How many CPU cores does the Xbox Series X have?

The Xbox Series X has an eight-core custom AMD Zen 2 CPU.

Microsoft built the Xbox Series X around a custom processor made with AMD technology. Its CPU contains eight Zen 2 cores running at a target frequency of 3.8 GHz, or 3.6 GHz when simultaneous multithreading is enabled. The design gives developers a major CPU-performance increase over the previous Xbox One family.

The Xbox Series S uses the same basic eight-core CPU architecture, but at lower frequencies. This shared foundation allows both consoles to run the same generation of Xbox games while the Series X provides substantially stronger graphics hardware and memory bandwidth.

The Xbox Series X processor should not be confused with the Xbox 360's three-core Xenon CPU or the original Xbox One's eight Jaguar cores. The core count is the same as the original Xbox One, but the Zen 2 architecture and clock speeds are significantly different.