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[MLiD] AMD Magnus APU Full Leak: RDNA 5, Zen 6, 110 TOPS NPU = XBOX Next-Gen Console!

Looking at the leaks there seems to be a bigger gap then $200 Xbox has bigger chip + npu full zen6 cores more memory, taking all that into account I think $1000 is at least don't forget they're charging $800 for the series x the only way it's $800 is if Microsoft eat some of the cost but going by recent actions they won't be

I'd rather they make it as premium as possible. All they have to do is stay under the price of a similarly powerful prebuilt PC. Also make that Xbox Full Screen Experience only available to these devices and portables preventing it from being installed on traditional PCs like they're already doing with the Beta for it.
 
Looking at the leaks there seems to be a bigger gap then $200 Xbox has bigger chip + npu full zen6 cores more memory, taking all that into account I think $1000 is at least don't forget they're charging $800 for the series x the only way it's $800 is if Microsoft eat some of the cost but going by recent actions they won't be

The Magnus chip is not much better than the Orion chip despite the die area. Chiplet is a cost reduction mechanism.

I think it has a higher chance of being $1000 than $800. $800 was just the minimum in the scenario they get tariff exempt as a PC.
 
The Magnus chip is not much better than the Orion chip despite the die area. Chiplet is a cost reduction mechanism.

I think it has a higher chance of being $1000 than $800. $800 was just the minimum in the scenario they get tariff exempt as a PC.

What are their sales expectations if this new Xbox is going to retail for $1,000?
 
It's only massive because it's chiplets, so ~50mm2 is wasted. If it was a monolithic apu it'll be around ~360-370 like the Xb1, Xb1x, and Series X.



Magnus SOC with NPU and CPU is already way too power hungry for a handheld. 30+ watt TDP.
The handheld, if it comes out, will use monolithic off the shelf Zen6 + RDNA5 APUs such as the Medusa Halo Mini.
Yes, I assumed they would disable some CPU cores and clock lower if they used the Magnus CPU SOC for handhelds. Regardless, AT4 is pretty much for Laptops and Handhelds.

PS6 Canis has four Zen 6C CPU cores.

Xbox Ally X with the Z2X AI has 8 Zen 5 or Zen 5C cores. It has a 50 TOPS NPU. It's not that far off from the Magnus CPU. If Sony can disable a CPU core in the Orion, MS could probably disable at least one of the Zen 6 cores in Magnus if they were to use on handhelds.

I think MS will recommend Asus to make device slightly bigger for next gen handhelds, by doing 8" screen, so they have better room for cooling. Kepler stated that the handhelds would be using 28 Watts at least vs 15 Watts Canis.

GPD Win 5 shoved a 45-65 watt Laptop chip in their handheld. But that relies on external battery. Had they simply made device bigger, they likely could've kept both.

Also, not sure if Magnus has a Pluton security chip, probably does, that is probably what will ensure Console library BC and FC on devices with Magnus.
If they're aiming for a 300W power ceiling, then they're likely to avoid clocking at 3GHz with that wide of a gpu and there's no posts or reports online showing Kepler and MLiD agreeing that they'd clock their gpu at no lower than 3GHz, at least , none that I could find and I sifted through their posts on X and MLiD's video on YouTube, which Kepler reposted, and that probably doesn't confirm anything. If it does, then the delta between the two next gen systems is at ≈23% on the gpu side, lower than the delta between SX and PS5. Still, I doubt they'll clock that high to make backwards compatibility with older systems more seamless.
You should read this thread from beginning.


"I don't see how PS6 can match Magnus, it has fewer CPU cores, lower CPU frequency, fewer CUs, fewer ROPs, lower GPU frequency, less cache and memory bandwidth. It's not a huge difference but Magnus should have better performance in 100% of games unlike this gen where it's more of a 50/50."
I'd rather they make it as premium as possible. All they have to do is stay under the price of a similarly powerful prebuilt PC. Also make that Xbox Full Screen Experience only available to these devices and portables preventing it from being installed on traditional PCs like they're already doing with the Beta for it.
It's going to be a Console, NOT PC. The Xbox PC is a different form factor. So don't expect it to be simply a PC with XFSE. It will still look and function like a console even if it runs full windows.

The Xbox OS shell and Console UI/UX, running GDKX optimized Console games. The PC games are in addition to that. It's about PC/Console Convergence, not replacement of the Console form factor.

Easy route is to simply run Xbox OS as a subsystem of the full windows running underneath. The windows would be explorer less so expect no Desktop mode or File System Access on the Console.
 
