Codename "Loop"

The new xbox will have 20 cores each running at 1ghz but using a new central cpu hub called 'ZEN' that runs at 6ghz and features intergrated gpu equiv to a gtx260 in pc terms.
The main gpu will act in sli profile with that of ZEN for more demanding games - this part has yet to be noted but is widely tipped to be a custom Nvidia card that will fit into the slim profile of the new Xbox.

It will feature 4 ports similar to the 360 in design and an integrated HDD as standard - rumoured to be at least 1TB. MS will be launching an updated LIVE that will better support large downloads without limiting gametime, It has also been established that current dev kits hold code for cult 1986 classic 'Alex the Kid' and is hotly tipped that the master system game will be inbuilt into each new xbox free of charge.

got all this from? :p

So with Windows 8 just around the corner it is safe to say we will not see this console for a year or two yet as Windows 9 is not even announced yet.

correct, people are guessing a Q4 2013 release. i think thats gunna be around right
 
Just thought, if the next Xbox does surprise us and shift to to ARM based architecture then maybe they will shock us again and go back to nvidia and base it around "project Denver" I know Nvidia stung Microsoft with the original Xbox but if they offered a really good deal then business is business, or have they burned there bridges with them?
It seems logical if they shift to ARM and Nvidia are already building a ARM based CPU/GPU and the desire for the "loop" or whatever it is to go the soc route
 
New Xbox With Six-Core CPU and “Dual-GPU” From AMD (Rumor Analysis)

Next-generation Xbox Announcement on January 2012?

Just to be more specific, this news came from a French-based site in which its source came from “very close” individuals who are linked with the Redmonian company. The bomb? Aside from its expected partial announcement on the upcoming Consumer Electronic show happening on January 10-12, Xboxygen did confirm the new xbox will use a hexa-core type of CPU with 2GB DDR3 Memory and a prototype dual-GPU from AMD.

The interesting part here is, it’s said the company has already been working on this project ever since 2005 which was the same year when Xbox 360 had its first launch. This news is connected with last week’s report that “Loop” division will handle Xbox 720’s software parts while a division called “Infinity” will be tasked for its hardware. As reiterated by the site, MS will only reveal tidbits of the new console this CES and will tackle more about its hardware parts – a move similar with Nintendo’s Wii U announcement earlier this year.

Recap

If you’ve been following the news for Xbox’s next-gen kin, you can see there are two stories behind it. One is this console going to be announced as early as next year but will only have its shipping date by the end of 2012. Its specifications will be high-end claimed to be powered by an ARM CPU (processor commonly used for netbooks and tablets) or a six-core processor along with added support for Windows 9.

The other story was the one we heard earlier this year which claims there’ll be no Xbox hardware upgrade until we hit 2015 which is really absurd considering some game developers are already showing their opinions why the old Xbox may not be able to support their future titles soon.

Wrap-up

As the French site hinted, in case Microsoft did really reveal any clues for Xbox’s next hardware update on CES, this will put the pressure on the side of Sony to reveal something soon for its customers. If you’ll analyze Xbox 720′s rumored specs, a six-core CPU may be more powerful than any ARM processor today. Actually, its first models are now out for desktop courtesy of Intel. However, the interesting tidbit was the one given for its GPU which will be branded by AMD along with a “dual” sauce – perhaps, its build will be an upgraded version of AMD Trinity.

Likewise, everything we have for today are still speculations and we expect there’ll be some discrepancy with the specs we’re hearing today with the unit’s actual innards when it gets a proper launch in the near future. Remember what happened to Wii 2 a.k.a Project Cafe?

http://pinoytutorial.com/techtorial/new-xbox-with-six-core-cpu-and-dual-gpu-from-amd-rumor-analysis/
 
People wan't more than just better graphics these days. The PS3 already does blu-ray so I imagine most would be happy with that. I feel rushing a new console would be a financial disaster as most people will not see a big outlay for something with better visuals need enough to upgrade.
Adding blu-ray to the new xbox is not going to sell it as most will see the ps3 as a current viable option for less money.
I feel a next gen console will only do well if it is priced at the current console cost and capable of full backwards compatibility with the current gen games.
 
You've touched on a good point there.
If the "next" consoles are backwards compatible, then it's an easier transition into the next gen, especially given the current economy.

It's a fact that MS/Sony/Nintendo actually make a loss on the sale of the console during it's first few years of it's lifespan, coupled with the same principals of "Moore's law" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law ) I believe that more powerful consoles will come out, without the RRP actually that much more of when the previous gen (PS360) made it's debut. They could possibly be a tad more expensive when you consider inflation.
 
