If Microsoft Is Stating That DirectX12 Is Not a Cure All For The Xbox One, Why Do Fans Still See It As The Magic Pill?

Ever since it was announced that DirectX 12 would be a large part of the Xbox One and would bring a host of new features and performance boosts to the system, many fans saw it as a game changer in their battle with Sony.

PC users are told that they can expect a 20% more efficient PC as it will decrease demands on a GPU which will also improve frame rates, resulting in a faster and smoother gaming experience.
Some see this as the magic pill for the Xbox One which will allow it to overcome some of the issues it has had with not being able to run many games in 1080 resolution and often lagging behind the PS4 in terms of resolution and speed in comparable games.

However Microsoft’s Anuj Gosalia has stated that he does not believe that Direct X 12 will necessarily change this or offer up better graphics. Instead Gonsalia sees the update as a tool that will allow developers to better use the hardware.

That is a very cryptic response as on one hand he is saying do not expect a graphical revolution while at the same time he is saying that the hardware will become more efficient.
Even Phil Spencer himself has said that Direct X 12 will not dramatically change the graphical abilities of the system but would instead make development easier.

While future games will benefit from this update as developers will have new ways of creating the games and doing graphical textures, the fact that the GPU and CPU remain the same is a bit of a limitation. While they can make them more efficient, they cannot increase the power of the units. This may seem like a contradiction but I see it like this. We cannot do the latest Call of Duty in 1080 resolution, but we can decrease the load times and make the game run smoother and look a bit better.

So where does that leave Xbox One fans who have looked to DirectX12 as the magical cure all to performance concerns?

It leaves them with an update that will improve their systems but will likely still leave the Xbox One behind their rival in terms of power and performance.
Some have said that PC users are who will see the most benefit from DirectX 12 which will in turn make PCs a more appealing platform for many gamers although one does have to have the hardware and be willing to take on the increased cost of gaming on a PC versus a console.

In the end, DirectX12 will be an improvement and a big marketing push for Microsoft, but aside from making existing Xbox One owners a bit happier, I do not see it as something that will encourage the masses to go out and buy an Xbox One system. Quality games/exclusives are the key to this, and while Microsoft looks to the upcoming Halo 5 to boost their sales, Sony is continuing to sell the PS4 at a brisk pace.

Here are some supporting quotes and links for the article.

I got asked early on by people if DirectX12 is going to dramatically change the graphics capability of Xbox One, I said it would not,” said Mr. Spencer in an interview with The Inner Circle. “I am not trying to rain on anybody’s parade. The CPU, GPU, memory that are in Xbox One do not change when you go to DirectX12. DX12 makes it easier to do some of the things that Xbox One is good at, which will be nice and you will see improvement in games that use DX12.”

Microsoft: DirectX 12 will not dramatically improve Xbox One

So are they lying? Or is Phil doing the usual flip flop of saying one thing then saying another?

Here is another Phil moment.

https://xboxonedaily.com/2014/12/directx-12-wont-improve-xbox-performance/

and more.

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/184768-head-of-xbox-warns-gamers-not-to-expect-dramatic-improvements-from-dx12