• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Asha Sharma: Next Xbox Project Name: "Helix" - Will 'lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games'

It will be really amusing if Helix turns out to be Magnus AT1 rather than AT2.



MS is doing the Premium console, OEMs are meant to do the cheaper variants, and the Super Premium "Elite" consoles.
Asus Helix S
Xbox Helix X
Asus Helix Ti
Asus Helix Ti Super
 
They know they'll be releasing the Helix before the PS6. Chances are they are talking about it being more powerful than series x or ps5 (pro). Basically will be the most powerful "console" at launch. That may or may not be eclipsed by PS6 when it releases, but that a future thats probably 2+ years away.

The PS6 APU has been rumored to be released in 2027. I doubt Microsoft is talking about a "premium product" and "leading in performance" when referring vs the PS5 Pro, and only using it as a flagship product for a few months.


With all this, I'm sure K KeplerL2 has always maintained that Magnus' specs are 100% those of the new Xbox Console....
 
Going to repost my edit from above:

Wait....are we now saying the first party Xbox device ain't Magnus???? What the hell is it?
Oh I was mainly referring to multiple skus and multiple power levels within the whole ecosystem

I am pretty certain Magnus is also being used in the first party device(s) as I have also heard another Xbox codename on top of Helix
 
Oh I was mainly referring to multiple skus and multiple power levels within the whole ecosystem

I am pretty certain Magnus is also being used in the first party device(s) as I have also heard another Xbox codename on top of Helix
But was the leaked "spec" the power level of Helix or not? If it is, then everything makes sense and Proelite Proelite 's source is wrong. If it isn't, then a lot doesn't make sense because both Kepler and MLiD are wrong.
 
But was the leaked "spec" the power level of Helix or not? If it is, then everything makes sense and Proelite Proelite 's source is wrong. If it isn't, then a lot doesn't make sense because both Kepler and MLiD are wrong.
Confused James Franco GIF
 
Oh I was mainly referring to multiple skus and multiple power levels within the whole ecosystem

I am pretty certain Magnus is also being used in the first party device(s) as I have also heard another Xbox codename on top of Helix
Didn't MS tell you say a lot less about their HW plans on here recently? Not complaining though - love the "Just guessing" posts 🤣
 
Didn't MS tell you say a lot less about their HW plans on here recently? Not complaining though - love the "Just guessing" posts 🤣
lol I have erased a response at least 5 times, not avoiding the question just trying to figure out how to word my response but about to head out for a bit so might not get back to you until mid week :)
 
Didn't MS tell you say a lot less about their HW plans on here recently? Not complaining though - love the "Just guessing" posts 🤣
Mid week? What's this cliffhanger shit man?

School Ugh GIF
I have a good grasp at what's coming just don't want to come across as condescending if that makes sense

That is unless their leadership change leadership shakeup has also drastically changed what they are building
 
Asus Helix S
Xbox Helix X
Asus Helix Ti
Asus Helix Ti Super
Xbox S
Xbox X
Xbox Elite
Oh I was mainly referring to multiple skus and multiple power levels within the whole ecosystem

I am pretty certain Magnus is also being used in the first party device(s) as I have also heard another Xbox codename on top of Helix
MS would obviously have to use one of the 4 AT GPU dies. It's very likely AT2, because otherwise it wouldn't make sense why they went with 70 CUs with two disabled, rather than 72 like it should've been.
Mid week? What's this cliffhanger shit man?

School Ugh GIF
He is headed to the GDC to meet Asha.
Condescending? Put us in our place. Most of us deserve it. :messenger_grinning_smiling:
Yea exactly, I won't mind.
 
It only costs Nvidia like $420 to build RTX 5080 which they sell for $999, 100% plus profit margins.

Magnus AT2 Helix APU costs like $500 and total BOM being $900. AMD has their 20% or whatever profit margins built in to whatever they sell to MS. And MS will supposedly according to Proelite Proelite sell those same APUs to OEMs at cost and OEMs build their own hardware and keep their own profit margins of 20-25%. So every1 involved gets some profits, MS getting an open platform built by OEMs.
That's not a complete product with all parts turning it into a PC and cost for research marketing packaging licensing etc etc etc etc etc. Even at $2000 it would be an anchor on their economics reports until the end of time. I'm not going to pretend that I know anything in detail but I do build electronics and to me this sounds like fantasy.
 
Apparently their GDC display area of the Xbox console timeline is closed off until Wednesday.

They're going to show the Helix prototype at GDC. Book it.
 
