Next-Gen Xbox vs PlayStation 6: Which One Really Has More Power?
The next round of the console wars is heating up, and Xbox may swing hardest. Leaks point to Microsoft’s next-gen machine outmuscling PlayStation 6, but that power play could come with serious sticker shock.
Console rivalry drama never ends, and I kind of love that for us. The latest round: whispers that Microsoft is building a next Xbox that could flat-out beat Sony's PlayStation 6 on raw muscle. The catch? That power might come with a wallet-punching price tag.
So... is the next Xbox actually stronger than PS6?
That is the rumor. A well-known leaker, YouTuber Moore's Law Is Dead, says Microsoft is aiming to ship its next console with AMD's new Magnus APU. The nerdy but important part: this chip is supposedly 46% bigger than the one tied to Sony's PS6 plans. Bigger die size usually means more room for compute and graphics, which usually means more speed.
If you want the flashy numbers people are tossing around: some early speculation has the next Xbox targeting 4K at up to 144 fps, while PS6 might top out closer to 4K at 120 fps. None of that is official, but it paints the picture everyone is currently arguing about.
What Xbox is actually saying out loud
Xbox president Sarah Bond recently talked to Mashable on YouTube and did not confirm specs, clocks, or any of the juicy stuff. But she did frame the next machine a certain way:
"very premium, very high-end curated experience"
That lines up with what fans have been guessing for a while: a hybrid-style box that blurs the line between a console and a desktop rig. Think: console simplicity, PC-like performance. Sounds great. Also sounds pricey.
About that price tag
Multiple reports have the next Xbox landing somewhere in the $800 to $1,200 range. That is well north of what we think of as a normal console launch price. Given how hardware costs have been climbing, unfortunately it does not feel impossible.
Bond's positioning of the device as premium and high-end, with an emphasis on cross-platform play and the wider Xbox ecosystem, backs up the idea that Microsoft is chasing enthusiasts first: people who value performance over price and like their hardware to overdeliver.
What this could mean if it all holds
- Silicon rumor: AMD Magnus APU, reportedly 46% larger than PS6's chip
- Performance chatter: potential 4K up to 144 fps for Xbox vs. around 4K 120 fps for PS6
- Strategy vibe: a premium, high-end box that leans into PC-grade performance and cross-platform play
- Price talk: $800 to $1,200, notably higher than typical console launches
- Big swing: if the leaks pan out, this could be the most powerful console to date, but aimed at a niche willing to pay for it
Reality check
All the performance stuff is still rumor territory. Treat it like that. But the official tone from Xbox suggests they are absolutely targeting the top end. If Sony keeps the PS6 closer to mainstream pricing, the market split writes itself: PlayStation as the mass-market choice, Xbox as the high-performance flex box.
Your move
Would you pay four figures for an Xbox if it really delivers PC-level performance? Or is that a step too far for a living-room machine? I am genuinely curious where your line is.