Greetings fellow gamers! As you know, teraflops have become a hot topic lately with the new Xbox and PlayStation consoles. But what do these specs actually mean for real-world gaming performance?
As an industry analyst and hardware enthusiast, I wanted to provide an in-depth look at teraflops in general, how the Xbox Series S and its 4 teraflop GPU compare to other consoles, and whether 4 teraflops is "good" in today‘s gaming landscape. Let‘s dive in!
Demystifying Teraflops – A Primer
Before analyzing the Xbox Series S specifically, let‘s start with an overview of what teraflops measure and how they relate to gaming performance. This will give us the full context.
What Are Teraflops?
A "teraflop" refers to how many trillions of floating point operations per second (FLOPS) a processor can handle. FLOPS measure mathematical calculations done on decimal numbers with fractions, known as floating point numbers.
So in simple terms, teraflops indicate the theoretical performance and speed of a processor. The more FLOPS, the more complex computations it can crunch per second.
For gaming and graphics, teraflops generally correspond to:
- Higher potential framerates
- More detailed and complex visuals
- Faster loading times
- Greater physics and gameplay simulation
Of course, teraflops alone don‘t determine real-world game performance. But they give us a standardized metric to compare hardware capabilities.
Teraflops in Previous Console Generations
To understand how teraflops have progressed, here‘s a look at GPU performance in recent PlayStation and Xbox consoles according to Digital Foundry:
| Console | Teraflops |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 4 | 1.84 |
| Xbox One | 1.31 |
| PlayStation 4 Pro | 4.2 |
| Xbox One X | 6 |
This shows the generational leaps in processing power. Even the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X mid-cycle upgrades already hit the 4-6 teraflop range.
Teraflops in the Latest Consoles
Now let‘s compare teraflops in the newest generation:
| Console | Teraflops |
|---|---|
| Xbox Series S | 4 |
| PlayStation 5 | 10.28 |
| Xbox Series X | 12 |
Clearly we‘ve seen a massive jump to double-digit teraflops in the PS5 and Series X. But how does the 4 teraflop Series S fare in this lineup? Let‘s evaluate.
Inside the Xbox Series S – Powerful Budget Gaming
The Xbox Series S delivers impressive next-gen gaming power in a compact, affordable package. But its cost savings mean a less powerful GPU compared to its big brothers.
Xbox Series S Key Specs:
- CPU: 8-core Zen 2 @ 3.6GHz
- GPU: 20 RDNA 2 compute units @ 1.55GHz
- RAM: 10GB GDDR6
- Target resolution: 1440p
- Max framerate: 120 FPS
- Storage: 512GB SSD
Retail price: $299
With the same leading-edge CPU and SSD technology as Series X, where does the Series S trim costs? Primarily via a smaller GPU and less RAM.
- The 4 teraflop Navi GPU has 20 compute units vs. 36 in Series X. Less graphical horsepower relative to its siblings.
- 10GB vs. 16GB RAM also limits memory bandwidth.
This compact design targets smooth 1440p gaming at 60-120 FPS rather than uncompromised 4K.
However, thanks to the unified next-gen architecture, the Series S also supports key features like ray tracing, variable rate shading, and DirectX spatial sound found in Series X and PS5.
Now let‘s analyze how these specs translate into real-world gaming performance.
Teraflops vs. Real-World Gaming – Metrics and Expectations
While teraflops provide a snapshot of theoretical speed, how do they compare against actual in-game performance? What can 4 teraflops deliver in today‘s games?
Here are some general teraflop guidelines for gaming from Digital Foundry:
- 1080p 30 FPS: 1.5 teraflops
- 1080p 60 FPS: 3 teraflops
- 1440p 30 FPS: 5 teraflops
- 1440p 60 FPS: 6-8 teraflops
- 4K 30 FPS: 9 teraflops
- 4K 60 FPS: 10+ teraflops
Based on these metrics, the Series S‘s 4 teraflops lands in the sweet spot for 1440p gaming, while falling short of ideal 4K 60 FPS power.
The rated performance targets for the Series S are:
- Up to 120 FPS (at 1440p or lower)
- 1440p @ 60 FPS
- 4K upscaling
However, exact resolution and FPS will vary per game engine. Well-optimized titles like Ori and the Will of the Wisps already run at 120 FPS in 4K on Series S, exceeding expectations.
But in demanding AAA games, you can expect a range of 1080p to 1440p rendering, with 60+ FPS at 1440p being the sweet spot. Performance modes will favor FPS over resolution in many titles too.
