Edited by ZeROOFALL, 10 February 2005 - 09:48 PM.
PS3: Cell Chip & E3 Confirmation
Started by
Guest_ZeROOFALL
, Feb 08 2005 09:48 PM
21 replies to this topic
#1
Guest_ZeROOFALL
Guest_ZeROOFALL
-
- Guest
Posted 08 February 2005 - 09:48 PM
Few surprises at unveiling, but eight-SPU design and high clock speeds are confirmedOfficial details of the Cell microprocessor have been revealed by partners IBM, Sony and Toshiba, with the multi-core architecture set to be capable of processing ten threads on a single chip clocked at over 4Ghz.The chip package will consist of a 64 bit Power processor - similar to the CPUs being used in the Xbox 2 and PowerMac G5 systems - which can process two threads simultaneously, along with eight "synergistic processing units".These SPUs are the real horsepower behind the chip; each one has 256KB of its own memory and can handle computing tasks separately from the main processor, which will be responsible for dividing up tasks between the SPUs and running the operating system.While clock speeds are an almost entirely meaningless measurement of processor performance, especially when comparing chips as radically different as Cell and the existing Intel / AMD families, much attention has been focused on the claim that the Cell could start out at speeds of over 4GHz.Despite not being a clear indicator of actual performance, the speed is still a PR coup for IBM and its partners - since Intel's range of chips currently maxes out at 3.8GHz, while Cell may go as high as 4.6GHz in its early incarnations.More useful as a performance measurement is the chip's rating in terms of calculations per second, or "gigaflops", with Cell rated at 256 gigaflops according to IBM - a fair bit short of an entry in the Top 500 Supercomputers list, which starts at 851 gigaflops, but still enormously powerful for a single chip, and of course the chips are designed to operate efficiently in clusters.Indeed, it's widely expected that the PlayStation 3 could boast as many as four Cell chips, which would give a theoretical CPU performance of over 1000 gigaflops, or one teraflop - a very theoretical measure, admittedly, but still enough to earn the PS3 a place on the supercomputer list.Another aspect of the performance which IBM has been quick to champion is the memory bandwidth available to the Cell, with the design utilising RAMBUS interface technology that delivers an unprecedented one hundred gigabytes per second of bandwidth to the chip, with separate interfaces for communicating with system memory and with other CPUs.Despite Sony's claims, one thing we won't be seeing in the near future is Cell being used in portable devices such as mobile phones - according to an IBM spokesperson, the chip, which is initially being manufactured on a 90 nanometre process but will eventually move down to 65 nanometre, runs hot enough to require a cooling fan, like most desktop CPUs.Spokespeople from the Cell consortium were quick to point out the flexibility of the system, saying that the multi-processor architecture could be used in a variety of different ways by game developers or other software creators.However, game developers contacted by GamesIndustry.biz downplayed speculation that the PS3 would be incredibly difficult to program as a result of the new architecture, saying that the main difficulty would be the move to a multi-core system - a design shared by the Xbox 2 and almost certainly by the Nintendo Revolution.The game development model which is used for PlayStation 2, where a few programmers work directly with the low level code to create libraries for specific functions and other developers simply use those libraries, masking the complexity of the underlying system, is likely to work just as well on PlayStation 3, while the prevalence of middleware such as Criterion's RenderWare or the Havok physics engine will also make the transition less painful.Another factor fingered by developers is the fact that Sony's PlayStation Portable libraries and documentation have been widely praised by those working on the system, indicating that Sony has learned an important lesson from the PS2 launch - where much of the development difficulty lay not with the system itself, but with poorly translated (or un-translated) documentation and difficult to use libraries.Along with the Cell processors, the PlayStation 3 is also set to use a graphics chipset from NVIDIA, which will be based on the company's next generation of GPU, following on from the hugely successful 6000 series of PC graphics cards.- News Man (ZeRO)
#2
Guest_killa909
Guest_killa909
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 12:40 AM
cann u tell me simpler what this is about i mean i understand this is a good thing but can u tell me in simpler words wat this chip does?
