Revolution Tech Details Emerge ( Xbox1+ performance, 128 MB RAM )

[Tahir2]

Bye bye Nintendo, it was nice knowing you.

 

[fearsomepirate]

as I said in my OP, the way I am looking at Revolution's core specifications (as well as the unique control methods) is, this is the 'Dolphin' that we should have had, but did not get when Gamecube was revealed in August 2000.

So wait, you're saying we should have had this console because it was rumored? Ok, here's a rumor: Revolution will come with a free 2006 Corvette Z06! A $66,000 value! Also, Nintendo increased the CPU clockspeed (was originally 400 MHz) on the grounds that overall system performance would benefit. Everyone forgets to mention that when complaining about the decreased GPU clockspeed (which would have resulted in what, a few more games running in 480p? Whee). I would assume this meant the Beta design was CPU-limited. Also, that launch MSRP of $199 sure was nice. I'm sure the shareholders also appreciated that the big N didn't just flush $4 billion over the next several years. I don't know why everyone thinks they deserve $100 more hardware than they paid for just because Microsoft and Sega did it.

Their mistakes with Gamecube were not integrating and/or promoting LAN, purple plastic, and connectivity. A few tech geeks who were stoked about getting a Microsoft-subsidized PC were annoyed at the fact that they got $199 worth of kit for their $199, but that's it. It was still more powerful than PS2 anyway, and cost less.

I definitely wouldn't regard Revo as the Gamecube we "should" have had. Assuming that Hollywood is a DX9-ish part and 128 MB of RAM, along with the 512 MB of storage and built-in Wi-Fi, it's way more than anyone would have expected for $200 in 2001.

 

[scooby_dooby]

The last I heard from MS themselves they were actually trying to make money off the Xbox 360 this time around. I don't see them doing that with a console that is very close to the PS3 in technology but half the price.

They have a big cost advantage over PS3(see Bluray + CELL), I expect them to use it to gain marketshare.

Whatever they decide to do, there will be a damn good deal next x-mas on a core package, I would guess $250 with a game.

 

[pc999]

I definitely wouldn't regard Revo as the Gamecube we "should" have had. Assuming that Hollywood is a DX9-ish part and 128 MB of RAM, along with the 512 MB of storage and built-in Wi-Fi, it's way more than anyone would have expected for $200 in 2001.

But we are not in 2001, in 2006 these spec are ridiculos see the jvd post he is right even at 99$ they could get of the selfs parts that are much more powerfull than XB with almost no R&D instead of wasting money with what Dolphim should have been to get a worst HW, it makes no sence.

 

[fearsomepirate]

But we are not in 2001

But Megadrive said it's "the Dolphin we should have had," ergo he was talking about 2001.

, in 2006 these spec are ridiculos see the jvd post he is right even at 99$ they could get of the selfs parts\ that are much more powerfull than XB

Including the Wifi, half gig of flash memory, and controller bar? And about those cheap off-the-shelf parts, does a Radeon 8500 cost $34 on Pricewatch because it costs ATI $20 to fabricate, or because it's a discontinued part and various warehouses are selling them at bottom dollar to clear out inventory?

 

[Megadrive1988]

my comments about Revolution being "the Dolphin we should've had" are mainly in regard to the likely amounts of RAM, polygon+pixel performance and having sensory controllers. in no way am I saying that Dolphin should've had DX9 pixel shaders or WiFi thus, i am saying that Revolution is basicly Dolphin++ which is significantly better than PS2 or Xbox.


besides, it's just my way of looking at things, based on what was expected (by some) of Dolphin. not an overall outlook on Revolution for most people. make of that what you will.

well, hopefully Matt will have some juicy details for us in 3-4 hours.

 

[Bill]

John Carmak sucks, i stoped lissening to his bull shit when he started to complain about multiple core cpu's and how hard they are to program. He should shut the hell up and do what every PS2 dev did......just get on with it and learn.

Well, PS2 games are typically not graphically impressive imo..maybe they should have learned better..

 

[Bill]

Overall I think Nintendo can only win by going the opposite way that they are.

In other words a 399 or 499 console, that comes out LATER than the others, that is MORE powerful.

I think the DS spoiled Nintendo.

Can you imagine how excited the Nintendites would be if Mario actually had some amazing graphical punch behind it?

Nintendo should go with the R580. This would probably not be unduly expensive either. Just launch six months after the other guys.

 

[Megadrive1988]

Overall I think Nintendo can only win by going the opposite way that they are.

In other words a 399 or 499 console, that comes out LATER than the others, that is MORE powerful.

I think the DS spoiled Nintendo.

Can you imagine how excited the Nintendites would be if Mario actually had some amazing graphical punch behind it?

Nintendo should go with the R580. This would probably not be unduly expensive either. Just launch six months after the other guys.

well if Nintendo or anyone went in that direction, the R580 GPU would be kinda outdated. why not a custom R600 or R600-refresh. the R6XX architecture would be beyond what RSX and Xenos can do in terms of both features and especially performance.

 

[pc999]

Including the Wifi, half gig of flash memory, and controller bar? And about those cheap off-the-shelf parts, does a Radeon 8500 cost $34 on Pricewatch because it costs ATI $20 to fabricate, or because it's a discontinued part and various warehouses are selling them at bottom dollar to clear out inventory?

They dont buy boards in shops (just being a bord makes it much more costly) they buy simple chips right from the plant, just like everythingh else, also all this things are going cheaper fast, even more in 2006 inst a few chips being 5-10$ in two chips that make a big difference if they are not loosing money with it, yet they could secure much more gamers.

