Doesn’t the PS4 already rely on that for a sync computers it can snoop the CPU caches? Seems that would be complex or rather inefficient to do over a traditional motherboard.
Next Generation Hardware Speculation with a Technical Spin [2018]
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Doesn’t the PS4 already rely on that for a sync computers it can snoop the CPU caches? Seems that would be complex or rather inefficient to do over a traditional motherboard.
Depends on where lithography goes. Sony may be looking at a very limited set of cost-saving die-shrink options (same as everyone else) and to ensure decent yields of large parts, is deciding to keep the dies split. If combining them down the line becomes a sensible option, they'll do so. Otherwise, they won't.And the persistently high price of PS3 and PS4 suggests they are happy to keep the entry level price higher over the full life of the platform.
Edit: Actually, that's not really what you were asking.
I wonder if Sony/AMD will use Infinity Fabric technology as the tie (interposer) between the CPU and GPU, instead of a traditional PCI bussing system. Seems plausible (see below); maybe memory and other communication controllers as well.
https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/infinity_fabric
It features on PS4, but is it any use and are devs/games befitting? Or is it a nice idea in theory but with no real practical application in actuallity? With GPUs able to create their own jobs, how much CPU <> GPU communication is actually needed?
anexanhume
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I think another benefit is decoupling of architecture and technology timelines, especially if they want launch date flexible. Imagine one chip on 7nm and the other on 7nm+, or an early Zen 3 variant if they throw all custom circuitry on the GPU die or vice versa.
I don't think there will be a split memory configuration. I believe both GPU/CPU will access to the same pool of GDDR6.
cheapchips
Veteran
Unified memory was top of the request list from devs when Sony did the PS4 "what do you want?" tour. Is that really going to be the case for PS5/XB2?
No one will ever need more than 8GB of VRAM will they?
Said with full knowledge of the many times in computing people have said no one will every need more than x of something.
No one will ever need more than 8GB of VRAM will they?
Said with full knowledge of the many times in computing people have said no one will every need more than x of something.
Yah, I guess in my head I've gotten used to APUs in the console space, but 360 had a unified pool and it was a discrete gpu.
A 8c/16t CPU even in the PC gaming space is way more than enough (and forcible future) to run today's and tomorrows games. Heck, 4c/8t with nice clocks can run today's PC games without much difficulty.
Silent_Buddha
Legend
Yeah. 25.6 GB/s bandwidth from GPU to main memory and then the GPU feeds the CPU through a 22 GB/s link. So all memory traffic travels through the GPU's memory controller.
Be interesting if we see a return to something similar to that.
Regards,
SB
Zen CCXs are already connected to on-die and remote memory controllers with Infinity Fabric. If 7nm economics dictate smaller dies and decoupled CPU-GPU, I don't see an issue with using one remote CCX. Unless we're assuming an SoC would have provided a faster interconnect. However a smaller GPU die may limit memory interface width
The bespoke CPU die could also include the southbridge and a cheap RAM interface for the OS like PS4 pro. Or even a larger pool for gaming workloads. I'm not convinced a unified memory pool is necessary if neither are constrained.
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