That's not a complete product with all parts turning it into a PC and cost for research marketing packaging licensing etc etc etc etc etc. Even at $2000 it would be an anchor on their economics reports until the end of time. I'm not going to pretend that I know anything in detail but I do build electronics and to me this sounds like fantasy.
Dude, the Bill of Materials including assembly and packaging is $900. MS doesn't need any more than 10-20% margins on it.

IIRC, PS5 BOM was like $450 with disc drive. Sony sold the Digital edition at a slight loss for $399. They sold the regular model for $499, at a slight profit, but it all broke even in the end due to other external factors.

The lowest MS could sell Magnus AT2 Helix for is $1k, but likely closer to $1199. An OEM would definitely need their minimum 20% profit margins.

I expect $599, $999 handhelds again, and $599, $899, $1199 Console SKUs. Remember, the Universal SKU would scale hardware, the devs would only need to create presets for the lower tier handheld and Magnus AT2 Helix in order to gain optimization tags on store.
 
Magnus is the codename for the custom SoC AMD is making for Xbox, it has nothing to do with any particular configuration.

As for OEM "Xbox PC" I have no idea, they already changed plans multiple times in the last 12 months and I wouldn't be surprised if Asha changed plans again.
Based on logic alone, and without any real expertise, I believe any OEM initiative would only make sense after the Helix launch. The contrary could be would be sabotaging themselves.

Not to mention how strange it would be if the "Asus Helix" were leaked before the official Xbox, which is supposed to be the base console, sell in larger quantities, and therefore should be finalized first.
 
Dude, the Bill of Materials including assembly and packaging is $900.
For a full PC with 32GB RAM and added Xbox hardware BC and 5080 raster and 5090 RT with sufficient cooling to make it silent enough for a living room?
Do you realize how unlikely this sounds?
 
For a full PC with 32GB RAM and added Xbox hardware BC and 5080 raster and 5090 RT with sufficient cooling to make it silent enough for a living room?
Do you realize how unlikely this sounds?
36 GB GDDR7 RAM***

Ask K KeplerL2


$900 BOM and $1200 likely. That's how technology advances, just because Nvidia overcharges, doesn't mean AMD and MS need to over charge. This is AMD's main chance to become the fixed spec hardware for optimization target for the entire PC Gaming, including all three major ecosystems, Xbox, Steam, Epic.

They want to flood the market with a portfolio of devices that are a good bang for your buck. And steal market share away from Intel/Nvidia. The same AT2 GPU die in Xbox Consoles, Xbox PCs, and entry level Discrete cards. The same AT3 GPU die in Gaming Laptops and mid range Consoles. All chips are Dual purpose, sometimes Triple purpose, that's how AMD saves money.
 
Last edited:
For a full PC with 32GB RAM and added Xbox hardware BC and 5080 raster and 5090 RT with sufficient cooling to make it silent enough for a living room?
Do you realize how unlikely this sounds?


Hang on a minute! This is gaf! We are always hearing PC gamers on here talk about how they have their shot hooked up to their living room TVs! Personally I keep my PCs by desks. But M-ATX Sized PCs can probably do a hood impression of modern consoles in the living room. And it's not like Series X and PS5 are exactly 16- but console like proportions anyway.


And who says it needs 32GB of RAM. Most peoples gaming PCs don't even have that. I have 128GB in my OC and I've never seen it use more than even 20 Even with my work loads being placed on it. What the hell is a games console gonna do with 32GB or ram? It's overkill for most scenarios.
 
I have a feeling it won't be Steam games, instead, I think it will be everything that's available on the Xbox Store on PC. I think the rumors are wrong.
 
Hang on a minute! This is gaf! We are always hearing PC gamers on here talk about how they have their shot hooked up to their living room TVs! Personally I keep my PCs by desks. But M-ATX Sized PCs can probably do a hood impression of modern consoles in the living room. And it's not like Series X and PS5 are exactly 16- but console like proportions anyway.


And who says it needs 32GB of RAM. Most peoples gaming PCs don't even have that. I have 128GB in my OC and I've never seen it use more than even 20 Even with my work loads being placed on it. What the hell is a games console gonna do with 32GB or ram? It's overkill for most scenarios.
I literally use a small form factor as my games console.

9800X3D - RTX 5080 SFF - TV - Comfy Couch.....65" OLED.....Bliss!
 
I literally use a small form factor as my games console.

9800X3D - RTX 5080 SFF - TV - Comfy Couch.....65" OLED.....Bliss!



This is what I'm thinking the next Xbox will be like.I would very much like to build my own Xbox next gen. I want something compact but with upgrade options, so PCI slots and thunderbolt ( for External GPU enclosures) would be sweet!
 
MS got money. Lots of it. We call it expensive…. They probably just call it, another Tuesday.
Well they do have stockholders to please. They have to keep it profitable.

