We are living in arguably the strangest console generation. It is hard to believe the Xbox Series X – and indeed Sony’s PS5 – are nearly 18 months old. Such is the ongoing market demand (partly driven by a chip shortage), both feel like new products that are still selling like hotcakes. Despite that fresh launch feel, the Series X is a year-and-a-half old and maybe looking at its first refresh.
You know how it goes. The first production year or two of a new console is the bleeding edge tech. Most new consoles are bricks. That is certainly true of both the Xbox Series X and PS5… two massive pieces of hardware. However, manufacturers spend the first few years of a generation refining their design and production.
The result is a mid-generation tweak that slims down the console. To do that, components need to become more efficient and smaller. And that leads to a new report suggesting Microsoft is developing a smaller CPU for the Series X.
Xbox Series X Slim?
Known Microsoft watcher and Vice President of Stardock Software, Brad Sams says the company is building a more efficient and smaller chipset. Speaking on YouTube, Sams offers the following information:
“I believe this is true … I know that Microsoft was working on revisions of the chip. 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. I believe it is accurate the Microsoft is working on a smaller, more power efficient chip. That is, I’m very confident in that.”
As mentioned, when components get smaller and more efficient, the console design usually follows. While other specs will need to become smaller too, the CPU could be the first step towards the Xbox Series X Slim, or whatever name Microsoft gives it.
I expect this to rumble on for a while and no Slim version to launch in 2022. Although, but mid-2023 when the Series X is 2.5 years old, I suspect we’ll here about a revision to the console.
Tip of the day: File History is a Windows back up feature that saves each version of files in the Documents, Pictures, Videos, Desktop, and Offline OneDrive folders. Though its name implies a primary focus on version control, you can actually use it as a fully-fledged backup tool for your important documents.
