CONFIRMED: PS3 to use "Nvidia-based Graphics processor&

[Titanio]

Given the similar timescales involved, has anyone considered the possibility that this could be the same GPU (or variant of) that MS chose not to use for Xenon (for either licencing or technical reasons)?

Doubtful. If NVidia has been working with Sony on this for the past 2 years, I doubt they showed anything of it to Microsoft during any potential Xbox2 negotiations.

NVidia was also being less than enthusiastic about any potential Xbox2 business, for a good bit before MS tapped ATi as their partner.

I'd say Microsoft pretty much closed the door on NVidia due to licensing/cost issues with the original Xbox's GPU, rather than for technical reasons.

 

[DopeyFish]

Personally, I'm still trying to figure out how this "crushes" Xbox2. They both are beasts in all areas.

 

[GwymWeepa]

Personally, I'm still trying to figure out how this "crushes" Xbox2. They both are beasts in all areas.

Well, let's see...ps2 sells 70 million units despite more powerful competition...and now its announced they are in bed with Nvidia, nearly guaranteeing at the very least, graphics capability on par with Xbox2...I count that as a crushing blow to MS.

 

[DopeyFish]

It doesn't guarantee anything. For all we know they're putting their next-gen MX chip in there

We don't have enough details on either chips to really give any sort of qualified statement.

 

[Tysan]

Do you think the GPU NVIDIA made for the xbox was a good console GPU?

Not a very specific work, but they did deliver the fastest graphic chip and the most feature rich one so IMO they did get the job done well enough taking in account Xbox rushed development cicle.

 

[wco81]

A big part of the Xbox's marketshare is based on the perception that Xbox has superior graphics (in practice a lot of Xbox gamers grouse that the Xbox ports of a lot of EA games are inferior to the PS2 versions in many ways).

So what happens if the Xenon is no longer perceived as the best hardware? People planning to stick with MS better really love Halo, right?

 

[GwymWeepa]

It doesn't guarantee anything. For all we know they're putting their next-gen MX chip in there

We don't have enough details on either chips to really give any sort of qualified statement.

If the Nvidia GPU isn't as powerful or nearly as powerful as the Xbox2 GPU I'd be shocked. If all they were getting was a next-gen MX chip Sony would have stayed with an in house design.

 

[jvd]

A big part of the Xbox's marketshare is based on the perception that Xbox has superior graphics (in practice a lot of Xbox gamers grouse that the Xbox ports of a lot of EA games are inferior to the PS2 versions in many ways).

So what happens if the Xenon is no longer perceived as the best hardware? People planning to stick with MS better really love Halo, right?

Well its going to be hard for ms even fi they truely have the best tech .

We know sony loves to embelish about hardware 66 million polygons on the ps2 ? FF ballroom scene real time graphics ?

We know nvidia loves to embelish . 250 gflop in a fx board ? geforce fx being a dx 9 card ? Toy story real itme graphics on a geforce 2 board ?


So i'm very scared to see the press releases from these two companys regarding performance (WE already have the 1 tflop figure)

But i think you will see that dispite the xenon launching 6 months earlier it will have very competive tech and in some cases will be more powerfull .

 

[Fafalada]

It'll be interesting to see how they distribute the workload CPU/GPU given the massive stream/fp resources the processor has, my guess, is that the CPU will still be responsible for "Vertex shading" or the equivalent.

Well it makes sense now more then ever. After all with this announcement, it's like the S|APU power and local storage has suddenly doubled - what with all the memory and processing we'll save by not having to distribute the clipping APUlets around

 

[speng]

A big part of the Xbox's marketshare is based on the perception that Xbox has superior graphics (in practice a lot of Xbox gamers grouse that the Xbox ports of a lot of EA games are inferior to the PS2 versions in many ways).

So what happens if the Xenon is no longer perceived as the best hardware? People planning to stick with MS better really love Halo, right?

Exaclty, this has a huge impact. Most of my friends who bought an Xbox, was because it would have superior graphics, that is all.

PS2 had more games, the same games and better quality games. But some of the games just look way better on XBox, so they bought that too and would buy an Xbox game over PS2 for the graphics. Even though they had both systems.

Speng.

 

[cybamerc]

Exaclty, this has a huge impact.

Please. We don't know what Nvidia is contributing to this project and we don't know what Sony could have come up with on its own.

Besides, perception and reality are two different things.

 

[ERP]

It'll be interesting to see how they distribute the workload CPU/GPU given the massive stream/fp resources the processor has, my guess, is that the CPU will still be responsible for "Vertex shading" or the equivalent.

