Leaked mid-gen refresh timeline, documents are from the Microsoft versus FTC case. Highlights:
New (round) design
No disc drive
Low(er) power consumption
2TB storage
New Controller
Same price, $499
2024
But most importantly for us MSFS players, no increase in RAM. Still 16GB and that’s very unfortunate. I know it’s not a “Pro” version but a mid-Gen refresh, but still only 16GB in 2028 i mean, come on.
16GB? Really? 
How much would it cost to give it a more realistic 32GB? I knew they would repeat the mistakes of the past. It’s holding back the platform, and devs. will have to continue to penny-pinch to get around that low spec.
In 2028 we will get a next gen Xbox platform, a completely new console.
These are specs for current gen “refreshed” version of XSX, which will release probably in 2024. I’m looking forward to the improved Xbox controller, with gyro sensors.
Yes, you are correct. These mid-Gen refreshed consoles are due to release next year. My bad.
Nevertheless, extra memory would be more then welcome instead of in 2028 when the next Gen arrives.
Agreed. I would argue that its needed now, not four years from now. Even better, be daring, and allow users to upgrade their consoles memory like a PC.
Wow I can see even MS employees being confused about all of this, what a bizarre presentation. Which one is Uther? Everything looks the same except no disc and the ‘environmental’ enhancements? Still showing 1TB/2TB options. And at the same price? I run hardwired with an Elite controller. Guess I’ve worried about it enough already in the last 2 minutes to cover me for at least the next year. Not exactly the ‘One X’ of this generation yet.
It’s almost like a ruse with this ‘neat’ a leak. They may need to adjust their plans…
I don’t think these are the specs of the 2028 Xbox. Consoles by then will be much, much more powerful. And probably not at the $500 price point.
Shocked it still only has 16GB shared RAM/VRAM.
Maybe it will be “built for FS2024” though!
Or maybe 16GB is RAM and they have a non disclosed amount of VRAM that theya re being secret about this time?
I was expecting an “eXcess” name with 32GB 
Phil has already announced that there will be no mid-gen refresh this time like we had with the Xbox One S and One X.
“We are at the beginning of the end of this generation”
So it seems the consoles will now be fully exploited to churn out some exceptional games utilizing unreal 5 and all, up until 2028.
Is there anything in the specs that could improve MSFS performance? Doesn’t look like it to me but I’m no tech wizard…
Disappointing. Little point upgrading for anyone who only uses MSFS as the current 1TB storage is more than enough.
Only thing worth upgrading is the new controller. But that’s not really relevant when playing a flight simulator… 
If true it’s pretty disappointing. We (or the Sim, so to say) need at least 32GB in my opinion.
One of our potential remedies now out the window, then. We’ll have to pin our hopes on either SU13 or FS2024 now…
Well in the canned world of consoles it’s all about optimization. Think of every generation and what games look like at the start and end of each cycle. PC is just an arms race where developers just put out games and tell users to well just go buy better stuff. Console developers find how to actually utilize the power to its actual potential.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. Mid-generation refreshes typically offer only modest changes. They take advantage of product maturity for cheaper production costs to give similar or marginally better performance, or maybe add extra features* for the same price point. They aren’t meant to give a big performance boost.
*Or in this case, also remove features. The lack of an optical drive is a hard pass for me. One of the major reasons we got the original XSX was for the Bluray drive, so we wouldn’t have to buy a stand alone player. Sorry, that alone means this refresh is a no-go for me even if we were looking to upgrade downgrade.
Yes I used to use mine for playing movies too. I can see why its not much use for installs though or better as an optional add on, but it was very handy having one on board.
But the XBox has been screaming out for more RAM/VRAM for FS to help with the CTD’s and black screens. But perhaps FS2024 will just require less to run. Better hope we all have good broadband though as mine is quite slow by today’s standards.
I guess they are anticipating the forthcoming demise of discs in general and I’m sure the vast majority of games are now bought digitally on xbox the same as it has been for some time on pc. Having a physical box to gift someone at birthdays and Christmas is about the only disc sales these days i expect.
Given streaming services for music and movies/tv, i guess it won’t be long before these become exclusivity digital (notwithstanding the current resurgence of vinyl). I used to buy a fair number of movies on DVD - last one i bought was maybe 5 years ago.
I very nearly but didn’t quite throw out my blue ray player when I got the series X. Now I don’t have the series X any more so I’m glad I hung on to the player. BUT I can’t remember when the last time was I watched a DVD/blue ray on it! These days I either stream or more often than not I am just using FS all the time!
The only time I even gets hands on any kind of disk now is if I get a DVD/Bluray from a works secret santa. I haven’t even had a disk player in my computer in more than 15 years. Probably nearer 19, roughly coinciding with me setting up a Steam account I would guess.
Shame about the RAM, I would have gladly paid 100 bucks more to get 32 gigs. Hopefully FS2024 will optimize things further.
As for the optical drive: couldn’t care less. I’ve used it once in three years. It was noisy, slow and the image quality inferior even on blu-ray. Streaming all the way for me!
Pretty sure you are right, this isn’t going to do anything to improve MSFS on xbox. RAM was needed instead. But I didn’t expect more RAM on a mid gen refresh, and RAM is expensive so it would up the price, and outside of MSFS probably very few people care.
Games for Xbox have to be written to work with the current RAM and so the benefit of higher RAM is probably nil for most users. MSFS only needs it because they’ve not yet succeeded in fitting the existing game in the RAM that is available. Name me one other game in that category…
