All Xbox 720 games have installations and the console features a 500GB hard drive

Feb 12, 2013 13:52 GMT  ·  By

A brand new series of specifications and details about the next-generation Xbox console, known as the Xbox 720 or under the Durango codename, has appeared on the web, this time confirming that the new device requires an upgraded Kinect sensor and that its games will all have mandatory installations.

The Xbox 360 is still doing great in terms of sales all around the world, but Microsoft is preparing to debut its successor, currently codenamed Durango and mostly known as the Xbox 720.

We have already seen quite a few major leaks in the last few months, but now another pretty big report has been posted by Kotaku about the Xbox 720 from a reliable source.

First up, the website confirms that the next-gen Xbox is powered by a custom 8-core, 64-bit CPU that's running at 1.6GHz, as well as by a graphics processor that's clocked at 800MHz and supports DirectX 11.1. There's also 8GB of DDR3 RAM plus a small amount of flash memory for system tasks.

There's a Blu-ray drive capable of reading discs with 50GB of content and a standard hard-drive of 500GB.

There's a built-in Wi-Fi, but the console also has support for wired connections and can even output content in 3D at 1080p resolutions.

However, the report also claims a few interesting details, including the fact that all consoles will come with a new version of the Kinect sensor. This time around, the device won't be optional, as the Xbox 720 needs to have a Kinect connected in order to run properly.

The new sensor is much more capable of detecting things, as it can record up to six different people and identify even tiny gestures like the movement of thumbs or facial expressions. The Kinect will be always on, so you can start up the console by using a voice command.

The aforementioned 500GB HDD will be required by games, as all of them will have mandatory installations. These can be done in the background, so players can jump right into the game while data is still being installed.

Another big feature, however, is that players can suspend their games and even start a second one while the other is running in the background. Once they're done, they can come back to the original and pick up from where they left off.

While the controller will be a "natural evolution" of the current Xbox 360 one, it will use a new wireless technology, meaning current Xbox 360 pads won't be compatible with the Xbox 720.

In order to supplement this, Microsoft is going to add more features into the special Xbox companion application for mobile platforms like smartphones or tablets, as they'll be useable in a variety of ways.

As of yet, Microsoft hasn't commented on this new and quite major leak, so it's unclear just how many details are true.