Well it makes sense now more then ever. After all with this announcement, it's like the S|APU power and local storage has suddenly doubled - what with all the memory and processing we'll save by not having to distribute the clipping APUlets around

If your seperating the VS and PS over an external bus who says you won't still be clipping on the A/SPU's

 

[Squeak]

But i think you will see that dispite the xenon launching 6 months earlier it will have very competive tech and in some cases will be more powerfull .

Why do you think that? All signs points to Sony doing all the work themselves on their own or shared IC fabs. For all we know they will be willing to take more risks than the people microsoft have paid to do their chips.
Sony is only either paying nVidia to use their IP or the nVidia is helping scee with the GPU design.

 

[speng]

Exaclty, this has a huge impact.

Please. We don't know what Nvidia is contributing to this project and we don't know what Sony could have come up with on its own.

Besides, perception and reality are two different things.

We don't know, but GeForce is quite capable and Nvidia is definitely capable of creating a very good GPU, coupled with Sony's experience it will be a factor.

Like the original poster says and I found to be the case in my friends, they bought the Xbox b/c it was more powerful and had better graphics.

Partnering with Nvidia for the PS3 makes it more likely that things will be different this time around.

Speng.

 

[Squeak]

It'll be interesting to see how they distribute the workload CPU/GPU given the massive stream/fp resources the processor has, my guess, is that the CPU will still be responsible for "Vertex shading" or the equivalent.

Well it makes sense now more then ever. After all with this announcement, it's like the S|APU power and local storage has suddenly doubled - what with all the memory and processing we'll save by not having to distribute the clipping APUlets around

If your seperating the VS and PS over an external bus who says you won't still be clipping on the A/SPU's

It would make more sense now than ever wouldn't it? Clipping is only performed on a small percentage of the total amount of polys in a normal scene after all. No need to waste dedicated hardware on that, when you have ~ 1 TFLOP under the hood.

 

[TheMightyPuck]

Personally, I'm still trying to figure out how this "crushes" Xbox2. They both are beasts in all areas.

Well, let's see...ps2 sells 70 million units despite more powerful competition...and now its announced they are in bed with Nvidia, nearly guaranteeing at the very least, graphics capability on par with Xbox2...I count that as a crushing blow to MS.

I guess I'm repeating myself but I don't get this. Did everyone think the PS3 graphics tech was going to suck or something and now that they've announced an agreement with Nvidia it is going to rock?? Before this announcement, what exactly did you think SONY was going to use for PS3 graphics? Some outdated technology or the latest cutting edge technology? If you say latest cutting edge, then it's the actual tech that is exciting, not the particular partner who makes it.

 

[speng]

"I guess I'm repeating myself but I don't get this. Did everyone think the PS3 graphics tech was going to suck or something and now that they've announced an agreement with Nvidia it is going to rock?? Before this announcement, what exactly did you think SONY was going to use for PS3 graphics? Some outdated technology or the latest cutting edge technology? If you say latest cutting edge, then it's the actual tech that is exciting, not the particular partner who makes it.
"

I tried replying before, but that was the feeling from most of the posts in other threads.

PS3 = Great CPU + Good Enough GPU
XBoX2 = Very Good CPU + Great GPU (ATI)

Now it's almost as if all bases are covered...if Nvidia and Sony can deliver.

Check this thread:
http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18688&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20

Some people believe that it would be powerful but lack some nifty features.

Speng.

 

[cybamerc]

speng:

> Like the original poster says and I found to be the case in my friends,
> they bought the Xbox b/c it was more powerful and had better graphics.

I'm not disputing that but what you have to keep in mind is that the average consumer is uninformed and lacks common sense. Ultimately it will come down to marketing which platform is the more powerful in the mind of the consumer.

> Partnering with Nvidia for the PS3 makes it more likely that things will
> be different this time around.

I think you place too much importance on this announcement. Obviously Nvidia had something to offer Sony or Sony wouldn't have teamed up with them but the fact is that we don't know what it is or how it will compare to what ATI is making for Xbox 2 and Revolution. Certainly in the mind of the consumer Nvidia is behind ATI.

I think the lot of you need to chill.

 

[Vince]

PS3 = Great CPU + Good Enough GPU
XBoX2 = Very Good CPU + Great GPU (ATI)

I like the "Great GPU (ATI)" comment, I love how all the anti-nVidia mentality has been shifted onto Sony now. The preformance battle ended last week with the ISSCC presentations, this is the proverbial cherry. Nothing more. If you think it'll be close holistically, you're delusional.

 

[speng]

I'm not anti-nvidia

Just saying I expect MS+ATI to put out a Great GPU.

Whether or not it is way better than Nvidia+Sony we will know later.

For now, with current generation graphics they are about on par, so I'll go based on that

Speng