GameSpot's Unofficial X-Box FAQ
Everything you've ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask about the X-Box.
By Amer Ajami
Last Updated: 3/13/00
Microsoft chairman and cofounder Bill Gates recently took the wraps off the X-Box, ending months of rumors and speculation. The console is Microsoft's answer to Sega's Dreamcast, Sony's PlayStation2, and Nintendo's upcoming Dolphin. While the thought of a gaming console from the likes of Microsoft may be a little difficult to fathom at first, it's just as unusual that the software giant waited 15 years before attempting to tap into this giant marketplace.
Gates reveals the X-Box to the world. |
For the past six months, information on the upcoming system has been based on hearsay, rumor, and word from sources that heard news through the grapevine. Last September, GameSpot created an X-Box FAQ in which we answered some preliminary questions about the console and its specifications. We've since updated the FAQ to include the more specific and accurate information that Microsoft provided during the X-Box's official announcement over the weekend, and we'll continue to update the FAQ as more information becomes available. But without any further ado, here's the unofficial X-Box FAQ:
What is the X-Box?
A gaming console from Microsoft based on the company's latest Windows OS and powered by hardware typically associated with PC gaming.
Have there been any games announced for the X-Box?
A handful of games have been officially announced from US publishers. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and Ready 2 Rumble 2 are some of the games currently in the works. As it stands now, the list of developers and publishers includes (but is not limited to): Electronic Arts, Konami, Eidos, Namco, Acclaim, Infogrames, Activision, Capcom, Take-2 Interactive, Ubi Soft, THQ, Sierra Studios, Lionhead Studios, Midway, Hasbro Interactive, Universal Interactive Studios, Rockstar Games, Fox Interactive, Koei, Titus, Hudson Soft, and Bungie.
What kind of CPU will it have?
Early rumors indicated that the X-Box would be powered by an AMD Athlon running at either 600 or 650MHz. However, in an eleventh-hour decision made by Microsoft, AMD was dropped in favor of Intel due to pricing and availability concerns. Microsoft has committed to an Intel Pentium III processor, but hasn't decided on a clock speed yet. At the very least, the X-Box will have a P3-600 at its heart.
What kinds of graphics chip will it have?
In another last minute decision, Microsoft dropped start-up GigaPixel in favor of Nvidia, which is a much more established graphics-chip manufacturer. The prototype unit showed by Microsoft during Gates' presentation was running an Nvidia NV15 chipset, but the final design will feature an even more powerful NV25.
What about graphics performance?
While the actual performance figures on the NV25 chipset for the PC are still uncertain, Gates did quote some specific numbers in regard to the X-Box's graphics abilities. When it ships, the X-Box will be able to process 300M polygons per second with a sustained performance of approximately 100M polygons per second - nearly five times that of the PlayStation2. The X-Box's NV25 will have a quad-pixel pipeline and will be operating at 300MHz internally, giving it a fillrate of 4.8GP/S.
Next: More on the X-Box's internals
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