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Brad Sams: Microsoft Reportedly Working On Smaller, More Power Efficient Series X Chip

Dream-Knife

Banned
This isnt just a slim version. They are likely going to reduce the CU size and get higher clocks to get higher performance from the same number of tlfops like the PS5's narrow and fast design has allowed them to do. Right now, the console isnt performing like a 12 tflops GPU in some games.
That's not how it works. Shaders x 2 x speed. You can have more running slower to get the same performance. The 6800 smokes the 6600xt, yet it's clocks are lower.

Running fewer CUs at a higher clock speed is cheaper. I'm surprised MS doesn't push the clocks.

Performance is likely optimization.
 
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DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
This isnt just a slim version. They are likely going to reduce the CU size and get higher clocks to get higher performance from the same number of tlfops like the PS5's narrow and fast design has allowed them to do. Right now, the console isnt performing like a 12 tflops GPU in some games.

The 6700xt is a 13 tflops GPU with just 40 CUs. It offers a 20% performance boost over the 10.6 tflops 32 CU 6600xt. We dont see that for the XSX over the PS5 in several games especially the Matrix demo which is the only true next gen comparison we have seen so far. I bet MS is rethinking their wide and slow design and will likely borrow the 40 CU 6700xt design and take advantage of the reduce thermal footprint.

They have done something similar before. X1 Slim came with a bigger clock boost that pushed the GPU to 1.4 tflops even though they had originally spec'd it as a 1.2 tflops GPU before overclocking it just before launch to 1.3 tflops.
I really don't think they will launch a revision with more performance than the current. Unless it's names the pro or something as it would cause some serious upset with the fan base. I honestly think both the ps5 and series x have really had chance to flex yet. Game development and software has been through he'll the last 2 years and continues to tbh.
 

THE:MILKMAN

Member
More dies per wafer and reduced PSU and heatsink equals reducing costs

I honestly can't see a case for many changes beyond the die shrink and lower power rating (so maybe slightly smaller physically) PSU.

The whole design is already fully optimised for the HSF they have and even the ODD depth fits perfectly within the 15cm square footprint. Maybe they could make the case a bit less plain and make it not a fingerprint magnet, though.... Sure MS could pay the multi-millions in $ to do a complete re-design in the vain of the One X and mark it down as a rounding error in accounts but that would still be a big waste of money for me.
 
I honestly can't see a case for many changes beyond the die shrink and lower power rating (so maybe slightly smaller physically) PSU.

The whole design is already fully optimised for the HSF they have and even the ODD depth fits perfectly within the 15cm square footprint. Maybe they could make the case a bit less plain and make it not a fingerprint magnet, though.... Sure MS could pay the multi-millions in $ to do a complete re-design in the vain of the One X and mark it down as a rounding error in accounts but that would still be a big waste of money for me.
That's my point.
PSU and heatsink can easily be reduced in size without a whole redesign of the complete console. PSU and heatsink (thanks to rising resources costs) are quite major cost factors. So you reduce costs without investing much.

That will also have quite a big impact on weight and reduce shipping costs. The huge aluminum plate can't be redesigned and reduced in size tho. That weight factor will stay the same.


Or they do a slightly bigger redesign.
Internals stay the same besides PSU and heatsink, but the top Fan will be smaller, too. In that case they could reduce the hight and width of the outer shell.

3078f721173de5a17d0e2367bba26b72.jpg
 
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DaGwaphics

Member
Little cost reductions always happen. I wonder if we will see bigger changes than that from them. I kind of figured they would roll out a gen 2 of both the S and X by 2024 and hold the price points (completely replacing the existing models on the market). Maybe a Zen4/RDNA3 based system.

That might be too much for devs to handle though. They'd basically have to support 4 Xboxes at all times. Might be a problem with cost too, if 5nm is too expensive per transistor.
 
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DaGwaphics

Member
If they come out with a smaller form factor...

Schitts Creek Comedy GIF by CBC

Yeah. If they can fit it into a more standard console form-factor, a lot of people would cheer for that. I play at a desk so the tower wouldn't be a problem for me anyway, but I can see where it can be awkward for some TV cabinets.
 
Yeah. If they can fit it into a more standard console form-factor, a lot of people would cheer for that. I play at a desk so the tower wouldn't be a problem for me anyway, but I can see where it can be awkward for some TV cabinets.
It would be nice if they removed the disc-drive.
 

DaGwaphics

Member
I have a Series S & i can't imagine they can make the Series S any more smaller than it is now

It is tiny, I can see it shrinking if they got a good reduction in power usage.

It would be nice if they removed the disc-drive.

That would be another option, maybe get XSS down to $250 and slide a diskless XSX in at $400 to compete with PS4.

Honestly, it wouldn't bother me if they kept the form of the current XSX throughout, I think it is PS5 that is desperate for a redesign.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
That's my point.
PSU and heatsink can easily be reduced in size without a whole redesign of the complete console. PSU and heatsink (thanks to rising resources costs) are quite major cost factors. So you reduce costs without investing much.

That will also have quite a big impact on weight and reduce shipping costs. The huge aluminum plate can't be redesigned and reduced in size tho. That weight factor will stay the same.


Or they do a slightly bigger redesign.
Internals stay the same besides PSU and heatsink, but the top Fan will be smaller, too. In that case they could reduce the hight and width of the outer shell.

3078f721173de5a17d0e2367bba26b72.jpg

Fuck me, sometimes I forget how much the series x is such a feat in hardware engineering. Incredible.
 
It’s inevitable that slim SX’s and PS5’s are coming, but unless my SX breaks I think I’ll be just fine with it. I even dig how awkward it is; it’s got that rustic “two GameCubes glued together and spray painted black” look.

I wonder if they’ll be able to make a slim PS5 that’s the same size as an actual router though.
 
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