Hence the introduction of Amy Hood with the 30% margin, the cancellation of a whole host of games, closing of studios, many job losses and a new multiplatform release initiative.
 
Hang on a minute! This is gaf! We are always hearing PC gamers on here talk about how they have their shot hooked up to their living room TVs! Personally I keep my PCs by desks. But M-ATX Sized PCs can probably do a hood impression of modern consoles in the living room. And it's not like Series X and PS5 are exactly 16- but console like proportions anyway.
I have all that and I just see the whole thing as incredibly unlikely. Something has to give: performance, size, noise. And definitely the price.

I have a PC with a 4090 and 7800X3D in the living room. It's more silent than any console but also about twice the size of a PS5…
Cost: You don't want to know.
 
36 GB GDDR7 RAM***

Ask K KeplerL2


$900 BOM and $1200 likely. That's how technology advances, just because Nvidia overcharges, doesn't mean AMD and MS need to over charge. This is AMD's main chance to become the fixed spec hardware for optimization target for the entire PC Gaming, including all three major ecosystems, Xbox, Steam, Epic.

They want to flood the market with a portfolio of devices that are a good bang for your buck. And steal market share away from Intel/Nvidia. The same AT2 GPU die in Xbox Consoles, Xbox PCs, and entry level Discrete cards. The same AT3 GPU die in Gaming Laptops and mid range Consoles. All chips are Dual purpose, sometimes Triple purpose, that's how AMD saves money.

The BOM he is giving doesn't say anything about the 5080/5090 which is what Fess Fess is talking about here. Turns out all this noise about the configuration is just noise and we don't know how powerful this thing will be.


Hang on a minute! This is gaf! We are always hearing PC gamers on here talk about how they have their shot hooked up to their living room TVs! Personally I keep my PCs by desks. But M-ATX Sized PCs can probably do a hood impression of modern consoles in the living room. And it's not like Series X and PS5 are exactly 16- but console like proportions anyway.


And who says it needs 32GB of RAM. Most peoples gaming PCs don't even have that. I have 128GB in my OC and I've never seen it use more than even 20 Even with my work loads being placed on it. What the hell is a games console gonna do with 32GB or ram? It's overkill for most scenarios.

Fess Fess ain't saying it can't be done. He is saying the smaller the form factor it is, the more expensive it is. And he's right.
 
For a full PC with 32GB RAM and added Xbox hardware BC and 5080 raster and 5090 RT with sufficient cooling to make it silent enough for a living room?
Do you realize how unlikely this sounds?
What full PC bruh? It's still a system built as a console at heart. Not a PC with discrete parts, the SoC/APU alone saves a ton of the BOM cost. If you throw these things enough money they can be as powerful as you want them to be, and way cheaper than an actual PC (granted they price it not to make a profit off of it), with the same performance.
 
Last edited:
So I was thinking. The Steam Machine is 28 CU RDNA 3.5. The PS5 is 36 CU RDNA2 but higher clocked. The Steam Machine is weaker than a PS5, close to 8.5 Teraflops vs 10.3 Teraflops.

If MS does an entry level Console with Magnus AT4 24 CU RDNA5, it would be more powerful than the Steam Machine, and could even be faster than the PS5.

It would make for a really nice entry level console.

Magnus AT3 based console with 48 CU RDNA5 would be very comparable to PS6 Orion with 52 CU RDNA5. I can see the PS6 going for $799 while the Magnus AT3 goes for $899. $100 upcharge for being open platform with no online paywall.
 
Im gonna laugh if MS consulted AI on how to reverse their Xbox tailspin and it told them to shakeup leadership, focus on consoles again, stop multi publishing. Full course reversal.

They wouldn't listen to consumers who actually buy the products but they listen to AI because its the future.
 
The BOM he is giving doesn't say anything about the 5080/5090 which is what Fess Fess is talking about here. Turns out all this noise about the configuration is just noise and we don't know how powerful this thing will be.




Fess Fess ain't saying it can't be done. He is saying the smaller the form factor it is, the more expensive it is. And he's right.
I'm just going by what K KeplerL2 has stated in the past.



I don't know about the MLID 5090 thing to be 100% correct, but if it's 5080 tier in Raster, one would imagine it's at least 5080 tier in Raytracing and Upscaling.

Kepler also stated RDNA5 has advanced beyond Blackwell. Nvidia will gain the upper hand with 6080 but AMD is catching up.
 
Im gonna laugh if MS consulted AI on how to reverse their Xbox tailspin and it told them to shakeup leadership, focus on consoles again, stop multi publishing. Full course reversal.

