Predict: The Next Generation Console Tech

[Rangers]

Latest round of PS4 spec rumors on GAF.

http://translate.google.nl/translat...ver-de-playstation-4-inclusief-specificaties/

What I have got is a very comprehensive document on the specifications of the PlayStation 4. Thus, the PlayStation 4 AMD Fusion APU get with the CPU and GPU sit together on the same chip. The code name for this chip is 'Liverpool' According developers would chip in "real talk" over 10x longer than that of the PS3 can. It would be a quad-core AMD x86 CPU running at 3.2GHz which contain the code name 'Steamroller' know. The GPU is an ATI r10xx at 800MHz with 1843 GFLOPS, this is code-named "Tahiti." This chip is also include on AMD Radeon HD 7970, both chips (CPU and GPU) are 28nm processors.

Exclusief: Talloze informatie over de PlayStation 4 inclusief specificaties ps4 ps3 ps vita nieuws

In terms of memory, there is much uncertainty with the PlayStation 4, as was the initial plan for Sony 2GB unified memory in the machine to stop. This is still only a point for discussion and developers ask whether this really can be brought up to 4GB, these choices are viewed by Sony. For comparison, the Wii you would to contain 1.5 GB of memory.

In terms of disc drive the PlayStation 4 will again be equipped with Blu-Ray, the space offers a Blu-Ray disc (50GB) is in fact still remains enough and so we use this technology. The back of the PS4 you will have a HDMI 1.4 port to put in and it will have a maximum output of 1080 and not the aforementioned 2048p.

In total, during the launch two PlayStation 4 are available, both are only equipped with a hard drive larger than 320GB. In terms of bundles, there are no concrete plans at Sony. What the exact difference between the two we do not know, but this is probably just the hard drive size. Also, the PS4 will have a special place for patches, OS etc this is stored on an internal 16 GB of flash storage.

AMD Fusion APU - Codenamed 'Liverpool'
AMD x86 Quad Core at 3.2 GHz
ATI r10xx (3rd generation) GFLOPS at 800 MHz and 1843 - Codename "Tahiti"
Unified 2GB of memory (still uncertain, this can be 4GB)
Blu-ray
HDMI 1.4 - 1080p output
320GB + HDD
16GB Flash Memory

I would have rejected these out of hand but bgassasin says they are legit. The GPU being a 7970 is more of a typo or ignorance supposedly (obviously doesnt match the flops count), bg says it's more like an underclocked pitcairn.

Another thing I really question though is the APU part. I highly doubt they're going to cram 4 steamroller's plus a pitcairn onto a SOC (edit: OTOH, I do remember AMD talking a couple years ago about how great Fusion would be in consoles, so thats something, maybe it really is an SOC).

Come to think of it I highly doubt steamroller will be ready by late 13.

But as I said bg vouched for these and he was apparently right about some details of the Wii U (even if his overall estimation of it's power was way high).

 

[McHuj]

Latest round of PS4 spec rumors on GAF.
Another thing I really question though is the APU part. I highly doubt they're going to cram 4 steamroller's plus a pitcairn onto a SOC (edit: OTOH, I do remember AMD talking a couple years ago about how great Fusion would be in consoles, so thats something, maybe it really is an SOC).
.

I'm thinking about that too. A 7870 is 212mm for 20 CU's, about 10.6mm/CU, 18 of those guys would be around 190mm. Assume some more refinement and optimization, maybe less emphasis DP compute, more mature process, and a lower clock, results in 175mm GPU.

How big will steamroller cores/modules be? Wikipedia claimed a bulldozer module is 30.9mm on 32nm including 2MB of L2. Could two steamrollers modules fit into 50mm on 28nm? Just for the GPU+CPU part, you're looking in the ball park of 225mm? Another 25 for the rest?

Trinity is a 246mm APU on 32nm, so we're in the ballpark. Maybe it's not that unreasonable

 

[kalelovil]

Come to think of it I highly doubt steamroller will be ready by late 13.

Why do you think that? Everything that I've read points to the release of Kaveri with Steamroller cores in H1 2013.

 

[Rangers]

I dont know, just because desktop Piledriver isn't even out yet I guess, and I dont see concrete signs of it coming soon.

And I just read on Fudzilla a rumor desktop Trinity was delayed until October. Which figures.

 

[bgassassin]

Latest round of PS4 spec rumors on GAF.

http://translate.google.nl/translat...ver-de-playstation-4-inclusief-specificaties/







I would have rejected these out of hand but bgassasin says they are legit. The GPU being a 7970 is more of a typo or ignorance supposedly (obviously doesnt match the flops count), bg says it's more like an underclocked pitcairn.

Another thing I really question though is the APU part. I highly doubt they're going to cram 4 steamroller's plus a pitcairn onto a SOC (edit: OTOH, I do remember AMD talking a couple years ago about how great Fusion would be in consoles, so thats something, maybe it really is an SOC).

Come to think of it I highly doubt steamroller will be ready by late 13.

But as I said bg vouched for these and he was apparently right about some details of the Wii U (even if his overall estimation of it's power was way high).

Haha. Remember I posted the basic specs in this thread a little while ago.

 

[kalelovil]

I dont know, just because desktop Piledriver isn't even out yet I guess, and I dont see concrete signs of it coming soon.

And I just read on Fudzilla a rumor desktop Trinity was delayed until October. Which figures.

