Microsoft confirms Xbox Series X feature 12 Teraflops AMD RDNA 2 GPU

It’s official: the first RDNA 2-based GPU goes to XBOX Series X

Microsoft has confirmed the initial specs of the XBOX Series X console. The device will feature a Zen 2 custom processor with RDNA 2-based graphics unit. The GPU alone will have 12 Teraflops of computing power. This is twice as much as the current Xbox One X and eight times the original Xbox One.

The new console will support Variable Rate Shading (VRS), which is a new technology optimizing the GPU usage by prioritizing the importance of environmental objects and how they should be displayed. This should provide a more stable frame rate and no loss in image quality. This technology is already supported by NVIDIA Turing and Intel Gen11 graphics.

The XBOX Series X featuring RDNA GPU will also support hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing. This is the ultimate proof that AMD’s upcoming RDNA2 architecture is capable of hardware raytracing. The lack of HW-RT was clearly putting AMD GPUs at a disadvantage over NVIDIA Turing GPUs.

What’s also interesting is that the new console will support HDMI 2.1, something that no consumer graphics card does.

Features of XBOX Series X:

• Next Generation Custom Processor: Xbox Series X is our most powerful console ever powered by our custom designed processor leveraging AMD’s latest Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures. Delivering four times the processing power of an Xbox One and enabling developers to leverage 12 TFLOPS of GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) performance – twice that of an Xbox One X and more than eight times the original Xbox One. Xbox Series X delivers a true generational leap in processing and graphics power with cutting edge techniques resulting in higher framerates, larger, more sophisticated game worlds, and an immersive experience unlike anything seen in console gaming.
• Variable Rate Shading (VRS): Our patented form of VRS empowers developers to more efficiently utilize the full power of the Xbox Series X. Rather than spending GPU cycles uniformly to every single pixel on the screen, they can prioritize individual effects on specific game characters or important environmental objects. This technique results in more stable frame rates and higher resolution, with no impact on the final image quality.
• Hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing: You can expect more dynamic and realistic environments powered by hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing – a first for console gaming. This means true-to-life lighting, accurate reflections and realistic acoustics in real time as you explore the game world.
• SSD Storage: With our next-generation SSD, nearly every aspect of playing games is improved. Game worlds are larger, more dynamic and load in a flash and fast travel is just that – fast.
• Quick Resume: The new Quick Resume feature lets you continue multiple games from a suspended state almost instantly, returning you to where you were and what you were doing, without waiting through long loading screens.
• Dynamic Latency Input (DLI): We’re optimizing latency in the player-to-console pipeline starting with our Xbox Wireless Controller, which leverages our high bandwidth, proprietary wireless communication protocol when connected to the console. With Dynamic Latency Input (DLI), a new feature which synchronizes input immediately with what is displayed, controls are even more precise and responsive.
• HDMI 2.1 Innovation: We’ve partnered with the HDMI forum and TV manufacturers to enable the best gaming experience through features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). ALLM allows Xbox One and Xbox Series X to automatically set the connected display to its lowest latency mode. VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate, maintaining smooth visuals without tearing. Ensuring minimal lag and the most responsive gaming experience.
• 120 fps Support: With support for up to 120 fps, Xbox Series X allows developers to exceed standard 60 fps output in favor of heightened realism or fast-paced action.

Source: XBOX