They wouldn't listen to consumers who actually buy the products but they listen to AI because its the future.
If they consulted the sloppy that is MS copilot they are well snd truly screwed.
 
I'm just going by what K KeplerL2 has stated in the past.



I don't know about the MLID 5090 thing to be 100% correct, but if it's 5080 tier in Raster, one would imagine it's at least 5080 tier in Raytracing and Upscaling.

Kepler also stated RDNA5 has advanced beyond Blackwell. Nvidia will gain the upper hand with 6080 but AMD is catching up.

He also said you can't pin down RT performance like that so no, 5080 doesn't necessarily mean 5080 RT, much less 5090. Either way, folks really need to stop falling over themselves for paper specs. We've been down this road many times.
 
What full PC bruh? It's still a system built as a console at heart. Not a PC with discrete parts, the SoC/APU alone saves a ton of the BOM cost. If you throw these things enough money they can be as powerful as you want them to be, and way cheaper than an actual PC (granted they price it not to make a profit off of it), with the same performance.

Yeah the large semi-custom APU that will be designed for gaming is what will largely distinguish it from "just a PC". You can't buy those off the shelf. Most off the shelf apu's are smaller and are more general purpose with CPU being prioritized over GPU.

There will be some cost advantages of this over regular PC but perhaps less so if this going to positioned as a profitable nicher device.
 
Last edited:
Not sure, on the actual page on the GDC's schedule website, it doesn't list any streaming options but other sites like gamespot, ign etc might be there with cameras.

I'm considering the possibility that before or after the presentation they might publish an article or articles with the information, or even a live interview or one that's been pre-recorded but embargoed until permission is granted.

That said, it's hard to believe they'd announce Project Helix with such fanfare, highlighting the importance of what will be discussed for the future of The Xbox brand —which extends far beyond the interests of developers and publishers—and not do a live stream 🤦🙃
 
He also said you can't pin down RT performance like that so no, 5080 doesn't necessarily mean 5080 RT, much less 5090. Either way, folks really need to stop falling over themselves for paper specs. We've been down this road many times.
While technically correct, if AMD plans to use AT2, AT1, AT0 GPU dies in discrete cards to compete with RTX 6070, 6080, 6090 tier competitors, they can't be too far behind in feature set and capability.

Their Discrete card market share is already down to 7%, this is probably their last and best chance to gain back market share.

It's fun to discuss all the possibilities though.
 
The lowest MS could sell Magnus AT2 Helix for is $1k, but likely closer to $1199. An OEM would definitely need their minimum 20% profit margins.

I expect $599, $999 handhelds again, and $599, $899, $1199 Console SKUs. Remember, the Universal SKU would scale hardware, the devs would only need to create presets for the lower tier handheld and Magnus AT2 Helix in order to gain optimization tags on store.
My man, the 2TB series x is going for $799. You think ms is still running a charity? Only 20% profit margins for OEM? Who do you think will be selling those?
 
36 GB GDDR7 RAM***

Ask K KeplerL2


$900 BOM and $1200 likely. That's how technology advances, just because Nvidia overcharges, doesn't mean AMD and MS need to over charge. This is AMD's main chance to become the fixed spec hardware for optimization target for the entire PC Gaming, including all three major ecosystems, Xbox, Steam, Epic.

They want to flood the market with a portfolio of devices that are a good bang for your buck. And steal market share away from Intel/Nvidia. The same AT2 GPU die in Xbox Consoles, Xbox PCs, and entry level Discrete cards. The same AT3 GPU die in Gaming Laptops and mid range Consoles. All chips are Dual purpose, sometimes Triple purpose, that's how AMD saves money.
The bet on lower price market have never worked out properly - people just buy older generation of more powerful hardware. Especially with how successful DLSS was and the incremental visual improvements.
 
HERE. WE. GO. LEAKED.

"The Xbox Helix Ultimate features a custom AMD Zen 6 CPU built on a 2nm process with 16 cores and 32 threadsrunning at a locked 5.2 GHz and supported by 128 MB of 3D V-Cache. Its graphics are powered by a custom AMD RDNA 5.5 GPU delivering 52 TFLOPS of raw compute power through 96 Compute Units and 96 4th-Gen Ray Accelerators for hardware-level Path Tracing. This setup is augmented by a dedicated 75 TOPs NPU for AI-driven upscaling and 64 GB of unified GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus providing 1.8 TB/s of bandwidth."

Poster Yao Ming Meme Troll Face Fun(91 x 118 cm) : Amazon.it: Casa e cucina
 
Helix is the project name, that's not going to be the final name of the hardware.

We didn't get Xbox Scorpio or Xbox Scarlett on release either, folks. 🙏
 
Top Bottom