PS4 Based On Existing Cell Processor? Long Read

Via GameCyte: "Japanese tech news site PC Watch is reporting that as a cost-saving measure, Sony "has begun seriously considering" basing the upcoming PlayStation 4 on the same Cell processor that currently powers the PS3.

Though citing no sources in particular, PC Watch claims that Sony is currently soliciting developer reactions to the idea. They speculate that while Sony would like to distance themselves from the Cell in the long run, at present they might do well to make use of their existing investment and expand the technical capabilities of the PS3 only moderately - a la the hardware transition from GameCube to Wii - in order to constrain further expenditure."

Update:

- SCEI has sent rough PSX4 spec to 3rd party developers for feed back. Based on the description, PSX4 is a Wii-tized PSX3, no more than 2X as powerful.
- SCEI wants to beat Xbox 3 to launch. 2011 is the deadline, or sooner.
- SCEI pulled all its engineers from IBM Texas, and there is no new CELL architecture being developed. PSX4 will use same CELL architecture with improvements.
- SCEI will dump XDR and use standard JEDEC memory type(GDDR3/DDR3) for main memory.

Source

I don't like the sound of this.

Ew...Even though it may be cheaper, this still doesn't sound right.

PS4=PS3.5 confirmed :)

Ew...Even though it may be cheaper, this still doesn't sound right.

PS4=PS3.5 confirmed :)

sargentbotk

Just because it's based on the CELL processor doesn't necessarily mean that it won't be more powerful. If you didn't notice, it said "BASED" on the same processor, so it'll probably have a similar architecture to the PS3's CELL making it easier for developers to wrap their heads around the new CELL so they wouldn't complain.

[QUOTE="sargentbotk"]

Ew...Even though it may be cheaper, this still doesn't sound right.

PS4=PS3.5 confirmed :)

Elviathan

Just because it's based on the CELL processor doesn't necessarily mean that it won't be more powerful. If you didn't notice, it said "BASED" on the same processor, so it'll probably have a similar architecture to the PS3's CELL making it easier for developers to wrap their heads around the new CELL so they wouldn't complain.

Lol, couldn't take the last part as a joke, eh? :P

I can see this. Why not the Cell is a good processor and developers are learning how to program for it. All the PS4 needs is a faster clock speed and more spus.

edit: Infact thinking about this more it would be smart of Sony to go this route. The big hurdle for PS3 early on was it's new architecture. Developers would love it if Sony kept it the same, but with faster components.

I read somewhere that at the 32nm process the cell could run at 5.2 GHZ:)

just have 2 or 3 cells and save money not making a new cpu

and the ease for developer development for software

Ew...Even though it may be cheaper, this still doesn't sound right.

PS4=PS3.5 confirmed :)

sargentbotk

yeah exactly what I was thinking. Sony not pushing the industry to its limits like its done in past years. I may not buy a ps4 if its going to be like that and maybe I will buy what the competition has to offer in that case either way I will wait to see what happens what the final product of the ps4 is truely capable of before I jump to conclusion but it doesn't sound good.

I want graphical improvement, AI improvement, more game space, etc.......

[QUOTE="sargentbotk"]

Ew...Even though it may be cheaper, this still doesn't sound right.

PS4=PS3.5 confirmed :)

odin2019

yeah exactly what I was thinking. Sony not pushing the industry to its limits like its done in past years. I may not buy a ps4 if its going to be like that and maybe I will buy what the competition has to offer in that case either way I will wait to see what happens what the final product of the ps4 is truely capable of before I jump to conclusion but it doesn't sound good.

I want graphical improvement, AI improvement, more game space, etc.......

what just have 2 or more cells together and there you have a more powerful console

[QUOTE="odin2019"][QUOTE="sargentbotk"]

Ew...Even though it may be cheaper, this still doesn't sound right.

PS4=PS3.5 confirmed :)

agentzero23

yeah exactly what I was thinking. Sony not pushing the industry to its limits like its done in past years. I may not buy a ps4 if its going to be like that and maybe I will buy what the competition has to offer in that case either way I will wait to see what happens what the final product of the ps4 is truely capable of before I jump to conclusion but it doesn't sound good.

I want graphical improvement, AI improvement, more game space, etc.......

what just have 2 or more cells together and there you have a more powerful console

How much more powerful?

