Rumour: Next Xbox "Six Times More Powerful" Than Current Gen
Will outpace the Wii U.
If the latest rumours flying across the interweb are correct, Microsoft's next Xbox console could be really packing a graphical punch, with six times the processing power of the seven-year-old Xbox 360.
According to IGN, the next-generation platform will have a GPU derived from AMD's 6000 series of chips and will "yield 20-percent greater performance than Nintendo's forthcoming console, the Wii U." Which I'm sure will have Nintendo quaking in its million-dollar Wii-funded boots.
There's been talk of Microsoft making a big show and dance of its new console project at E3 this June, and the latest IGN report seems to support those whispers. Development kits are said to be sent off to studios in August, while the finished product will ship to retailers in late October or early November of 2013.
According to IGN, the next-generation platform will have a GPU derived from AMD's 6000 series of chips and will "yield 20-percent greater performance than Nintendo's forthcoming console, the Wii U." Which I'm sure will have Nintendo quaking in its million-dollar Wii-funded boots.
There's been talk of Microsoft making a big show and dance of its new console project at E3 this June, and the latest IGN report seems to support those whispers. Development kits are said to be sent off to studios in August, while the finished product will ship to retailers in late October or early November of 2013.
Companies:
Microsoft
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Comments
ghoti 25 Jan 2012 14:40
1/2
Even if you just followed Moore's Law, it should be over eight times as powerful.
alexh2o 25 Jan 2012 20:03
2/2
Well I simply can't believe that is true! It has to have more punch than that...
Considering current 360 games run at 720p for the most part, it must be given the next one will pump out 1080p graphics. To render at the same level, but at the higher resolution, you need 2.25 times more power.
I also don't believe there wont be support for 3D, which requires 120Hz frame rate. Being kind, considering most games don't actually support 60Hz, but the 360 is just about capable, the new one again needs 2 times the power to deliver the frame rate.
That means just to run current 360 graphic at 1080p 3D, which must be the default output, could require as much as 4.5 times the graphical horsepower. Obviously, there will be efficiencies to be made, but its a pretty safe assumption it will need to be 4 times as powerful as the current 360, without an increase in polygon density.
At just 6 times more power, the console will only deliver around 50% additional polygons than the 360, if it wants to support 1080p 3D. Given its got another 2 years nearly before launch, and will want a lifecycle nearing 10 years, the thing will be outdated before its even half way through! By 2015 the iPad 6 or whatever will be doing similar graphics and pumping them to any TV wirelessly...
I know the increased resolution and frame rate, coupled to a 50% increase in polygon density, will look amazing compared to the 360, but I just can't believe they won't want to be pushing for a doubling of pixel density. Which incidentally, as 'ghoti' mentioned, would fit more closely to Moore's Law!
Considering current 360 games run at 720p for the most part, it must be given the next one will pump out 1080p graphics. To render at the same level, but at the higher resolution, you need 2.25 times more power.
I also don't believe there wont be support for 3D, which requires 120Hz frame rate. Being kind, considering most games don't actually support 60Hz, but the 360 is just about capable, the new one again needs 2 times the power to deliver the frame rate.
That means just to run current 360 graphic at 1080p 3D, which must be the default output, could require as much as 4.5 times the graphical horsepower. Obviously, there will be efficiencies to be made, but its a pretty safe assumption it will need to be 4 times as powerful as the current 360, without an increase in polygon density.
At just 6 times more power, the console will only deliver around 50% additional polygons than the 360, if it wants to support 1080p 3D. Given its got another 2 years nearly before launch, and will want a lifecycle nearing 10 years, the thing will be outdated before its even half way through! By 2015 the iPad 6 or whatever will be doing similar graphics and pumping them to any TV wirelessly...
I know the increased resolution and frame rate, coupled to a 50% increase in polygon density, will look amazing compared to the 360, but I just can't believe they won't want to be pushing for a doubling of pixel density. Which incidentally, as 'ghoti' mentioned, would fit more closely to Moore's Law!