A look at the 40GB PS3 Motherboard

[Versatil]

In any case, one thing bothers me. It appears that 65nm would be pushed further in the production lines (mostly at TMSC) so that 80GB units (since Sony plans to end 60GB PS3 production soon) released for next year would use be using 65nm parts.

But still, would they remove PS2 and SACD support on the upcoming 65nm 80GB units as well (for next year)??? Or is this "crippling" just for 40GB units???

I'm asking this because I'm thinking of the best time to get my PS3. In my case, I'm gunning for lower power consumption, heat and noise which is why I support 65nm shrink but I don't want my unit to be crippled as well (ie. lack of PS2 support and SACD playback support, etc.).

Anyone care to help me out?

I'm waiting it too.
I already bought a 80GB in case of. I'm counting on my seller's guarantee to return my PS3 in its box if that new 80GB will feature SACD and BC chip).

 

[codelogic]

I'm waiting it too.
I already bought a 80GB in case of. I'm counting on my seller's guarantee to return my PS3 in its box if that new 80GB will feature SACD and BC chip).

The current 80GB model plays SACDs. Moreover they at least have s/w BC something that the 40GB model doesn't have.

 

[Versatil]

The current 80GB model plays SACDs. Moreover they at least have s/w BC something that the 40GB model doesn't have.

The actual 80GB doesn't have 65nm.

 

[Blackraven]

The actual 80GB doesn't have 65nm.

And that's the thing I'm concerned about.

20 GB/60 GB units will be ending their production within the year and thus only the 40GB and 80GB units will be churned out of the factory.

Thing is, I want 65nm parts (the power consumption drop is too huge to ignore) yet I don't want it to be 'crippled' as well (ie. lack of PS2 and SACD support in the 40GB model).

I think the question here is if they would apply this same 'crippling' for the 80GB units produced next year. That's what I'm asking about.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

The current 40 GB model doesn't use 65nm apparently. There'll be a bigger power drop when it comes out. Your choice is pretty much BC (+SACD?) at big and hot, or small and cool but without BC (and SACD). If you have SACDs, its probably worth getting an older model. SACD is so unpopular I can't see much reason to add the expense back into PS3 for something 99% of owners will probably never use.

 

[ADEX]

it appears we are all wrong

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/03/sony-says-the-40gb-ps3-is-still-using-90nm-chips/

sony states its a new cell design still in 90nm

The 90nm Cell with 8 SPEs is rated at 110 Watts. With 7 I'd expect a bit of a drop but no more than 10W.

Are Sony seriously saying the power consumption of *everything* other than the Cell is 40W max?

 

[nico1982]

There'll be a bigger power drop when it comes out.

I don't know how much reliable the information is, but an user on hwupgrade.it reported different wattages, even lower than AVS's one - read comment #21 for details:
- 95W while in idle
- 104W BD playback
- 118W while playing games (Resistance)

65 nm already out? Maybe Sony depleted the stock of 90 nm Cell and/or RSX with the first batches of 40GB?

 

[nidave]

I am going to ask what may seem a very stupid question. I have been reading the form for a while and have learnt loads. I don’t have very much technical knowledge of hardware.
Here goes...
Looking at the pictures posted at the start of this thread the tracks between the various chips are quite a distance apart, will this have any impact of the performance of transferring data between them?

 

[Blackraven]

It'd be interesting to see if future 80GB units running on 65nm would stay within sub-100watt teritorry (again without removing/crippling any existing features).

If they can do that, then I'm getting a PS3.

 

[mech]

I am going to ask what may seem a very stupid question. I have been reading the form for a while and have learnt loads. I don’t have very much technical knowledge of hardware.
Here goes...
Looking at the pictures posted at the start of this thread the tracks between the various chips are quite a distance apart, will this have any impact of the performance of transferring data between them?

They could feasibly, but obviously Sony will design the trace lengths to within certain tolerances.

I haven't done PCB trace layouts in a long time, and I'm glad for it

 

[Gradthrawn]

Well, what do you know. The 40GB is using the 65nm Cell, but 90nm RSX.

 

[XeRo]

Confusion at Sony?

 

[Carl B]

Well, what do you know. The 40GB is using the 65nm Cell, but 90nm RSX.

Well, good... because that's what made sense to begin with. Sony's gotta stop their PR people from fielding questions with regard to subjects they don't understand, I swear...

 

[DuckThor Evil]

[tinfoil]Maybe they are just saying that the 40GB is also 90nm, because they are worried about selling their large stock of old 60GB and 80GB units[/tinfoil]

I knew it!!
Atleast if this is the end of this story

 

[-tkf-]

Well, what do you know. The 40GB is using the 65nm Cell, but 90nm RSX.

Here is a Famitsu interview.
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3164229

I didn´t know Home was delayed until Spring 2008

 

[one]

The innards of the Ceramic White PS3 (40GB) released in Japan today

http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com/pkns/2007/11/pc_watchps3_507f.html
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com/pkns/2007/11/pc_watchps3_95b6.html
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com/pkns/2007/11/pc_watchps3_14b9.html
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com/pkns/2007/11/ps3_c8f2.html

This new PS3 has a different motherboard from the other 40GB PS3, it has 2 XDR chips on the other side, and lacks the heat pipe.

New motherboard (front)
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/11/071111_17.jpg
New motherboard (back)
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com...photos/uncategorized/2007/11/11/071111_18.jpg

Old mobo (left) and new mobo (right)
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com...photos/uncategorized/2007/11/11/071111_20.jpg

New cooler
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com...photos/uncategorized/2007/11/11/071111_26.jpg

Old cooler in 60GB
http://pocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com...photos/uncategorized/2007/11/11/071111_27.jpg

 

[AlNom]

Kudos to their hardware engineering teams.

Now if someone could just pry off those heat spreaders...

 

[swaaye]

It's smaller because they yanked the PS2 hardware. It's neat that either Cell or RSX is 65 nm though. I'm sure that is what allows them to simplify the power delivery to those chips.

 

[one]

It's smaller because they yanked the PS2 hardware. It's neat that either Cell or RSX is 65 nm though. I'm sure that is what allows them to simplify the electrical delivery to those chips.

The Cell is 65nm, confirmed by Hirai.

The motherboard is even smaller than the other 40GB models due to the installation of 2 XDR chips on the back. Compare the pic in the first page of this thread and the pic of the new white 40GB.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Is this mobo white-only? That would explain in part why white isn't widely available, because of limited production numbers, but why create a new mobo just for one colour SKU? If it's more cost effective, you'd want it throughout the whole range.

Normalizing the 40GB mobo images by chip size, the new mobo is ~ 88% the width and height (about 75% the area) of the original 40 GB mobo. However the alignment is switched, as clearly shown in the new mobo versus very original PS3 mobo. They must be saving a small bundle on the new 65nm heat-sink too. Far simpler. That does make me wonder about the system being quieter though. RSX is still big and hot, even with a cooler Cell. If this simple heat-sink is up to the job, that suggests to me the original was over-engineered. Also we have final proof that DS3 rumble is the boring last-gen technology that I'll be switching off. Whatever happened to Touch-Sense?