64-bit CPUs for consoles. When?

[SMarth]

The next consoles I believe will all be using 64bit processors...

Though possible, I don't think there will be any need for that. After all, 64 bits code take more memory and is potentially slower then 32 bits code.

 

[jvd]

jvd,

There's no way that AMD has the fab capacity to address the Xbox2 and PC, and workstation/server market at 130nm. Perhaps at 90nm, but that's still stressing things.

Perhaps they will source it out to ibm to make the chips . Of course the xbox 2 launch is at least a year away in which amd should have a full fab of .09 going .

 

[Reznor007]

Traditionally the criteria for the bittness of a cpu, is its address length.

You sure about that?

I never heard ANYONE refer to MC68000 as a 24-bit CPU for example. I'd say width of GPRs coupled with the instruction set is a much better indication of bitness.

MC68000 GPRs and instruction set are 32-bit, data bus is 16 bit, address bus is 24 bit. Most people agree, 68000 is 32-bit CPU overall, not 16 or 24.

"Tom" coprocessor in Atari Jaguar had 32-bit GPRs, but had 64-bit bus and instructions that processed 64 bits of data in one go. 64-bit CPU? Well, you tell me, heh. Even the experts disagree here, lol!

Emotion Engine in PS2... Well, Faf went over that already. 64-bit CPU minimum, and I doubt anyone will say otherwise.


*G*

Actually most people consider 68K as a 16bit CPU(Sega and SNK included).

Jaguar is really 2 32bit chips.

 

[nonamer]

The next consoles I believe will all be using 64bit processors...

Though possible, I don't think there will be any need for that. After all, 64 bits code take more memory and is potentially slower then 32 bits code.

Not necessarily. x86-64 is only about 15% bigger than 32 bit x86 code at the most. A console may not need a 64 bit CPU, but if the Xbox2 is going x86 then it would be very beneficial due to the architecture improvements.