Xbox Lockhart has had more details confirmed after gamers dug through the new XDK, uncovering performance profiles for the new hardware. The confirmation comes from snooping in the SDK for the Xbox platform, specifically the patch notes for the release this month. It seems Microsoft is busy laying the groundwork for the next generation of consoles a bit early.
The SDK listed both “Anaconda” and “Lockhart” in the notes, hinting at specialized modes within games and apps, tuned to work with each version of the console. There have been rumors of a cheaper, disc-less, and lower-spec next-generation Xbox for some time. And now we have all the official confirmation we need. There had been a time that the Xbox Lockhart was considered canceled, that’s clearly not the case.
More proof of Lockhart, this time from the XDK/GDK release notes for June 2020. pic.twitter.com/hulDoC9owv
— TitleOS (@XB1_HexDecimal) June 24, 2020
TheVerge has also managed to uncover some details as well. In a report, they detailed plans for this “LockhartProfiling” mode that allow developers to unlock additional performance when working with limited resources. Currently, it looks like Xbox Lockhart will be working with 7.50GB of usable RAM, 4 teraflops of GPU performance, and a “slightly” lower clock speed on the main CPU.
The Xbox Series X includes 13.5GB of usable RAM, and targets 12 teraflops of GPU performance.
As for what kind of experience we can expect, it’s a little unclear. Given that the mainline console is aiming for resolutions around 4K, it seems reasonable that 1080p or 1440p could be possible here.
When running alongside the PS5, there could be some noticeable differences for both Xbox Lockhart and the baseline Xbox Series X. Sony has been working on a new SSD setup which they claim will make the PS4 100 times faster than the PS4. This is done in part thanks to a new Kraken hardware decompression chip that allows the console to stretch SSD performance for a lot lower cost. This is a feature that the new Xbox doesn’t have and it could make a noticeable difference in both performance and profit for the PS5. If you want to know more about the hardware improvements Sony has made, check out the video below.
So while Microsoft can potentially undercut their biggest competition with Xbox Lockhart, they still have a way to go. The company undeniably got beaten out in terms of exclusives by Sony, and Nintendo has overtaken team green in terms of hardware sales. The Xbox One line has lost a lot of ground, but remains strong for console gamers. Hopefully Microsoft can capitalize
