Microsoft boosts Xbox One performance with GPU clock speed bump

[Shawn Knight]

The general public is still roughly four months away from the launch of Microsoft’s Xbox One but that’s not the case for some lucky individuals. That’s because a number of beta units have already been seeded in the homes of select Microsoft employees according to Xbox VP Marc Whitten.

During a recent chat with Xbox spokesperson Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb, Whitten also revealed the fact that several game developers now have final versions of development kits in their studios and that they now have access to the console’s “mono driver.” The mono driver is a DirectX graphics driver that is 100 percent optimized for Xbox One.

What’s more, the clock speed of the GPU in Microsoft’s new console has been boosted from 800MHz to 853MHz – an increase of 6.6 percent. As Whitten pointed out in the interview, beta testing of the console helped them realize the GPU was capable of operating at a higher clock speed without any adverse effects.

Some may call this overclocking but that’s probably not the best term to describe the speed boost. It’s not unusual for companies to underclock processors inside of gadgets and game consoles in order to reduce heat output, conserve battery power and/or ultimately provide a more stable component.

Whitten said the increased clock speed of the GPU is just one improvement Microsoft made during the beta period although he stopped short of mentioning any other details. We are told to check back with Redmond during the upcoming Gamescom convention in a few weeks for more information.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/53478-microsoft-boosts-xbox-one-performance-with-gpu-clock-speed-bump.html

 

[Guest]

These are already clock up. Neither ay nor leap can cause faster frames an smoothness.

 

[wastedkill]

RROD anyone ? Cant wait to see what happens in the first year of the xbox one its gonna be soo exciting a dwindling amount of users, increase heat thanks to the clock speed increases etc.

 

[Burty117]

Wow... a 50MHz boost... That'll really bring it in line with the competition (PS4) -_-

 

[treeski]

RROD anyone ? Cant wait to see what happens in the first year of the xbox one its gonna be soo exciting a dwindling amount of users, increase heat thanks to the clock speed increases etc.

It was stated about a month ago that the design team overcompensated for heat issues, and had room to either increase RAM speed or GPU clock speed. I think they polled developers about it, so I guess the preferred route was the GPU clock speed.

 

[Tekkaraiden]

RROD anyone? Cant wait to see what happens in the first year of the xbox one its gonna be soo exciting a dwindling amount of users, increase heat thanks to the clock speed increases etc.

Lol, it can't have the red ring of death there are no rings.

 

[Guest]

3 months to release date and the messing with the hardware!!! How dumb a move is this... SONY's PS4 is the reason they messing with the product. BTW, M$oft, I thought you said graphics and hardware specs comparison are pointless?

 

[wastedkill]

To be quite honest microsoft has done too much for a small console specially as consoles are meant for gaming not media/gaming machines, Microsoft has lied to us twice now then screwed over their whole user base then to act all "im not evil" like they dropped it but lets be honest its not because the customers asked its because they saw their profits would be hit massively.

PS4 just has soo much going for it, I was a hardcore xbox 360 gamer in the good years but now its next gen I dont think xbox or microsoft has what it takes to cut it.

In raw power and for gaming purposes the PS4 is gonna be the only console I buy specially with microsoft going all pervy on everyone lately with the NSA and opening you up like a book, I don't know anyone in my town thats gonna be getting a xbox over a PS4 and thats a lot of people!

 

[Guest]

All the changes on the XBOX one hardware show that this Micro$oft console is not ready! a Junk

 

[ghasmanjr]

ZOMG 53 mHz?!?! This will make the Xbox One...like...75% of the speed of a GTX 680!!! Sign me up!!!

Unless they're upgrading the actual GPU, I'm never buying an Xbox One. Seeing that consoles don't have upgradable GPUs, I'm probably never going to buy an Xbox One.

 

[Guest]

This forum non fair I post my thought on clock up an censor it away
it like you no opinion if you foregn(n)

 

[Xclusiveitalian]

That won't effect performance what so ever tho will make the box alil hotter. I wouldn't go anywhere near this garbage console anyway. Although im a PC gamer first, I still like to have a console and PS4 is where its all at.

 

[amstech]

I am sure there are some readers upset with all the negative Microsoft banter but those people need to realize Big M has brought this upon themselves. The first Xbox 360 was a complete disaster from a reliability standpoint and thier LIVE game prices weren't competitive (compared to Steam/Amazon) up until recently.
Once again, Microsoft isn't pushing the hardware envelope as much as Sony due to the standard cash-cow thought process they use with thier console cycles. I think it could really hurt them this time. Not to say the Xbox One will be a slouch, but it could be better.
Sony is looking real good right now.

 

[ghasmanjr]

This forum non fair I post my thought on clock up an censor it away
it like you no opinion if you foregn(n)

I'm not sure if this is English. Maybe it is you that is foreign and not the moderator?

