Microsoft has revealed the specifications for its upcoming Xbox One hardware upgrade Project Scorpio in cooperation with Digital Foundry.
First, here are the specs compared to the original Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Pro:
| Project Scorpio | Xbox One | PS4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Eight custom x86 cores clocked at 2.3GHz | Eight custom Jaguar cores clocked at 1.75GHz | Eight Jaguar cores clocked at 2.1GHz |
| GPU | 40 customised compute units at 1172MHz | 12 GCN compute units at 853MHz (Xbox One S: 914MHz) | 36 improved GCN compute units at 911MHz |
| Memory | 12GB GDDR5 | 8GB DDR3/32MB ESRAM | 8GB GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 326GB/s | DDR3: 68GB/s, ESRAM at max 204GB/s (Xbox One S: 219GB/s) | 218GB/s |
| Hard Drive | 1TB 2.5-inch | 500GB/1TB/2TB 2.5-inch | 1TB 2.5-inch |
| Optical Drive | 4K UHD Blu-ray | Blu-ray (Xbox One S: 4K UHD) | Blu-ray |
According to Digital Foundry, compared to PlayStation 4 Pro, Project Scorpio is a “higher-spec machine in every sense, down to the optical drive that plays the new UHD Blu-ray format.” Microsoft didn’t provide Digital Foundry with a price, or an official name nonetheless, but given the specifications, the website predicts it will cost $499.
Digital Foundry saw Project Scorpio running a ForzaTech demo (pictured), which is a stress test based on the Forza Motorsport 6 engine, running the maximum number of cars around a track with dynamic weather and “all the bells and whistles” turned on. According to the website, the demo ran at full 4K resolution and a perfect 60 frames per second. For the original Xbox One to do this at 1080p resolution uses about 90 percent of its power, but Project Scorpio only used 60 to 70 percent of its resources for this higher resolution demo. The graphic settings were then increased to the equivalent of ultra settings on the PC game Forza Motorsport Apex, and “Scorpio still didn’t break a sweat.”
Microsoft will require that all improved Project Scorpio modes for games be available regardless of the display that’s connected, meaning even those with a 1080p TV will be able to choose between performance modes that make the game run better, or resolution modes that will then “supersample” the 4K image down to your 1080p TV, giving you a smoother and prettier picture.
Digital Foundry says that all Xbox One games will run better on Project Scoprio, whether they’re patched with enhanced modes or not. That includes “more stable frame rates that hit their target more often; no screen tearing; maximum possible resolution at all times; nicer-looking textures; and faster load times.”
Digital Foundry has much more coverage of the technical aspects of the hardware through the following links:
- Inside the next Xbox: Project Scorpio tech revealed
- Analysis: Scorpio is console hardware pushed to a new level
- Five ways your Xbox One and Xbox 360 games will be better on Scorpio
- Why Microsoft is making Project Scorpio: Mike Ybarra speaks
- Scorpio made simple: the next Xbox’s tech explained
Microsoft is expected to fully unveil Project Scorpio at E3 2017.