The most efficient way to build a handheld is using highly optimized efficiency cores (currently ARM is the only game in town for commercial, off the shelf solutions there). However, this does not provide inter-operability with Xbox software. So you’d be looking at a unique hardware platform developers would need to target and optimize around.
As people have already noted, the technology to actually deliver Series S performance in a handheld isn’t here yet. It won’t be for several years, and Series S compatibility - not just “similar power”, but actual binary compatibility + the ability to run those exact same games without modification is an even harder problem. I think that achieving a handheld that was compatible with Xbox One S software would be possible in the near term, however, on 5/4nm chips inside a 20w envelope probably. The fact that XBOS uses DDR3 memory + a small ultrafast cache actually benefits somewhat here as far as I can tell. But people don’t want “last gen” they want next gen, and that’s a much taller order.
Strategically I don’t think Microsoft needs a handheld. They already support windows for their games, they put them on Steam, and they put them on XCloud. There are already windows handhelds that can therefore run their software natively, via gamepass, and even on SteamOS through Steam (albeit without Gamepass support), and everyone’s phones can run the games over the cloud. Any android or windows or linux/steamos android device can run xcloud stuff.
I think that if they want to really push into the handheld space, a two-phased approach of continuing to improve the cloud gaming experience (they are definitely doing this), and further cooperation with Valve to get gamepass subs on steam (at minimum for 1st party) is really the path forward with the least resistance and cost. It’s “cool” to imagine a new handheld console but the technical challenges seem highly significant.
Honestly, a lot of software available on Gamepass can run on a Steam Deck. MS really needs to find a way to get Gamepass on Steam ASAP if they want to get maximum subscriptions on PC. I could see Steam Deck + GamePass PC being a very popular combo. Could even bundle 1 month for free with every steam deck. No need to build your own device this way.
We have a product for the people that want next gen, it’s called the Series S.
Handhelds are always compromised. The overlap between handheld enthusiasts and power enthusiasts is nil.
The device as described in my OP should easily handle Series S ports running at lower frame rate (in built VRR screen allows devs to run games with unlocked fps) and slightly less res. It’ll run last gen games much better than the PS4.
99.9% of the Gamepass library and the Xbox store should run great on the device. Out the box, the software library would be magnitudes better than the steam deck.
Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 will run on this device. So will Fortnite, Apex Legends and all AAA titles released before Fall 2023.
Acquire Valve. I just don’t see native Game Pass in Steam. They would lose too much revenue. I think PC store market will be splintered sooner or later.
Yeah, not to mention their Open App Store Policy. They are not restricting or trying to bring third party games exclusively to their store like Epic for example.
Been thinking about this more recently. problem with the handheld is that if its another sku deelopers have to devlop for kind of like the same issue sony had where its first party had to develop games for it. If they were able to actually get a series s into handheld form and llet it manage the power draw so games could just be there like with x cloud then i think it could be big. its diffrent for nintendo because the switch is its bread and butter. if xbox or sony make another handeheld it basically needs to mirror current tech. This is why I feel they should keep the resolution at 720 so its less work for the unit= less power draw
also for the screen size. This mite not sit well with people but I think they keep the screen size the same as a vita. to me it was the perfect handheld size
It’s got same 8/16 core/thread and between 2.7 to 4.7 GHz CPU performance. So on par with CPU performance of series S
Got more VRAM then series S at 16 GB but slower being DDR5
It is only 15% slower in GPU and on par with series S on CPU and VRAM
It’s a great thing that such a device is possible at this stage which have a raw potential of being equal to series S
Only hurdle now is to make all this potential raw performance be available constantly which is not possible right now in a portable form factor
In 2-3 years, all this could be possible. We know from PS5 vs XSX that a wider GPU is more power efficient then a narrow GPU. So I think series S GPU will be much more power efficient then this smaller GPU at the end
Can 5 or 4 nm make it possible? I have no idea. But possibilities are there
That being said, a 720p target SKU is definitely possible in next 1-2 years. But it has same old problem of having a third sku to build games for.
Full native Series S handheld. Most favourable but least possible. All type of gamers will be delighted. Series S games will run with little to no optimization required. Every xbox game will run natively.
Semi native series S handheld. The middle ground both on performance and possibility. Targets 720p native. Major problem is third sku work for third party Dev’s. Solution is to market it as first party native only device. Rest of the games available via xCloud. Offcourse, third party Dev’s are welcome to optimise if they want to. Through in VRR support for the device and even the third party Dev’s will be intrested because it will require less optimization for 40-60fps frame target
xCloud only device. Least favourable but most plausible. Cheaper lighter and longer. It will be more of an accessory rather then a console. It has place in Xbox’s future but no place right now. If they can make local streaming even more great on this device then I will buy this one at 100-150 easy
I feel like 1 and 3 are the only real options here, if Microsoft puts the hardware in to play games natively they’ll expect it to be used and the gamer that paid for that hardware is going to expect it to be used.
If it’s not for enough people then there is a question about its feasibility.
I think paying the $600+ or whatever a console would cost with that hardware and only being able to play first party games natively would make for a bad device.
They’d be better off releasing a device that ran scalable PC versions of games.
I agree. But there is a fourth option. Make a Windows Game Pass Deck. Put a 6800U in a nice shell, pre install Windows and Xbox app, make sure there are suitable configs and settings for alle games on Game Pass for this thing.
