The next generation of consoles is slowly taking shape – not officially, but behind the scenes. Initial estimates for the PS6 and Xbox Project Helix are already circulating. And one claim stands out in particular: The PS6 It could match the RTX 4090 – currently Nvidia's most powerful gaming graphics card.
This might sound like wishful thinking at first, but anyone listening closely will realize that the statement doesn't come from a YouTube commentator, but from Moore's Law is Dead. And he's known in the industry for having early access to insider information, including directly from AMD, Sony, and board partners.
What was said about the PS6
In a current podcast episode The insider explains that the current PS6 planning realistically assumes a doubling of the PS5 Pro's performance. The current consensus is that the PS5 Pro will settle at roughly the performance level of a Radeon RX 6800 XT. Doubling this level would bring the PS6 within reach of the RTX 4090, at least in terms of raw performance.
This sounds risky at first, but it's understandable when you consider the development cycles. The PS6 won't be released until 2028 at the earliest, and by then new manufacturing processes like 3nm or below will be well established. At the same time, GPU architectures like RDNA 5 or even "UDNA“, where, according to insider reports, AMD is focusing on significantly higher efficiency and clock speeds. All of this taken together suddenly makes the 4090 comparison seem not so unrealistic after all.”
Architecture, strategy, price
One point often overlooked in the discussion is that Sony and Microsoft aren't developing blindly. They're calculating future manufacturing costs, price targets, and the need for backward compatibility. According to Moore's Law is Dead, there are considerations to release two PS6 models: a cheaper entry-level model with a powerful CPU but reduced GPU performance—intended for PS4 users who haven't yet upgraded—and a more powerful model for enthusiasts, which could actually be on par with or slightly above the 4090. This would, however, create a similar situation to the current Xbox Series X|S, which Sony hasn't been particularly enthusiastic about so far.
Such a device would need to offer at least 60 compute units to ensure full backward compatibility with the PS5 Pro. With a flexible CU configuration, it would theoretically be possible to natively support all generations from PS4 to PS6 and simultaneously scale depending on whether a remaster or a new exclusive game is running.
RAM is also likely to be a crucial factor. Regarding the upcoming Zen 6 architecture, it's emphasized that DDR5 RAM with clock speeds above 8000 MHz is becoming increasingly affordable. Even today, 32 GB of DDR5-8000 can be found for under $160. Combined with new bridge dies and redesigned memory controllers, a 24-core Zen 6 or Zen 7 design would also be conceivable – with acceptable bandwidth even in traditional dual-channel systems.
Consoles are becoming high-end PCs
Whether it needs to be compared to the RTX 4090 is ultimately a matter of opinion. What is certain is that the next generation of consoles will be significantly more powerful, modern, and flexible. Not only in terms of graphics, but also in terms of... Topics such as AI upscalingLatency optimization or hardware-based ray tracing acceleration. Moore's Law is Dead aptly describes the development: “Sony will deliver. Not tomorrow, not next year – but by 2028, 4090 performance is no longer utopian."
Anyone expecting PC gamers to be able to mothball their graphics cards is mistaken. By the time the PS6 is released, Nvidia will likely have launched the RTX 6080 or even the 7090. And AMD will probably counter with new designs by then as well. The advantage consoles gain with a new generational leap is traditionally limited in time.
The claim that the PS6 can compete with an RTX 4090 is provocative, but not far-fetched. Thanks to future manufacturing processes, more efficient architectures, and new memory solutions, this goal is realistic. The implications are clear: the PS6 and Xbox Project Helix will be more than mere upgrades. They could set a new technological standard, at least temporarily.
However, the crucial question remains how Sony and Microsoft utilize this power. Impressive games require not only teraflops, but also good engines, sensible scaling – and developers who know how to handle the hardware.
24 cores, as if, and yet the games still crawl along at 30fps in quality mode.