Current Generation Hardware Speculation with a Technical Spin [post GDC 2020] [XBSX, PS5]

I think we still sort of got a deal on X1X: IIRC 499 USD at the time translated to 648 CDN. But we only paid $599. 676 after tax IIRC.
I have my old EB games receipt and I’m pretty sure that was the charge.

historical rates as per BoC for that year. Can’t find October data though. Wish it were there
https://www.bankofcanada.ca/valet/o...csv?start_date=2017-01-01&end_date=2017-12-31

 

Microsoft did give us a break with that X1X pricing. I'm just skeptical they are going to do it again given the exchange rate has grown.

It's possible if the PS5 digital edition is $449USD then that will end up at $599CAD.

 

Speculation on unknown specification does not belong in this Tech thread.

 

Speculation doesn't belong in a thread specifically called next gen speculation?

 

until it exists, I think the other thread is for rumours

 

Speculation on unknown specification. No. It doesn't belong.

This is for technical hardware speculation. Not for what do you feel some imaginary thing might impact.

 

Oh you are worried about a $100CAD. My countries exchange rate has grown/lost just short of double what it was end 2013. Then they increased the import tax about 6 years ago so I am likely to pay close to double what I paid for my PS4.

https://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=USD&to=ZAR&view=10Y

When I bought my PS4, I paid the then equivalent of $800 although that included Second Son and Killzone Shadow Fall games.

 

From the dimensions I have seen of the leaked PS5 .. i'd say x1.5 PS4 slim.

 

My original comment on the other page:

 

Was actually joking, especially as that particular conversation I find degrades into more about people's feelings more than anything else.

 

Yeah, I thought we were on the same page, so no problems. But ... I had to say it so it's clear to others.

It's a discussion we'll be having, likely multiple times over the next 2 or 3 years, just not now and not here. It'll have all the feels.

 

Can't be full rdna2 when they're part rdna3.

 

lol

 

Based on the announced GPU feature sets from Sony and Microsoft (and how they line up against RDNA2 on PC), the GitHub leak from last year, and Cerny’s careful wording of a custom GPU from AMD “...based on their RDNA2 technology”, I have a hunch that PS5 has more in common with RDNA1 than RDNA2. I’m curious to see what devs start saying when NDAs start lifting and people get more experience with both GPUs.

 

MS has also been careful on this front. also using the wording .. based on their RDNA2 technology.

There is some evidence that I think would suggest that's not entirely clear cut what both did. But VRS is where I'm focusing my attention. There's frankly just no reason for Sony to remove it from their chip, and currently no reason for MS to have inserted their own VRS solution. Multiplatform titles that leverage VRS will have tells of what it looks like, and XSX will have it should have the same tells, if we don't see the said tells on PS5, then we know it's not present (either ever, or because the SDK doesn't yet support it).

If we see that it's not present on PS5, and we know MS inserted their own solution, that's pretty telling that perhaps the AMD Tier 2 VRS was not available for either. Which leads into the discussion if they really are using RDNA 2 as a base and customizing that... or that they started with RDNA 1 as a base and moved it towards RDNA 2.

Having said that, there are some outside reasons that could explain why MS went with their own VRS solution. I can't speak on that, but I suspect if it does come into play, we'd know at a later date. Perhaps as early as July, but I"m not expecting anything from it until 2021/22.

We won't know for a while however, there's no possible way to decode this pre-launch.

 

They could be blurring definitions a bit, but Microsoft has said DX12 Ultimate requires tier 2 VRS, and that XBox Series X is DX12 Ultimate hardware.

Between VRS, Mesh Shading. Ray Tracing and Sampler Feedback, it seems like Series X is matching exactly what Microsoft is doing on PC with DX12U which is aimed at RDNA2 and Turing. The only announced feature on that list for PS5 is ray tracing, and the geometry engine feature sort of implies they won’t have mesh shading.

 

Those requirements might not apply to MS. MS may require it for devs to certify DX12U compliance, but MS can put whatever hardware they want and run their own flavour of DX12. That's besides the point - XBSX has VRS Tier 2 because MS have said it has (they wouldn't put in a gimped VRS); just saying that what other IHVs are beholden too doesn't affect MS themselves.

 

Have we as forum discussed the possibility that AMD's VRS solution is based off MS's patent? Who is to say that Sony nor MS can't develop patented tech that AMD will readily incorporated into their PC designs?

 

It’s never come up. AMD has its own patent. If it uses MS patent I suspect a long term licensing fee agreement. Considering how tight margins can be, I can’t see this happening.

 

That seems to be the result of us never considering that MS patents aren't necessarily confined to OS or api related research. I don't recall cross licensing agreements having to be publicized. AMD patent may be related to a specific hardware implementation of VRS thats based off MS's patent.

AMD and MS rolling out two different VRS designs for the same arch seems counterproductive.