Xbox Series X Specifications Revealed: Use Octa-Core Zen2 Chipset
Microsoft has finally revealed its latest Xbox Series X game console with detailed specifications. Sony's Playstation 5 competitors are assembled with fairly qualified hardware specifications.
DigitalFoundry testing, as reported by Mashable, revealed the Xbox Series X provides high computing power. It is known, this new game console uses a custom chip made by AMD with Zen architecture 2. But it is far different from the AMD Jaguar used by the Xbox One.
Xbox Series X uses a chip containing an Zen octa-core CPU 2. This CPU can run at 3.8 GHz with Simultaneous multithreading (SMT) turned off. If the SMT is turned off, these 8 CPU cores can run 8 threads at a speed of 3.8 GHz. But if it is turned on, it can run 16 threads at 3.6 GHz.
Xbox Series X provides 7 cores specifically for games, while the remaining 1 for the operating system. So developers can get more computing. From the GPU side, AMD provides custom RDNA 2 with 12 TFLOPs computing capability. This GPU also has 52 compute units with a speed of 1,825 GHz. As a comparison, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super has the ability of 11.3 TFLOPs. Whereas the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 13.45 TFLOPs.
Then there is the AMD Radeon Vega 64 which has the ability of 12.66 TFLOPs. Radeon Vega 64 itself is AMD's highest GPU for now. In other words, the GPU processing capability of the Xbox Series X GPU can be as powerful as the Nvidia RTX 20280 graphics card used on a PC.
AMD has designed a special chip for this game console with a fabrication process of 7 nm which produces a die measuring 360.45 mm square. As reported previously, AMD provides Ray Tracing support for this game console hardware. Here Microsoft also plays an important role. The Ray Tracing system in RDNA 2 supports the latest DirectX Raytracing (DXR) which is similar to Nvidia's Turing RT core. But not using the same method.
Thanks to DirectX Raytracing (DXR) from Microsoft, the processing of Ray Tracing on the GPU can run more optimally. To give Ray Tracing an overview of the Xbox Series X, Microsoft provides a demo of its implementation on Minecraft. This game seems to get more realistic and stunning lighting. Everything can be done by this new game console.
Not only that, this game console also supports native 4K 60 FPS resolution. It can even be up to 120 FPS. About the Xbox Series X memory pinned 16 GB GDDR6 RAM memory with a 320 mb bus. Interestingly, Microsoft uses RAM that is not uniform. 10 GB of RAM is available with a bandwidth of 560 GBps and 6 GB at 336 GBps. Devoloper also has access to choose which one to use. This GDDR6 RAM system also features EEC error correction. Interestingly, even though there is an error correction, it doesn't overload the computing performance.
Microsoft and AMD are working hard to find solutions for how to make RAM with EEC error correction but it doesn't hamper the process. Xbox Series X also still uses Blu-Ray drives that support 4K UHD. Blu-Ray is also a game distribution solution for this game console.
Xbox Series X internal storage will be embedded with 1 TB NVMe SSD. It is said to have io throughput up to 2.4 GBps RAM and 4.8 GBps compressed. The new innovation brought by Microsoft's game console is external storage support in the form of 1 TB SSD which can be on the same level as its internal storage.
The Xbox X Series not only offers higher processing capabilities, not only better graphics. This Microsoft game console offers faster loading, easy moving game features, and the ability to easily add storage.
Not to forget, backwards compatibility is very interesting. Not just playing a platform game before, but improving the graphics.
Here are the full specifications for the Xbox Series X:
- CPU: 8x Zen 2 Cores at 3.8GHz (3.6 GHz with SMT)
- GPU: 12 TFLOPs, 52 CUs at 1,825 GHz, Custom RDNA 2
- Die Size: 360.45 mm
- Process: Tnmc 7nm Enhanced
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6 RAM
- Memory Bandwidth: 10 GB at 560 GBps, 6 GB at 336 GBps
- Internal Storage: 1 TB Custom NVMe SSD
- IO Throughput: 2.4 GBps (Raw), 4.8 GBps (Compressed)
- Expandable Storage: 1 TB Expansion Card
- External Storage: USB 3.2 HDD Support
- Optical Drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray Drive
- Performance Target: 4K at 60fps - up to 120fps
