Microsoft has made it clear it is launching an Xbox console next year but it hasn’t officially said how many. And there have been recent rumors that suggest that the console maker is planning to release two iterations of Project Scarlett in 2020: one base version as well as a cheaper, disc-free box with slightly lower specs.
Kotaku reported that this system is code-named Lockhart and was also rumored earlier this year. However, some thought the system was dead due to some later reports that said Microsoft was only focusing on one console: the more powerful box code-named Anaconda. Pricing is not final and there is only speculation as to what the disparity between systems will be. Currently and without sale prices, the Xbox One S All Digital is $250 while the regular Xbox One is $300 and the Xbox One X is $500. These won’t directly predict what the Scarlett consoles will launch at but it is worth keeping in mind to see how Microsoft prices its systems depending on their functionality.
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These systems are also worth keeping in mind because of how some anonymous developer conveyed how the Lockhart will run. They compared it to a PS4 Pro but its SSD would essentially make it a tad more powerful. This SSD should be the same or similar to the ones found in the PS5 and Anaconda. Other unnamed developers told Kotaku that the Lockhart will have a faster CPU than current consoles but other specs, like clock speed and cooling, have not been finalized.
The report also stated that Microsoft is trying to target 60 frames per second on both systems but 4K on the Anaconda and 1440p on the Lockhart. Essentially, it sounds a bit like a half step between the PS4 Pro and the next generation of systems like a PS4 Pro Pro.
Given how it allegedly doesn’t have a disc drive, Microsoft is probably going to push this system with its upcoming xCloud service as well as Game Pass. Both focus on digital libraries and, if these reports are accurate, would make sense for an all-digital console.
