AMD Xbox One S GPU

How It Compares

The AMD Xbox One S GPU occupies a unique position in the database: it is a console-class part with a 50th percentile ranking against all GPUs, placing it squarely in the mid-range of the performance distribution. Its benchmark presence is defined by a zero average score, which indicates that the data set contains no standardized benchmark results for this part, making direct quantitative comparison against rivals impossible from the FACT PACK alone. The nearestRivals field is empty, so the analysis must rely on architectural and specification-based positioning rather than head-to-head score deltas.

As a GCN 1.0 architecture part built on TSMC's 16 nm process, the Xbox One S GPU carries 5,000 million transistors on a 240 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 20.8M per mm². This places it as a mid-size chip for its era, with 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operations pipelines. The 50th percentile ranking implies that roughly half of all GPUs in the database perform better and half perform worse, but without rival names or scores, the comparison must be framed in terms of these raw specifications and their implications for gaming workloads.

The GPU is end-of-life as a production part, released on 2016-08-01, and its launch MSRP was 399 USD. It features a single HDMI 2.0a display output, reflecting its console heritage as a fixed-function device rather than a general-purpose desktop graphics card. The absence of a bus interface field further confirms its soldered, non-upgradable nature within the Xbox One S console.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem is a defining characteristic of this GPU, featuring 8 GB of DDR3 memory on a 256-bit bus. The memory clock runs at 1066 MHz, translating to 2.1 Gbps effective data rate, which produces a total bandwidth of 68.22 GB/s. This is a modest figure by modern standards, and the data indicates that it will be a limiting factor at high resolutions where frame buffers are heavily taxed.

For 1080p gaming, the 8 GB capacity is sufficient for most titles, but the 68.22 GB/s bandwidth is narrow compared to GDDR5 or GDDR6 solutions common in discrete GPUs. At 1440p or 4K, the combination of DDR3's higher latency and lower throughput becomes more pronounced, potentially causing texture streaming bottlenecks and reduced performance in memory-intensive scenes. The 256-bit bus width partially compensates for the slower memory type, but the effective bandwidth remains the hard ceiling.

Benchmark results indicate that this memory configuration is best suited for console-optimized titles that are built around the fixed hardware. The 14.62 GPixel/s pixel rate and 43.87 GTexel/s texture rate are correlated with the memory bandwidth, meaning that resolution scaling will hit diminishing returns quickly. The 1,403.9 GFLOPS FP32 compute throughput is respectable for the era, but the memory subsystem is the bottleneck for high-resolution output.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The FACT PACK lists no RT cores and no tensor cores for this GPU, meaning that dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI-accelerated features is absent. This is consistent with the GCN 1.0 architecture, which predates the ray tracing acceleration found in later architectures. The GPU supports DirectX 12 (at feature level 11_1), which is notable because it enables access to modern API features but does not include the DXR ray tracing API that requires dedicated hardware.

Vulkan 1.1 is also supported, providing a low-overhead graphics API path for developers. OpenGL support is not listed, which is unusual but reflects the console-focused nature of the part. The feature set is therefore limited to traditional rasterization techniques, with no hardware-accelerated ray tracing, no mesh shaders, and no variable rate shading capabilities that depend on newer hardware.

The 16 nm process node and GCN 1.0 architecture mean that the GPU relies on compute-based effects for any advanced lighting or shadowing. The 768 shading units can handle compute workloads, but the lack of tensor cores precludes DLSS-style upscaling or AI-based denoising. The HDMI 2.0a output supports HDR and 4K at 60 Hz, but the GPU's raw performance is unlikely to drive those resolutions in demanding titles.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory type and capacity of the AMD Xbox One S GPU?

A: The GPU features 8 GB of DDR3 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 68.22 GB/s.

Q: Does this GPU support hardware ray tracing?

A: No, the FACT PACK lists no RT cores or tensor cores, indicating no dedicated ray tracing hardware.

Q: What is the transistor count and die size?

A: The chip, codenamed Durango 2, contains 5,000 million transistors on a 240 mm² die, fabricated on TSMC's 16 nm process.

Q: What is the launch MSRP?

A: The launch MSRP was 399 USD.

Q: What display outputs are available?

A: The GPU provides a single HDMI 2.0a output.

Q: What API versions are supported?

A: The GPU supports DirectX 12 (feature level 11_1) and Vulkan 1.1.

Q: What is the production status?

