Microsoft revealed the next generation of Xbox, codenamed “Project Scarlett,” at E3 2019, and even though, the company didn’t dive deep into every single detail, we now know a lot more information about the hardware, capability, support, and release date.
Xbox Project Scarlett Q&A
In this guide, you’ll find the answers to most common questions regarding Project Scarlett.
When Project Scarlett will launch? According to the company, Project Scarlett will launch in the fall of 2020 alongside Halo Infinite game.
How many variants of Project Scarlett will be availble? Although the company hasn’t disclose this information, the rumor has it that Project Scarlett will have two models, including Anaconda and Lockhart. Anaconda is the current name for the higher-end model, which is expected to replace the Xbox One X. Then there is the lower-end Lockhart model, which is expected to replace Xbox One S.
Correction: According to Thurrott.com, Microsoft is only planning to launch one new Xbox console under Project Scarlett that will focus in high-end gaming.
What’s Project Scarlett tech specs? Xbox Project Scarlett will use a custom-designed 7nm processor from AMD using the new Zen 2 architecture and Radeon RDNA graphics, and it’ll use super-fast GDDR6 memory.
How much faster will the new Xbox console will be? Microsoft claims that Project Scarlett will be as much as four times more powerful than the current Xbox One X.
Will Project Scarlett use an SSD instead of HDD? Yes, the next generation of Xbox console will ditch the traditional rotating platters hard drive for a Solid-State Drive (SSD) storage.
For Project Scarlett, Microsoft is creating a new SSD technology to boost performance by approximately 40 times. As a result, the new console will significantly reduce the load times to almost none.
The new SSD is so fast that the console will also be using it as virtual RAM.
Will the new Xbox console have a disc drive? Although Microsoft is already building a console without disc drive (Xbox One S All-Digital Edition), Project Scarlett will include a disc drive.
According to the company, even though, the number of digital downloads is increasing, because of the many gamers already owning many of the games in discs and because of the attachment that a lot of people have on buying games on physical media.
However, this doesn’t say that Microsoft doesn’t plan to release another console based on the Project Scarlett characteristic, but without an optical media.
Will I be able to play Xbox One games in the new console? Yes, Project Scarlett will be backwards compatible, which means that all the Xbox One games that you play today will run on the new console.
Does Project Scarlett support 8K gaming? Yes, Project Scarlett will include hardware capable of delivering 8K gaming. However, it’ll be up to the developers to build this support into their games. As a result, you can expect to see game studios targeting all sorts of resolutions, including 1080p, 4K, and 8K.
Will Project Scarlett support ray tracing? Yes, the next Xbox console launching in 2020 will include graphics processor capable of ray tracing.
Ray tracing is a technique new on gaming, but it’s been around in filmmaking for a long time, which renders lighting in real-time as it bounces out to create a reflection of the element in a particular scene. In other words, it’s a new technology that mimics a more realistic physical behavior of the light.
Will the new console offer 120fps gaming experience? Yes, starting with the Project Scarlett console, you’ll be able to play games with up to 120fps (frames per second). However, the game and the television set also need to be designed to deliver the frame rate.
Will Project Scarlett support variable refresh rate? Yes, Microsoft is focusing on delivering a new console with the latest bells and whistles, including ray-tracing, 120fps, and variable refresh rate, a technology that helps to reduce stuttering and tearing while playing games.
Windows 10 includes variable refresh rate support since the May 2019 Update.
Will Xbox One S and Xbox One X be supported after Project Scarlett releases? Yes, according to Xbox’s Phil Spencer, older versions of Xbox will be supported as long as there are enough people using them.
Will Project Scarlett support existing Xbox accessories? Yes, Microsoft is planning to support existing Xbox One games as well as the controllers and accessories.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.