Xbox Series X is reportedly getting a “smaller, more efficient chip”

Microsoft seems to make more revisions to its hardware than Sony or Nintendo do to theirs. If a new report is to be believed, an improved chip is coming to the Xbox Series X.

The buzz started on tech personality Brad Sams’ YouTube show. During the Q&A segment, Sams was asked about the current Xbox console getting a “silent revision,” aka an internal upgrade done without an announcement. “Microsoft is always looking at revisions of the hardware,” Sams answered. “Microsoft is always working on making cooler, more efficient chips because that lowers the cost of production. I believe Microsoft is working on a smaller, more power-efficient chip. I’m very confident in that.” Sams explains that while this may be a good thing on Microsoft’s end, a revised chip won’t really see much effect on the consumer. Better performance or price changes aren’t guaranteed with this sort of hardware upgrade.

Of course, the world’s ongoing chip shortage and supply chain delays may also interfere with Microsoft’s plans. Nintendo reduced Switch production by 20% as a result of the holdup, and Nvidia expects the shortage to affect its GPU and CPU production until 2023. That said, this new Xbox Series X chip would be a “silent revision” anyhow, so there won’t be an announcement from Microsoft if and when it is implemented.