cormack12
Gold Member
First a moment to reember the fallen from the previous thread. We salute you brothers and sisters. More will no doubt join you. I've tried to collate what I can, if anything is wrong just give us a shout and I'll correct it and try to keep the first thread updated
Names
PlayStation: Strongly expected to be PlayStation 6
Xbox: Helix (codename only)
Unconfirmed Specifications (pieced together from leaks/articles)
| Specs | PlayStation 6 | Xbox Helix |
| Process node | TSMC N2 (2nm) | TSMC N3P (3nm) |
| Die size | 280mm² | 408mm² |
| CPU | 8× Zen 6c +2 Zen 6 LP cores | 3× Zen 6 + 8× Zen 6c (hybrid) |
| CPU clock | 4–5 GHz | At least 5 GHz, likely 5.5–6 GHz |
| GPU | 54 RDNA 5 CUs | 68 RDNA 5 CUs |
| GPU clock | 3 GHz | At least 2.5 GHz |
| RAM | 30–40GB GDDR7 (TBC) | 36–48GB GDDR7 (TBC) |
| Memory bandwidth | 640 GB/s (160-bit bus) | TBC (192-bit bus) |
| Rasterization | 3× PS5 (34–40 TFlops) | 5–6× Xbox Series X |
| Ray tracing | 6–12× PS5 | 20× Xbox Series X |
| Target output | 4K/120Hz | 4K/120Hz+ |
Hardware details
- Key RDNA 5 Technologies: Three technologies co-developed by AMD and Sony under Project Amethystare expected to feature in both consoles. That is confirmed for the PS6 by Mark Cerny, and presumed for Project Helix, given that they are core RDNA 5 architectural features, though Microsoft has not explicitly confirmed this.
- Radiance Cores: Dedicated hardware for ray and path tracing, taking full control of ray traversal and freeing shader cores for their primary functions
- Neural Arrays: GPU compute units grouped to function as a unified AI engine, enabling better upscaling and denoising at lower GPU cost
- Universal Compression: A pipeline-level software layer compressing all data types to effectively boost memory bandwidth without additional hardware cost
- Dedicated NPU: Both consoles feature a Neural Processing Unit to handle ML-driven tasks, which will be a lot more important in the next console generation.
Handheld crossover
Rumour | Sony's heavily rumored Project Canis, a dedicated PlayStation handheld reportedly launching alongside or shortly after the PS6. Leaked specs point to a monolithic APU on TSMC 3nm with 16 RDNA 5 compute units, 4× Zen 6c cores for games, and LPDDR5X memory. It would deliver roughly a quarter of the PS6's rasterization performance in handheld mode, with stronger-than-expected ray tracing thanks to RDNA 5 efficiency gains. Sony has been updating PS5 developer kits to support "Low Power Mode" with games running on just eight CPU threads, widely interpreted as quiet preparation for handheld hardware.
Rumour | Cancelled
Rumoured Pricing
Both consoles are expected to be priced as premium products in a speculated range:
Sony: $550 - $800
Xbox: $900 - $1200
Fidelity Strategies
Both companies seem to be pushing for 4K/120Hz as the premium experience, which will be facilitated by heavy investment into
- Neural engines for upscaling resolution: Xbox is expected to persist with FSR, while Sony continue to develop PSSR
- AI frame generation
- Ray regeneration
The different approaches/strategy
Microsoft (PC-Console hybrid)
Seem to be banking on high end, premium device to really focus on ray tracing and high frame rates
Seems to be focused on bringing together different ecosystems with Xbox as the access point (e.g. boot up Xbox or into Xbox mode and load up multiple libraries/storefronts)
Backward compatibility is a core mandate for legacy libraries and game preservation
Sony (Traditional immersive living room experience)
Seem to be seeking a more balanced, power efficient means of delivery and relying on features to deliver the premium feel
Continuing on their core business of closed, highly optimised hardware and a renewed focus on first party exclusive titles
Core integration with other devices like the rumoured handheld and companion devices
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