Though the unveiling of the Xbox One S took priority for Microsoft at E3, the hardware giant also confirmed the existence of a new, embryonic system known as Project Scorpio. Touting six teraflops of computing power, the yet-to-be-revealed console is a marked leap forward from the Xbox One, opening up the ability to render games in native 4K resolution, be compatible with VR/AR devices, and more.
That’s a point of contention that has gained a lot of traction online, particularly now in the aftermath of Sony’s somewhat mooted unveiling of its own mid-gen hardware refresh, the PS4 Pro. Spec sheets reveal that Scorpio is, on paper at least, more powerful that Sony’s Pro SKU, with Xbox director Albert Penello even going so far as to say the technical disparity between both systems will be “obvious.”
Chatting with Polygon about this shake-up to the console landscape, the Xbox veteran estimated that Scorpio is shaping up to be around 43 percent more powerful than its chief competitor, but stopped short of revealing the price point. Said he: “We know it’s important to deliver an experience that demonstrates the power gap between [the PS4 Pro and Scorpio] at a price that makes sense to console gamers.”
It’s important to remember that, despite Project Scorpio’s promise of extra horsepower, history tells us that a more powerful system doesn’t always equate to a successful one. What’s more, the launch of the PS4 proved that affordability can be one of, if not the most important factors during the formative years in a console’s lifecycle.
Designed to broaden the PlayStation community, expect PS4 Pro to hit store shelves on November 10. It’ll be priced at $399, with the PS4 Slim becoming the new normal at $299.