#3
TM24
-
- Dragon's Elite
-
- 2,484 posts
Your Hero
Reputation: 9,041
Godlike
Posted 09 February 2005 - 12:44 AM
In short, it could kick some donkey, but it looks like we have another Saturn situation on out hands if history is right once againcann u tell me simpler what this is about i mean i understand this is a good thing but can u tell me in simpler words wat this chip does?
3DS FC: 4983-5096-5352
PSN ID: MightyTM24
Steam ID: Tm24
#4
Guest_Tineen
Guest_Tineen
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 12:56 AM
I think this will do better than the saturn. Playstation has become a household name. This is amazing news. I cant wait till the PS3 comes out. I read somewhere that Intel couldnt even get its chips to reach 4.6 GHz, so its amazing that the PS3 will have more power than most computers right now.
#5
Guest_DCCJ(!)
Guest_DCCJ(!)
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 01:41 AM
Umm how did the saturn fail? I buyed one but I sold it to get a ps1.In short, it could kick some donkey, but it looks like we have another Saturn situation on out hands if history is right once again
#6
TM24
-
- Dragon's Elite
-
- 2,484 posts
Your Hero
Reputation: 9,041
Godlike
Posted 09 February 2005 - 01:41 AM
Actually if you researched on one of the reasons the Satun tanked, one of them was the fact that no one knew how to harness it power(not even Sega could harness it's full power) thanks to it many processors or something like that. Same thing with the ps3. Expect many delays and cancelled games on the ps3 if this turns out the sameI think this will do better than the saturn. Playstation has become a household name. This is amazing news. I cant wait till the PS3 comes out. I read somewhere that Intel couldnt even get its chips to reach 4.6 GHz, so its amazing that the PS3 will have more power than most computers right now.
3DS FC: 4983-5096-5352
PSN ID: MightyTM24
Steam ID: Tm24
#7
Guest_Pandora.
Guest_Pandora.
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 01:55 AM
really amazing <_<LOL more money to spend -_- i ll die on the price of this 
#8
Guest_Tineen
Guest_Tineen
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 02:05 AM
Actually i remeber reading somewhere that the cell's architechture makes it easy for game development. If i find the article i will post it here.Actually if you researched on one of the reasons the Satun tanked, one of them was the fact that no one knew how to harness it power(not even Sega could harness it's full power) thanks to it many processors or something like that. Same thing with the ps3. Expect many delays and cancelled games on the ps3 if this turns out the sameI think this will do better than the saturn. Playstation has become a household name. This is amazing news. I cant wait till the PS3 comes out. I read somewhere that Intel couldnt even get its chips to reach 4.6 GHz, so its amazing that the PS3 will have more power than most computers right now.
#9
Guest_Requiem001
Guest_Requiem001
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 04:16 AM
Sheesh it it performs better than a computer i can't imagine the price tag..............when does the PS3 come out btw?
#10
Guest_StoNedJuggalo
Guest_StoNedJuggalo
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 05:05 AM
sounds great, yet expensive :waaaaaaaaaaaaah:but by the time it launches i could save up millions!!!peace
Edited by StoNedJuggalo, 09 February 2005 - 05:08 AM.
#11
Guest_ZeROOFALL
Guest_ZeROOFALL
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 09:04 AM
However, game developers contacted by GamesIndustry.biz downplayed speculation that the PS3 would be incredibly difficult to program as a result of the new architecture, saying that the main difficulty would be the move to a multi-core system - a design shared by the Xbox 2 and almost certainly by the Nintendo Revolution.Actually i remeber reading somewhere that the cell's architechture makes it easy for game development. If i find the article i will post it here.
Despite not being a clear indicator of actual performance, the speed is still a PR coup for IBM and its partners - since Intel's range of chips currently maxes out at 3.8GHz, while Cell may go as high as 4.6GHz in its early incarnations.All is in this artical lolI think this will do better than the saturn. Playstation has become a household name. This is amazing news. I cant wait till the PS3 comes out. I read somewhere that Intel couldnt even get its chips to reach 4.6 GHz, so its amazing that the PS3 will have more power than most computers right now.
#12
Guest_Tineen
Guest_Tineen
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 05:06 PM
I meant that intel has prototypes, and they were experimenting with them. When they reached speeds of around 4.0, they overheated and had to be shut down.
