Microsoft / Xbox

Xbox Series X specs the PS5 has to compete with

Official Xbox Series X specs have been released, courtesy of Phil Spencer. Here’s a deep dive into what exactly was said, including details of ray tracing, Quick Resume and the maximum frame rate.

One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that console wars aren’t necessarily bad. Pre-social media (yes, I’m older than I look), it used to be something you argued with your friends in the playground. Nowadays you get to watch angry mouth-breathers argue publically about inane details.

Tedious much. But the fight does help drive innovation because there’s bucketloads of money to be made from gaming and Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony do it best. Even mobile gaming, which erupted into mainstream popularity, never killed consoles as some had (stupidly) predicted.

So as we head towards the Xbox Series X launch later in 2020, let’s not get fixated on whether the PS5 will be as powerful. Or how many terrorflaps (that’s now a thing) of number-crunching it can do. What matters to consumers is that progress is made and consumers have a choice.

Based on what Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said in the blog post, the Xbox Series X indicates both. Improved graphics, near-instant loading times, much smoother visuals, fancier ray tracing lighing (something coming to Forza Motorsport 8, allegedly) and a whole lot more does sound tempting.

Plus it seems like there is more of a focus on the games themselves as opposed to the TV, TV, TV seen with the Xbox One. The strategy was sound. Make a games console a media hub so more people can justify having one. But games make a console and there were too few exclusives last generation. It cost Microsoft.

Admittedly, there are still a lot of missing Xbox Series X details. But what we do know is now concrete and paints an interesting picture. So be sure to watch the video above and let me know what YOU want from the new Microsoft console.