Xbox Scorpio will see 'the very best console version of games'

Microsoft's high-powered Xbox Scorpio games console looks set to make its public debut at Electronic Entertainment Expo E3 next month - and company chief Phil Spencer says fans won't be disappointed.

Asked on Twitter whether Call of Duty and Destiny 2 will see graphical improvements on the new system, Spencer said he was "very confident" Xbox Scorpio will see "the very best console version of games this year".

Microsoft says the new system will be powered by a custom 2.3GHz processor that will help run games at 4K resolution and 60fps, a significant improvement over the Xbox One, which often runs games at a resolution of 1080p and 30fps.

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Digital Foundry reported that a version of the Forza Motorsport racing series was able to run at 4K and 60fps with only 60 to 70 per cent of the system's processing power being used.

After teasing the console at last year's E3 games show, Microsoft is expected to debut the system at the event next month and reveal its "official name and price", GameSpot says.

Meanwhile, Spencer also told Twitter that preparations for Microsoft's E3 conference are underway.

He says that the company recently completed its "first end to end run through" of its conference and that the room will be "full" of people.

E3 runs from 13 to 15 June.

Xbox chief assures fans there are 'no issues' with Project Scorpio

8 May

Microsoft's Project Scorpio, its most powerful Xbox console to date, is on course to make its public debut next month, its chief executive told fans this week.

Questioned on Twitter over whether the system will meet its release date, Phil Spencer said the schedule "looks very good right now" and that there were "no issues" to report.

Although an official release window has yet to be confirmed, Project Scorpio is expected to play a prominent role at next month's E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo).

TechCrunch says Microsoft will "fully unveil" the console on 11 June, along with technical specifications. A host of software developers are also believed to be ready to demonstrate how the system improves the graphics on their games.

Some details of the hardware specs have already been released. Digital Foundry reports it will feature a custom eight-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz - around 0.2GHz more than its PlayStation 4 Pro rival.

The website also confirms that games will receive a noticeable graphics boost, with a Forza Motorsport demo able to run at 4K resolution with a locked 60fps frame rate.

Nor is it only new games that make use of the console's extra horsepower. The Verge says existing Xbox One and 360 titles "will see a noticeable performance boost".

Prices and a release date will be confirmed during Microsoft's E3 conference, although TechRadar says Project Scorpio could cost around £400 and hit store shelves "around the holiday season".

Xbox Scorpio games to run at 4k and 60fps

07 April

Performance and hardware specifications have been revealed for Microsoft's upcoming Xbox Scorpio, which makes its public debut at the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) in June.

The company teased fans about what to expect from its high-performance gaming system at last year's event, promising "true 4K" resolution and 60fps gameplay in a home console.

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They seem ambitious targets – Microsoft's most recent system, the Xbox One S is only able to run games at a maximum 1080p resolution and a 60fps frame rate.

However, Digital Foundry has had an early hands-on with an Xbox Scorpio development mule and its initial impressions appear to back up the claims.

According to its report, a Forza Motorsport tech demo was able to run at a 4K resolution and a locked frame rate of 60fps.

It adds that the new console will feature a custom eight-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz,

0.2GHz more than its PlayStation 4 Pro rival and 0.55GHz more than the current Xbox One S.

As well as this, the custom graphics processor has also been greatly improved over the One S, with Digital Foundry reporting the new unit runs at 1172MHz - a substantial increase over the current 914MHz chip.

It also appears there's more power in reserve. The Verge says the Forza demo only used "60 to 70 per cent" of the graphics processor.

Existing Xbox One and Xbox 360 games "will see a noticeable performance boost", continues the site, although it is not yet known how they will be affected.

While the console's PS4 Pro rival could only improve the graphics on a select few games at launch, TechRadar reports that a recent patch for Sony's range-topping system features a "Boost Mode" that increases the graphics quality on all PS4 games.

Prices have yet to be revealed, but it's reported the Scorpio could cost around £400 at launch. This would make it around £50 more than the PS4 Pro and £200 more than the Xbox One S.

More details, including price and the console's form factor, will be revealed at Microsoft's E3 conference in June.