Xbox Series X & S Refresh Roadmap Leaked

[T0@st]

A hefty information dump—originating from documents relating to a Microsoft vs. FTC legal case—has revealed plans (dated April 2022) for an upcoming refresh of current generation Xbox Series X and S consoles. Microsoft Gaming's head honcho, Phil Spencer, dismissed the need for a mid-gen refresh of the more powerful model—his summertime 2023 declaration came after the rumor mill coughed up speculative details of Sony working on a more potent PlayStation 5. The leaked roadmap and slides points to a refreshed Xbox Series X console lined up for launch in October 2024. The new cylindrical design is codenamed "Brooklin" and features an all-digital entertainment scheme—internal upgrades include a 2 TB SSD, plus support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. An "improved sustainability story" suggests that the refresh will consume less power.

A 6 nm die shrink of the current Xbox Series X "Scarlett" APU with Zen 2/RDNA2 setup is reportedly in the cards. It seems that Microsoft is not preparing something that could compete with a theoretical "PlayStation 5 Pro." The leaked roadmap states that Brooklin's projected MSRP is $499—so no price hike over the original. The refreshed Xbox Series S—codenamed "Ellewood"—retains the existing Series S aesthetic, along with its entry-level $299 price tag. Microsoft's roadmap has it launching earlier than "Brooklin"—August 2024. Internal storage is set at 1 TB, and an updated southbridge grants support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. A low-power standby mode is said to consume only 20% of the current gen model's sleepy intake. The 2022 roadmap also mentions a refreshed "Sebile" Xbox controller, with the aim to get it launched by May 2024, so several months before the projected arrival of revised X and S consoles.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[notaburner]

So basically a smaller die that is cheaper to produce. If performance is the same, that would end up requiring less power so they could potentially cost cut other components across (heatsinks, psu, etc.). I'd honestly be a bit surprised if they went with a visual redesign apart from just shrinking the existing format a bit. Seems like going with a new design kind of implies that performance would be different. We made it round and cheaper for us to produce doesn't seem like a great sales pitch. Increased storage is really the only thing that would make a noticeable difference but that doesn't really bring a lot of hype to a "new" model when PS5 storage is so cheap to expand right now.

 

[Canned Noodles]

That cylindrical shape is butt ugly. Give me a series X refresh in the slab form factor like the Xbox Ones.
Other than that, a 2TB SSD from the factory would be really nice

 

[EatingDirt]

Oh look, it's the apple trashcan design again, just a bit less shiny.

 

[notaburner]

Oh look, it's the apple trashcan design again, just a bit less shiny.

I was thinking first gen echo plus that went off its diet for a while.

 

[Double-Click]

Seriously MS, the word "Box" is in the name of your console and you're releasing a cylinder?

 

[Vayra86]

Seriously MS, the word "Box" is in the name of your console and you're releasing a cylinder?

Series XC ?

It works for Volvo, so why not

What strikes me most is how they don't upgrade that 10GB to 12 on the Series S. So it remains a console devs have to spend an ungodly amount of time optimizing for, and then still be left with a subpar experience. Silly.

 

[R0H1T]

Every shape is just a circle. It's just that some of them are edgy.

 

[TechHalp]

If performance is the same, that would end up requiring less power so they could potentially cost cut other components across (heatsinks, psu, etc.)

It literally says 20% less power in the photo.

I'd honestly be a bit surprised if they went with a visual redesign apart from just shrinking the existing format a bit.

Can you see?

Increased storage is really the only thing that would make a noticeable difference but that doesn't really bring a lot of hype to a "new" model when PS5 storage is so cheap to expand right now.

This is a refresh, it's not for people who already own one. It's to make a better version for anyone who buys one from now on. I don't see why you even bother commenting but can't even look at a picture or read an article, it's a waste of everyone's time.

 

[dyonoctis]

The most interesting part of the leak to me: Confirmation that Microsoft is working on their own ML upscaling and potentially Frame gen, haptics of the same nature as the PS5' s Dualsense, and a thin version of windows.

 

[TechHalp]

The most interesting part of the leak to me: Confirmation that Microsoft is working on their own ML upscaling and potentially Frame gen, haptics of the same nature as the PS5' s Dualsense, and a thin version of windows.
View attachment 314312View attachment 314313
View attachment 314314

FSR will be a welcome addition. In the 2nd picture they also allude to having C cores, (or e cores if you're intel familiar), which may help with efficiency for paused games in quick resume and other background processes. The thin OS would also be a nice change for all the handheld windows devices coming out like the ROG ally, they've been talking about a thin windows for quite a while now.

I especially like the new controller features, lift to wake was a huuuugggee oversight in the original design, glad they finally are adding that. Guess the original didn't have an accelerometer. Haptics are nice as well, although I'm extremely skeptical about them doubling as speakers, controller speakers always sound awful and aren't worth the cost of putting them in.

 

[TechHalp]

Get help dude. This is a leaked roadmap not a released product, so me saying that I would be surprised if this is actually released in this form is completely valid. Your comment here adds less than nothing so please abide by your own advice.

All you did was reiterate every single thing in the article as a question, your first comment proved you have nothing to say. You conveniently ignore my comment about it being a refresh, because it suits your narrative. You ignore my comment about it already saying it takes less power, because it suits your narrative.

Why don't you stick to twitter where wrong people like to argue with each other about who's more wrong. Adults are talking, hush.

 

[95Viper]

Stop the bickering.
Stop the insults.
Stick to the topic.
If you have a problem report it... do not be the problem.
Stop the guideline violations.

 

[trsttte]

All digital? No thanks, i'll pass... Sony allegedly had the smarts to do a modular disc drive, xbox should as well.

 

[Camm]

All this roadmap says to me is Microsoft is trying its best to lose the console war.

The Series S should be put out to pasture considering the issues its already having in 2023, or turned into a handheld where compromises are more expected.

Xbox's performance advantage will not only evaporate, but be eviscerated next year with the PS5 Pro.

And no disc drive will reduce Xbox's already poor retail presence.

 

[shk021051]

give me that controller right now

 

[cvaldes]

All this roadmap says to me is Microsoft is trying its best to lose the console war.

Trying? They already did.

Microsoft exec admits the console wars are over: 'We lost the worst generation to lose'

In a brutally honest 40-minute mea culpa, Xbox head Phil Spencer said the new Xbox Series X console will not be able to topple Sony and Nintendo.

fortune.com

Xbox Series X -- despite having the most impressive technical specs of all current console hardware -- trails both the oft-derided wimpy Nintendo Switch (top with 125+ million units) and PlayStation 5. Xbox Series S is almost a no-show.

This is yet another example of the one truth of entertainment: content is king. Nintendo reigns supreme because of its first party franchises.

 

[Luke357]

Hopefully they make the new controller in red camo. Seeing improved pairing options gives me hope for being able to have more than just 1 BT device + 1 Xbox or Win 10 Adapter. Swappable thumbsticks sounds great too.

 

[Blaeza]

Microsoft hungry for that all digital money.

 

[SJZL 2.0]

I think Microsoft and AMD should rather use the good old tensor cores in their GPU for their next Xbox. instead of having all these tensor cores in a separate die chip.