Rumor mill: Rumors have long suggested that Microsoft's next-generation Xbox device will blur the line between console and PC, but by how much remains unclear. New information indicates that the SoC powering the console will not be exclusive to Microsoft, opening the door to third-party variants of the company's upcoming console.

Leaker KeplerL2, who has an established track record covering AMD hardware, recently stated that OEM PC builders such as Asus and MSI will release variants of the next Xbox console with the same GPU. Although Microsoft confirmed that the device, codenamed Project Helix, features a semi-custom system-on-a-chip (SoC), Kepler claims that the GPU portion is uncustomized.

Modern game consoles use AMD and Nvidia CPU, GPU, and APU designs. They offer minor-to-moderate differences from the PC chips the two companies sell directly to consumers and OEMs. Console manufacturers might deactivate certain elements to conserve space or introduce features from successive architectures.

Microsoft and Sony are expected to release next-generation consoles in late 2027 or early 2028, utilizing AMD's upcoming Zen 6 CPU architecture and RDNA 5 GPU architecture. However, the two console makers will implement their own takes on upcoming AMD technologies such as machine-learning-based upscaling, frame generation, path tracing, and neural compression.

While the CPU (and possibly NPU) portions of Helix's SoC will likely be unique from off-the-shelf parts, the revelation that the GPU will be a stock AMD component raises the question of whether users will be able to purchase it. Kepler shut down the suggestion but claimed it would be available to other PC manufacturers, enabling them to release Asus- or MSI-branded Helix devices.

Helix's ability to play Xbox and PC games, along with the gradual migration of Xbox features to Windows, has sparked speculation over whether Helix will essentially be a PC with an Xbox overlay. Windows 11's "Xbox Mode," which replaces the desktop with a controller-friendly interface for launching games, is now available to Canary channel users, and Microsoft advised Helix game developers to treat projects like PC games. Another known leaker also previously claimed that the company will bring Xbox 360 and original Xbox games to PC later this year.

If the next Xbox is indeed a PC, it might not be surprising to see PC manufacturers release alternate versions with the same or similar internals. However, this raises questions regarding Microsoft's next-generation hardware strategy, since it will no longer be the sole vendor of Xbox consoles or games that run on Xbox.