We know very little about Microsoft’s answer to the PS4 Pro. Xbox Scorpio, as it is called now, is going to be a ‘true 4K’ console, but that’s just about it as far as concrete information goes. Now we can add just a little bit more to the slowly but surely enhancing sphere of information regarding Scorpio.

In a recent interview, Xbox Chief Phil Spencer maintained the Xbox Scorpio’s superiority over other consoles. He said that Scorpio will be a ‘premium console’, probably hinting at its unrivaled ability to render unadulterated 4K among home consoles. He also went on to confirm something already understood for the most part among the community: Xbox Scorpio would be costing more than the current Xbox One S.

But how much more?

Well, that is the million-dollar question (quite literally, for Microsoft at least) at this point. Many in the industry are anxiously awaiting Microsoft’s announcement of Scorpio’s price point. Some have already written them off, including long-time analyst Michael Pachter, stating that Sony has priced the PS4 Pro so well, that it would be hard for Microsoft to both maintain an affordable pricing model, as well as profit from Scorpio. Microsoft’s continuous boasting of Scorpio’s ability to render true 4K only substantiates these claims, as it would suggest a much more powerful GPU inside Scorpio compared to PS4 Pro (this is the case, in fact), which subsequently means higher costs of production.

And while Spencer continued to dodge the question of pricing, he did mention the target audience for Xbox Scorpio. With this console, Microsoft is going after the ‘high-end consumer’, according to Spencer. It means that this time next year, Xbox One S would be targeting the mainstream market, rather than being an all-encompassing gaming device. It remains to be seen whether Xbox Scorpio is actually a ‘high-end’ platform, as comparisons with 4K-capable PCs will inevitably be brought up. PS4 Pro, by most measures, has failed that particular litmus test. Although with a price of only $399, you would have a hard time finding a comparable performing 4K PC.



Posted: Nov 18, 2016 7:32 pm
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://technoaisle.com/xbox-scorpio-will-premium-console-says-phil-spencer/