Megadrive

What I am saig is that a powerfull HW (specs wise) made to 2001-02 will be to low in 2006, if that is what is happening then they should use new HW even if off-the-shelf parts.Just that.

 

[boltneck]

don't get me wrong, Revolution is going to be alot more powerful than PS2. my point was, Nintendo was targeting PS2+ specs with Dolphin but these specs got cut back a few times by the time the final Gamecube arrived.

Revolution should make PS2 look primative, even without coming close to Xbox360 and PS3.

It is my impression that GameCube is quite a bit more powerful than the PS2. At least graphically what you can see on the screen.

The Textures and effects on GameCube are simply much better than what is seen on PS2.

I am currently playing Shadow of Collosus as an example. Nice Natural lighting effect but the textures are just muddy and low detail. When playing this and comparing it to the Xbox or colorful detailed games on the Gamecube.. it simply falls flat.

I would say the Gamecube is between the PS2 and the XBox.

 

[boltneck]

maybe it is that Revolution has 3 times higher raw specifications compared to Gamecube but comparable performance to Xbox. maybe not

how about 3 times higher raw specifications than Gamecube and noticably better than Xbox ?


we need more details.

Just using logic the Revolution should have output equal to a high end PC for today. Where the 360 and PS3 will probably sustain graphical improvements more akin to the next generation of PC hardware. Especially considering the Xenos.

 

[pc999]

Just using logic the Revolution should have output equal to a high end PC for today. Where the 360 and PS3 will probably sustain graphical improvements more akin to the next generation of PC hardware. Especially considering the Xenos.

Strange logic...

 

[boltneck]

Strange logic...

Just using logic, It would seem to me that the output is going to look a lot like a high end How do you figure... ??

From what we have been hearing. Knowing that its not as powerful as the 360 or PS3 but is aprrox 3x more powerful than a Gamecube. Knowing that Ati is developing Hollywood.

2GHZ single core CPU (sounds about right)
Standard DX9 equivalent GPU (likely 8 Rops and 16 shading pipelines)
128MB ram.

Should kick out graphics that look for the most part on par with this years games with DX9 effects enabled.

 

[mckmas8808]

Just using logic, It would seem to me that the output is going to look a lot like a high end How do you figure... ??

From what we have been hearing. Knowing that its not as powerful as the 360 or PS3 but is aprrox 3x more powerful than a Gamecube. Knowing that Ati is developing Hollywood.

2GHZ single core CPU (sounds about right)
Standard DX9 equivalent GPU (likely 8 Rops and 16 shading pipelines)
128MB ram.

Should kick out graphics that look for the most part on par with this years games with DX9 effects enabled.

Hey I agree with ya bolt.

 

[therealskywolf]

http://revolution.ign.com/articles/673/673799p1.html

104 of Ram....Well if it's cheap like they say, then i'm down with it. Too bad Rev will probably miss out on alot of games next gen, maybe even Res5....Jesus next gen is gonna be kinda weird won't it?

 

[mckmas8808]

http://revolution.ign.com/articles/673/673799p1.html

104 of Ram....Well if it's cheap like they say, then i'm down with it. Too bad Rev will probably miss out on alot of games next gen, maybe even Res5....Jesus next gen is gonna be kinda weird won't it?

OMFG!! 104 GB of ram is horrible!!

Sorry had to say it. I hope what Matt heard from the devs (that came straight from the paper specs from Nintendo so far) are changed. This is Nintendo Revolution bomba. Where's a picture of an atomic explosion when you need one?

 

[Joe DeFuria]

OMFG!! 104 GB of ram is horrible!!

That all depends on what they're trying to accomplish with the console, doesn't it?

If it launches at $149...I'm getting one.

 

[Inane_Dork]

OMFG!! 104 GB of ram is horrible!!

I dunno. That sounds pretty decent to me.

 

[Megadrive1988]

Developers have clarified the makeup based on officially released Nintendo documentation. Revolution will build on GameCube's configuration of 24MBs 1T-SRAM and 16MBs D-RAM (40MBs) by adding an additional 64MBs of 1T-SRAM. The result is a supply of memory in Revolution that totals 104MBs. That number does not consider either the 512MBs of allegedly accessible (but hardly ideal) Flash RAM or the Hollywood GPU's on-board memory, said to be 3MBs by sources.

Revolution's Broadway CPU, developed by IBM, is an extension of the Gekko CPU in GameCube, according to official Nintendo documentation passed to us by software houses. The Hollywood GPU, meanwhile, is believed to be an extension of the Flipper GPU in GameCube. Since developers have not gone hands-on with the GPU, they can only go on Nintendo documentation, which is limited.

Exact clock rates were not disclosed, but one development source we spoke to had this to say of the Revolution CPU and GPU: "Basically, take a GameCube, double the clock rate of the CPU and GPU and you're done."

We presented that description to another informed studio, which clarified that the clock rates may even fall short of doubling those on GameCube.

"The CPU is the same as Gekko with one and a half to two times the performance and improved caching," said a source. "Our guys experimented with it and think they'll be able to get about twice the performance as GameCube."

"It's a gamble for the Big N," said another source. "It's not about horsepower for them -- it's about innovation and gameplay."


We've also been able to unearth firm details on the storage capacity for Revolution discs. Recent rumors suggesting that the discs can hold 12GBs of data are false. In fact, Revolution discs can store 4.7GBs of data on a single layer or 8.5GBs when double-layered on a single-side. This is a massive jump from the 1.5GB capacity of GameCube discs and more than enough storage capacity for any non-high-definition game.

Gamecube 1.5 zOMG o_o