Predict: The Next Generation Console Tech

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I figured out irrefutable proof at least a 7850 can fit in next gen:

Alienware X51, console sized, supposed 150 watt GPU limit.

7850, 130 watt typical power.

Boom, done! 2 teraflops GPU.

And actually, at least one website put a 560 Ti in the X51, presumably it draws even over 150 watts.

AND this is on an extremely unoptimized, off the shelf PC parts machine/cooling system running a honking Intel OOE X86 CPU and up to 8GB DDR3! Vast cooling/space efficiency gains could be had I expect in a custom console.

7850 isn't a 2 Tflop GPU, and the version that has the GTX 555(a 0.7 Tflops GPU) in it starts at almost a thousand dollars. I'm not sure thats really helping your arguement. Sure, you could make a pretty cool box, if your budget was unlimited. Also that "honking" i5 CPU probably isnt far off in power use from the original xenon and cell.
 
7850 isn't a 2 Tflop GPU, and the version that has the GTX 555(a 0.7 Tflops GPU) in it starts at almost a thousand dollars. I'm not sure thats really helping your arguement. Sure, you could make a pretty cool box, if your budget was unlimited. Also that "honking" i5 CPU probably isnt far off in power use from the original xenon and cell.

A 7850 comes in at just shy of 1800GFLOPs, Rangers was probably thinking of the slightly more robust 7870 which comes in at almost 2600 GFLOPs. But I think his point is well taken: At 130W for a PC part there is no reason why a console revision (which should be able to cut down on that power usage a bit by being integrated into the same board, more refined memory solution and bus interface, etc) should not also be able to hit such a target.

I would agree with Ranger's general point that the Alienware X51, if representative of a console space and power budgets, can fit in a ~ 2TFLOPs chip -- which mind you is not a huge chip (212mm^2) -- in addition to stock PC parts/overhead there is reason to question the assumption that a console maker cannot take this approach in a viable (read: affordable) platform.
 
So with ipad3 announced, anyone else find it funny that year after year, Apple upgrades it's products not only with new features, but also cutting edge chip tech (for the target medium) and yet we are to believe MS and Sony will "Wii it" with ps4 and xb720?

Personally, I'm thinking the rumors of low spec xb720 and ps4 are smoke screen so the official unveiling will go above and beyond the artificially low expectations established by false rumors.

Inspired by the Acert post on NG rumors, I reread the Kotaku 2014 story with this clip from April 2011:

That source says that Microsoft doesn't even know what parts will be in the next Xbox. They say the company's board "is wrestling with whether to be profitable on day one," as Nintendo's Wii was presumed to be, or to once again launch a new console at a loss, which is what Sony and Microsoft usually do.

It's **** like that and, "I don't think either Sony or Microsoft are interested in a new console till they can advance the technology, and they certainly don't want to launch at a $600 price point" (Pachter), that make me sick.

Knowing what can be boxed up right now with 28nm tech and a Pitcairn GPU and upgraded CPU with a die size 100mm2 smaller than xbox360's die size budget and this on a box which originally sold for $300 and with an online userbase (kicking in $50/yr) less than a quarter the size it is today.

This farce of: "we can't produce it anytime soon because it would be impossible to do so as the tech is too expensive!" is a lie. Fact is, they are looking enviously at the profit Wii made and attempting to spin this situation giving us 2012 spec at 2012 prices, but with the profit afforded by waiting until 2014 launch. That's the issue. And if they wait too long, those 40+million users paying ~$50/yr will dry up and the market will move on.
 
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7850 isn't a 2 Tflop GPU, and the version that has the GTX 555(a 0.7 Tflops GPU) in it starts at almost a thousand dollars. I'm not sure thats really helping your arguement. Sure, you could make a pretty cool box, if your budget was unlimited. Also that "honking" i5 CPU probably isnt far off in power use from the original xenon and cell.

Alienware is hugely overpriced, you can make a PC that small for a lot less.

What does it matter if the i5s TDP is near that of the xenon and cell? It is cooled fine with just the small stock heatsink and a small fan.
 
