Rumor: Xbox "Lockhart" specs leaked, is $300

[EricHiggin]

Mr Puggsly said:

EricHiggin said:

Just for xCloud streaming. A cheaper replacement cost wise. Depends on if you believe XB1SAD was a bit of a trial run or not. Why buy XB1SAD when XB1S isn't much more and comes with an optical drive? Who doesn't have a little extra for an XB1S, but has plenty for fast, reliable, unlimited internet? I remember reading something about having the console do some of the work because full out streaming over the network wasn't going to lead to worthy results at this point in time. A USB stick doesn't solve that problem.

Consensus or that's what the rumors or leaks suggest?

Why would someone spend $499 on an XBSX for xCloud streaming if they get the same results with a $199 model? The main point by far in the XBSX is to have the power directly under your TV for the very best experience.

I don't think a device just for xCloud streaming is a good idea per se. Makes more sense to just make an apps for existing devices. The best cheap option might just be using a X1 console.

Regardless what X1 hardware you use, it should be fine for xCloud streaming. Even the PS3, Vita and PS TV supported PS Now well.

DigitalFoundry has done theoretical tests showing modern AMD cards can get similar results as their older video cards with a significant disparity in TF. Hence, a newer card clocked at 4TF is getting similar results as an older one clocked at 6TF. It also depends on how the GPU is designed/balanced, the base X1 for example gets great results for only 1.2 TF. Again, I'm no expert but it certainly looks like a 4TF Lockhart could have GPU power at par with X1X.

I never suggested somebody would buy a Series X for xCloud. If you buy a Series X it's because you want the best visual fidelity.

I don't necessarily think that either, but I and quite a few others didn't think XB1SAD was a great idea, yet MS launched it. If the device needed to take some of the brunt of the workload, a cheaper smaller console, made using the most up to date hardware, would make sense. That doesn't mean old XB1 hardware definitely can't make use of xCloud.

I understand the TF performance between archs. I understand that Lockhart as rumored would take the place of XB1X. In which case keeping XB1X on the market makes no sense. In order for it to remain on the market and make sense though, Lockhart would have to be different than what the leaks suggest. I was just making the case as to how it could potentially remain, based on posts about what may happen to it. I don't necessarily think that's going to be the case, as I mentioned earlier.

It's possible all XB1 hardware or newer will be capable of xCloud streaming, but it's also possible that the XB Series hardware will offer you a more reasonable experience and for cheaper. Streaming only on old hardware vs hardware assisted streaming with newer, better integrated hardware, would likely be a worthy selling point. I thought you said XB hardware earlier but you said X1 hardware, which wouldn't include XBSX. My mistake.

Last edited by EricHiggin - on 09 March 2020