What does next gen and current gen mean? A deep dive for gaming friends

As gaming enthusiasts, we‘re all excited by the prospect of new consoles and technology improvements that take our immersive, visually stunning experiences to the next level. The video game industry rides this wave of generational hype every 5-7 years with new "next gen" console launches intended to replace the "current gen" systems.

In this post, I want to really break down the technical nitty gritty of how massive these generational leaps truly are – and why upgrading can provide huge benefits for us as players. Let‘s dive deep on the differences, timelines, and ecosystem incentives at play between the current and next console generations.

Defining the Console Generations

First, let‘s recap exactly what we mean by "current generation" and "next generation" in the world of gaming hardware:

Current generation systems refer to the most recently released consoles that currently make up the vast majority of the install base:

• PlayStation 4 (Released 2013)
• Xbox One (Released 2013)
• Nintendo Switch (Released 2017)

These systems represent the 8th generation of video game consoles following the previous 7th generation dominated by the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

Next generation consoles are the recently launched new wave of systems that deliver huge technical improvements:

• PlayStation 5 (Released 2020)
• Xbox Series X/S (Released 2020)

The PS5 and Series X/S kick off the 9th generation and start the years-long process of phasing out and replacing the 8th generation.

Now let‘s compare these generations and see just how dramatically different these new consoles are under the hood – and why it matters for us gamers.

Inside the Next Gen Consoles: Hardware Breakdown

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X represent monumental generational leaps over their predecessors. Here‘s a technical deep dive on how their new cutting edge hardware delivers performance that simply blows away the current generation.

Cutting Edge Processors

Both next gen consoles utilize advanced Zen 2 CPUs from AMD that finally provide a big jump over the dated Jaguar cores in PS4/Xbox One:

• PS5: 8-core Zen 2 @ 3.5GHz
• Xbox Series X: 8-core Zen 2 @ 3.8GHz

This provides approximately 4X the CPU power compared to the current generation. Multithreaded performance is improved dramatically thanks to simultaneous processing of multiple tasks across the cores.

What this means for games – vastly more complex physics, AI behavior, simulated environments, gameplay interactivity and next-gen features like ray tracing all become possible.

Quantum Leap in Graphics Power

The new consoles contain custom next-generation RDNA 2 graphics processors:

• PS5: 10.3 teraflop GPU with 36 compute units @ 2.23 GHz
• Xbox Series X: 12 teraflop GPU with 52 compute units @ 1.825 GHz

This represents over 10X the graphics performance of the outdated AMD GCN architectures in PS4/Xbox One which delivered only 1.3-1.4 teraflops of power.

Such a monumental generation-over-generation increase in graphics capability enables true high fidelity gaming at up to 8K resolution or flawless 4K at 120 frames per second.

Here‘s a peek at the visual enhancements next gen GPU power can enable:

Higher Resolution	Sharper detail, reduced aliasing artifacts
Higher Framerates	Up to 120fps for super smooth animation
Ray Tracing	Accurate real-time lighting, reflections, and shadows
Advanced Materials	Photorealistic surfaces, fibers, metals, etc.

Cutting Edge Memory Systems

Both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X contain a massive 16GB of GDDR6 memory running on a high speed 256-bit (Xbox) or 320-bit (PS5) bus.

This gives them over 2X the memory bandwidth compared to the 8GB GDDR5 in current gen consoles. Data transfer speeds up to 560GB/s on Series X or 448GB/s on PS5 enable feeding the advanced GPUs and eliminating bottlenecks.

Plus the large unified memory pool is critical for delivering those super high resolution textures and geometry needed for photorealism.

Revolutionary Solid State Storage

Gone are the slow mechanical hard drives of the PS4 and Xbox One generation. Next gen consoles utilize custom solid state drives (SSDs) for storage:

• PS5 SSD: Blistering fast 5.5GB/s (raw) or 8-9GB/s (compressed) throughput. Custom flash controller and Oodle Kraken compression.
• Xbox Series X SSD: 2.4GB/s (raw) or 4.8GB/s (compressed) speeds. Uses the high performance NVMe standard.