Funny how all these rumours come from "close sources" involved in the next gen project yet they all contradict each other regarding the tech involved.
Still i suppose thats all part of the excitement when the next gen is approaching, lots of rumours a drip drip of info
 
ARM - this would break all backwards compatibility unless they make a stupendously powerful processor which can emulate an xbox 360, IMO thats unlikely as it would cost more, will probably be powerpc again

Dedicated cores for AI/network/etc. - kinda doubt this tbh, would be better to have multiple general purpose cores that the developer can decide what they do i.e. just like 360/ps3/pc. unless these cores are stupendously quick at what they do, but again how likely is that?

Windows 9 kernel - surely this would add a lot of overhead, meaning ms would have to increase hardware power to keep up with sony. although it would pave the way for metro on tv, which would be kinda cool and could see why ms would want this, just not sure how feasible it is.

cheaper than 360 - with all the new features i doubt that, r&d + new features + extra power = not cheap to make

dual gpu - assuming this is sli/xfire/lucid hydra then why? why not just one powerful gpu? yields surely cant be so bad that its cheaper to go dual gpu. unless maybe one is being used for gpgpu, would get some epic floating point performance

smaller than 360 - a bit maybe not not much, unless of course its seriously under specced

nvidia - already lots of rumours of amd 7000 being in next consoles, cant imagine nvidia will be considering their generally higher power consumption, higher cost and general lateness of useable parts

anyway just my 2 cents, some of which is probably ****** anyway......

Edit: oh and blu-ray, i imagine that will be in it. i mean they havent got many options - dvd is too small, download is too slow for too many people, flash memory is still way to expensive

and 1tb hdd, i suppose that would depend on how ****ed up the hdd market still is by the time this is out, which incidentally i doubt will be 2012. Wasn't it supposed to be 2015 earliest for xbox3/ps4? developers and nintendo are pressuring them a bit now though, so id reckon 2013 at earliest (announcing and releasing a major new console in the same year is kinda unlikely, but not impossible i suppose.....)
 
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All these reports are coming in thick and fast now. It "definitely" seems to be a go for launch at Christmas 2012. Probably USA/Japan with us by Easter 2013.
 
According to sources with Edge Magazine, Ubisoft Montreal is currently working on target hardware for the next Xbox with full devkits running custom hardware expected by Christmas. Some Electronic Arts studios are also working on the same target hardware with indications that the new console will arrive late in 2012.

The target hardware is said to include a GPU based on AMD/ATI hardware. The Xbox 360 uses an AMD/ATI based GPU as well so hopefully this means that the new console will be backwards compatible.

http://www.examiner.com/console-gam...x-for-2012-sony-studio-ceases-ps3-development
 
Hope whenever it comes out, they actually decide to test the unit correctly and not wait 2-3 years to have a design without an inherent cooling problem.;)
 
Hope whenever it comes out, they actually decide to test the unit correctly and not wait 2-3 years to have a design without an inherent cooling problem.;)

They've got their market share now, there's nowhere near as much of a rush to get their product to market 'first'. They'll have got this one right.
 
Sounds quite good, still needs a blu-ray drive ;). I just want the details on the PS4 tbh!! :p

*prepares for the hatred*
 
Q

They've got their market share now, there's nowhere near as much of a rush to get their product to market 'first'. They'll have got this one right.

They wont be out first though, I expect the wii u will hit the market a few months before. Hopefully MS and Sony will tighten up thier QA and dev team so we dont have consoles with an inherent design issues (360), or mixed build quality (PS3).
 
They wont be out first though,

That's my point. MS now have a dedicated and large fanbase who it's more important are kept pleased than a rushed product coming to market. What i meant is, MS don't care so much about being first to market as they previously did with the release of the 360.
 
It wouldn't surprise me if it uses ARM architecture, it's become the standard in mobile devices and has made huge strides in the last few years with multiple cores and ever higher clock speeds, and it is very power efficient. More efficient = less heat, less heat to deal with means the machine can be in a smaller case.

I reckon it'll be announced at E3 2012, with a launch in 2013 :)
 
There's been several rumours that indicate something more conventional, but I just think they are more rumours..

e.g. http://www.vg247.com/2011/11/14/report-next-gen-xbox-announcement-for-ces-hex-core-cpu-inside/

Hex-core CPU, 2Gb RAM, and AMD GPU.

1 place even tried to list specifics.

another rumour said:
CPU : IBM Power 710

- Architecture : IBM POWER7

- Cores : 6 Core

- Clockspeed : 3.72 GHz

GPU : Custom AMD Radeon HD Graphics

- Configuration : Single Die Dual Core

- Clockspeed : 750MHz

- Daughter Die : Renesas Electronics 100MB eDRAM

RAM : 2GB 512-Bit GDDR5 256GB/s (Unified Memory Architecture)

2Gb of RAM sounded low, but if it's that speed + 100MB EDRAM, dual core GPU, it'll be OK. But when you read the rumours, it all sounds a bit 'obvious'.. just double or 10 times everthing.. so whilst it would be nice if true, I guess it's just a guess. :)
 
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