Yes, I assumed they would disable some CPU cores and clock lower if they used the Magnus CPU SOC for handhelds. Regardless, AT4 is pretty much for Laptops and Handhelds.

PS6 Canis has four Zen 6C CPU cores.

Xbox Ally X with the Z2X AI has 8 Zen 5 or Zen 5C cores. It has a 50 TOPS NPU. It's not that far off from the Magnus CPU. If Sony can disable a CPU core in the Orion, MS could probably disable at least one of the Zen 6 cores in Magnus if they were to use on handhelds.

I think MS will recommend Asus to make device slightly bigger for next gen handhelds, by doing 8" screen, so they have better room for cooling. Kepler stated that the handhelds would be using 28 Watts at least vs 15 Watts Canis.

GPD Win 5 shoved a 45-65 watt Laptop chip in their handheld. But that relies on external battery. Had they simply made device bigger, they likely could've kept both.

Also, not sure if Magnus has a Pluton security chip, probably does, that is probably what will ensure Console library BC and FC on devices with Magnus.

You should read this thread from beginning.


"I don't see how PS6 can match Magnus, it has fewer CPU cores, lower CPU frequency, fewer CUs, fewer ROPs, lower GPU frequency, less cache and memory bandwidth. It's not a huge difference but Magnus should have better performance in 100% of games unlike this gen where it's more of a 50/50."

It's going to be a Console, NOT PC. The Xbox PC is a different form factor. So don't expect it to be simply a PC with XFSE. It will still look and function like a console even if it runs full windows.

The Xbox OS shell and Console UI/UX, running GDKX optimized Console games. The PC games are in addition to that. It's about PC/Console Convergence, not replacement of the Console form factor.

Easy route is to simply run Xbox OS as a subsystem of the full windows running underneath. The windows would be explorer less so expect no Desktop mode or File System Access on the Console.

Im not too concerned with the confusing wording. If it runs the PC versions of the games that can be purchased from various storefronts then it is a PC. They could allow me to put the Full Screen Experience on my desktop and it would still be a PC. If it can run older Xbox console games thats cool. Our PCs can do that too. Microsoft always gotta make things confusing for no reason. If they make a "console" that can only buy things from a Microsoft/Xbox Storefront then nobody is going to buy that shit.
 
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Tbh i dont see why magnus is going to be in the $900+ srp? 56cu is no different from today, MS even downgraded from 256bit to 192bit bus.

If they wanted, im sure they could do a late 2026 launch at $749~799 using 3np. Depends on how badass sarah wants to be, back to xbox/360 gory days of launching new 3d tech ahead of equivalents pc gpu.

Xbox nv2 was in between gf3 and gf4 while pc peasant race only had gf3

360 xenos was first unified shaders gpu ahead of 8800gt and pc poors only had ati crappie x1800
 
Yes, I assumed they would disable some CPU cores and clock lower if they used the Magnus CPU SOC for handhelds. Regardless, AT4 is pretty much for Laptops and Handhelds.

PS6 Canis has four Zen 6C CPU cores.

Xbox Ally X with the Z2X AI has 8 Zen 5 or Zen 5C cores. It has a 50 TOPS NPU. It's not that far off from the Magnus CPU. If Sony can disable a CPU core in the Orion, MS could probably disable at least one of the Zen 6 cores in Magnus if they were to use on handhelds.

I think MS will recommend Asus to make device slightly bigger for next gen handhelds, by doing 8" screen, so they have better room for cooling. Kepler stated that the handhelds would be using 28 Watts at least vs 15 Watts Canis.

GPD Win 5 shoved a 45-65 watt Laptop chip in their handheld. But that relies on external battery. Had they simply made device bigger, they likely could've kept both.

Also, not sure if Magnus has a Pluton security chip, probably does, that is probably what will ensure Console library BC and FC on devices with Magnus.

You should read this thread from beginning.


"I don't see how PS6 can match Magnus, it has fewer CPU cores, lower CPU frequency, fewer CUs, fewer ROPs, lower GPU frequency, less cache and memory bandwidth. It's not a huge difference but Magnus should have better performance in 100% of games unlike this gen where it's more of a 50/50."

It's going to be a Console, NOT PC. The Xbox PC is a different form factor. So don't expect it to be simply a PC with XFSE. It will still look and function like a console even if it runs full windows.

The Xbox OS shell and Console UI/UX, running GDKX optimized Console games. The PC games are in addition to that. It's about PC/Console Convergence, not replacement of the Console form factor.