[QUOTE="agentzero23"][QUOTE="odin2019"][QUOTE="sargentbotk"]

Ew...Even though it may be cheaper, this still doesn't sound right.

PS4=PS3.5 confirmed :)

odin2019

yeah exactly what I was thinking. Sony not pushing the industry to its limits like its done in past years. I may not buy a ps4 if its going to be like that and maybe I will buy what the competition has to offer in that case either way I will wait to see what happens what the final product of the ps4 is truely capable of before I jump to conclusion but it doesn't sound good.

I want graphical improvement, AI improvement, more game space, etc.......

what just have 2 or more cells together and there you have a more powerful console

How much more powerful?

No idea but it's more powerful :)

Obviously sony didn't spend all that money developping the cell to only use it for 1 generation, they'll probably put 2 of an improved version of the original cell in the ps4 or something to that extentRoushrsh

So Sony is going the way of Nintendo...

Suppose you, that is indeed the truth, what will become of those who long for that bleeding edge technology? Those killer graphics, and over the top visuals? Even if the market says that there is money to be made by attempting to put out a cost effective machine that has an appeal that reaches a more broader audience, there will always be those gamers that are looking for Crysis.

By that token, unless Microsoft decides that it will go for a hardware boost, then will the gaming industry truly move to a more broader appeal, and forget about making those killer games that we love? Part of me wants to say, the rebirth of PC gaming will be upon us! But the other part of me doesn't think so.

[QUOTE="Roushrsh"]Obviously sony didn't spend all that money developping the cell to only use it for 1 generation, they'll probably put 2 of an improved version of the original cell in the ps4 or something to that extentCouth_

The original was 2 cells, one to act as a gpu and the other as a cpu, they just weren't able to get it to work in time

[QUOTE="Couth_"][QUOTE="Roushrsh"]Obviously sony didn't spend all that money developping the cell to only use it for 1 generation, they'll probably put 2 of an improved version of the original cell in the ps4 or something to that extentRoushrsh

The original was 2 cells, one to act as a gpu and the other as a cpu, they just weren't able to get it to work in time

It's been predicted for a long time that PS4 would use some variant of Cell. It makes sense: they'll want to re-use all the R&D, plus all the tools and code written for it.Teufelhuhn

As long as it can process a lot more than the current CELL then sure, why not?PS2_ROCKS

You mean, aslong as game developper finaly make use of it and find that hidden power...

So Sony is going the way of Nintendo...

Suppose you, that is indeed the truth, what will become of those who long for that bleeding edge technology? Those killer graphics, and over the top visuals? Even if the market says that there is money to be made by attempting to put out a cost effective machine that has an appeal that reaches a more broader audience, there will always be those gamers that are looking for Crysis.

By that token, unless Microsoft decides that it will go for a hardware boost, then will the gaming industry truly move to a more broader appeal, and forget about making those killer games that we love? Part of me wants to say, the rebirth of PC gaming will be upon us! But the other part of me doesn't think so.

elbow2k

If they go the way of Nintendo there maybe no reason for me to even upgrade to a PS4.....

so this is what Crytek is basing their future plans on. they must have been one of the devs to have been told by Sony about the specs. Obviously they must have been impressed.Indie_Hitman

Well I doubt anything is final yet and if the specs are just a minor upgrade of the PS3 now then I doubt Crytek will base their next engine from PS4 hardware.

I think it's good news

that'll kill all those problems that devs have with the PS3 hardware now. No need to change it once again. That will cause more/new problems

the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.woobabooba

meh I doubt that.

I think they'll leave that up to others like Intel or something.

[QUOTE="woobabooba"]the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.killerfist

meh I doubt that.

I think they'll leave that up to others like Intel or something.

no seriously microsoft said they are making next generation cpu for next xbox.

[QUOTE="killerfist"]

[QUOTE="woobabooba"]the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.woobabooba

meh I doubt that.

I think they'll leave that up to others like Intel or something.

no seriously microsoft said they are making next generation cpu for next xbox.

[QUOTE="killerfist"]

[QUOTE="woobabooba"]the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.woobabooba

meh I doubt that.

I think they'll leave that up to others like Intel or something.

no seriously microsoft said they are making next generation cpu for next xbox.

I don't think so either... have a link?

Ermm, 2011? I don't like the sound of this at all...

It better be cheap...

So Sony is going the way of Nintendo...

