Recent leaks have arisen regarding the upcoming PlayStation 6 and new Xbox consoles, with insiders alleging that Microsoft may once again gain a slight edge in raw power. Despite this possible advantage, the dynamics appear complex, as both upcoming PlayStation and Xbox systems are said to bring unique strengths.
With the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 having been available for nearly five years, discussions about the next generation of console hardware have intensified over the last year. The next Xbox, reportedly codenamed “Magnus,” is presented as a significant performance upgrade by Microsoft. Meanwhile, Sony has remained secretive, only revealing their Project Amethyst partnership with AMD intended to enhance machine learning technology for future gaming hardware.
Performance Expectations
Insider KeplerL2 recently claimed that the PS6 will reach performance levels akin to the AMD RX 9070 XT graphics card, while the next Xbox may achieve capabilities nearing the NVIDIA RTX 5080. Although direct comparisons between NVIDIA and AMD architectures can be challenging, current benchmarks suggest that the next Xbox could offer approximately 20% more performance than the PS6 in raw power, similar to the current PS5 and Xbox Series X performance gap.
However, it’s noted that the PS6 may introduce advanced GPU capabilities unavailable in the upcoming Xbox, such as:
- Dense Geometry Format (for Unreal Engine 5’s Nanite rendering)
- Streaming Wave Coalescer
- Workgroup Self-Launch
- Enhanced ray tracing capabilities
These advancements are expected to come from AMD’s forward-looking RDNA 5 architecture, which represents a significant architectural change since the PS4 and Xbox One.
Despite the next-gen Xbox possibly lacking some advanced graphical features, its raw processing advantage would position it as a strong contender against the PS6. Furthermore, reports indicate that the next Xbox might transition to a Windows-based system, effectively transforming it into a pre-built PC with access to various digital stores. In contrast, Sony seems to be maintaining a more traditional approach with the PS6 and is rumored to be considering a new handheld console boasting PS5-level power.
