Spec prediction for 2026 Xbox consoles

[peter42O]

@dgb

There are a rumor about Infinity Ward Poland RPG

Nice. I forgot about that. Hoping it gets revealed in June at the Xbox Showcase.

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

Made the hybrid OLED only and set the price at the higher $499. Launch should be for enthusiasts and early adopters that deserve the best.

Two years after launch we can do a cheaper handheld only SKU with half of the GPU and slower clocks across the board.

And also a cheaper console only SKU that has the full fat hybrid chip, but without displays, battery, and the embedded controller.

[KakkaKarrotKake]

@proelitedota

Made the hybrid OLED only and set the price at the higher $499. Launch should be for enthusiasts and early adopters that deserve the best.

Two years after launch we can do a cheaper handheld only SKU with half of the GPU and slower clocks across the board.

And also a cheaper console only SKU that has the full fat hybrid chip, but without displays, battery, and the embedded controller.

Makes sense, although I can also see them going to opposite route, going LCD display and then releasing an upgraded OLED model as a refresh like Nintendo and Steam have done

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

@KakkaKarrotKake

Makes sense, although I can also see them going to opposite route, going LCD display and then releasing an upgraded OLED model as a refresh like Nintendo and Steam have done

True. Personally that would make me a little mad to not make the best product possible when it’s within their means technically. I’ll pay $100 extra for OLED.

[PianoBlack]

@proelitedota

Hyprid specs.

Portable mode:
8 core Zen 5 at ~3.5ghz
32GB lpddr6 at ~9600mhz, 256bit bus. ~300GB/s.
32mb of infinity cache + 22 CUs 32 ROPS at ~2000mhz, ~11teraflops
NPU
40 watt hour battery. 2+ hour battery life.
1440p 8 inch 120hz OLED screen. HDR. VRR.

Performance target. Series S quality mode with ray tracing enabled at double the framerate and 1440p via ML frame generation + upscaling.

Docked mode. Faster clocks on CPU, ram, and GPU. Both shader engines enabled:

8 core Zen 5 at 5+ghz
32GB lpddr6 at 12400mhz, 256bit bus. 416GB/s.
NPU
32mb of infinity cache + 44 CUs 64 ROPS at ~2500mhz, ~28teraflops
50+ watt TDP.

Don’t think you’ll get all that handheld hardware consuming only 20 watts, even in 2026. My Ally with 6 CPU cores and 4(!) CUs easily consumes ~20 total watts running on its performance profile with clocks at like ~2.5GHz for CPU and GPU. You’re talking 550% of the CUs running at 70% of the clock speed, i.e. roughly 3.8x the power consumption on the GPU side.

Also a 1440p screen at 8" and on battery is complete overkill, go with 900p or at most 1080p IMO.

On the other hand I really like your overall plan here. And I like the idea of fully enabling/disabling CUs for docked mode. I would just expect bigger cuts in handheld, if it can run Series S profile at all that would be an achievement.

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

@PianoBlack

Don’t think you’ll get all that handheld hardware consuming only 20 watts, even in 2026. My Ally with 6 CPU cores and 4(!) CUs easily consumes ~20 total watts running on its performance profile with clocks at like ~2.5GHz for CPU and GPU. You’re talking 550% of the CUs running at 70% of the clock speed, i.e. roughly 3.8x the power consumption on the GPU side.

Also a 1440p screen at 8" and on battery is complete overkill, go with 900p or at most 1080p IMO.

On the other hand I really like your overall plan here. And I like the idea of fully enabling/disabling CUs for docked mode. I would just expect bigger cuts in handheld, if it can run Series S profile at all that would be an achievement.

The Ally is 4nm, the Xbox handheld will be on n3p or maybe even n2p.

I’m hopeful that with silicon optimizations, firmware optimizations, and OS optimizations, that a dedicated Xbox handheld will use only ~50% of the TDP as an equivalently specced Windows PC handheld in 2026. There are rumors saying RDNA4 GPUS can boost to 3.3ghz, so 2ghz would be a far more aggressive down clock in 2026 than in 2024.

