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The Xbox Series X is faster than your gaming PC. Now what?

Matthew S. Smith
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PC gamers have a time-honored tradition of flexing hard on console peasants who, in their opinion, play on inferior hardware. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is about to put that tradition to the test, and I’m not sure the PC’s hardware superiority will survive.

The Xbox Series X, now confirmed to have a GPU with 12 teraflops of compute performance, is much quicker than any previous console. It doubles the GPU performance of the Xbox One X, and nearly triples the PlayStation 4 Pro. At the same time, performance gains in PC hardware have stalled. New CPUs and GPUs are quicker than their predecessors, but the gains are slim.

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This creates an unusual situation. The Xbox Series X is almost certainly faster than your gaming PC, and the new Xbox will maintain its dominance for years to come. What does that mean for PC gaming?

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The Xbox Series X beats most gaming PCs

12 teraflops.

That number, confirmed by Xbox head Phil Spencer on February 24, 2020, is a big deal. The raw compute performance claimed by a component signals roughly (and I do mean roughly) how it stacks up to the competition. It’s a number that puts most of today’s PC gaming rigs to shame.

Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Ti, which claims 13.4 teraflops, is one of only two consumer graphics card that can beat the Xbox Series X today. You’d have to pay at least $1,100 to buy one today, and most RTX 2080 Ti cards go for $1,200 or more. Nvidia’s RTX Titan is the only card that beats it, but at about $2,500, it’s simply out of the realm of discussion for most PC gamers.

ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1060 AMP! Edition
The humble Nvidia GTX 1060 is still the most popular video card. Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Predictably, most PC gamers go for less expensive options. The RTX 2080 Ti makes up just .7% of all rigs included in the Steam hardware survey. The entire Nvidia RTX 20-Series line, the only PC video cards that support ray tracing today, make up just 6.39% of all video cards used by gamers on Steam.

The most popular card? It’s still Nvidia’ GTX 1060, an old standby first released in July of 2016. The GTX 1060 boasts 4.4 teraflops of compute performance. It’s followed by Nvidia’s GTX 1050 and 1050 Ti, a pair of entry-level classics. The Xbox Series X puts these to shame.

Gaming PCs aren’t likely to leap back in front

It’s not strange for consoles to gain an edge over PCs at release. The Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation dove into 3D graphics before they were common in PC games. The Xbox 360 handled The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion better than all but the fastest PCs built in 2006. The original Xbox was no slouch, either. Early titles like Halo and Dead or Alive 3 were graphical powerhouses for their day.

These victories were short-lived, however, as PC hardware constantly improved. The Xbox Series X will be different. The Xbox Series X will be impressive for years.

PC hardware just isn’t improving at its former pace. “Moore’s Law,” the idea that chip transistor densities will double every two years (with performance following suite), is dead. Don’t take my word for it. Just ask Nvidia’s CEO.

The Nvidia RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti Digital Trends

Nvidia’s hardware reflects this new reality. The GTX 1080 came out in May 2016 and was quoted at 8.8 teraflops. Its follow-up, the RTX 2080, came in September 2018 and quoted 10.1 teraflops. That’s about a 15 percent increase on paper, and disappointed reviewers noted the same meager gains in real-world gaming.

AMD faces the same problem. The popular Radeon RX 580 launched in April of 2017 with 6.2 teraflops of performance. The new Radeon RX 5600 XT is quoted at just 7.19 teraflops, a gain partially negated by the fact it’s more expensive at launch (The RX 580 was $230, while the RX 5600 XT is $280). The inexpensive Radeon RX 580 is still a fine option compared to newer Radeon cards, so long as you don’t mind the RX 580’s high power draw.

The days of easy gains in PC performance are at their end. PCs sold in 2023 will be quicker, yes. Yet the slow pace of improvement ensures the Xbox Series X will remain formidable for years to come.

Where PC gamers go from here?

This might seem doom-and-gloom for PC gamers, but Microsoft’s strategy with the Xbox Series X gives reason for optimism.

We still don’t know exactly what the Xbox line-up will look like going forward, but Microsoft has promised backwards compatibility for Xbox One titles, as well as Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles already available on the Xbox One. The company has also announced “Smart Delivery,” a feature that lets developers release one version of a game that’s compatible with multiple iterations of Xbox hardware. It’s clear Microsoft is setting the foundation for a broad push that includes multiple consoles across a wide range of price and performance.

