Microsoft is reportedly working on a new chip for its Xbox Series X console. The upgraded chip is said to be focused on helping increase power efficiency while cutting the costs of manufacturing.
During a Q&A video, Microsoft journalist Brad Sams said he believes the company is working on a newly refined chip. “I believe it is accurate that Microsoft is working on a smaller, more power-efficient chip. I’m very confident in that,” Sams said in the video.
The Xbox Series X is still powerful in its own right. Though, the console is built on technology first developed a year or so prior to its November 2020 launch. Sams goes on to explain that the Xbox Series X chip is “a dated design.”
As far as what the new chip will do to serve players, the scope is likely limited to performance. It’s still too early in the console’s lifecycle to consider plans for a ‘Pro’ model of the Xbox Series X. A new iteration on the current chip could help improve the console’s power consumption. Therefore, one could imagine the console being able to be quieter while running. Additionally, it may be able to run cooler.
Microsoft is also likely looking at ways to reduce the manufacturing cost of the console. “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.” Of course, there’s no guarantee whether or not that will reflect on the purchasing cost of the console.
Currently, it’s difficult for hardware manufacturers and their suppliers to keep up with demand. Therefore, it’s hard to pinpoint when a potential new chip would be integrated into the Xbox Series X. It’s entirely possible that consoles with the newly developed chip could hit retail and digital shelves this fall.