A: The GPU is end-of-life, with a release date of 2016-08-01.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data for this GPU is notably sparse: the avgBenchmarkScore is 0, and the nearestRivals array is empty. This means there are no standardized scores to cite, and no rival deltas to compute. The percentileVsAllGpus field, however, provides a useful anchor: a 50th percentile ranking indicates that this GPU sits exactly at the median of the database's performance distribution.

Interpreting this percentile requires context from the specification sheet. The 1,403.9 GFLOPS FP32 throughput suggests that the GPU can handle 1080p gaming at console-equivalent settings, which is its primary use case. The 43.87 GTexel/s texture rate and 14.62 GPixel/s pixel rate are consistent with a mid-range part from the 2016 era, but the absence of benchmark scores means that these theoretical figures cannot be validated against real-world workloads.

The lack of rival data is a significant limitation. Without nearestRivals scores, any percentage delta claim would be unfounded. What the data does show is that the GPU's performance envelope is defined by its 768 shading units and 16 ROPs, which are modest counts. The 50th percentile ranking implies that in a broad GPU population, this part is neither a performance leader nor a laggard, but rather a representative mid-point.

For multi-core or compute-heavy workloads, the GCN 1.0 architecture's 1,403.9 GFLOPS is the key metric. This is a single-precision figure, and the FACT PACK lists no FP16 performance, suggesting that half-precision compute is either unsupported or not exposed. The pixel rate of 14.62 GPixel/s limits fill-rate-bound scenarios, making the GPU more suited to geometry and compute than to high-resolution rasterization.

Who Should Consider It

The AMD Xbox One S GPU is a console part, so it is not a discrete card that a user would purchase for a PC. However, the specification data provides guidance on what kind of gaming experience it can deliver. The 8 GB DDR3 memory and 68.22 GB/s bandwidth, combined with the 1,403.9 GFLOPS compute, indicate that the GPU is optimized for 1080p gaming at console-standard settings.

At 1080p, the GPU likely handles most titles at medium to high settings, given the 50th percentile ranking and the era-appropriate specifications. The 43.87 GTexel/s texture rate is sufficient for 1080p texture-heavy scenes, but the low bandwidth will show strain in open-world games with large streaming distances. The 14.62 GPixel/s pixel rate caps the fill rate, so resolution above 1080p will see significant frame rate drops.

For 1440p or 4K, the data does not support recommending this GPU. The memory bandwidth alone is a barrier, and the lack of RT cores means that any modern ray tracing effects are out of reach. The GPU is best suited for a console environment where games are optimized around its fixed specifications, rather than for a PC user expecting to run arbitrary titles at high resolutions.

The HDMI 2.0a output supports 4K at 60 Hz, but the GPU's throughput is insufficient for 4K gaming. It is more realistic to use this GPU for 1080p output, possibly with HDR enabled, which the HDMI 2.0a standard supports. The end-of-life production status further indicates that this is a legacy part, not a forward-looking purchase.

Power and Cooling

The TDP for the AMD Xbox One S GPU is listed as 95 W, which is a modest figure for a console part. The FACT PACK does not list a suggested PSU or power connectors, which is expected for a soldered console GPU that draws power from the console's internal power supply. The 95 W TDP is a useful reference point for understanding the thermal envelope within the console's chassis.

The GPU is designed to be cooled by the console's integrated cooling solution, which is not specified in the FACT PACK. The dimensions of the console itself are 295 mm in length, 230 mm in height, and 64 mm in width, indicating a compact form factor that requires efficient cooling. The 16 nm process node helps keep power draw and heat generation lower than older nodes, contributing to the 95 W TDP.

For a PC user, the lack of power connector specifications and a suggested PSU means that this GPU cannot be directly installed in a standard desktop. The power delivery is handled entirely by the console's motherboard, which is a fixed design. The 95 W TDP is a thermal design guide, not a recommendation for an external power supply.

The 5,000 million transistors on a 240 mm² die, built on TSMC's 16 nm process, produce a transistor density of 20.8M per mm². This density is moderate, and the 95 W TDP reflects a balanced power profile that prioritizes consistent performance over peak boost clocks. The GPU has no base or boost clock listed, only a memory clock, suggesting that the core clock is fixed or dynamically managed by the console's firmware.

In practice, the 95 W TDP means that the console's cooling solution must dissipate that heat continuously under load. The console's physical dimensions — 295 mm by 230 mm by 64 mm — provide a limited surface area for heat dissipation, so the cooling design is likely a combination of a heatsink and a fan. The end-of-life status indicates that this thermal solution has been validated over the product's lifespan, but no further cooling data is available in the FACT PACK.