Microsoft may reveal cheaper and less powerful alternative to its Xbox Series X console in August
- Xbox may reveal a cheaper alternative to the Xbox Series X in August
- The console is reportedly being called the Xbox Series S
- The console will be cheaper but also less powerful than the Series X
- Xbox has still yet to publicly acknowledge the console
Microsoft may reveal its affordable Xbox Series X alternative in August according to a new report from Eurogamer.
The new report suggest that while Microsoft was originally poised to reveal the cheaper alternative in March, obstacles created by coronavirus and the cancellation of the E3 gaming conference have set those plans back.
According to Eurogamer, the console will be called the ‘Xbox Series S.’
News of a potential reveal date come less than a week after developer documents leaked onto Twitter suggesting a cheaper and less powerful alternative to Xbox’s Series X console is still in the works.
The documents, which make reference to a Dev kit for a console codenamed ‘Lockhart’ are the hardest evidence yet of Microsoft’s plans for a Series X alternative.
According to The Verge, the console will support gaming at 1080p and 1440p as opposed to the Series X which supports 4K resolution.
While details about the Series X alternative are still sparse, The Verge reports that it will come with 7.5GB of usable RAM and around 4 teraflops of GPU performance.
For comparison, the The Xbox Series X will have 13.5GB of usable RAM, and runs at 12 teraflops of GPU performance.
Documents reveal that the dev kit, which is codenamed ‘Dante,’ will come with a ‘profile’ for project Lockhart which mimics performance of the console.
Rumors have circulated around Xbox’s intentions to release a second console alongside the Series X but the company has yet to publicly acknowledge Lockhart.
One of the most major details regarding Lockhart – price – also remains a mystery.
In fact, Xbox has yet to reveal the price on its Series X despite detailing its full hardware specs and showcasing in-engine footage of next-generation games in April.
Price points will be a major factor for both Microsoft and Sony’s next generation of consoles as major hardware improvements encroach on keeping price tags amenable to consumers.
Sony has yet to detail price for its PlayStation 5 and only recently detailed the console’s design.