#13
Guest_sfvsmhs
Guest_sfvsmhs
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 08:20 PM
On a stand alone complex by perspection it could turn out like the sega staturn but programers have come a long way since then. Further more i dont think programmers would just give up on ps3 like they did for saturn, like you said before it has become a need that every home must have, also saturn's attention was diverted by the easy programing of playstation and more publisity then the saturn. On a personal opinion i liked saturn for its complexity, i just with that they coul go back an try to revive it now.
#14
Guest_ZeROOFALL
Guest_ZeROOFALL
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 10:36 PM
Confirmation of pre-E3 showing adds fuel to March rumours - but could mean mid-MaySony's next-generation home console will be revealed to the world before the E3 show in Los Angeles this May, representatives of the company have confirmed, with rumours strongly hinting at a late March unveiling.In the wake of the official public debut of the Cell microprocessor which will power the console earlier this week, speculation has been rife about Sony's plans for revealing more precise details of the platform itself.Now representatives of SCEA have confirmed to US website GameSpot that the company "will have an event to premiere [its] next-generation system" ahead of the E3 show in three months time.While Sony has revealed previously that the console will definitely be at E3 in some form, it's been widely rumoured that the unveiling would come before then - with a Sony roadmap from last year suggesting that it would come near the end of the firm's financial year in late March.That timescale still seems very possible - the company has revealed that the unveiling will not be at GDC next month, but a special Tokyo event to show off the console's specifications in late March would be in keeping with the firm's past approach on such announcements.However, it's important to note that a pre-E3 event to premiere the system could mean just that - since Sony, along with rival platform holders Nintendo and Microsoft, traditionally holds an event in Los Angeles in the days before E3, and used this event to premiere the PlayStation Portable.Both Microsoft and Nintendo are expected to make announcements concerning their next-generation plans at E3.Your Local News Man - Dan (ZeRO) Rather
#15
Guest_OgreShield
Guest_OgreShield
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 10:40 PM
Does it really matter when they're gonna show it at E3? Only thing I'm worried about is when it will actually be realeased. It's not gonna do me any good if it's at E3.
#16
Guest_ZeROOFALL
Guest_ZeROOFALL
-
- Guest
Posted 09 February 2005 - 11:13 PM
Well this way you get to see a preview of what you will be buying in the laterpart of 2006Does it really matter when they're gonna show it at E3? Only thing I'm worried about is when it will actually be realeased. It's not gonna do me any good if it's at E3.
#17
Porumy
-
- Dragon's Elite
-
- 1,778 posts
Smoked Cheese
Reputation: 129
Excellent
Posted 10 February 2005 - 01:05 AM
It's more powerful than the PC, the price must be around 500$ and higher.I don't think developpers would give up on the PS3, since it's ancestors were really popular. I'm sure they can come out with new ways or something.
PSN: Porumy | Steam: Porumy
#18
Guest_OgreShield
Guest_OgreShield
-
- Guest
Posted 10 February 2005 - 02:02 AM
I gotcha, but IMO it still doesn't matter. I'll use IGN's info. :>I merged the topic. Zero, change the topic title to "PS3 info" or osmething like thatWHo the Hell closed this?
#19
Guest_ZeROOFALL
Guest_ZeROOFALL
-
- Guest
Posted 10 February 2005 - 09:50 PM
Ok changed the topic to something to include the threads you mergeredI merged the topic. Zero, change the topic title to "PS3 info" or osmething like thatWHo the Hell closed this?
#20
Guest_Tineen
Guest_Tineen
-
- Guest
Posted 10 February 2005 - 10:45 PM
But there's a PS3 topic done already. You could have just put the info there.
#21
Guest_killa909
Guest_killa909
-
- Guest
Posted 11 February 2005 - 01:01 AM
wait a sec tho i dont think would make something that cost allot, because usually anything beyond 400 allot of ppl buy BUT with out all those kids buyin a ps3 they probably wont make as money as they could if the price was lower. i know that if a ps3 comes out to like 400 i wont buy it probably buy it lik a year or two later when the price is lower.
#22
Guest_judas priest
Guest_judas priest
-
- Guest
Posted 17 September 2008 - 06:38 AM
hmhm gh g fh fh hg h ghPOINTS were deducted for this post by -Mario-Please refer to the forum rules to find out why your points were deducted.