Xbox One S All-Digital Edition review
The Xbox One S could remain relevant for several years. Gabe Gurwin/Digital Trends

In the past, a killer new console could be trouble for PC gamers. Gamers who played in the mid-90s will remember many questionable ports of early 3D console games, like Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. More recently, early Xbox 360 games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion created a situation where top-tier titles were easily playable on an affordable console, but difficult to enjoy on a budget or mid-range PC.

That won’t happen this time around. Developers have better tools and better tactics for building games that span a huge range of hardware (just look at recent Switch ports, for example). Microsoft, meanwhile, seems set to push a new console generation that offers an extreme high-end option that’s at least partially compatible with older consoles.

The answer to “where PC Gamers go from here,” then, is “anywhere they want.” Those who have money to spend on a 4K-capable rig that defeats the Xbox Series X can certainly spend it, and they’ll have a great experience. On the other hand, gamers with an entry-level video card will still be able to enjoy most games in the new generation – at 1080p and medium settings, of course.

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Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matthew S. Smith is the former Lead Editor, Reviews at Digital Trends. He previously guided the Products Team, which dives…
Leaked Xbox controller could fix the most underwhelming thing about the Series X
A black Xbox Series X and controller against a black background.

September 19’s massive Xbox leak revealed a lot of neat hardware we weren’t supposed to know about. While getting a peek into Microsoft’s ideas for a mid-gen console refresh and even its next-generation console is exciting, the leaked piece of hardware that intrigued me the most is the new Xbox controller, codenamed Sebile.

Also referred to as “The New Xbox Controller” in the leaked Roadmap to 2030 document from May 2022, this Sebile controller includes many neat features that could help an Xbox controller stand out from the competition. While Microsoft’s controllers have all felt great to use since the days of the Xbox 360, Microsoft's primary controller haven’t innovated as much as the competition in recent generations.

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Xbox’s Phil Spencer responds to blockbuster leak: ‘So much has changed’
Xbox Series X on a table.

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has finally commented on the massive Xbox leak that happened earlier today. In his public statement, he explained that "so much has changed" since many of the documents were created and asked fans to be excited about Xbox's future.
On Tuesday morning, unredacted versions of a lot of documents pertaining to the Xbox vs. FTC trial appeared. These emails and documents, most of which were created or written sometime between 2020 and 2022, revealed a lot of unannounced information. That included things like a mid-gen refresh for the Xbox Series X and S, some unannounced Bethesda games, and even Microsoft's early goals for its next-generation console. Hours later, Spencer commented on the leak.
"We've seen the conversation around old emails and documents," Spencer explained on X (formerly known as Twitter). "It is hard to see our team's work shared in this way because so much has changed and there's so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready."
https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/1704233222752571842
At first, people didn't know where the leak came from, with the FTC quickly denying that it leaked these things. Ultimately, United States District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley revealed that Microsoft had done it to itself while trying to provide the court with a secure cloud link to relevant exhibits for the trial. The Verge went on to report that Phil Spencer also sent out a memo internally about the leaks today, echoing the statements in his tweet.
"Today, several documents submitted in the court proceedings related to our proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard were unintentionally disclosed. I know this is disappointing, even if many of the documents are well over a year old and our plans have evolved," Spencer's memo reads. "I also know we all take the confidentiality of our plans and our partners’ information very seriously. This leak obviously is not us living up to that expectation. We will learn from what happened and be better going forward. We all put incredible amounts of passion and energy into our work, and this is never how we want that hard work to be shared with the community. That said, there’s so much more to be excited about, and when we’re ready, we’ll share the real plans with our players. In closing, I appreciate all of the work that you pour into Team Xbox to surprise and delight our players."
The fact that Microsoft did this to itself is an embarrassing accident, especially when some of the information contained within the documents and emails is no longer accurate. For now, all we can do is wait and see if Microsoft will actually release new versions of its Xbox Series X and S consoles next year and if games like Doom Year Zero, a sequel to Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Dishonored 3 get announced.

