There are continuing rumours that the upcoming playstation 4 is built on AMD hardware - http://www.vg247.com/2012/04/02/playstation-4-sony-confident-of-pre-xbox-720-release/ and it seems the Xbox720 will feature 2 AMD 7000 series GPU's and hexacore CPU - http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/xbox-720-release-date-news-and-rumours-937167 If this is true, I think it is safe to say AMD has secured it's financial future for a little while at least.
There's no way the 720 will be based on a hex core x86 CPU, nor will it have 7xxx series graphics. Given they'll have been planning it for ages, using such a new GPU just wouldn't be feasible. And can you imagine cooling a hex core in such limited conditions? I also doubt the PS4 will be built around AMD hardware. I'm quite happy to be corrected once they come out, but I just can't see it happening.
I never saw the PS3 for more than £425 in any reputable shop But even if it did, did you see how many people bought it on launch day, not that many to be honest. I was the only person at the shop I bought mine from. And I'm guessing this was down to price.
I think Sony learned their lesson about super expensive consoles. While Microsoft can still play this game, Sony really can't. If they do, and it's another PS3 story... Sony will have really big financial problems. In term of performance this is what I expect: - Wii U, will be slightly more powerful than the current gen. At first it will be identical due to lack of optimization done by developers. This is expected with all new console release. Also the Wii U needs to drive another display, which is on the controller, and possibly another Wii U screen controller. - PS4 and XBox 3, will be more powerful (no choice), but don't expect a mass increase of performance, Most likely: -> Higher textures support due to increase memory -> 1080p games (and not 720p or 480p upscale as it is now) -> A bit higher polygons count. That is all. We are coming to an area, as we were before, with the NES and SNES. Where graphics are essentially limited due to cost. But what will be interesting to see is technology. For example, the SNES hasMode 7. In today's case, it could some Physics engine, fur effect, etc. There is no advantage of going with x86 CPU. Sure it would make the developer life MUCH more easier, and PC would have MUCH better ports. But it would mean more expensive. IBM would be very competitive in that department, Intel not so much. If it's an Intel... we would get an Intel Atom, overclocked at best.. which still sucks to current console offering. So unless Intel does an offer of a life time, I highly doubt this would be case. So now we have AMD x86 offering. It's a possibility, but again I doubt it due to cost. If anything, I recall AMD working on a chipset that is practically CPU independent. but take this point as a grain of salt... it's iffy in my mind. I expect that the: Wii U will sold between 250-300$ US/Canadian Xbox 3/PS4 sold between 300-400$ more than 400$ they are shooting themselves in the foot. Oh and another point, we are playing games on console far away, so, unless we jump to "XHD" with higher resolution than 1080p as TV's, the increase of visuals won't be much visible as gamers are sitting far away from the TV. And it doesn't have the precision as desktop monitors, where fine, small text can appear correctly.
problem is the IBM chips sony use they helped develop i cant see them throwing it away unless AMD came up with a high performance chip that cost them less than it does to make one of those IMB chips that they use 7000 series in crossfire is huge amounts of heat GL cooling it in a modern console case Alienware have a console style pc look at its hardware thats about the physical maximum id guess that can go in a console and its not high end stuff we are talking about here
I agree. Good point about heat. And unless Nvidia can release a really inexpensive 600 series, super efficient, low power, and super inexpensive, don't expect any Nvidia chip in the next consoles. Unless it's a modified old tech.
what about something fusion based?massive cost and power draw reduced. Didn't the last update to the 360 combine IMB's processor with AMD's GPU? Is is possible that could happen again? Remember how late (and costly it was) for sony to change GPU in the ps3. With release date being 2014 it could be very possible that a refined current gen GPU could go into each console.
dout the tech is there 7870 could maybe be reduced in power to fit the envelope but the current best a company can fit in see below is a 555 laptop graphics 360 already has a power brick http://configure.euro.dell.com/dell...k&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&model_id=alienware-x51 this is the alienware i was on about before it costs £900 is relivetively the same size as an xbox 360 ps3 has the same sort of heat envelope and power requirements thats double the average console on release even if its released in 2 years time the cost wont half in that time.
I agree with rollo, plus... even if Microsoft and/or Sony absorb the console costs (that means games will still be 10$ more expensive than PC and Wii U). It's not going to be over 100$.
And it's still too hot, not to mention cost of this heatsink. Remember that the console needs to be small, and only operate.. preferable with 1 fan, and preferable be quiet. Already the current consoles, including the Wii are WAAAAYYY too loud.
Man none of you read the gaming forum do you? There have been threads about this! Sony dumped Cell years ago, IBM only kept it for server but even now it's not developing it any more. I am genuinely surprised Sony is going for x86 though considering the greater potential for piracy (look at the original Xbox) but it's not entirely unsurprising as rumours a few years ago pointed that it was in negotiation with Intel, and IBM pissed it off over how it handled MS and Sony in the last gen (designing the same PPC technology to both at the same time). All rumours point to Sony with a Bulldozer/Piledriver chip with further AVX enhancements specifically for gaming and a different memory controller if it's main memory is GDDR5. It might be co-funded so both AMD and Sony benefit from the IP, but we don't know. Essentially though Sony will just license the chip, but it won't be a super bottomline generator for AMD otherwise it would be in my better financial shape NOW from the current generation of Xbox and Wii hardware (and Gamecube) - which all used ATI graphics. The biggest benefit is that more game developers will likely optimize for AMD graphics technologies, which is the biggest win for AMD in a world controlled by Nvidia TWIMTBP. Sony will just take the design from AMD and give it to GloFo (or TSMC), whatever the contract agrees to. So will Microsoft for its Xbox hardware too. Everything points to Microsoft sticking with PPC IBM tech, which I guess might cost more to license considering the relative cost of PPC to x86 in the market now, but that's all down to business contracts. If IBM continue to FAB it they will could well drop the license cost for MS and since GloFo and IBM have a technology share, IBM can FAB a Fusion style PPC/AMD graphics part as well (same as current gen Xbox). All this is all mostly dictated by licensing cost and FAB cost, which are hard to determine. The rest of the console costs are relative - the PSU maybe cost more for example? I still find it just as hard to believe that Microsoft will be using a Blu-ray drive - paying Sony royalties! The rumour that they would go back to flash cartridge made more sense since there will be over-capacity of NAND next year and flash is silent/smaller/harder wearing/xx times faster than disc.
There have been 3-4 threads actually. We should get them combined into a big discussion because it's a very interesting subject to see it develop!