I think they mean DirectX 11 level hardware is required
And to get decent resolution/performance you need machine with enough computing power as well.
I expect them to depart from standard forward/deferred rendering methods and use something different. (sofware rendering, REYES?)

They have UE3 for machines like mobile phones and current gen consoles, so they have something for both low and high end markets.
 
What does it matter if the i5s TDP is near that of the xenon and cell? It is cooled fine with just the small stock heatsink and a small fan.

I assumed he said "honking Intel OOE X86 CPU" because he thought there was huge power efficency gains to be made there, which is not the case.
 
Game development company Crytek has revealed that the biggest names in gaming have been staying in London trying out Microsoft’s newest Xbox offering. Microsoft, who has been very sneaky, used the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona to cover up this Xbox 720 (codenamed Durango) summit.

Link

If they have working versions out in the wild then specs must have been finalised quite a way back so the chances of it being the rumoured 6670 could be true.
 
Mark Rein's comments/ue4 make a 6670 unlikely, besides lots of other reasons, mainly being, it's IGN/Scott Lowe.

Would you like to bet? I already am sure to win a $50 Amazon gift code from a gaffer that I bet Xbox next wouldn't launch in 2012 (if he pays up!), I could always use another :p
 
No disc drive for the next xbox, to launch in 2013 so says MCV.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/exclusive-no-disc-drive-for-next-xbox/092534
I call that pure BS for the no disc aspect, there's absolutely no freaking way for M$ to go that approach. They will loose more than 60% of sales, endless amount of customer complaints and effortlessly giving all the customers to Sony. A full DD is not ready for all of us today, not next year or not even next five years.
A 2013 release could very well be plausible though whether it's 6670 or 7870.
 
Just a wild idea but what if the diskless "box" is actually a casual gaming oriented tablet that plugs easily to kinect and TV?
 
I could see different SKUs happen. Also, it is not impossible to replace the disc drive with carts for non-download versions like on Vita, as by that time that could be cheap enough for good amounts, and can scale up in the lifetime of the platform or requirements of the game (more storage, faster storage, etc.) That could be a big advantage versus the disc system, although not that likely to happen as most games would be both on cart and disc-drive - but it's a possibility.
 
No disc drive for the next xbox, to launch in 2013 so says MCV.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/exclusive-no-disc-drive-for-next-xbox/092534
I call that pure BS for the no disc aspect, there's absolutely no freaking way for M$ to go that approach. They will loose more than 60% of sales, endless amount of customer complaints and effortlessly giving all the customers to Sony. A full DD is not ready for all of us today, not next year or not even next five years.
A 2013 release could very well be plausible though whether it's 6670 or 7870.

Perhaps they intend to replace discs with carts though?

Although the console will not include a disc drive, it will offer compatibility with some sort of interchangeable solid-state card storage, although it is not known whether this will be proprietary or a more standard format such as SD.

I agree overall seems unlikely. The timing is just enough to pique my interest though, it's post Durango conference when something might be expected to leak out.

The set top box and not the real Xbox thing is also plausible, though I havent seen a ton of evidence for it.
 
SD like media is a wet nerd dream, mine too...
but the cost is still hight :/
even if MS can get a ton of custom read only 16GB SD for less than 5$ one, there are still a lot of cost for putting the software in, whereas dvd/bd include it in the production cost, and have even production time an order of magnitude faster...

How much can a bd drive cost in 2013/14 to justify it?
 
I refuse to believe that Microsoft will use Blu ray player, royalties to Sony, noise, vibration, space ocupied by the drive, never ending disk acess, mandatory installations...
This option does not bring any benefits to consumer.

A much desired and welcome option would be using a solid-state card, even though it can be more expensive, it wont have half of the problems!
Oh that brings memory from my dear Mega Drive.
 
I refuse to believe that Microsoft will use Blu ray player, royalties to Sony, noise, vibration, space ocupied by the drive, never ending disk acess, mandatory installations...
This option does not bring any benefits to consumer.
Except price. And flash cards aren't set to be much faster at loading than an optical drive. They just have lower seek times which is good for streaming content. But there's a whole other thread to discuss the pros and cons (ad nauseum) of flash vs. optical.
 
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