox Scorpio is using a brand new completely custom console only specific architecture that's using an all new rendering method which allows for an ultra efficient almost ZERO LATENCY communication between the system CPU & GPU which allows for a nearly 60% higher graphical rendering performance when compared to what's currently available on Pc graphics cards and or current game consoles.

The new architecture essentially allows for the Xbox Scorpio to take 6 teraflops worth of GPU compute power and render that 6 teraflops at 60% higher than the exact same Pc graphics card in a Pc which means that the Xbox Scorpio 6 teraflops of GPU COMPUTE POWER IS EQUIVALENT TO a 9.6 teraflop Pc graphics card. The new custom architecture was developed in collaboration between Microsoft & AMD designed specifically for Xbox Scorpio and the new communication method IS 100% fully patented from Microsoft specifically for the Xbox Scorpio. The way in which Microsoft was able to develop and patent this new custom architecture was because Microsoft funded nearly 40% of the research n development costs associated with ZEN/VEGA in exchange for not jus the ability to develop and patent this brand new custom console only architecture communication method specifically for Xbox Scorpio only but in addition Microsoft also in return was able to secure an extremely cost efficient price on the new Xbox Scorpio chipsets from AMD WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY 100% ZEN/VEGA based chipsets. The CPU inside the Xbox Scorpio is an 8 CORE RYZEN SUMMIT RIDGE R5 CPU @ 2.8ghz, and the graphics chip inside Xbox Scorpio is a custom designed AMD VEGA GPU 6.2 teraflop GPU @ 970mhz. The Xbox Scorpio is also using 12gb of gddr5x memory with 320gb per second memory bandwidth. Those specs are the exact specs and exact hardware that's currently used inside the Xbox Scorpio dev kits as they are all using early engineering samples of both the RYZEN CPU & VEGA GPU. I was also informed that currently right now developers have numerous games that are currently up and running on the Xbox Scorpio dev kits. The games that I was told so far which are being tested n benchmarked that are currently running NATIVE 4K 60fps on Xbox Scorpio dev kits are as follows.......

 

[Cyan]

Hello Cyan,

I think Microsoft MUST have some sort of "ace in the hole" with Scorpio beyond just a moderately more powerful GPU and a significantly more powerful CPU. The rumor of some sort of special processors that give performance a boost is believable to me. If they do a demonstration tomorrow that shows the Scorpio running a game at the same settings and the same frame rate as a 1080 GTX -- much less a 1080ti -- it will give Sony a run for their money. Importantly, it would push Sony to make the PS5 even more powerful.

I have a question.

Do you think that the Scorpio will require an internet connection?

If I am to ever buy a console again, I don't want to be forced to have an internet connection to activate it or play games.

if it does I am not buying it, but I hope it doesn't. My domestic situation doesn't permit me to keep writing now. Gotta go. Bedtime here. Have all a good night.

 

[LightHeaven]

I don't know what last E3 was, I'd call it a product announcement because they announced a product, albeit with few details. Tomorrow I would call a reveal because actual specifications will be revealed but they're arbitrary and subjective terms. The physical appearance of the box is arguably the least important aspect and other consoles have had specs revealed months before the box itself. Not any software, though.



And that's what I think, so again, is this because Microsoft think they now lack credibility?



Yup. and to be clear I'm not saying DF's involvement is bad, if anything it'll likely result in a clearer technical message than if Microsoft were going it alone. But it's unprecented and weird. Weird isn't necessarily bad.

It's not unprecedent. Ms had a partnership with B3D to reveal every intrinsic detail of the architecture and the specs, they even broke down the gpu piece by piece explaining how MS and Ati achieved it.

For xbone they had an Wired article, not as in depth, but also described the architecture and how they planned to use the cloud.

And Sony too followed this trend and had a nice break down of the specs, and the tech behind the PS4 Pro with DF.

The main difference is that Ms is doing now before even revealing the console itself which is a bit weird indeed

Enviado de meu SM-G610M usando Tapatalk

 

[iroboto]

It's not unprecedent. Ms had a partnership with B3D to reveal every intrinsic detail of the architecture and the specs, they even broke down the gpu piece by piece explaining how MS and Ati achieved it.

For xbone they had an Wired article, not as in depth, but also described the architecture and how they planned to use the cloud.

And Sony too followed this trend and had a nice break down of the specs, and the tech behind the PS4 Pro with DF.

The main difference is that Ms is doing now before even revealing the console itself which is a bit weird indeed

Enviado de meu SM-G610M usando Tapatalk

whoa! b3d broke down hardware for MS before? wow, damn I missed a milestone event here

 

[LightHeaven]

whoa! b3d broke down hardware for MS before? wow, damn I missed a milestone event here

https://www.beyond3d.com/content/articles/4/11

From there you can use the link for the 1st page, dunno why direct linking to it isn't working

Just for trying, the first page link: https://www.beyond3d.com/content/articles/4/1

 

[Scott_Arm]

Anyone read this yet....

Spoiler

https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/224428134?sort=0&page=0&path=1

I just tried and then decided it wasn't worth it.

 

[babcat]

It sounded interesting to me. I think the scorpio has to have something other than a faster GPU and CPU. There must be some other "trick" to set it apart from the PS4 Pro. My guesses are:

1) A super fast caching memory pool.
2) A larger pool of slower RAM that can be used for texture streaming.
3) Several engines to take some of the load off the CPU/GPU.

