70%
Probable
PC OEMs, such as ASUS and MSI, are rumored to build their own custom Microsoft "Project Helix" machines besides the official Xbox console.
Microsoft's Project Helix Will Exist As Both A PC and A Console, As Rumor Points To OEM Vendors Creating Their Own Custom Designs
Recently, there have been reports about Microsoft's Project Helix plans, which is the codename for the SoC powering the next-generation Xbox console. Microsoft is deeply engaged with AMD on its Project Helix SoC, which will feature support for FSR Diamond, a brand new upscaling technology with lots of AI-specific innovations centered around Neural Rendering.
Although there have been reports that the Project Helix SoC won't be as significantly customized as Sony's PS6 SoC, also made by AMD, a new rumor from Kepler_L2 at the Neogaf forums suggests that the Helix SoC will offer a more open ecosystem in terms of product development and design.
As per the rumor, the Microsoft Project Helix SoC will be integrated within custom solutions from leading PC OEMs such as ASUS, MSI, etc. This sounds like a similar strategy to ASUS's ROG Xbox Ally lineup, which makes use of the company's new Ryzen Z2 family of SoCs, and offers them in a handheld that deeply integrates Microsoft's Xbox gaming interface. This tight integration leads to a more console-like gaming experience rather than a PC-like experience.
The extent of this partnership between Microsoft and PC OEMs is currently not clear, but we can see Helix consoles (PCs disguised as Xbox consoles) on retail shelves from Microsoft's partners. This push will allow Microsoft to further increase its sharehold in the console and PC market.
It is also stated that the Project Helix SoC itself won't be available as a standalone option for PC gamers. So you can't just buy a chip and DIY it yourself on a PC.
Now this doesn't mean that a 1st party Xbox console based on the Project Helix SoC won't exist. That is still very much the plan according to VP of next-gen Xbox, Jason Ronald, and the PC OEM partnership sounds like a secondary option where brands try to increase their global reach with customized solutions. It will be interesting to see what kind of features PC OEMs manage to add to their own solutions, but it will be a while before we hear anything official from them.
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
