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Brad Sams: Microsoft Reportedly Working On Smaller, More Power Efficient Series X Chip

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

The Xbox Series X is a pretty beefy machine, not only in power but also in size. It'd make sense then, that a year and a half after launch, revisions may well be underway for a more efficient version of the console. According to a new report, that much is already happening.

Journalist Brad Sams discussed the topic on a recent video going over all things gaming and tech news. A viewer asked about Series X console revisions and Sams replied, saying he believes revisions are already being developed.

"I believe this is true [...] I know that Microsoft was working on revisions of the chip.
Now, are we going to see performance improvements, are we going to see anything else? I do not believe so but Microsoft is always working on making cooler, more efficient chips because that lowers the cost of production."
"I believe it is accurate the Microsoft is working on a smaller, more power efficient chip. That is, I'm very confident in that."
 

//DEVIL//

Member
The series x is the perfect console in terms of form factor, heat and noise . Not a console ever released match it. A true engineering marvel that only apple can match.

I can’t wait to see what they have next . But I am worried of sacrificing the noise / heat in favor of smaller size or cheaper components
 
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kingpotato

Ask me about my Stream Deck
Slims have come out ~3 years after launch the previous two gens so we should expect them to be announced late next summer and launched late fall right?

I'm pretty happy with my Xbox Series and don't think I'll feel the need to update it, but my PS5...
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Is this news? The chips always get smaller and more power efficient as the generation goes on. PS5 is supposed to be getting a 6nm CPU this year coming from the previous 7nm chip.
This isnt just a slim version. They are likely going to reduce the CU size and get higher clocks to get higher performance from the same number of tlfops like the PS5's narrow and fast design has allowed them to do. Right now, the console isnt performing like a 12 tflops GPU in some games.

The 6700xt is a 13 tflops GPU with just 40 CUs. It offers a 20% performance boost over the 10.6 tflops 32 CU 6600xt. We dont see that for the XSX over the PS5 in several games especially the Matrix demo which is the only true next gen comparison we have seen so far. I bet MS is rethinking their wide and slow design and will likely borrow the 40 CU 6700xt design and take advantage of the reduce thermal footprint.

They have done something similar before. X1 Slim came with a bigger clock boost that pushed the GPU to 1.4 tflops even though they had originally spec'd it as a 1.2 tflops GPU before overclocking it just before launch to 1.3 tflops.
 

ParaSeoul

Member
This isnt just a slim version. They are likely going to reduce the CU size and get higher clocks to get higher performance from the same number of tlfops like the PS5's narrow and fast design has allowed them to do. Right now, the console isnt performing like a 12 tflops GPU in some games.

The 6700xt is a 13 tflops GPU with just 40 CUs. It offers a 20% performance boost over the 10.6 tflops 32 CU 6600xt. We dont see that for the XSX over the PS5 in several games especially the Matrix demo which is the only true next gen comparison we have seen so far. I bet MS is rethinking their wide and slow design and will likely borrow the 40 CU 6700xt design and take advantage of the reduce thermal footprint.

They have done something similar before. X1 Slim came with a bigger clock boost that pushed the GPU to 1.4 tflops even though they had originally spec'd it as a 1.2 tflops GPU before overclocking it just before launch to 1.3 tflops.
Didn't say it was just a slim version. I don't think they're doing that,probably just a process size reduction.
 

ZywyPL

Banned
Slims have come out ~3 years after launch the previous two gens so we should expect them to be announced late next summer and launched late fall right?

I'm pretty happy with my Xbox Series and don't think I'll feel the need to update it, but my PS5...

Yup, that's most likely a 5nm chip we will see in refreshed model somewhere at the end of 2023.
 

FUBARx89

Member
How's it even news? Every gen they shrink chip sizes, even without the slim consoles or last gens midyear refresh.
 

Riky

$MSFT
The series x is the perfect console in terms of form factor and heat and noise . Not a console ever released match it. A true engineering marvel that only apple can match.

I can’t wait to see what they have next . But I am worried of sacrificing the noise / heat in favor of smaller size or cheaper components

I doubt they would do that as ever since the 360 revisions they have concentrated on the heat and noise output, it would be interesting to know how conservatively clocked the Series X really is as it's down the bottom of clock speeds for RDNA2 cards around the Game clock for a RX6800 but without the boost.
Also just how small and power efficient will they get the Series S, it already draws a fraction of the power of Series X so I'd like to know how far they can push that design, unless the savings they make are going to keep the price point but increase the storage.
 
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DeepEnigma

Gold Member
mike yard no shit GIF by The Nightly Show
 

elliot5

Member
NXG and Moores Law Is Dead talked about moving to 6nm for XSS and XSX so it makes sense. I wouldn't really expect much of a change in terms of form factor though.
 
The series x is the perfect console in terms of form factor and heat and noise . Not a console ever released match it. A true engineering marvel that only apple can match.

