Next Generation Hardware Speculation with a Technical Spin [2018]

[Shifty Geezer]

Your 2019 idea probably only works if PS5 comes out. Otherwise you have XB1 owners wanting games, developers making games for PS4 and PC still, yet XB1 owners not getting games and having to buy a new console. That's very irregular. Normally a platform is maintained somewhat until devs naturally move on. Stopping devs from making games for a platform and losing out on that money and pissing off your owners seems a Bad Idea.

 

[DieH@rd]

JEDEC GDDR6 density allows for 32Gb already, so it’s up to someone to top Samsung’s 10nm 16Gb chips by then if someone wants 32GB in 8 chips.

IMO, I think Sony will go for double-sided clamshell GDDR6 approach using 2GB chips, and then switch to 4GB chips few years down the line. Same approach as with PS4, launched in 2013 with 16x512MB GDDR5 and then simplified mobo when switching to 8x1GB in 2nd half of 2015.

 

[Liandry]

Your 2019 idea probably only works if PS5 comes out. Otherwise you have XB1 owners wanting games, developers making games for PS4 and PC still, yet XB1 owners not getting games and having to buy a new console. That's very irregular. Normally a platform is maintained somewhat until devs naturally move on. Stopping devs from making games for a platform and losing out on that money and pissing off your owners seems a Bad Idea.

Ok, then Microsoft will stop manufacture Xbox One S in 2021 when Xbox One Ultra will be released.
Or Sony can go with the same way.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

They can stop manufacturing XB1S without having to stop games being released for it. What they can't realistically do is force devs to only make games for XB1X.

 

[Xbat]

It's interesting that Phil Spencer keeps saying they will lead performance wise next gen. Gives us a metric to work with, Does it mean they coming out later than Sony? Or same time higher price? They obviously have a good idea what Sony will use hardware wise.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

What they can't realistically do is force devs to only make games for XB1X.

Did Microsoft ever make the same promises of no XboneX exclusivity that Sony did for the PS4 Pro?
Seems to me that Microsoft was always less specific about possibility of exclusivity for the XboneX, which makes sense because their mid-gen is so much more powerful than the 2013 Xbone.

One such example is that VR on Windows Mixed Reality headsets was only ever planned to come for the XboneX, since the 2013 Xbone doesn't even have the HDMI 2.0 output necessary for driving the VR displays.
The 2013 PS4 support for PSVR only exists because Sony is implementing HDMI through a displayport 1.1 controller, meaning they already had PSVR's 1080p@120Hz refresh rates in mind when developing the console.

 

[Picao84]

The 2013 PS4 support for PSVR only exists because Sony is implementing HDMI through a displayport 1.1 controller, meaning they already had PSVR's 1080p@120Hz refresh rates in mind when developing the console.

Oh, cool. Didn't know that.

 

[cheapchips]

It's interesting that Phil Spencer keeps saying they will lead performance wise next gen. Gives us a metric to work with, Does it mean they coming out later than Sony? Or same time higher price? They obviously have a good idea what Sony will use hardware wise.

Isn't this just putting a stake in the ground that their design is based around gaming and not as distracted as last time.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Did Microsoft ever make the same promises of no XboneX exclusivity that Sony did for the PS4 Pro?

There's a big debate on that. Unclear message. But it doesn't matter - Liandry's suggestion is MS stop devs releasing games for XB1 whether they want to or not. Even if XB1X exclusives are allowed, you don't mandate that while devs are releasing COD and Fortnite and FIFA et al for PC and PS4, those devs aren't allowed to release to XB1. That'll just piss off XB1 owners and devs+pubs. You let the devs move on to next gen when they're ready.

One such example is that VR on Windows Mixed Reality headsets was only ever planned to come for the XboneX,...

Possibly never really planned, because WMR is dropped from XB1X.

 

[mrcorbo]

Did Microsoft ever make the same promises of no XboneX exclusivity that Sony did for the PS4 Pro?
Seems to me that Microsoft was always less specific about possibility of exclusivity for the XboneX, which makes sense because their mid-gen is so much more powerful than the 2013 Xbone.

They've been no less specific (save VR, which it looks like is going to be a moot point). Xbox One games are Xbox One games. Some Xbox One games are going to have Xbox One X-specific enhancements. Full stop.