Easy route is to simply run Xbox OS as a subsystem of the full windows running underneath. The windows would be explorer less so expect no Desktop mode or File System Access on the Console.
Where in there does Kepler mention 3GHz clocks? He mentions Magnus winning in performance 100 percent of the time due to Orion being weaker in on paper specs, but still no mention of clocks anywhere. Also of course it would win, Microsoft will stretch the price as far as they could take it, but keep it well within the power consumption constraints dictated by both US and EU law for certain types of devices. If the power ceiling is 300W, they'll attempt to keep as close to that peak power ceiling as possible to comply with those laws. Yes, it'll be more powerful, as was the case with the Xbox series X when compared to the ps5, but it won't be the same deltas we saw this gen, even if both are clocked the same. And it'll push cpu specs as well alongside the rest…but also have a price to match.

APU's will once again be semi-custom, so Magnus and Orion will have unique SOC capabilities that set them apart and I doubt Sony would spend so much time on bespoke hardware IO & ML blocks only to end up abandoning them and settling on AMD reference design hardware blocks. They'll definitely improve upon those, in the same way Microsoft had SFS filters in their hardware, they won't just abandon those blocks, they'll improve upon them.
 
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Tbh i dont see why magnus is going to be in the $900+ srp? 56cu is no different from today, MS even downgraded from 256bit to 192bit bus.

If they wanted, im sure they could do a late 2026 launch at $749~799 using 3np. Depends on how badass sarah wants to be, back to xbox/360 gory days of launching new 3d tech ahead of equivalents pc gpu.

Xbox nv2 was in between gf3 and gf4 while pc peasant race only had gf3

360 xenos was first unified shaders gpu ahead of 8800gt and pc poors only had ati crappie x1800
Stop dreaming. What they have done in the past is totally irrelevant. The idea here is to build something that uses parts, including dies, that are used elsewhere in the PC space.

These dies (and software to drive them) will be ready when they are ready. And that seems to be in 2027. Regardless of what Sarah (or rather, you...) want.
 
Just asking out of ignorance: if chiplets have better yields than chips, couldn't be Magnus have the same price as PS6? It seems that what is killing the Series (production wise) are the increase cost of the low yields. If you can mitigate that, while also having more power than the PS6, isn't that like having your cake and eat it?
 
What are their sales expectations if this new Xbox is going to retail for $1,000?

Internally, with their current data and seeing what this gen has done. Yeah I expect they will be happy with anything from 10 to 20 million. They can't really expect more than that if its a grand.

Now, if it offers an experience that warrants that price point. I'll be on asap for a spare room gaming option.
 
Just asking out of ignorance: if chiplets have better yields than chips, couldn't be Magnus have the same price as PS6? It seems that what is killing the Series (production wise) are the increase cost of the low yields. If you can mitigate that, while also having more power than the PS6, isn't that like having your cake and eat it?
Smaller chips are generally cheaper to make even if the yields are similar because you can fit more of them on a circular platter, and chip cost is a function of platter cost divided by the number of chips you get from it.
That being said though a single larger chip in a "standard" package can end up being less expensive than a system of chips packed onto some interposer chip or via a complex die-to-die interconnect - because the packaging is both expensive and tend to lower actual yields due to chips lost during packaging process.
So you can't just assume that a chiplet based system would be cheaper than the one using one chip. The actual cost depends heavily on the packaging used and the logistics of the production process.
 
Stop dreaming. What they have done in the past is totally irrelevant. The idea here is to build something that uses parts, including dies, that are used elsewhere in the PC space.

These dies (and software to drive them) will be ready when they are ready. And that seems to be in 2027. Regardless of what Sarah (or rather, you...) want.

Idk mate, from the leaks, the first xbox series 2x is following the same play book, in terms of the hardware. It's still a single chip apu, using the upper mainstream gpu. They definitely can get it out on 3np in late 2026. By then, the cutting edge is 2nm which will be crowded, demand not just from apple qualcomm and mediatek but also amd and intel next gen cpu.

Last we hear, nvidia will stick with 3np and I guess amd too, so next gen gpu are designed around 3np and projected for q1 2027.

MS can squeezed their 2x before that, it could be cheaper to book earlier too!

The main difference i see, is Sarah opening up the 2X hardware ip, for partners make their own 2x with a selection of apu.

But MS will start off their 52-56cu apu to get next gen rolling
 
What does it matter if the Xbox has a performance advantage in every department when 95% of developers will be targeting and optimising for the dominant platform?

...and that ain't Xbox.
 
The only way to hit back super hard is to take a hit on hardware, make sure it outclasses ps6 in every way system wise, and services wise.

Make sure Gta6 runs the best on your specific platform.

