A look at the 40GB PS3 Motherboard

[max-pain]

http://playstation-disorder.com/comments.php?blog_id=996&

 

[Titanio]

Seems someone finally opened up the 40GB PS3.. I hope this isn't old, couldn't see any relevant threads.

http://playstation-disorder.com/comments.php?blog_id=996&

Now, the German c't magazine talks about this in its newest Monday edition and actually confirms the 65nm Cell (on the right) being used.

But that's not all, the new model is almost half as loud as the old model making it barely recognizable with its 0.5 - 0.8 Sone. The new revision also features a smaller heatpipe, a revised Southbridge (CXD2984GB) and a battery cell for the system clock.

No measurements are given in this blog report of the original article, but the MB looks quite significantly smaller to me also.

 

[Carl B]

Ugh, finally a mobo shot. Thanks Max-pain, very much appreciated.

The chronology:

New

Older

Oldest

Noteworthy I feel that the white PS3 seems to have itself even a different layout to the black 40GB:

http://playstation-disorder.com/comments.php?blog_id=993&

 

[Crossbar]

Noteworthy I feel that the white PS3 seems to have itself even a different layout to the black 40GB:

http://playstation-disorder.com/comments.php?blog_id=993&

Thanks, for the comparison pics, so they even reduced the size of the board.

There better be some good reasons for moving those ports it would be interesting seeing a pic of the motherboard of the ceramic white one to compare with this one.

 

[Arwin]

And they also claim a 65nm RSX, according to the article.

C't is one of the best 'mainstream' technical magazines ever, all over the world (or at least in the languages I've been able to read), and one of the oldest too. But they are German and not that well known outside of Germany (though a Dutch version exists since a couple of years also). If anything is wrong here, then it can only be this English language article about the C't article having made mistakes.

So, it's confirmed then, 65nm is go for Sony! Well done.

 

[Titanio]

Here's a rough to-scale comparison, assuming the Cell packages are the same size.

Euro 60GB (last revision):

40GB:

Based on this, I'm guessing the new motherboard is about 13% narrower than the old, with the same height.

 

[Vitaly Vidmirov]

So they stripped off PS2 rasterizer chip(?). That's why they do not support PS2 games.

 

[patsu]

I didn't know the white PS3 has a totally different layout. They certainly run fast in the hardware department.

Any update/confirmation on whether it will come to US ? Please post here soonest (I'll check GAF too) if it's a limited edition thinggie. ;-)

 

[hoho]

Didn't they remove it long ago? If I remember correctly then only the 80GB version sold in US and Japan had the PS2 GPU, the rest didn't. Later the 60GB EU version and others got software emulation.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

They removed the PS2 CPU from the Euro and 80GB model. The GS remained on the system. That has gone too in the new model. Half the volume is sweet!

 

[Deepak]

40GB PS3 features 65nm chips, lower power consumption

 

[codelogic]

I've heard rumors about SACD support being removed in the 40GB models, anyone know what the reasoning behind that might be.

 

[XeRo]

I assume that square in the top is the CELL. Is that a picture of the CPU die or the IHS?

 

[AlNom]

Those are with heat spreaders attached.

 

[Carl B]

I assume that square in the top is the CELL. Is that a picture of the CPU die or the IHS?

That's the SouthBridge.

The Cell and the RSX are both the silver squares, and both have heatspreaders.

@codelogic: Yes SACD playback has been removed. Word is there was a consideration included in the prior drive assembly to enable it that has since been removed on the new drive revisions.

PS - Ok we have this thread going and the existng 65nm components thread in 'console'; any suggestions as to what to do to consolidate discussion?

 

[Arwin]

You can close the other thread, as its original answer has now been answered and it's lost its purpose, exactly as this thread's relevance is born. It's all very natural.

 

[Carl B]

Alright fair enough - that was done and the posts from the former merged in here.

A question of my own for anyone that knows: is the SouthBridge still a Toshiba product?

 

[mech]

I've heard rumors about SACD support being removed in the 40GB models, anyone know what the reasoning behind that might be.

It's been removed to make the Blu-Ray drive cheaper apparently - so it doesn't have to read the special pits on SACDs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Audio_CD#PSP

 

[dess]

Sony denied jumping to 65nm for now - claims it will come a bit later. (Autotranslated.)
(Not that I really believe. >60W less just because of the missing GS?)

 

[Npl]

Sony denied jumping to 65nm. (Autotranslated.)
(Not that I really believe. >60W less just because of the missing GS?)

They dint say "only because of GS", and besides, I think the GS aint getting juice unless you play PS2 Games anyway (As this explains why running PS2 games consumes ~20 Watt more than anything else).
The wording is: "because of different electronical components".

Nut whats even weirde IMHO that that article claims the 40GB will be the only option availabe once the stock of the other Versions is depleted?