The Xbox One S isn't just smaller - it'll also run your games better

Xbox One S

According to a developer working on Gears of War 4 the Xbox One S console features additional CPU and GPU horsepower which it will deliver an enhanced frame rate in certain titles.

During the Gears of War demo in Microsoft's press conference it was revealed that the game would benefit from HDR, but this is the first we've heard of substantive performance increases coming as a result of the new hardware.

HDR (or high dynamic range lighting) is a feature commonly associated with the new 4K resolution, but it's actually a separate feature.

Gamers will have to wait until Microsoft's Project Scorpio to experience 4K gaming - and virtual reality - on the Xbox One.

Three levels of performance

The news means that we will soon see three different levels of performance on what is supposedly a single console generation.

Project Scorpio will run games at 4K, the Xbox One S will run games at an enhanced framerate and with HDR, and all these games should also run on the original Xbox One, although this may not end up being the case.

It's not yet clear how development across the three pieces of hardware. Developers may have to code for the hardware specifically, but equally Microsoft may provide graphics APIs like those that exist to deal with the numerous different hardware configurations possible on the PC.

Via Polygon

Jon Porter

Jon Porter is the ex-Home Technology Writer for TechRadar. He has also previously written for Practical Photoshop, Trusted Reviews, Inside Higher Ed, Al Bawaba, Gizmodo UK, Genetic Literacy Project, Via Satellite, Real Homes and Plant Services Magazine, and you can now find him writing for The Verge.