 

[goonergaz]

It's interesting that Phil Spencer keeps saying they will lead performance wise next gen. Gives us a metric to work with, Does it mean they coming out later than Sony? Or same time higher price? They obviously have a good idea what Sony will use hardware wise.

I previously suggested that MS and Sony would start releasing consoles out of sync so they could both claim to be top dog for a couple years.

I find it interesting MS mentioned working on new hardware so soon after X. Makes me wonder if they half expected Sony to say something or they know Sony may be able to release something a year or so ahead of them so just wanted to lay down the foundations.

 

[ultragpu]

It's interesting that Phil Spencer keeps saying they will lead performance wise next gen. Gives us a metric to work with, Does it mean they coming out later than Sony? Or same time higher price? They obviously have a good idea what Sony will use hardware wise.

I'm sure MS overall could potentially take more loss per console sold but I wonder if the Xbox division is as subsidized as MS's other divisions. Does Phil really have a bottomless pit for funding?
Also we are bound by the limitation of 7nm node, TDP and the maximum price tolerated by the mass market, so if there's a difference in performance I doubt it would be like Pro vs 1X. Unless MS goes Nvidia, go nuts at $599 or wait for 5nm. That is assuming Sony doesn't throw us a curve ball. I'm sure both company do espionage and know just as much as each other.

 

[iroboto]

I previously suggested that MS and Sony would start releasing consoles out of sync so they could both claim to be top dog for a couple years.

I find it interesting MS mentioned working on new hardware so soon after X. Makes me wonder if they half expected Sony to say something or they know Sony may be able to release something a year or so ahead of them so just wanted to lay down the foundations.

For their own customer base. Wanted to reassure the industry that MS is committed to staying in the game and not just dying out as people continue to say of them.

 

[iroboto]

Did Microsoft ever make the same promises of no XboneX exclusivity that Sony did for the PS4 Pro?
Seems to me that Microsoft was always less specific about possibility of exclusivity for the XboneX, which makes sense because their mid-gen is so much more powerful than the 2013 Xbone.

I did a couple of posts on this linking to some articles, but I don't quite recall which thread I put it in.
TLDR; it's unclear. He's open to the possibility of it, and he's also stated that if you bought a X1X it should have the lifespan of any console.

What that means is entirely vague until their plans solidify

 

[anexanhume]

IMO, I think Sony will go for double-sided clamshell GDDR6 approach using 2GB chips, and then switch to 4GB chips few years down the line. Same approach as with PS4, launched in 2013 with 16x512MB GDDR5 and then simplified mobo when switching to 8x1GB in 2nd half of 2015.

Why would they do that? More complicated board design, more overhead power, and I’m going to bet more cost too.

 

[shiznit]

32GB GDDR6 isn't happening at $399 or even $499 unless memory prices drop dramatically. My guess is 16GB + custom NAND layer and maybe DDD4 side channel for the OS like in the PS4 Pro.

 

[Liandry]

Almost each new console generation had 16x more RAM. This means what nex consoles should have 128GB of RAM. Dou you guys think this is possible?

 

[Shortbread]

https://www.dualshockers.com/phil-spencer-japanese-developers-next-xbox/

In the past, Microsoft has been talking with multiple hardware development companies, and they have begun discussing what kind of innovation is expected in the architecture in the future. Looking ahead, he knows that resolution is important. Frame rate is also important. The journey to build the new hardware has already begun, and he is constantly thinking about the possibilities.

This doesn't sound like Microsoft is working exclusively with AMD, nor that the next-xbox architecture hasn't really been finalized yet.

 

[iroboto]

https://www.dualshockers.com/phil-spencer-japanese-developers-next-xbox/


This doesn't sound like Microsoft is working exclusively with AMD, nor that the next-xbox architecture hasn't really been finalized yet.

indeed.
They've been clear that they are looking to broaden their reach, so this is understandable. It may not be entirely about the next console specifically.

It should be fairly assumed that they have more than 1 xbox in design but still need to choose just one to deploy with. Timing and price points are going to be a big part of that discussion of which variant they will green light I imagine. I would hope that they have their ideal feature set locked down by now.

 

[Entropy]

Almost each new console generation had 16x more RAM. This means what nex consoles should have 128GB of RAM. Dou you guys think this is possible?

Realistically, no.
Nor is it needed.
Frankly, I would be impressed if they went with 32GB in the 2019-2020 time frame. Beyond that amount - very low odds indeed.