That being said 20 watts total system power is likely only achievable with arm cores.

Going from 1440p to 1080p display saves trivial amounts of TDP.

[PianoBlack]

@proelitedota

The Ally is 4nm, the Xbox handheld will be on n3p or maybe even n2p.

I’m hopeful that with silicon optimizations, firmware optimizations, and OS optimizations, that a dedicated Xbox handheld will use only ~50% of the TDP as an equivalently specced Windows PC handheld in 2026. There are rumors saying RDNA4 GPUS can boost to 3.3ghz, so 2ghz would be a far more aggressive down clock in 2026 than in 2024.

That being said 20 watts total system power is likely only achievable with arm cores.

Going from 1440p to 1080p display saves trivial amounts of TDP.

Yeah, maybe. I think it’s a lot to hope for on only one or two process node improvements but especially if ARM cores are in the mix, could be possible.

The screen is about power draw (and to a small extent maybe cost), not TDP. Not a huge factor, but given the ppi of a 1080 display at 8" is already 275 it hardly seems worth it to me to push even more pixels.

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

@PianoBlack

Yeah, maybe. I think it’s a lot to hope for on only one or two process node improvements but especially if ARM cores are in the mix, could be possible.

The screen is about power draw (and to a small extent maybe cost), not TDP. Not a huge factor, but given the ppi of a 1080 display at 8" is already 275 it hardly seems worth it to me to push even more pixels.

PM.

[Andodalf]

There won’t be a portable xbox console, but a portable windows device with xbox branding and an xbox skin/ operating environment.

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

@Andodalf

There won’t be a portable xbox console, but a portable windows device with xbox branding and an xbox skin/ operating environment.

Microsoft teases next-gen Xbox with “largest technical leap” and new “unique”...

There have been persistent rumors of an Xbox handheld, and Spencer has been liking posts on X that mention the possibility of this hardware. “I’m a big fan of handhelds,” says Spencer. “I’m a big fan, but nothing to announce.”

Phil won’t tease like this if they weren’t following up on it.

[Searsy82]

@proelitedota

There have been persistent rumors of an Xbox handheld, and Spencer has been liking posts on X that mention the possibility of this hardware. “I’m a big fan of handhelds,” says Spencer. “I’m a big fan, but nothing to announce.”

Phil won’t tease like this if they weren’t following up on it.

I think his point is that for MS the Xbox is both, and his opinion is that the handheld will be PC focused rather than a part of the console ecosystem.

I don’t agree per se, but I also don’t discount the possibility. Considering that the Xbox ecosystem is both and there would be pros and cons with either direction.

Im really on board with the idea of a very powerful console at a higher price though.

[Andodalf]

@proelitedota

There have been persistent rumors of an Xbox handheld, and Spencer has been liking posts on X that mention the possibility of this hardware. “I’m a big fan of handhelds,” says Spencer. “I’m a big fan, but nothing to announce.”

Phil won’t tease like this if they weren’t following up on it.

That could absolutely be teasing a windows device

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

@Searsy82

I think his point is that for MS the Xbox is both, and his opinion is that the handheld will be PC focused rather than a part of the console ecosystem.

I don’t agree per se, but I also don’t discount the possibility. Considering that the Xbox ecosystem is both and there would be pros and cons with either direction.

Im really on board with the idea of a very powerful console at a higher price though.

@Andodalf

That could absolutely be teasing a windows device

There is no teasing of Windows handheld device. He essentially said they need to make the experience better on Windows Gaming handhelds.

All the articles were about Xbox handhelds, and the form factor the Xbox is looking into are Xbox devices.

The handheld is 100% coming, and it’s not just because of the teases. I’ll say as much.