This brings over 10X the storage performance of current gen hard drives that achieved only 50-100 MB/s.

It means near instantaneous loading times in games of just 1-2 seconds rather than 15-30 seconds on current gen. Assets stream instantly as you play. The SSD enables so many next gen gameplay innovations.

As you can see, the specs and capabilities of the PS5 and Xbox Series X represent astronomical generational leaps over even the strongest current generation consoles. These new boxes truly provide unprecedented performance.

Now let‘s see what this means in practice for new cross-generation games.

Cross-Gen Games Showcase Next Gen Improvements

Since over 100+ million gamers still own current generation consoles, most major games being released in 2022-2023 are cross-generation titles that come out on both current and next gen systems.

However, there can be night and day differences between the two versions showcasing the immense performance gaps:

Marvel‘s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

On PS5, Miles Morales renders at a native 4K resolution with a flawless 60 FPS framerate. It also includes ray traced reflections, enhanced lighting, textures and models befitting a first party showcase title.

The PS4 version runs at a much lower 1080p resolution and targets 30 FPS, while disabling ray tracing and downgrading many visual features. This shows off the stark generational leap.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

On Xbox Series X, COD Black Ops Cold War likewise hits 4K resolution and a buttery smooth 60-120 FPS depending on mode. It also adds ray tracing for photorealistic lighting.

The Xbox One version renders at just 1080p-1440p and caps at 60 FPS without ray tracing available. Overall fidelity takes a big hit.

As you can see, the next gen versions provide monumental visual quality, performance and feature upgrades that take full advantage of the new hardware capabilities – even when playing the exact same game.

Backwards Compatibility: Souping Up Old Games

A major advantage of the new consoles is backwards compatibility – being able to directly play your existing games library from prior PlayStation and Xbox generations.

The Xbox Series X/S supports full compatibility across the entire Xbox One library out of the box. Even better, hundreds of Xbox 360 and original Xbox games are supported via software emulation profiles tailored to each game.

The PlayStation 5 utilizes a "Boost Mode" to run PS4 games with improved loading times or optionally higher and more stable framerates such as 60 FPS. While not universally compatible, it supports the vast majority of PS4 titles.

This means next gen owners can immediately enjoy significant upgrades of their current libraries:

• Higher Resolution: Older titles can be upsampled and output at 4K on new consoles.
• Higher Framerates: Many older games see doubled FPS such as 30 to 60 thanks to the extra power.
• Faster Loading: Lightning fast I/O eliminates loading wait times.
• New Features: Auto HDR color and Quick Resume on Xbox enhance backwards compatible games.

For us longtime console gamers, getting to carry forward and revitalize our precious game libraries is a huge perk when upgrading to next gen!

The Multi-Year Transition Between Gens

If next gen consoles are here, why do we still call the PS4 and Xbox One the "current" generation? Excellent question!

The reason is due to the gradual multi-year transition that occurs between console generations:

• It takes 1-2 years for next gen install base to surpass the large user bases of the current generation.
• Publishers will continue releasing major games for PS4/Xbox One for years until user bases decline.
• Services like PlayStation Plus/Xbox Live Gold support current consoles for 3+ years into the new generation.

Let‘s look at some adoption data:

• In January 2014, just 2 months after launch, there were 160+ million PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles in homes versus only 5 million PS4/Xbox Ones sold.
• It wasn‘t until January 2015 that the PS4 and Xbox One install bases finally surpassed the older generation.

This means we can expect the PS4 and Xbox One to remain dominant in terms of total market share through 2022-2023 even following the new console launches.

Most players don‘t buy new $500 consoles immediately. But the user bases gradually shift over 2-3 years.

Strategies for Transitioning Gamers to Next Gen

How do Sony and Microsoft entice gamers to upgrade from their current consoles and join next gen? Here are some smart tactics used:

Bundles

Retailers offer combined next gen console bundles including top games like Call of Duty, NBA 2K, FIFA, etc. This sweetens the upgrade proposition.

