PS3 evaluation kit compared to PS3 system.

[me2]

Hi guys, i need your help on this one. This picture shows that the PS3 eval kit has 512ram but the PS3 with just have 256ram. Why would they have more ram for a dev kit?


http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2005/0722/kaigai02l.gif

 

[typoEDR]

I think every modern devkit has more memory than the production console.

 

[Edge]

This has been discussed a number of times, but I see you are new.

Developers have to run other code besides the game code, like debuggers/performance analyzers, etc., to help them optimize the game, so it will run well. By having the extra space for other programs, they can develop to the full potential of the retail unit.

 

[ShootMyMonkey]

That and there's also the fact that the extra memory is not inherently used simply because it's there. You have to enable it via whatever methods the toolset offers (build option or debugger option or whatever). When testing a release build, you'd simply not enable the extra memory on the kit.

 

[Farid]

I think every modern devkit has more memory than the production console.

Interesting question, which was the first devkits to boast more RAM than the final console (Software only DevKits do not count).

And, on topic, yes, virtually all devkits have more RAM than their retail counterparts, and that for debugging purposes mainly.
Unoptimized code will always take up more space in memory than an optimized one. It's easier for developers to run all the tests they want on their code without bothering with the optimisation constraints.

 

[me2]

Thanks guys for informing me on this issue.

 

[archie4oz]

And, on topic, yes, virtually all devkits have more RAM than their retail counterpart, for debugging purpose mainly. Unoptimized code will always take up more space in memory than an optimized one.

Actually this isn't always true. Optimization can sometimes (actually, quite often) make the executables larger. Debug code however is definately larger (mainly because of all the symbols present that are typically stripped in deployment builds).

Interesting question, which was the first devkits to boast more RAM than the final console

Probably a disc based system I'd guess. I'd probably hazard a guess at the 3DO devkit since it was the earliest released disc only system I can think of and it ran on different CPUs than it's development host (Nubus equipt. Mac). If not that, then I know Sega's early Saturn (pre PsyQ kit) boxes would be a candidate...

 

[dodo3]

Is there a difference in 256bit RAM and 128bit RAM? Does this effect the performance or something?

 

[msia2k75]

Yes the bandwith!
Much higher with the 256bit RAM than the 128bit one.

 

[Slay]

I can understand the 512mb of XDR for Cell in the devkit, but why the 7800 also has 512MB?

 

[Titanio]

I can understand the 512mb of XDR for Cell in the devkit, but why the 7800 also has 512MB?

Bandwidth between CPU and GPU in the dev kits is so small compared to the final system. If a game is aiming to have the GPU use more than 256MB, emulating that on a dev kit would be difficult given the very narrow pipe between the GPU and CPU, so they give it more local RAM instead. That's what I'd guess anyway!

 

[McFly]

I think what you're saying would generate more mess than solve anything.

Fredi

 

[Titanio]

I think what you're saying would generate more mess than solve anything.

Fredi

It'd require changes presumably when final hardware arrived. But if you just want to test out something that requires the GPU use >256MB, having more local memory there would make things easier versus going over that narrow bus.

There may be other reasons, of course. I would assume so if the final kits ship with 512MB of GDDR3 aswell.