[Whistler]

I wonder if the Series S and the two console release was partially made to test or transition into a handheld + home console type of release for next gen. Like how far out are we such that a handheld could match a Series S 1:1? If that were achievable, then when the next generation starts and there are the usual cross gen games, the handheld and the Series S would be the same target. I would wager a Switch2 would be in same ballpark also.

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

@Whistler

I wonder if the Series S and the two console release was partially made to test or transition into a handheld + home console type of release for next gen. Like how far out are we such that a handheld could match a Series S 1:1? If that were achievable, then when the next generation starts and there are the usual cross gen games, the handheld and the Series S would be the same target. I would wager a Switch2 would be in same ballpark also.

Earliest possible series s level device is end of 2025. It would need a 60watt hour battery so not ideal.

2026 is more the likely year.

[No-1HoloLens-Fan]

I have a approach of

1. One chip

2. Two SKUs

3. Three form factor

1.Chip: A scalable chip/board design which can go from 15 watts to 150 watts of power draw. Scalable CPU, GPU and Memory clocks. Scalable CPU, GPU and Memory Cores/Capacity. Latest IP blocks for CPU and GPU.

2.SKU1: 15-30 watts handheld SKU mode. 20 CUs active with Dev scalable clocks on GPU and CPU to move between 15-30 watts. 12 to 16 GB dynamic active RAM based on Dev choice. Raw performance would be marginal improvement on Series S (max 4.5TF) but generational gains would come from New IP blocks, NPU AI and more Memory. Would be around 1.3 to 1.5 times net performance uplift from current series S.

2.SKU2: 150 watts docked mode SKU. Fully active 52 CUs with 1.5 higher clocks then Series X. Latest RT blocks and NPU for upscaling tech. Full 24 or 32 GB high speed Gddr7 memory. Latest CPU zen cores with upto 5Ghz clocks. Net performance will be around 1.8 to 2 times of the series X.

3.Form factor 1: Handheld. $499. 7-8 inch 1080p display LCD 40-60Hz true VRR display. Detachable controller. 1-2 hour battery.

3.Form factor 2: Handheld Docked with cooling accessory. $499+$100 for dock accessory. Innovative cooling dock to handle 150 watts worth of heat, unleashing full performance of the system.

3.Form factor 3: Traditional Console. $499. Running the Docked mode SKU. Small and compact.

Key strategies:

1. Launch 2026: competes against the Nintendo and PS5/pro and thrashing both of them in power and utility.

2. Launch hype without competition. Sony won’t have an answer for atleast 2 years.

3. Generational leap by switching to next gen platform with newer CPU and GPU tech.

4. Switch to proper 4 year gen cycle. Older gen supported as cross gen for 4 more years.

5. PS6 will be powerful in 2028 but release next platform system in 2030 and take back the power crown again.

Challenges:

1. Scalable chip/board. 15 to 150 watts would be the most difficult task.

2. Handheld at $499 would be the huge loss generator. Dock accessory and traditional console sold at cost price.

3. Flexibility for devs would be essential. But xbox is the biggest publisher now by number of studios and cadence. Give flexibility to third party devs. First party devs will support all SKUs.

[Swanlee]

For the Main traditional console I just want 32GB of ram, the PS5 Pro having almost no more ram then current PS5 is going to hamper it.

I’m up for anything they want to try as far as a portable goes I’ll get one no matter what.

[Andodalf]

@Swanlee

For the Main traditional console I just want 32GB of ram, the PS5 Pro having almost no more ram then current PS5 is going to hamper it.

I’m up for anything they want to try as far as a portable goes I’ll get one no matter what.

32 GB of Gddr7 will be quite pricy, I think they can get away with less

[No-1HoloLens-Fan]

@Andodalf

32 GB of Gddr7 will be quite pricy, I think they can get away with less

Ya. 24 GB will be the compromised sweet spot.

[proelitedota (Andrew)]

@Andodalf

32 GB of Gddr7 will be quite pricy, I think they can get away with less

Did you see the price I listed for the console lol.