 

[theBest11778]

The 6.6% boost to the GPU probably allows Devs to hit their 30FPS minimum under certain circumstances (aka games made for both XBO, and the more powerful PS4.) It's a good move on MS part to squeeze out as much horsepower as they can to close the gap. Once the consoles are launched, and as long as the XBO can run the same games as the PS4 (Even if slightly lower FPS, or quality is required,) then it doesn't matter anymore. People who play console games care about games, and not visual quality nor frame rate. If you care about those aspects you buy a PC. The reason to choose PS4 or XBO comes down to exclusives plain and simple, to people who see PC as their #1 console. This is where Sony fails. Halo alone is better than all Sony exclusives combined. Ryse looks interesting if it has a compelling story, Gears of War, and Fable. That's all I can think of for MS... Sony Uncharted, Killzone, God of War... and I think that's about it. I'm a big FPS fan, have been since Wolfenstein 3D in 1992. Killzone is meh at best. God of War isn't my thing, but Darksiders was more fun anyway, and not console exclusive. You're pretty much left with Uncharted. So it really comes down to Halo vs Uncharted if you really want the lay it out there. FPS fans will have to choose Xbox even if the thing mind scans you and arrests you like Minority Report. The only alternative is forgo one of the genre's best franchises and stick PC exclusive.

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure if this is English. Maybe it is you that is foreign and not the moderator?

no you read again I say me foregn maybe you english no well as you think?

 

[DaveyD]

I've long been planning on buying an Xbox One, and I'll be getting one day one. I love the all-in-one concept and if the predecessor is anything to go by, there will be original exclusives aplenty. Yes, Xbox 360 suffered from RROD, but they replaced mine twice for nothing over six years, even though it was second hand. They acknowledge their mistakes and they respond professionally to feedback. That's customer service, and it's one of the many reasons I'm proud to support Microsoft.

 

[Guest]

So wrong.
the last of us beats all exclusives on xbox360. even your precious halo

 

[Guest]

If experience tells us anything, the Xbox 360 was a great console, I have no worries that the next console will be just as great, f#ck all the whiners complaining about consoles, then buying a ps4. Buy what you want you brainwashed isheep and fandroids.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Buy what you want you brainwashed isheep and fandroids.

You wouldn't be coming at a console topic from a cellphone angle would you?

 

[GhostRyder]

So wrong.
the last of us beats all exclusives on xbox360. even your precious halo

Fan boy much?

Honestly, I don't think the 50mhz will make a huge difference but it is a nice bump. I think a lot of people forget that last round the PS3 was superior in almost every way to the xbox 360 and yet almost all games were identical on each system (Excluding a few system exclusives like God of War and Last of Us). A lot of people are basing these machines like they do a gaming computer, while they are both the closest to a computer I think they have ever been, the programmers are still going to optimize things for the hardware they are given. So in reality, we probably wont notice any graphical differences except on maybe a few system exclusives or late into the game (6 or more years). I agree on the point that if the PS3 is more powerful, then why is it cheaper than the xbox One, but we also for get the one comes with its Kinect pre-bundled (which even though I know a lot of people don't like it, its a smart move because its going to let game makers know that everyone is guaranteed to have one meaning its safer to make games for it). I honestly have both pre-ordered, I don't know which one ill prefer, but we will have to see once they are actually out.

 

[e.seja1980]

You lost ALL credibility when you said Halo was better than every Sony exclusive combined. Seriously man, we feel a little sorry for ya'!

The 6.6% boost to the GPU probably allows Devs to hit their 30FPS minimum under certain circumstances (aka games made for both XBO, and the more powerful PS4.) It's a good move on MS part to squeeze out as much horsepower as they can to close the gap. Once the consoles are launched, and as long as the XBO can run the same games as the PS4 (Even if slightly lower FPS, or quality is required,) then it doesn't matter anymore. People who play console games care about games, and not visual quality nor frame rate. If you care about those aspects you buy a PC. The reason to choose PS4 or XBO comes down to exclusives plain and simple, to people who see PC as their #1 console. This is where Sony fails. Halo alone is better than all Sony exclusives combined. Ryse looks interesting if it has a compelling story, Gears of War, and Fable. That's all I can think of for MS... Sony Uncharted, Killzone, God of War... and I think that's about it. I'm a big FPS fan, have been since Wolfenstein 3D in 1992. Killzone is meh at best. God of War isn't my thing, but Darksiders was more fun anyway, and not console exclusive. You're pretty much left with Uncharted. So it really comes down to Halo vs Uncharted if you really want the lay it out there. FPS fans will have to choose Xbox even if the thing mind scans you and arrests you like Minority Report. The only alternative is forgo one of the genre's best franchises and stick PC exclusive.