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Microsoft’s Project Scorpio dev kit hints at what the next Xbox could look like

Microsoft’s Project Scorpio dev kit hints at what the next Xbox could look like

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Project Scorpio dev kit
Project Scorpio dev kit
Gamasutra

Microsoft is revealing what its Project Scorpio dev kit looks like today. Gamasutra has published all the details on the Project Scorpio dev kit, and at first glance it looks a lot like a slightly bigger Xbox One S. The design is a combination of the robot white for the top section, and a black bottom that houses the expansion ports and Blu-ray drive.

While it might look like an Xbox One S, the dev kit also includes a real-time clock and an OLED display with five programmable buttons at the front. The screen is designed to display data like frames per second, which is for Xbox games developers who want to see that information at a glance. Microsoft’s Project Scorpio dev kit also includes the same ports as the retail Scorpio unit, alongside three USB ports at the front and a network card for debug information.

Project Scorpio dev kit
Project Scorpio dev kit
Gamasutra

Microsoft has also tweaked the specs inside, with a slightly faster GPU, 24GB of RAM (double the retail unit) a 1TB SSD drive as well as the retail console’s 1TB HDD, and the ability to toggle between Xbox One, One S, or Scorpio modes. The kit also has vents on the sides so developers can stack the units on top of each other.

As Microsoft has packed this unit with additional hardware, it’s safe to say this dev unit is going to have a different design to the final Scorpio retail unit. Microsoft’s dev kit does hint that the next Xbox might stick with a design that’s similar to the Xbox One S, though. Existing Xbox dev units have generally been very similar or slightly larger than their retail counterparts, but with the overall same design elements. Microsoft is expected to unveil its final Project Scorpio naming, price, and design at the E3 games conference in June.