Post by -sĐ.Ѵisionδ on Jan 20, 2013 21:19:34 GMT
The internet has been awash with rumours about next generation hardware, with plausible reports flooding in from a variety of sources. Judging by the level of traction these stories have received, it's safe to assume that both Microsoft and Sony will indeed release new consoles in 2013.
A successor to the Xbox 360 has been in the works since 2010, at least according to a genuine-looking specs sheet that leaked online last summer.
Some reports claim the console is in the works under the codename of Durango, while other sources refer to it as Thebes. The PlayStation 4, meanwhile, is readily known as Orbis.
With so many reports about both systems floating around, it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the hype. With this in mind, we've rounded up all the rumours on what their biggest features will be, when you'll see them and the games and tech behind them.
When will they be announced and released?
There has been no shortage of speculation about both consoles' pricing and release dates. While multiple sources have suggested E3 unveilings, more recent rumblings suggest the new Xbox and PS4 could see the light of day as early as March, with an Apple-style media event said to be planned for its big reveal. Either way, we're bound to know all by E3 in June.
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We'll then see and hear more leading up to release, with October and November being the most likely candidates.
As for pricing, it's been suggested the hardware will retail for $350 to $400 in the US (£217 to £248), a price point similar to the original Xbox 360's launch tag of $399 in 2005, but is lower than the PS3's $499 and $599 price in 2006.
How powerful will the consoles be?
Developers who claim to have gotten their hands on both machines recently told VG247 that the new Xbox will have a run capacity of 1.23 teraflops backed up by 8GB of RAM, 3GB of which is dedicated to the operating system, apps and security, with the rest for games.
A Radeon HD 8770 GPU will serve as the system's graphics chip, which should be good enough to run the upcoming Unreal Engine 4.
Source: Digital Spy