Free Upgrades

Cross-gen games owned on current gen can usually upgrade to the enhanced next gen version for free. This provides access to both with one purchase.

Cloud Gaming

Xbox Cloud Gaming lets current gen users stream next gen Xbox exclusives, providing a bridge to new titles before upgrading.

Backwards Compatibility

Knowing your game library will carry forward is a major incentive to upgrade within PlayStation or Xbox ecosystems.

Ecosystem Perks

Sony offers PS Plus Collection on PS5 providing access to acclaimed PS4 games. Microsoft‘s Xbox Game Pass spans generations. These add value to attract upgraders.

As you can see, platform holders are very strategic about making the generational transition seamless and enticing for us as loyal console gamers.

Comparing PlayStation vs Xbox Generational Upgrade Approaches

There are some interesting contrasts between how Sony and Microsoft look to attract fans into the next generation:

PlayStation 5

• PlayStation Plus Collection provides access to acclaimed PS4 games only on PS5
• Free upgrades offered for first party games like Horizon Forbidden West
• PSVR supported on PS5
• Focus on narrative driven single player experiences

Xbox Series X

• Universal backwards compatibility with all Xbox One/360/Original games
• Smart Delivery provides free cross-gen upgrades on any Xbox game purchase
• Game Pass subscription works across generations
• Emphasis on cross-gen multiplayer experiences

These ecosystem advantages help motivate console gaming fans like us to migrate to the new systems when ready.

When Does Next Gen Become Current Gen?

At what point can we really consider these new consoles the true "current" generation? Based on past transitions, we‘re likely looking at 2024-2025 for a few key milestones:

• Most major new releases will drop support for PS4/Xbox One as their capabilities become too limiting.
• Online services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold will begin winding down offerings on PS4/Xbox One as user engagement declines.
• Retail support and production will phase out beyond 2025.

Once next generation install bases are clearly dominant and old systems are commercially discontinued by Sony/Microsoft, then PS5 and Series X will fully take over as the primary console generation.

By the mid-2020s, the 9th console generation will be in full stride. It‘s an exciting milestone we‘ll hit before we know it!

Looking Forward to "Next Next Gen" Possibilities

With the latest and greatest consoles now in our hands, let‘s indulge in some speculation about what the next next generation – likely the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Series Y – could bring us sometime around 2027-2028:

• Even more advanced processor architectures and manufacturing processes for improved IPC and clocks
• 20+ teraflop GPU power for 8K gaming at higher framerates
• Hardware ray tracing acceleration across the board
• 30+ GB of memory to power photorealistic assets
• 10-15 GB/s SSD speeds driving immersive open world games
• New display standards like 8K/120hz, VRR, and Mini-LED
• Potential haptic feedback and adaptive trigger innovations
• Possible new physical media or streaming distribution models
• Backwards compatibility with current gen to maintain libraries

The next next generation will bring order of magnitude improvements building on the strong foundations of PS5 and Series X. The future of gaming innovation is bright! We‘re all eager to experience what cutting edge console immersion will look like in 5+ years.

Closing Thoughts for Fellow Gaming Friends

We‘ve covered a ton of ground exploring the technological improvements, ecosystem considerations, and timeline dynamics during this transitional generation in gaming.

While still early days, the next gen consoles from Sony and Microsoft have already demonstrated enormous performance leaps over even the most powerful current generation machines. We‘re just scratching the surface of what these new RDNA 2 and Zen 2 architectures will enable.

For those considering upgrading, know that your game libraries and progress can carry forward thanks to innovative backwards compatibility. And with strategies like free next-gen upgrades and cloud gaming, you can pace your transition onto the new consoles in a player-friendly way.

Of course we still have many years ahead to enjoy wringing more beauty and fun out of our trusty current generation hardware as well. But make no mistake – these new consoles truly represent the next quantum leap in immersive, high fidelity gaming. I hope you‘ve enjoyed digging into their technical capabilities as much as I have. Let me know which insights stood out most!