“Series X 6nm! YES! We found it!” Those are not my words, but Austin Evans’, with a new video revealing the new discless edition of the Xbox Series X, showing what is believed to be the first major revision of Microsoft’s console since 2020.
Revelation of the Series X Revision
Returning to Austin Evans’ video, the nature of the Series X revision is fully revealed. Moving from 7nm to 6nm, the chip itself is smaller. Evans is seen measuring the processor, but does not indicate the size of the die.
Cooling System and Design Changes
Thanks to this, Microsoft follows Sony in also reducing the quality of the cooling system. The impressive weight of the old cooler with its vapor chamber is replaced by a more conventional design with copper heat pipes.
Implications and Questions for the Future
In this week’s DF Direct, a fan asks us why Microsoft took so long to produce a new Xbox, considering that Sony adopted 6nm technology two years ago and the Series X has a much larger processor, potentially resulting in higher cost savings. They also asked why the energy saving is not more pronounced than that of the PS5.
Many will agree with Layden – certainly the legions of PS4 and Xbox One owners who have not felt the need to upgrade their consoles, based on the sparse numbers we have on Sony and Microsoft’s player bases compared to console sales numbers. However, this contrasts with Nvidia’s rampant success, especially in the PC space, where RTX cards triumph and where the ray tracing and AI features of these products have clearly found an audience. The RTX 40 series, in particular, has gained ground in a way that is not in line with our own expectations regarding the price increases we have witnessed. It is particularly remarkable to see that, undoubtedly, the cheapest GPU in the 40 series – the 4060 Ti – proudly ranks fourth in the Steam Hardware Survey at the time of writing this article.
Innovation Driven by Technology
I agree with Layden when he says that content is always king – something proven once again by the Nintendo Switch – but new technology is a key factor for new gaming experiences and I would say that Nintendo also agrees, based on what we know about the design of the Switch. In fact, among Nvidia, Intel, AMD, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, it is clear that future innovation will be based on enhancements to current technology, augmented with more powerful RT and machine learning features. At this point, the direction of the journey is essentially set, but the main challenge is to present it at an affordable price.
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