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Every blockbuster reveal from the Xbox leak: new consoles, Bethesda games, and more
Xbox's logo used during the Extended Games Showcase

Unredacted documents submitted and made publicly available to view as part of the ongoing Microsoft vs. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) trial just led to what may be the biggest leak in video game history.
A flood of files have revealed deep secrets about Xbox's upcoming plans for the bulk of the decade, giving us unprecedented insight into what's on the horizon for the gaming giant. That includes information on upcoming hardware refreshes, next-gen consoles, and unannounced Bethesda titles, as well as a further peek into Microsoft's acquisition ambitions. It's a lot to trudge through, so we've rounded up five key revelations that you'll want to know.
A new Xbox Series X model is coming next year
https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1704121068519133313
The most shocking thing to leak as part of the trial is a new Xbox Series X model. Referred to as "Brooklin -- Xbox Series X Refresh" in the leaked documents, this is a diskless, cylindrical version of the Xbox Series X with 2TB of internal storage, a USB-C port, and smaller technical improvements to the system's Wi-Fi, PSU, standby mode, and more. An upgraded Xbox Series S code-named Ellewood may also be in the works and released before Brooklin.
If Microsoft still follows the plan laid out in this "Roadmap to 2030" document created in May 2022, it would release Brooklin in late October 2024 for $500. If Microsoft still plans to release Brooklin next year, it does contradict recent statements from Xbox chief Phil Spencer, who acted bearish on the idea of a mid-gen refresh in Gamescom interviews. It's possible Microsoft's plans have changed since these leaked documents were made, but if not, we now know what to expect in terms of Microsoft's console refreshes.
A new Xbox controller is in the works
https://twitter.com/charlieINTEL/status/1704088621475598345
Throughout that Brooklin leak, a new version of the Xbox Series X controller is also teased. The Xbox Series X controller is great, but lacks the unique features of controllers like the DualSense or Joy-Cons, so it makes sense Microsoft would want to change that. Referred to as "Sebile -- The New Xbox Controller," this controller can seamlessly pair and connect to the cloud.
It also will feature haptic feedback, an accelerometer gyro, quieter buttons, modular thumbsticks, a rechargeable and swappable battery, and the ability to wake just by being picked up. The same road map that lists Brooklin and Ellewood's release windows says the Sebile controller will launch sometime in late May 2024 for $70.
First details on Microsoft's next-gen console leak
https://twitter.com/AR12Gaming/status/1704102055206322389
It's hard to believe we're almost already three years into this console generation and that Microsoft is planning for its next major console release, but that is the case. Unfortunately for Microsoft, its current technical ambitions for the platform were included in this leak. A leaked document states that Microsoft's ultimate goal is to "develop a next-generation hybrid game platform capable of leveraging the combined power of the client and cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences." 
In practice, a list of technical improvements lays out that we can expect an ARM64 CPU that balances big and little cores, a GPU co-designed with AMD, and an NPU that balances "the desire for flexible, programmable ML silicon versus high-performance silicon for targeted workloads," as well as support for better ray tracing, global illumination, micropolygon rendering, and an ML-based Super Resolution. Microsoft also mentions a "thin OS" meant for cheaper consumer and handled devices, likely to play games via the cloud.
This next-gen console is currently slated for a 2028 launch.
Several upcoming Bethesda games leak

Enough about hardware -- several upcoming Bethesda games also leaked. A document from 2020 outlining Bethesda's game road map through fiscal year 2024 includes some games we don't know about. Alongside games we know of like MachineGames' Indiana Jones project, the list also includes several code-named projects, remasters of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3, a GhostWire: Tokyo sequel, Doom Year Zero, and Dishonored 3.
Another document also confirmed that The Elder Scrolls VI won't launch until at least 2026. Some of these games have missed the release windows listed in the documents, so it's very possible that these dates are no longer accurate and that some may not be released at all. Still, it lays out a clear picture of what was in development at Bethesda just a few years ago and provides insight into the lineup that enticed Microsoft to purchase Bethesda in the first place. 
Microsoft considered acquiring Nintendo and Warner Bros. Interactive
https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/1704021807341203802
A leaked email from 2020 gives some insight into Spencer's acquisition ambitions at that point. Namely, it sounds like he'd love to acquire Nintendo as it would be a "career moment" for him.
"I totally agree that Nintendo is THE prime asset for us in gaming, and today gaming is a most likely path to consumer relevance," he wrote. "I've had numerous conversations with the LT of Nintendo about tighter collaboration and feel like if any U.S. company would have a chance with Nintendo, we are probably in the best position ... At some point, getting Nintendo would be a career moment and I honestly believe a good move for both companies."
Ultimately, Spencer didn't want to do a hostile takeover of Nintendo, so he settled for playing the "long game" when it came to acquiring it. This same email also reveals that Microsoft was interested in acquiring Warner Bros. Interactive around the same time as Bethesda, although the lack of any WB IP ownership was its undoing, Spencer is also as intrigued about acquiring Valve as it was Nintendo.
It's worth noting that this email is from over three years ago, and these acquisition ambitions might have been quelled following changing economic conditions and the rocky and expensive process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. 

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