Let‘s compare the 4 teraflops to other consoles and PC GPUs next.
Xbox Series S vs. PS5, Series X, and PC Graphics Cards
To fully evaluate the Series S‘s 4 teraflops, here‘s how it stacks up against competing consoles and PC graphics cards in raw performance:
| Device | Teraflops | Architecture | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series S | 4 | RDNA 2 | $299 |
| PlayStation 4 Pro | 4.2 | GCN 1.0 | $399 (Discontinued) |
| Xbox One X | 6 | GCN 1.0 | $499 (Discontinued) |
| Radeon RX 5500 XT | 5.2 | RDNA 1 | $179+ |
| Nvidia GTX 1660 Super | 5.5 | Turing | $229+ |
| PlayStation 5 | 10.28 | RDNA 2 | $499 |
| Nvidia RTX 2070 | 9.1 | Turing | $499+ |
| Xbox Series X | 12 | RDNA 2 | $499 |
| Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti | 16.2 | Ampere | $399+ |
Despite having the lowest teraflop count, the Series S impressively outperforms older 6 teraflop consoles through modern architectural design. Efficiency matters just as much!
It sits roughly between the GTX 1660 Super and RX 5500 XT in terms of PC graphics card power. These deliver excellent 1080p and 60 FPS 1440p gaming.
Most importantly, you get next-gen gaming at under half the price of the leading PS5 and Series X.
However, there are certainly trade-offs compared to its siblings:
- No native 4K – Requires upscaling from 1440p
- Lower memory bandwidth – 10GB vs. 16GB RAM
- Less ray tracing power – Fewer compute units
- No disc drive – Digital games only
But for smooth 1440p gaming, the Series S packs a serious punch relative to its price bracket.
Achieving 120 FPS Gaming on Series S
While 4K 60 FPS gaming is off the table, the Series S is built to deliver high framerate competitive gaming up to 120 FPS.
Esports and multiplayer titles really shine here. Even fast-paced single player games feel amazingly fluid and responsive at 90-120 Hz refresh rates.
To hit 120 FPS, the Series S will render internally at 1080p or 1440p then upscale to your display resolution.
Here are some notable games already confirmed to support 120 FPS modes on Series S:
- Halo Infinite
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Destiny 2
- Overwatch
- Rainbow Six Siege
- Fortnite
- Rocket League
120 FPS support will vary title-by-title. But competitive gameplay is a major strength of the affordable Series S.
Game Development for Xbox Series S
Since the Series S has a different hardware profile than Series X and PS5, how are developers optimizing games for the 4 teraflop GPU?
According to Jason Ronald, Director of Xbox Series S development, their strategy is:
"We want to give developers the ability to dial in the performance to exactly what they want"
Instead of strict console generations, the Xbox team works closely with devs to scale each game‘s resolution, graphics settings, and framerates to match the Series S architecture.
Devs have access to the same next-gen toolsets for things like variable rate shading and mesh shaders to optimize and enhance performance on Series S.
The smaller GPU means resolution is typically lowered to maintain visual quality and FPS. But with intelligent upscaling, games can render at 1440p or 1080p then output at 4K to high-res TVs.
Ultimately the Series S offers plenty of power for next-gen gaming. And give developers flexibility to creatively target its capabilities.
My Verdict – Is 4 Teraflops "Good" for Next-Gen?
Given everything we‘ve covered, what‘s the final verdict on 4 teraflops for modern gaming?
The clear advantage of the Xbox Series S is next-gen gaming at just $299. For cost-conscious gamers, it‘s an amazing value.
Its 4 teraflops easily enable high framerate 1080p and 1440p gaming – perfect for competitive multiplayer and 120 Hz displays. Smoother and faster gameplay is where it shines.
The latest architectural design also allows it to visually punch above its weight class despite having lower teraflops than something like the Xbox One X from 2017.
However, for uncompromised 4K 60 FPS fidelity, the PS5 or Series X are better options if you own a high-end 4K television. Their 10+ teraflops and cutting-edge SSDs are designed to maximize ultra HD gaming.
So in summary, I would rate 4 teraflops as "good" for:
- Gamers playing on 1080p or 1440p monitors
- Those wanting max frame rates over resolution
- Next-gen gaming at the most affordable price
But 4 teraflops falls short of the ideal specs for pure, native 4K gaming in demanding AAA titles.
There are always trade-offs when balancing performance and budget. Given its price point, the Series S hits a commendable balance offering true next-gen gaming for just $299.
I hope this deep dive has provided helpful insights into what teraflops mean for current games. Let me know if you have any other questions! Game on!