Sell it for 400/500.

You win the generation.
Didn't they try that already?
"The world's most powerful console that eats monsters for breakfast"?
If it didn't work that time, when their previous console had a good install base, why would it work now when the Series console has the smallest install base in 3 gens and is already seemingly out of production, 2 years before the next one is released?
 
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Didn't they try that already?
"The world's most powerful console that eats monsters for breakfast"?
If it didn't work that time, when their previous console had a good install base, why would it work now when the Series console has the smallest install base in 3 gens and is already seemingly out of production, 2 years before the next one is released?
Yep. The answer was what Phil said it wasn't the answer (Spencer lying, I know, shock!): games. Exclusive well executed delayed until perfection games. And that's what Xbox doesn't have since before Reach (Reach was so obviously a Destiny alpha with all those bullet sponges…) with few honorable exceptions. Sony too hasn't delivered since TLoU 1 but at least the public seems to love the turds they've been producing over the last 13 years… so they public stayed there.
 
Yep. The answer was what Phil said it wasn't the answer (Spencer lying, I know, shock!): games. Exclusive well executed delayed until perfection games. And that's what Xbox doesn't have since before Reach (Reach was so obviously a Destiny alpha with all those bullet sponges…) with few honorable exceptions. Sony too hasn't delivered since TLoU 1 but at least the public seems to love the turds they've been producing over the last 13 years… so they public stayed there.
Astro Bot is good! The rest yes, massive smelly boring turds...
 
What does it matter if the Xbox has a performance advantage in every department when 95% of developers will be targeting and optimising for the dominant platform?

...and that ain't Xbox.
I think you answered your own question... It matters because it gives a performance advantage.

PS6 being the lead platform might mean that this performance advantage isn't as great as it could have been otherwise but an advantage is still an advantage.

As others has pointed out though: PS6 vs NextBox might end up largely being an apples vs oranges thing - in that sense it won't matter at all...
 
Im not too concerned with the confusing wording. If it runs the PC versions of the games that can be purchased from various storefronts then it is a PC. They could allow me to put the Full Screen Experience on my desktop and it would still be a PC. If it can run older Xbox console games thats cool. Our PCs can do that too. Microsoft always gotta make things confusing for no reason. If they make a "console" that can only buy things from a Microsoft/Xbox Storefront then nobody is going to buy that shit.
I dont se how it can be a proper console like some insiders keep insisting on it.. this thing is going to be super niche at the price point and brand.. and noone outside maybe MS will loose time optimizing for it ... and playing older console games dosent make it a console imho ... but anyway lets wait.
 
I dont se how it can be a proper console like some insiders keep insisting on it.. this thing is going to be super niche at the price point and brand.. and noone outside maybe MS will loose time optimizing for it ... and playing older console games dosent make it a console imho ... but anyway lets wait.
Super Series X with no ability to upgrade parts. Runs all PC stores. Hardware Xbox BC. Maybe some slightly unique hardware AI business.

But yeah, the bizarre insistence on calling it a console but never explaining what that is, is getting a little old. Insiders saying what little they can I guess.
 
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I dont se how it can be a proper console like some insiders keep insisting on it.. this thing is going to be super niche at the price point and brand.. and noone outside maybe MS will loose time optimizing for it ... and playing older console games dosent make it a console imho ... but anyway lets wait.
Its pretty simple in my eyes

If it has BC to your Xbox library its a console

PCs will not get BC to your Xbox library, again that would be a license nightmare for MS

I guess another simple question we will need to see will it play GTA 6 day one IF it comes out before R* launches the PC version of GTA 6?

Doesn't matter how powerful next gen xbox will be, Microsoft will kill it with whatever version of Windows it will run on.
Oh its DOA regardless
 
I guess another simple question we will need to see will it play GTA 6 day one IF it comes out before R* launches the PC version of GTA 6?
Still the biggest open question in my mind. If SneakersSO is to be believed, there is no console specific game SKUs next gen. That would basically put GTA off until an official PC release happens. But I'm not sure how reliable his info is.
 
I dont se how it can be a proper console like some insiders keep insisting on it.. this thing is going to be super niche at the price point and brand.. and noone outside maybe MS will loose time optimizing for it ... and playing older console games dosent make it a console imho ... but anyway lets wait.

I think if its fixed hardware and its running a console environment, using a specific API game design environment and not just a PC code base / Wiindows then its fundamentally a traditional console in my eyes. It could cost 2 grand and id still call it a console if it was running software for its dedicated hardware in a dedicated software environment, even if its windows derivative.