I can’t wait to see what they have next . But I am worried of sacrificing the noise / heat in favor of smaller size or cheaper components
I think people dont understand how well engineered it is until they have the box in their hand...looking at it next to my ps5 the engineering is night and day.
 

THE:MILKMAN

Member
Yeah this is normal though node shrinks are bringing smaller gains at far more cost and I guess the 6nm half node is all they'll do this round with the full node 5nm or whatever for pro/slim models.

Nothing will beat the GOAT PS2 for chip revisions/node shrinks:

kaigai01.jpg


Going from 519mm2 across two chips to 86mm2 in a single 'APU' in 5 years was pretty impressive.
 
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they should work on having this thing in stock
They're more available now. I've see them locally in stock for a week here now. Could easily walk into a store and buy an X
PS5 on the other hand is still not available except through scalpers.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Yeah this is normal though node shrinks are bringing smaller gains at far more cost and I guess the 6nm half node is all they'll do this round with the full node 5nm or whatever for pro/slim models.

Nothing will beat the GOAT PS2 for chip revisions/node shrinks:

kaigai01.jpg


Going from 519mm2 across two chips to 86mm2 in a single 'APU' in 5 years was pretty impressive.
Aside from major unforeseen breakthroughs you will never see that again. It was the time where PC GPU and CPU performance was improving like crazy every 8-12 months (why Pro consoles and iterative HW is a way to keep ASP’s high more than really giving people impressive performance jumps). Still, impressive work there.
 

THE:MILKMAN

Member
Aside from major unforeseen breakthroughs you will never see that again. It was the time where PC GPU and CPU performance was improving like crazy every 8-12 months (why Pro consoles and iterative HW is a way to keep ASP’s high more than really giving people impressive performance jumps). Still, impressive work there.

Absolutely. I wouldn't be surprised if a single full node shrink redesign today (say N7nm > N5nm) costs Sony/MS more than all of PS2's combined shrinks and iterations!
 
Absolutely. I wouldn't be surprised if a single full node shrink redesign today (say N7nm > N5nm) costs Sony/MS more than all of PS2's combined shrinks and iterations!
That's also the reason, why I believe Series S won't get a die shrink just now.
Not worth it. Series S SOC is already, small, cheap and easy to cool. Series X SOC needs a lot more dies per wafer and some reduce PSU and heatsink.
 

THE:MILKMAN

Member
That's also the reason, why I believe Series S won't get a die shrink just now.
Not worth it. Series S SOC is already, small, cheap and easy to cool. Series X SOC needs a lot more dies per wafer and some reduce PSU and heatsink.

Yeah I would agree. Just no cost case there. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the Series X keeps the current case design/layout entirely as it is already as small as that can be short of a total redesign to a traditional shape and that would be quite a waste of money even for Microsoft I would think.
 

Md Ray

Member
This isnt just a slim version. They are likely going to reduce the CU size and get higher clocks to get higher performance from the same number of tlfops like the PS5's narrow and fast design has allowed them to do. Right now, the console isnt performing like a 12 tflops GPU in some games.

The 6700xt is a 13 tflops GPU with just 40 CUs. It offers a 20% performance boost over the 10.6 tflops 32 CU 6600xt. We dont see that for the XSX over the PS5 in several games especially the Matrix demo which is the only true next gen comparison we have seen so far. I bet MS is rethinking their wide and slow design and will likely borrow the 40 CU 6700xt design and take advantage of the reduce thermal footprint.

They have done something similar before. X1 Slim came with a bigger clock boost that pushed the GPU to 1.4 tflops even though they had originally spec'd it as a 1.2 tflops GPU before overclocking it just before launch to 1.3 tflops.
It's highly unlikely they'll reduce the CU count/size on Series X GPU mid-gen. They may increase the clock speed a tiny bit like they did with the XB1S iteration while utilizing 6N or 5N. But that's about it.
 
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It's interesting. The smaller revisions normally come with a price drop as the smaller node gave a cost benefit. Nowadays the smaller node actually costs more.
 

oldergamer

Member
That's also the reason, why I believe Series S won't get a die shrink just now.
Not worth it. Series S SOC is already, small, cheap and easy to cool. Series X SOC needs a lot more dies per wafer and some reduce PSU and heatsink.
Its about reducing cost too.
 

UltimaKilo

Gold Member
Of course they are.
How is this news?

While I can put the Series X on the floor by my tv and it kind of just blends in.... I can't wait to get a version that will fit in my stand horizontally and not look straight up retarded.
Yep. Just like obviously Sony is doing the same.

Smaller footprint = cheaper shipping and manufacturing costs which translates to more profit. No-brainer.
 

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
they should work on having this thing in stock
Recently, MS really has done a great job in pushing out more consoles to the market. I feel that the equilibrium has reached b/w demand and supply for both Xbox Series S | X in the last month or so.
 

V1LÆM

Gold Member
nice. looking forward to a series x slim.

i was about to buy a series x last week but at this point i might as well just wait for a revision
 
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