Xbox Series S/X: Thread 02

[QualityChimp]

Xbox Series X Gets Ray Tracing & Machine Learning Specs, Boasting 3-10X Performance Improvement

"The Xbox Series X architecture is going to be discussed later today at the virtual Hot Chips conference, where Microsoft's Jeff Andrews (Computer Architect) and Mark Grossman (Lead GPU Architect at Xbox) will go on a very technical deep dive of the next-gen Xbox hardware.

Meanwhile, though, Microsoft did share the presentation slides beforehand. There are some interesting tidbits, such as the specifications for the DirectX Ray Tracing hardware acceleration available in the Xbox Series X.

According to the slide, the console can reach a peak of 380 Giga ray-box per second and 95 Giga ray-triangle per second. However, the slide clearly mentions that these are custom units and as such, we cannot really compare them to anything, such as NVIDIA's Turing 10 Giga rays per second.

However, Microsoft does boast a 'minor area cost' on the die for the ray tracing hardware which in turn provides a 3-10x acceleration when using ray tracing."

[QualityChimp]

I mean...neither of these consoles are lookers but that really is just a black box.

It reminds me of a whiskey presentation box.

[Neon Ignition]

The design of the Series X is pretty much a match for the branding, functional but insanely boring. I still maintain that the design philosphy of appealing to middle aged gamers who want a discreet living room profile is a huge mistake and is where despite the pops the PS5 has had it's design will help it to sell gangbusters because it actually has a visual identity and impact on the eye even if someone isn't a fan.

[QualityChimp]

Yeah, that's an interesting suggestion. How important is product recognition?

The Xbox is so subtle, it looks like an air purifier.

[nonny]

It reminds me of a whiskey presentation box.

That is my favourite whiskey! Maybe what's why I love the subtle design?!

[Neon Ignition]

It reminds me of the PS1/3/4 reveals where all were derided to various extents, remedied by revisions and then liked in later years. That and it creates discussion and that fuels PR.

With the PS5, it is over sized and stands out a mile but I think it's the psychology of it as well. MS talks about Series X being the most powerful console but to look at it's a void of impression, at best it evokes the exact same imagery as its predecessor which is a not that beloved under achiever. Do a simple Google Image search for 'futuristic design' and it immediately pulls up a mountain of photos of LED lit sweeping lines in white across room designs, cars, bikes, homes, utensils etc which I think is the same impression they've tried for with the design of PS5. The visual identity that it is futuristic, a branding that is looking forward whilst Xbox is still looking back - hell, it's biggest talking point is often still about playing old games, less about future ones.

It's surprising MS missed that trick as it's kind of the one they pulled off with X360. A clumsy, ugly black box replaced by a sweeping trim white design.

[Junko]

I’d say it’s purely functional as opposed to a stylish monolith

[Cassius_Smoke]

That's true. If you look at pretty much any electric car, Tesla, BMW ect, they all have a 'futuristic look'. Sweeping lines, clear panels, often white. Sony has followed this too.

[nonny]

Are you suggesting it's a Volvo?

[QualityChimp]

Can anyone else remember the talk about the 360 design where it's narrower in the middle to suggest a coiled spring, about to unleash its energy?

Or is it the voices again?

[teddymeow]

Can anyone else remember the talk about the 360 design where it's narrower in the middle to suggest a coiled spring, about to unleash its energy?

Or is it the voices again?

Wasn't it to represent breathing in?

Here we go:

Gamasutra: And what was the reason for the concavity? It seems to make the system less stackable.

Lovelady: There are two or three things that came into play. One, more than anything, is regarding the access point to entertainment - we wanted something that wasn't just a static box, but that reflected the harnessed power. This is something that most of the press has yet to pick up on, but having taken the X off of the top of the system, we also designed it so that no matter what face of the console you looked at, you would still see a subtle X shape, because of the ergonomics of it.

We talk about it in terms of the inhale - it's like the console is breathing in, pulling in all of this energy before you release it again. The idea is then that it's become a little denser, a little more compact, with implied motion, rather than just a static thing. Then when you go from horizontal to vertical it has a real functional effect, which is that it [creates] more airflow around the product.

The last bit about better airflow has aged well...RROD anybody?

[Neon Ignition]

So we've established Microsoft has designed:



Sony has designed:

[Cassius_Smoke]

So we've established Microsoft has designed:



Sony has designed:

Now imagine the van has slightly more horsepower and decide which one you'd rather drive.

[QualityChimp]

Wasn't it to represent breathing in?

Cheers mate. I knew it was something like that!

[nonny]

This is fairly accurate as the BMW is ****ing ugly.

I think the XSX is more the A Team van....