Xbox Series S is closer to becoming a reality thanks to new leaked document
A new leaked document from Microsoft has emerged online, once again hinting at the existence of a second next-gen console known as Xbox Series S.
The report comes from The Verge, who has become a regular outlet when it comes to leaks relating to the next generation of Xbox.
According to the report, Microsoft is planning a second, cheaper and less powerful console known as Xbox Lockhart. It will feature many of the features found in Xbox Series X, but offer a much lower price point.
It will provide a gaming experience at 1080p and 1440p, although increased resolutions and fancy features such as ray tracing might not be present, largely due to the power of the rumoured hardware.
an Anaconda snake is etched into the Xbox Series X mainboard, so what's going to be eteched into Lockhart? pic.twitter.com/cV7oXoDZmO
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) March 17, 2020
The Verge claims that this new document describes a profiling mode, which is part of the Xbox Series X development kit. This devkit, codenamed Dante, allows developers to enable a Lockhart mode which lets them hit the performance profile expected from the second console.
In terms of specs, Lockhart will apparently feature 7.5GB of ram, a less powerful CPU and roughly 4 teraflops of GPU performance. This is far lower than Xbox Series X, which is arguably one of the most powerful consoles we’ve ever seen. That being said, it’s still no slouch.
It remains unclear when Microsoft plans to unveil this second console, or if it will launch alongside the Xbox Series X later this year. We imagine launching the most powerful console as a flagship would be the smarter move, since it will attract a number of passionate early adopters.
Microsoft has said it will hold a presentation in July which will focus on major first-party titles, with a teaser having emerged for Halo Infinite earlier this week. There’s always a chance we’ll catch a glimpse at the console there, or the company will choose to focus on games much like Sony’s recent effort.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
