Microsoft's next-generation Xbox Series X console was announced just a few weeks ago, and we didn't get a lot of information about the device at the time. So we got a little excited when we saw the upcoming console's backside connectivity during AMD's CES 2020 press conference, but it turns out that we shouldn't have been, because the renders that AMD showed on stage weren't actually legitimate.
The renders showed two USB Type-C ports, two HDMI ports, an Ethernet jack, an optical Toslink connection and a power cable socket. But sadly, it was nothing but a fake render, with an AMD spokesperson telling The Verge that "The Xbox Series X imagery used during the AMD CES press conference was not sourced from Microsoft and does not accurately represent the design or features of the upcoming console. They were taken from TurboSquid.com.” TurboSquid notes the image is accurate for all but the rear connectors--which is the most interesting aspect of the renders.
We should note that we were unable to find the same video fragment, as AMD has removed its original stream from YouTube, and the keynote video it does have online has been edited during the Xbox part to show footage from a different event.
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Of course, none of that really matters. Fake, or not fake, what's far more interesting than knowing which physical ports the Xbox Series X has is which protocol those ports actually support -- especially the HDMI port. Given the unit's supposed 4K support "with a possibility of up to 120 fps," we suspect that HDMI 2.1 will be included, which is a technology that we're itching to get our hands on. It's already supported by multiple TVs, but so far there no graphics cards or devices can output an HDMI 2.1 signal, so we're stuck at 4K 60 FPS with HDMI 2.0 until that changes.
The new Xbox should be a significant step up from the current generation hardware, though, so we don't doubt that HDMI 2.1 will be included. The next-generation console will pack an AMD Zen 2 powered CPU along with a 'next generation RDNA architecture' on the graphics front with hardware-accelerated ray tracing support. It's said to feature an NVMe SSD, too, which should further improve performance. Unfortunately it seems we'll have to wait a little while longer to learn what ports and cables people will be able to use to take advantage of that performance.