If they can add another 20% of performance by a combination of tricks to a 6-7TFlop GPU and a more modern CPU, they could have a machine capable of playing modern games at ultra in native 4K.

 

[bgroovy]

The "balance" interview was not critical at all.
I assume there won't be any critic this time too.

Yes, if anything they had a very bad habit of blindly repeating whatever the "Technical Fellows" at Microsoft were telling them at the time.

This part sounds awesomely puzzling...

The Xbox Scorpio is using a brand new completely custom console only specific architecture that's using an all new rendering method which allows for an ultra efficient almost ZERO LATENCY communication between the system CPU & GPU which allows for a nearly 60% higher graphical rendering performance when compared to what's currently available on Pc graphics cards and or current game consoles.

The new architecture essentially allows for the Xbox Scorpio to take 6 teraflops worth of GPU compute power and render that 6 teraflops at 60% higher than the exact same Pc graphics card in a Pc which means that the Xbox Scorpio 6 teraflops of GPU COMPUTE POWER IS EQUIVALENT TO a 9.6 teraflop Pc graphics card. The new custom architecture was developed in collaboration between Microsoft & AMD designed specifically for Xbox Scorpio and the new communication method IS 100% fully patented from Microsoft specifically for the Xbox Scorpio. The way in which Microsoft was able to develop and patent this new custom architecture was because Microsoft funded nearly 40% of the research n development costs associated with ZEN/VEGA in exchange for not jus the ability to develop and patent this brand new custom console only architecture communication method specifically for Xbox Scorpio only but in addition Microsoft also in return was able to secure an extremely cost efficient price on the new Xbox Scorpio chipsets from AMD WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY 100% ZEN/VEGA based chipsets. The CPU inside the Xbox Scorpio is an 8 CORE RYZEN SUMMIT RIDGE R5 CPU @ 2.8ghz, and the graphics chip inside Xbox Scorpio is a custom designed AMD VEGA GPU 6.2 teraflop GPU @ 970mhz. The Xbox Scorpio is also using 12gb of gddr5x memory with 320gb per second memory bandwidth. Those specs are the exact specs and exact hardware that's currently used inside the Xbox Scorpio dev kits as they are all using early engineering samples of both the RYZEN CPU & VEGA GPU. I was also informed that currently right now developers have numerous games that are currently up and running on the Xbox Scorpio dev kits. The games that I was told so far which are being tested n benchmarked that are currently running NATIVE 4K 60fps on Xbox Scorpio dev kits are as follows.......

What's so puzzling about horseshit?

It sounded interesting to me. I think the scorpio has to have something other than a faster GPU and CPU. There must be some other "trick" to set it apart from the PS4 Pro. My guesses are:

1) A super fast caching memory pool.
2) A larger pool of slower RAM that can be used for texture streaming.
3) Several engines to take some of the load off the CPU/GPU.

If they can add another 20% of performance by a combination of tricks to a 6-7TFlop GPU and a more modern CPU, they could have a machine capable of playing modern games at ultra in native 4K.

You mean some kind of "secret sauce"?

 

[MrFox]

The more people over hype with magic sauce... The more it's going to hurt MS reveal.

The Xbox Scorpio is using a brand new completely custom console only specific architecture that's using an all new rendering method which allows for an ultra efficient almost ZERO LATENCY communication between the system CPU & GPU which allows for a nearly 60% higher graphical rendering performance when compared to what's currently available on Pc graphics cards and or current game consoles.

The new architecture essentially allows for the Xbox Scorpio to take 6 teraflops worth of GPU compute power and render that 6 teraflops at 60% higher than the exact same Pc graphics card in a Pc which means that the Xbox Scorpio 6 teraflops of GPU COMPUTE POWER IS EQUIVALENT TO a 9.6 teraflop Pc graphics card. The new custom architecture was developed in collaboration between Microsoft & AMD designed specifically for Xbox Scorpio and the new communication method IS 100% fully patented from Microsoft specifically for the Xbox Scorpio. The way in which Microsoft was able to develop and patent this new custom architecture was because Microsoft funded nearly 40% of the research n development costs associated with ZEN/VEGA in exchange for not jus the ability to develop and patent this brand new custom console only architecture communication method specifically for Xbox Scorpio only but in addition Microsoft also in return was able to secure an extremely cost efficient price on the new Xbox Scorpio chipsets from AMD WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY 100% ZEN/VEGA based chipsets. The CPU inside the Xbox Scorpio is an 8 CORE RYZEN SUMMIT RIDGE R5 CPU @ 2.8ghz, and the graphics chip inside Xbox Scorpio is a custom designed AMD VEGA GPU 6.2 teraflop GPU @ 970mhz. The Xbox Scorpio is also using 12gb of gddr5x memory with 320gb per second memory bandwidth. Those specs are the exact specs and exact hardware that's currently used inside the Xbox Scorpio dev kits as they are all using early engineering samples of both the RYZEN CPU & VEGA GPU. I was also informed that currently right now developers have numerous games that are currently up and running on the Xbox Scorpio dev kits. The games that I was told so far which are being tested n benchmarked that are currently running NATIVE 4K 60fps on Xbox Scorpio dev kits are as follows.......

Spoiler

 

[Pixel]

In the history of console leaks going back to the 8000BC gamer sun dials massive 1 paragraph lack of format walls of text have never ever ever ever been accurate original sources of leaks.