Oh as i said in pretty much every response we will see what the case is once it's released.
But still nice to discuss what's been said, and what it can be.
As long as it's understood may amount to nothing.
While we wait for the next DF video
Current Generation Hardware Speculation with a Technical Spin [post GDC 2020] [XBSX, PS5]
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But still nice to discuss what's been said, and what it can be.
As long as it's understood may amount to nothing.
While we wait for the next DF video
I generally don't suspect there to be a difference, but shrug. If they want the hardware back, I'm going to assume it's not the same as retail.Oh as i said in pretty much every response we will see what the case is once it's released.
But still nice to discuss what's been said, and what it can be.
As long as it's understood may amount to nothing.
While we wait for the next DF video
A lot of the time they send them to different people.
I'm sure I also heard someone in a vid mention it, but could be wrong as I've watched a fair few of them now.
Either way, I'd be pleasantly surprised to get teardown before release.
There were different batches of different hardware being sent out. The first and earliest were sent out Prototype hardware. People who received their items later were sent retail hardware. I think the time difference was only a couple weeks at most.
My general expectation is that there are things on the preview hardware that they don't want getting back out to the public. IP based stuff. Signatures etc. Access to special debug modes etc.
I would also lean to the retail unit as being 'cheaper' to manufacture than the preview unit.
And a slim < 1% chance that they improved something on the unit.
They are not authorised to distribute the prototype units beyond testing purposes because of FCC rules, electrical safety laws etc. Those weird logo choked labels on the back of most electronics are there to assert that the unit being sold is the same as that shown to the relevant authority and comply with whatever rules. These aren't on prototype units because well prototype so even if they are identical to what has been sent to the authorities for final retail approval they can't be left with the general public as strictly speaking they are not compliant with these various regs
Yea this would explain why I thought I heard at least one say they had to send it back.
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I don't care if the UI is 4K or not, but it likely will be.
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I know the US is a bit of shitshow right now, but surely even prototype units that are intended to be used by members of the public (journalists) in uncontrolled environments (their homes) have to be certified as safe and not be electrically unsafe or interfere with other wireless communication devices?
Surely it's not even possible to waive your rights to safety? It couldn't isn't possible in the EU. If you are unsupervised outside of a fully controlled environment with potentially unsafe equipment, there is nothing you can sign that limits liability on the company who gave you that product. It's no different to the concept of signing your consent to be wilfully murdered, it's still a crime.
That said, I can't imagine the prototype units are massively different to what the retail units will be. Maybe Microsoft have made some tweaks to the hardware. Maybe they will actually have put a real green LED in the top so it really does glow green when on!!
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All of the folks I've seen with prototype units have devices manufactured within the previous 2-3 weeks. I didn't see anybody with a console manufactured any earlier than September 2020.
Hahahahahahahahahaha no, US Product Safety is a risible joke (BBC story on the scandal of Fisher Price Rock n Play cots) but burning down journos homes is not a good look so they're not sending them units with nails for fuses. As a prototype unit it they don't need to test it for consumer safety at all but as a practical consideration and to reduce liability risk you don't send out early prototypes rather you send out late models that are basically the same thing you sent for certification. However even if they are the exact same as the final certified models if you produced them before the regulatory clearance was granted they are not covered by that regulatory approval and must not be distributed to the general public.
In fact as part of whatever documentation was traded back and forth will have been certain clauses to indemnify MS (to the extent local laws allow) from the risk of it burning the journos house down. This is standard practice for getting pre-release gear though so everyone know the rules of the game
Right, was just sharing what we know about prototypes. We don't know about differences, if any, between last set of prototypes and retail hardware.
There were prototype revision groups from November 2019 that Phil was using at home, then a second revision set from general Spring 2020, then from Summer 2020 (after July as mentioned in GDK Release notes) as likely to be the final revision prototype.
D
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I would have thought so.
Microsoft simply can't still be making prototype hardware as of last month, I think those consoles were final retail hardware and marked as prototypes more for their pre-release firmware and OS. If Microsoft were really still making genuine prototype - non-retail - hardware in September then they'll have at most a million Series X consoles for worldwide release next month and that just doesn't likely.
And also pre-approved to be in the special preview ring. Though they did ship some retail units that were also in the special preview ring a couple weeks later. That really should just require the console serial number to be added to a list, not dissimilar from the Xbox Insider rings.
I suppose it depends on what you class as prototype, fundamentally a model that is identical to final hardware is still a prototype until every sign off is obtained. It certainly doesn't hurt from an optics point of view to emphasise that the unit is non-final either should h/w or s/w embarrass you in your labeling either.
IIRC there was a split in the units to press between units between those with a Kensington slot and those without. If I'm guessing the units with the slot were from a batch that was representative but non-final hardware (like sourcing caps from supplier A instead of B, not necessarily major diffs but more like what we expect form a prototype) and the later units were from retail h/w production but were probably from a final retail check or QA batch off the line. Most likely these were simply the units on hand in Redmond and were easiest for marketing to get a hold of an ship to press and influencers versus final packed units.
IIRC there was a split in the units to press between units between those with a Kensington slot and those without. If I'm guessing the units with the slot were from a batch that was representative but non-final hardware (like sourcing caps from supplier A instead of B, not necessarily major diffs but more like what we expect form a prototype) and the later units were from retail h/w production but were probably from a final retail check or QA batch off the line. Most likely these were simply the units on hand in Redmond and were easiest for marketing to get a hold of an ship to press and influencers versus final packed units.
Still working, so I'll put some details in here before I forget to post it at all.
Jezz said that his XSX was incorrectly configured when he received it at first so all the games was white listed, all seemed ok from what he saw, which as we suspected seems like they just being carefull with the rollout of the games.
First XSX xcloud blade came of the assembly line last week.
Can't remember if he gave a broad indication of when the roll out next year is, don't think he did. Just next year.
(Windows Central gaming podcast I had on in the background)
Jezz said that his XSX was incorrectly configured when he received it at first so all the games was white listed, all seemed ok from what he saw, which as we suspected seems like they just being carefull with the rollout of the games.
First XSX xcloud blade came of the assembly line last week.
Can't remember if he gave a broad indication of when the roll out next year is, don't think he did. Just next year.
(Windows Central gaming podcast I had on in the background)
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