Microsoft reveals key Xbox Series X details – and it looks awesome

Some much-awaited Xbox Series X details just landed on Xbox Wire, courtesy of out-spoken boss, Phil Spencer. 

Spencer claimed that take-home tests of the console are going tremendously well and said: “At Xbox we value being open and transparent with you, and I’m proud to be able to share details about some of the technologies we are enabling for the next generation, and look forward to boldly sharing more as we head towards E3.”

The Xbox Series X will come complete with…

• 12 Teraflops of GPU power
• hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing
• Variable Rate Shading
• Quick Resume feature
• Smart delivery
• Backwards compatibility on games and accessories
• 8K and frame-rate support up to 120fps

Yes, the Xbox Series X will pack in an astonishing 12 Teraflops of GPU performance. That’s more than eight times the power of the original Xbox One and we can’t wait to see how that impacts on the games it’s able to play.

Also notable is the reveal of ‘hardware-accelerated DirectX raytracing’ and ‘Variable Rate Shading’. Spencer explains: “Our patented form of VRS empowers developers to more efficiently utilize the full power of the Xbox Series X. Rather than spending GPU cycles uniformly to every single pixel on the screen, they can prioritise individual effects on specific game characters or important environmental objects. This technique results in more stable frame rates and higher resolution, with no impact on the final image quality.”

Related: PS5 vs Xbox Series X — Which upcoming console will rule the next generation?

What other exciting stuff has Spencer revealed about the Xbox Series X?

The console will support 8K gaming and frame rates up to 120 fps, allowing developers to go further than the current industry-standard 60 fps. There are also important moves to reduce latency, both from player-to-console – thanks to a new controller – and from console to monitor, thanks to “HDMI 2.1 innovation”.

The idea that gamers will get to play more and wait less is not only a result of the superior processing power, but the new ‘Quick Resume’ feature which “lets you continue multiple games from a suspended state almost instantly, returning you to where you were and what you were doing, without waiting through long loading screens.”

Backwards compatibility has been further confirmed – with Xbox also noting that “Your Xbox One gaming accessories also come forward with you”.

Related: Xbox Series X — Everything we know about the upcoming next-gen console

Spencer added: “In addition to games from across four generations of consoles, our leading game subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, will continue to have our first party games, like Halo Infinite, included at their launch.  We look forward to millions of you experiencing the Xbox Game Pass portfolio and immersing yourselves in a deep library of high-quality games, playing those you love now and also discovering your next great adventure.”

Also, the Xbox boss added details on the console family’s ‘Smart Delivery’ system. He said: “We’re making the commitment to use Smart Delivery on all our exclusive Xbox Game Studios titles, including Halo Infinite, ensuring you only have to purchase a title once in order to play the best available version for whichever Xbox console they choose to play on. This technology is available for all developers and publishers, and they can choose to use it for titles that will be release on Xbox One first and come to the Xbox Series X later.”