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Microsoft's Project Scorpio Will Pack Internal PSU, 4K Game DVR Capture (windowscentral.com)

According to an exclusive report from Windows Central, Microsoft's upcoming "Project Scorpio" gaming console will feature an internal power supply unit (PSU), similar to the Xbox One S, and 4K game DVR and streaming at 60 frames-per-second (FPS). From the report: In Microsoft's efforts to make Project Scorpio a true 4K system, it will also feature HEVC and VP9 codecs for decoding 4K streams for things such Netflix, just like the Xbox One S. It will also leverage HEVC for encoding 2160p, 60 frame-per-second (FPS) video for Game DVR and streaming. Microsoft's Beam streaming service has been running public 4K stream tests for some time, and it's now fair to assume it will not only be PC streamers who will benefit. Project Scorpio's Game DVR will allow you to stream and record clips in 4K resolution with 60FPS, according to our sources, which is a massive, massive step up from the 720p, 30FPS you get on the current Xbox One. With every bit of information we receive about Project Scorpio, the theme of native 4K keeps appearing -- not only for games, but also console features. We now believe Scorpio will sport 4K Game DVR, 4K Blu-ray playback, and 4K streaming apps, but the real showstopper will be the 4K games Microsoft will likely flaunt at E3 2017.

4 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. "...according to our sources..." by turkeydance · · Score: 2

    details or it didn't happen.

  2. Re:Yay.. not by Travis+Mansbridge · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Generally, because a console is a self-contained, purpose-built, standard-specced, and usually more affordable option for people who may not know how to build a computer, or be able to afford a high-end computer but still want to play high-end games. Frankly, consoles are an ideal setup for VR as the software, specs and peripherals are all standardized.

    Having said that, I have no idea why anyone would ever want a Microsoft console.

  3. Re:Id be amazed if it can play any modern game at by exomondo · · Score: 2

    Currently even Nvidia's GTX1080Ti can barely run current games at 4k with high settings.

    PCs have a huge amount of overhead and a myriad of potential system bottlenecks that developers cannot know of in advance and even more important than a high fps is a consistent fps and it is much easier to achieve that when you know precisely the system you are targeting. Then there is the fact that the vast majority of the target audience does not have a GTX1080Ti so the game is not optimized for that GPU, it is optimized for a generic set of functionality (an OpenGL or DirectX version) that is most broadly available to the target audience. There's no value in optimizing for say a Pascal GPU when only a comparatively tiny part of your market has them, instead you optimize for a much older set of generic functionality and the performance boost of having a newer GPU comes almost exclusively from improvements like a smaller process, faster clockspeeds and more/faster memory. Sure they might have an option in the settings to render the post-blurred buffers some screen-space effect at 4k instead of upscaled 1080p but when you're sitting 6 feet from your TV playing a fast-paced shooter do you really notice?

    So console developers can optimize things like their rendering engine for a specific set of system functionality, they don't need to worry about scaling up or down or being portable because porting the game to a different system requires a renderer rewrite anyway. You can't just whack a GTX1080Ti in any system and expect it to perform the same and even if you manage to hit some sweet spot of hardware and software equilibrium with respect to bottlenecks is there any game that is going to effectively exploit that system design? Probably not.

    Considering that that GPU alone is double the price of a current Xbox, I doubt MS are going to put similar tech out in a console any time soon.

    As above, they don't need to. PC games won't effectively utilize the features of that GPU for a few years anyway.

  4. Existing XBOX One owner here by Kryptonut · · Score: 2

    Thing is....I dropped a whole bunch of cash on an XBOX One before the "S" was announced. I'll be damned if I'm going to replace my console now. No XBOX VR for me...no sale for them. Thanks for fragmenting the ecosystem.

    Only way I'll end up with any of that kit is if the XBOX One I have, dies. And even then, it'll depend on what titles are available for VR and the price difference between a regular console and the "S" model. I don't care about 4K and a lot of other people I know don't care either.