Next-gen Xbox coming in fall 2013, offering 6x graphics processing power: report

A new report indicates that those who have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for a next-generation video console from Microsoft should look to 2013: sources say that the Xbox 720, as it is said to be called, will be released in the fall of 2013, with production beginning by the end of 2012.

Sources say that production of the Xbox 360's GPU will begin by the end of this year. Delivery of the system itself is reportedly set for the fall of 2013. No mention of any projected pricing was noted.

The Xbox 720 processor will be based on AMD's 6000 series GPU. Earlier, it had been rumored that the company would use the newer 7000 series GPU. The 6000 series was introduced last year.

Sources say that the Xbox 720 GPU will be similar to AMD's Radeon HD 6670. It will include DirectX 11 support, as well as 3D, and 1080p HD support. The HD 6670 has a market price that begins at $79.99, currently.

Microsoft released the Xbox 360 in late 2005, so a refresh of its aging console is long overdue --- and should be well received. The current generation video console has been a huge success for the Redmond, Wa. based company: as of January 9, 2012, 66 million Xbox 360 consoles have been sold worldwide. The introduction of the Kinect motion controller has only added to the "reasons" to buy the Xbox 360 over say the PS3 or Nintendo Wii.

It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005. Detailed launch information was issued later in May at E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo). The console sold out completely upon release in all regions except in Japan.

The Xbox 360 received a refresh in 2010, when at the 2010 E3 on June 14, Microsoft announced a redesigned "slim" Xbox 360 that would ship that same day. The redesigned XBox 360 S console was slimmer than the previous Xbox 360 model and included new features, such integrated 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, TOSLINK S/PDIF optical audio output, 5 USB 2.0 ports (compared to the 3 from older versions) and a special AUX port.

While a great success for the company, and while it continues to sell well, the Xbox 360 gave Microsoft and owners some headaches, however, with reliability issues such as "The Red Ring of Death" (shown above). A "General Hardware Failure" is indicated on all models released prior to Xbox 360 S by three quadrants of the ring around the power button flashing red.

Source

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

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