But notebook Piledriver is, or will be in a matter of days. The notebook and desktop APUs are physically the same chip, where they end up is just a matter of binning and supply and demand.

(Presuming no further major problems with GF's 28nm bulk process)

 

[Rangers]

I'm thinking about that too. A 7870 is 212mm for 20 CU's, about 10.6mm/CU, 18 of those guys would be around 190mm. Assume some more refinement and optimization, maybe less emphasis DP compute, more mature process, and a lower clock, results in 175mm GPU.

How big will steamroller cores/modules be? Wikipedia claimed a bulldozer module is 30.9mm on 32nm including 2MB of L2. Could two steamrollers modules fit into 50mm on 28nm? Just for the GPU+CPU part, you're looking in the ball park of 225mm? Another 25 for the rest?

Trinity is a 246mm APU on 32nm, so we're in the ballpark. Maybe it's not that unreasonable

Trinity is way below these specs and 246mm^2 as you say. I think you're estimating way too low.

Bulldozer is an inefficient chip and 319mm^2 alone. 28nm is roughly the same node as 32nm anyway isn't it?

I just realized it's "quad core" though. If they're talking about only 4 cores/2 modules, that's pretty manageable. I dont think there are any native 4 core bulldozers currently, but I'm sure one would be designed for PS4 and could feature significant die size savings.

Pitcairn is 212mm^2. It all does seem pretty manageable. Even if you went with a full fat 8 core BD you're at 531 mm^2. But it seems like you could lop 100 mm^2 off for two BD modules.

 

[Rangers]

But notebook Piledriver is, or will be in a matter of days. The notebook and desktop APUs are physically the same chip, where they end up is just a matter of binning and supply and demand.

(Presuming no further major problems with GF's 28nm bulk process)

I think desktop piledriver is said to feature further improvements.

Either way probably wont be out til 2014 knowing AMD. They wont even release desktop Trinity let alone piledriver.

 

[Rangers]

Haha. Remember I posted the basic specs in this thread a little while ago.

Looked that up and you said 18 CU's.

That's 1152 SP's.

 

[bgassassin]

Looked that up and you said 18 CU's.

That's 1152 SP's.

And how many GFLOPs is that at 800Mhz?

 

[Rangers]

And how many GFLOPs is that at 800Mhz?

It works out nearly exactly. 1.83 TF

And given there's a tiny error even between AMD's reported 7870/7850 TF's when calculated by SP's/clock, a small error is expected. It's surely due to rounding somewhere.

Seems would likely be a pitcairn with some redundancy for yield. Then again it may be just a proxy for the real final GPU.

 

[bgassassin]

It works out nearly exactly. 1.83 TF

And given there's a tiny error even between AMD's reported 7870/7850 TF's when calculated by SP's/clock, a small error is expected. It's surely due to rounding somewhere.

It's 1.843 like the other rumor. And I was going to add in the other post not to forget this post I made around that time.

Since it was posted in one of the GAF threads, I don't see an issue now with saying there's a reason why I was "adamant" about an "underclocked Pitcairn" primarily with PS4 in previous posts.

 

[Schaden]

And how many GFLOPs is that at 800Mhz?

How many GFLOPs does the APU add to the equation ?

 

[bgassassin]

How many GFLOPs does the APU add to the equation ?

The GPU is in the APU. It's not an APU/SoC plus another GPU... at least based on the earlier specs.

 

[kalelovil]

Bulldozer is an inefficient chip and 319mm^2 alone. 28nm is roughly the same node as 32nm anyway isn't it?

The Orochi die is 319mm2 because of an inefficient automatic layout, and 8MB of slow cache which is a lot less useful in non-server workloads.
An individual Bulldozer/Piledriver module is only around 31mm2.

Unless Sony plans to bolt on some powerful specialised floating point co-processors (as Semi-accurate hints at but nowhere else has mentioned), or invest heavily in GPGPU, the floating point capabilities of only 2 Steamroller modules at 3.2Ghz will likely be disappointing and a reversal of the widely multithreaded development they've encouraged in the past.
I think 4 Steamroller modules is more likely.

 

[Schaden]

The GPU is in the APU. It's not an APU/SoC plus another GPU... at least based on the earlier specs.

OK i think I understand.

 

[(((interference)))]

The GPU is in the APU. It's not an APU/SoC plus another GPU... at least based on the earlier specs.

Do you know how the PS4 specs compare to Durango? Do you also have details for it? Or just PS4?

 

[bgassassin]

Do you know how the PS4 specs compare to Durango? Do you also have details for it? Or just PS4?

From what I know so far Durango is... "weird". I need more details than what I have to confirm if it's officially "weird" or just a misunderstanding due to vague info.

 

[Rangers]

The Orochi die is 319mm2 because of an inefficient automatic layout, and 8MB of slow cache which is a lot less useful in non-server workloads.
An individual Bulldozer/Piledriver module is only around 31mm2.

and i'm sure you cannot just use that as a proxy for the die size, as then a 4 module bd would be 124mm^2 rather than the 319 it actually is, 8mb cache notwithstanding.

 

[kalelovil]

and i'm sure you cannot just use that as a proxy for the die size, as then a 4 module bd would be 124mm^2 rather than the 319 it actually is, 8mb cache notwithstanding.

Of course, I never made such a supposition.
I'm just saying that you can't form a conclusion on the die size a 4 module Steamroller based CPU or APU would have based on the current Orochi Bulldozer die.