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Microsoft's next Xbox may arrive in 2027 and promises a dramatic hardware leap. New leaks point to a bold chiplet design, a beefy RDNA5 GPU, and a dedicated NPU — but higher power draw and a premium price could follow.
Two-chiplet design: a CPU SoC and a Radeon-like GPU
According to reports citing GamingBolt and the Moore's Law is Dead channel, the forthcoming Xbox uses an APU codenamed Magnus built from two distinct chiplets: a SoC handling CPU duties and a separate GPU die resembling AMD's desktop Radeon approach. The CPU portion is said to use Zen 6 architecture with up to three high-performance cores plus eight Zen 6c efficiency cores, all sharing a 12MB L3 cache.
GPU specs that stand out
The leaked GPU spec lists 68 RDNA5 compute units and four shader engines, backed by a substantial 24MB L2 cache — roughly five times the L2 on Xbox Series X. That combination signals strong raster and compute capability, aimed at smoothing framerates and boosting in-game effects.
Memory options and AI acceleration
Memory details remain tentative, but a 192-bit memory bus is expected with possible RAM configurations of 24GB, 36GB, or 48GB. For AI workloads like resolution upscaling and Microsoft Copilot features, Magnus reportedly includes an NPU rated at 110 TOPS peak, which can scale down to about 46 TOPS in low-power modes.
Performance vs. power: real gains, real costs
Insiders estimate the Magnus APU's total power draw between 250 and 350 watts, with a likely TDP near 350W. While that is around 70% more than the projected PS6 chip, real-world performance improvements are pegged at roughly 30–35%. Even so, that uplift could translate to smoother frame pacing and higher frame targets in multiplatform titles — for example, a game running at 4K/120Hz on PS6 might reach 4K/144Hz on the Xbox APU, according to the leak.
Is Microsoft building a hybrid PC-console?
One intriguing detail from the reports is the suggestion Microsoft may aim for a hybrid experience: a console that runs Xbox exclusives but can also play PC titles bought on platforms like Steam or GOG. That would represent a stronger push toward a true Xbox Play Anywhere ecosystem and further blur the line between PC and console gaming.
All signs point to an ambitious, power-hungry machine targeted for 2027 that could undercut PS6 on certain performance metrics — at the cost of higher energy usage and likely a higher retail price. Will gamers pay extra for higher framerates and hybrid flexibility? We'll be watching the 2027 window closely.
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