Does that make sense?
 
Still the biggest open question in my mind. If SneakersSO is to be believed, there is no console specific game SKUs next gen. That would basically put GTA off until an official PC release happens. But I'm not sure how reliable his info is.
I mean we know GTA 6 isn't launching on PC right away but guess that doesn't count as "next gen"

Who knows how long it will be for the PC launch
 
Yes most probably like all other successful SOCs today. There's zero logic for MS or Amd to veer off the common path unless it's useful going forward
Well, previously console APUs were integrated on a single die. And I think the poster's point was that you have to take into account the combined size of the GPU + CPU dies (408 mm^2).
 
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I think if its fixed hardware and its running a console environment, using a specific API game design environment and not just a PC code base / Wiindows then its fundamentally a traditional console in my eyes. It could cost 2 grand and id still call it a console if it was running software for its dedicated hardware in a dedicated software environment, even if its windows derivative.

Does that make sense?
Even the bolded seems unclear for the next Xbox. Would you call it a PC if that's not the case?

These definitions are getting very arbitrary. This is not how we should be defining consumer segments.
 
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PCs will not get BC to your Xbox library, again that would be a license nightmare for MS
Even that part I honestly don't quite understand after listening to the AMD announcement. Seems like the whole point of that new chip is BC, and it will be across multiple devices. I don't know!
 
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Its pretty simple in my eyes

If it has BC to your Xbox library its a console

PCs will not get BC to your Xbox library, again that would be a license nightmare for MS

I guess another simple question we will need to see will it play GTA 6 day one IF it comes out before R* launches the PC version of GTA 6?

That is a good point. I also do not expect a completely open OS on the console. I think it will only run apps that are whitelisted and approved by MS/XB. They will leave it to the OEMs to run the gaming optimized full version of Windows 11.
 
Even that part I honestly don't quite understand after listening to the AMD announcement. Seems like the whole point of that new chip is BC, and it will be across multiple devices. I don't know!
The Magnus chip is slated to be used in both the console and the OEM PCs as far as I know, last I heard anyhow

Only the console will have BC with your Xbox library
 
Well, previously console APUs were integrated on a single die. And I think the poster's point was that you have to take into account the combined size of the GPU + CPU dies (408 mm^2).

I bet magnus and its derivatives, and orion, all will be on the same single die, it can be stacked, tiles, fabric connected.

There is no way they will go back to PS360 design


ps3rsxboard.jpg
Xbox_360_revisions_xenon_motherboard.jpg
 
IF the console makes it to market I will be shocked they last 7 years, they are in so much trouble
It doesn't have to be available for sale for 7 years. It will likely last throughout the entire PS6 generation if you decide to buy one. Then upgrade to PC in 2033.

2033 is the true cutoff for when you would need another way to access your BC library. Hopefully a combination of more stuff added to PA, or cloud at the very least. Every title sold after 2026 will just be for the PC store, so the only PA stuff to work on at that point is older stuff.
 
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I bet magnus and its derivatives, and orion, all will be on the same single die, it can be stacked, tiles, fabric connected.

There is no way they will go back to PS360 design
I think it's a difference of terminology. The die is the piece of silicon itself. The package is the finished unit with one or more dies. So Magnus is a single package with multiple dies.
 
Its pretty simple in my eyes

If it has BC to your Xbox library its a console

PCs will not get BC to your Xbox library, again that would be a license nightmare for MS

I guess another simple question we will need to see will it play GTA 6 day one IF it comes out before R* launches the PC version of GTA 6?


Oh its DOA regardless
Well thats a pc with bc emulation if you asked me ... but I get your point ... at this point its just semantics anyway
 
I think if its fixed hardware and its running a console environment, using a specific API game design environment and not just a PC code base / Wiindows then its fundamentally a traditional console in my eyes. It could cost 2 grand and id still call it a console if it was running software for its dedicated hardware in a dedicated software environment, even if its windows derivative.

Does that make sense?
Well if its running exclusively PC games, I cannot call it a console no matter what brain gymnastics are made... this would be literally the "everything is a xbox" meme ... ..but if microsoft and third party releases games coded specific for the hardware (which I really doubt) than ok its a console hybrid or whatever...

And backward compatibility dosent count.
 
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I mean we know GTA 6 isn't launching on PC right away but guess that doesn't count as "next gen"

Who knows how long it will be for the PC launch
If it's a pc, it will have to wait for the pc version, if it's not a pc, it will play the Series X version.
I can't imagine R* wasting time and resources to port and optimise a version of the game for a new console that will have a tiny install base because it is priced so high.
 
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