Suppose you, that is indeed the truth, what will become of those who long for that bleeding edge technology? Those killer graphics, and over the top visuals? Even if the market says that there is money to be made by attempting to put out a cost effective machine that has an appeal that reaches a more broader audience, there will always be those gamers that are looking for Crysis.

By that token, unless Microsoft decides that it will go for a hardware boost, then will the gaming industry truly move to a more broader appeal, and forget about making those killer games that we love? Part of me wants to say, the rebirth of PC gaming will be upon us! But the other part of me doesn't think so.

elbow2k

so this is what Crytek is basing their future plans on. they must have been one of the devs to have been told by Sony about the specs. Obviously they must have been impressed.Indie_Hitman

the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.woobabooba

[QUOTE="killerfist"]

[QUOTE="woobabooba"]the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.woobabooba

meh I doubt that.

I think they'll leave that up to others like Intel or something.

no seriously microsoft said they are making next generation cpu for next xbox.

[QUOTE="killerfist"]

[QUOTE="woobabooba"]the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.woobabooba

meh I doubt that.

I think they'll leave that up to others like Intel or something.

no seriously microsoft said they are making next generation cpu for next xbox.

got a link? I heard a story a while ago about M$ looking for companies to build the next chip for the new xbox.

EDIT: here's mine http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/rumor-intel-vying-for-larrabee-chip-in-xbox-720/

now you:)

[QUOTE="woobabooba"][QUOTE="killerfist"]

[QUOTE="woobabooba"]the successor to xbox360 the cpu is supposibly being made by microsoft lol.Bebi_vegeta

meh I doubt that.

I think they'll leave that up to others like Intel or something.

no seriously microsoft said they are making next generation cpu for next xbox.

I don't think so either... have a link?

Microsoft to start its own chip design lab for new Xbox

If true I think developers across the planet just face palmed, that and the other platforms look more inviting than ever.

Developers not under Sony's influence criticise Cell, twice as much effort to do the same thing according to Carmack. If I found out I had to put up with it for another generation, while all the other platforms are as easy to develop for as ever, why wouldn't the PS4 version of every cross platform game be an after thought?

This would be a big turn for sony, usually they like to sit down and say okay developers we are gonna produce this new console and use an architecture completely different from last gen so you will have to relearn every thing you did all over again oh and relearn your programming too cause it wont work on this new system.

There hasn't been a dev that hasn't complained about sony systems being hard to program on, if they actually did this and kept all the programing and tool sets it would be a different move by sony.

Whats funny is how IBM is the one that has cashed in this gen, they made the CPU in all the current systems.

That is from 2006. I'm sure things have changed but until I find a link i'm shutting up.StingerVXIII

read my link. Intel seems interested in making chips for the new Xbox (Though it's just rumor).

I find that more believable than MS making their own chips.

That is from 2006. I'm sure things have changed but until I find a link i'm shutting up.StingerVXIII

Well they start developing a new console as soon as the current one is done.

If true I think developers across the planet just face palmed, that and the other platforms look more inviting than ever.

Developers not under Sony's influence criticise Cell, twice as much effort to do the same thing according to Carmack. If I found out I had to put up with it for another generation, while all the other platforms are as easy to develop for as ever, why wouldn't the PS4 version of every cross platform game be an after thought?

AnnoyedDragon

Well I think they are trying to alleviate that problem by sticking with the Cell so developers don't have to relearn new hardware all over again.

Well I think they are trying to alleviate that problem by sticking with the Cell so developers don't have to relearn new hardware all over again.

-Renegade

Better tools and consistency isn't going to make Cell as easy to use as a traditional processor, if anything it will just continue the trend this generation of the PS3 versions of games being an after thought.

Playstation fans think PS3 is increasingly becoming the lead platform in multiplatform titles because it is better, truth is they focus the majority of their effort on the PS3 because it needs it. Porting from the PS3 is allot easier than maxing it on 360 and trying to figure out how to get it all to work on Cell and less memory (OS takes more).

I really think Sony will be making a big mistake if they continue to adopt Cell, multicore processors are much more versitile, they can adopt CUDA/CTM if they want to program on vector processors.

[QUOTE="StingerVXIII"]That is from 2006. I'm sure things have changed but until I find a link i'm shutting up.-Renegade

Well they start developing a new console as soon as the current one is done.