Xbox 'Helix' will deliver 56 TFlops, while PlayStation 6 will reach 40 TFlops, according to a credible source, but that does not necessarily mean the next Xbox will perform 40% better in all games.
The figures come from NeoGaf user KeplerL2, who has leaked accurate details about game consoles multiple times in the past.
KeplerL2 also claims that both chips are "taped out", meaning that the chip designs are finished and have been sent to the factory, ready for production.
40% on paper, but AI comes into play
If the next Xbox really delivers 56 TFlops versus 40 TFlops for PS6, the former will have 40% more graphics muscle on paper. For comparison, Xbox Series S delivers 4 TFlops, PS5 10.3, Xbox Series X 12 and PS5 Pro 16.7.
However, we are increasingly seeing AI tools being used to boost graphics performance, for example to generate extra artificial frames, perform upscaling and ray-tracing. So far, consoles have primarily used algorithms trained on large AI models, but increasingly, versions of AI models can run directly on the hardware.
This is why raw performance measured in TFlops does not necessarily provide an accurate picture. Nevertheless, there is a consensus that the next Xbox, which is being developed under the codename Helix, will be more powerful than PS6. Both consoles will feature a custom-designed AMD chip with RDNA 5, but the design and number of CPU, GPU and potentially NPU cores may vary.
PS6 is reportedly getting 30GB of RAM, but all of this is still rumor, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. Neither Sony nor Microsoft has announced anything officially.
Launch in 2027?
If both chips have been taped out, a launch in late 2027 is still on the table. This would fit the timeline of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series.
Rumors originally pointed to the launch of PS6 and Xbox Helix in November 2027 – 7 years after the launch of the current consoles – but some have cast doubt on the timeline due to rising memory chip prices.
A launch in 2027 or 2028 would presumably also be soon enough to get HDMI 2.2 into the consoles.
- Source: KeplerL2 via Videocardz
