PlayStation 4 (codename Orbis) technical hardware investigation (news and rumours)

[Strange]

Just note about DS4. I really dislike placement of the USB connector, which is meant mainly for charging. It's placed on separate board and than signal and supply volatge goes through two connectors and flat cable. Even if they use more wires for supply voltage and ground on the flat cable, it is not good solution. And folding of the flat cable ... not nice.

It will probably greatly disturb you that flat cables were extensively used in PS3s (at least my phat one) and they weren't exactly a source of malfunction. Heck my VAIO laptop from I think ~10 years ago had foldable flat cables and they didn't cause any trouble.

Really? A complaint due to the controller using a relatively light and fold-able flat cable?

 

[BoardBonobo]

It will probably greatly disturb you that flat cables were extensively used in PS3s (at least my phat one) and they weren't exactly a source of malfunction. Heck my VAIO laptop from I think ~10 years ago had foldable flat cables and they didn't cause any trouble.

Really? A complaint due to the controller using a relatively light and fold-able flat cable?

The only time you get a problem with folded ribbon cable is when you start trying to straighten it out. As long as you leave them as they are then you should never have a problem.

 

[novcze]

It will probably greatly disturb you that flat cables were extensively used in PS3s ....

I don't have anything against proper use of flat cables, I disassembled my fat PS3 to make succesfull reflow, I also disassambled PS3 slim to re-apply thermal paste and I had zero problems with them. I do work in electronics. I do design electronics.

Thing with DS4 is that it can be designed better, I don't know how they put these together but flat cable in my DS4 was folded in really random way with very sharp folds caught between battery and LED light pipe. I should have taken a photo, but didn't know that my small note will attract this kind of attention.

 

[novcze]

After weekend of heavy BF4 gaming I can say that disabling LED helped a lot, it lasted whole weekend while DS4 with LED enabled needed recharge after one day of use (previous weekend). I don't use vibration and speaker/headset.

Still not as good as DS3, I don't think touchpad power draw is big factor here, use of ARM Cortex M3 core probably is.


More details on DS4 here.

 

[Grall]

Interesting wiki. While sony stated that DS4 buttons are digital, this guy seems to suggest that in reality, the triggers are actually analog.

 

[DrJay24]

Interesting wiki. While sony stated that DS4 buttons are digital, this guy seems to suggest that in reality, the triggers are actually analog.

The face buttons, D-pad and R1/L1 are digital and the triggers (L2/R2) are analog.

 

[bkilian]

The face buttons, D-pad and R1/L1 are digital and the triggers (L2/R2) are analog.

Yep, which is a departure from their last controller, but brings it in line with the 360 and XB1. Doesn't really make sense adding cost to a controller for features that will only ever be used by exclusives.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Yep, which is a departure from their last controller, but brings it in line with the 360 and XB1. Doesn't really make sense adding cost to a controller for features that will only ever be used by exclusives.

Were the DS3's analogue face buttons buttons ever used? I can't recall any games that did and if they did, I didn't notice!

 

[Brad Grenz]

Gran Turismo used them. MGS4 might have, too.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Yep, which is a departure from their last controller, but brings it in line with the 360 and XB1. Doesn't really make sense adding cost to a controller for features that will only ever be used by exclusives.

They weren't even really used in exclusives either! Just throwing money away on an unwanted feature. Probably could have left out the gyros as well...

 

[Grall]

Were the DS3's analogue face buttons buttons ever used?

Zone of the Enders used it for some of Jehuty's weapons; not very successfully though, but they were used... Anyway, analog face buttons are crap product design, sure-fire way to cause carpal tunnel problems in players. Just as well they did away with it really.

 

[Gradthrawn]

They weren't even really used in exclusives either! Just throwing money away on an unwanted feature. Probably could have left out the gyros as well...

I like my gyro typing feature, thank you very much.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It has one or two value-adding implementations (I liked motion controls in Warhawk) but it's practically unused in games, like pressure sensitive buttons. Had Sony left the gyros out and had you using the touchpad or Dpad, you wouldn't be arguing for the addition of gyros for typing. It was probably a poor business choice to include them, unless Sony start making good use of them in games to add value to their product.

 

[Cjail]

IMO gyros, touchpad controls should be mandatory in every PS4 game just like Remote Play.

 

[hesido]

Killzone 2 had really nice use of Gyros, stabilizing the shot required you to hold still, and you can even make slight adjustments to your aim and put that to good use. Then OF COURSE, they removed it in face of people complaining. But I still think more people liked that feature than not.

 

[Cjail]

^^^
I loved that feature in KZ2.

 

[Karamazov]

Noob question:
If the ps4 had 4go of gddr5 instead of 8, how would it have done with the games released so far ?
would we see a downgrade only in texture quality Or other aspects too ? (fps, resolution, AA...)

 

[Nesh]

Killzone 2 had really nice use of Gyros, stabilizing the shot required you to hold still, and you can even make slight adjustments to your aim and put that to good use. Then OF COURSE, they removed it in face of people complaining. But I still think more people liked that feature than not.

It had such a function??? I had no idea!

 

[DrJay24]

Noob question:
If the ps4 had 4go of gddr5 instead of 8, how would it have done with the games released so far ?
would we see a downgrade only in texture quality Or other aspects too ? (fps, resolution, AA...)

My guess is they would have went after the OS and features first. They have a lot reserved for non-gaming that is likely there for future proofing.

Instead of 8GB vs 4GB, it would be more like 4.5GB for games vs 3.5GB for games. This just means more streaming or more fequent loading.

 

[Inuhanyou]

I'm pretty sure i've heard 5.5 for games. Jonathan blow already said he was using more than 5gb in witness.