Wii: PPC 750 GX for the CPU

[fearsomepirate]

Story here: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2227

To summarize, they've upped the L2 cache to 1 MB, it's a 4-way set-associative single core, and it can be clocked to 1.1 GHz, although no word on the actual clockspeed in Wii. They mention at the end that the GPU is from the R520 family, but I think that's because of that "RN520" name that was floating around a little while back. But since that originated with Han_Solo's lies, I don't put any stock in it.

 

[inefficient]

This is going to be rant that might agitate some N fans. But it has to be said - Even if it has been said many times before.

The Wii is frighteningly behind in performance compared to the competition. I am worried about it's life span.

If the CPU is anything like the 750FX - This CPU does not even support SIMD instructions! What the H is it doing in a next gen console? We really are talking about only a little better than xbox1 performance here (CPU wise)

Considering just how slow that CPU is. I don't think the "ease of development" argment is even relevant. I'm going to have to assume that even if one just coded straight for just ONE PPU in either the ps3 or the 360, you would still run circles around the Wii.

If the controler/Wiimote is really is the core part of the Wii. Why don't they just make it a perhiperal for the ps3 or 360? Just imagine how many MORE copies of Zelda and Pokemon Nintendo will sell if they released it on ps3 & 360.

I'm not sure I understand their strategy anymore. Even if Nintendo still maintains their "niche" they are still doing themselves a disservice by not letting their game reach a larger userbase. They would increase software sales several fold just by giving up on their own hardware. They are a software powerhouse full of creative talent.

It's just a shame that their devs have to work knowing that only the smalest fraction of console gamers will ever play their great titles.

 

[London Geezer]

If the controler/Wiimote is really is the core part of the Wii. Why don't they just make it a perhiperal for the ps3 or 360? Just imagine how many MORE copies of Zelda and Pokemon Nintendo will sell if they released it on ps3 & 360.

See it's statements like this that equal in meaning to dividing-by-0.

I'm not sure I understand their strategy anymore. Even if Nintendo still maintains their "niche" they are still doing themselves a disservice by not letting their game reach a larger userbase. They would increase software sales several fold just by giving up on their own hardware.

Because they believe they will make more money by releasing those games on their own hardware. Also, it is probably their business view and that's it.

They are a software powerhouse full of creative talent.

They definately are, though lots of people can compete with them in terms of creativity and innovation. And personally, i think it's a big risk putting all their money solely on "innovation", in a market where we've seen that "innovation" doesn't sell as much as, for example, big licenses.

It's just a shame that their devs have to work knowing that only the smalest fraction of console gamers will ever play their great titles.

Who said Nintendo will only reach "the smallest fraction of gamers"? That might be your prediction, but Nintendo is obviously thinking otherwise. In fact i think that twice now they have tried to be "the second console", the console lots of people will buy together with one of the other 2 consoles. That way, they can dip into both the MS and Sony userbase. Pretty clever idea, which could be heaven for them if it works out right.

 

[Anvil]

I think that perhaps you are jumping the gun here stating that Wii will automatically have the lowest user base. Lets wait until we really see what the Wii is capable of doing before we label it as being dead right out of the gate.

Personally what I have seen so far has really intrigued me and I have found the graphics to be nice. For me it is all about having fun and if Nintendo can pull off the Fun Factor then it will work for me.

(I think Nintendo must be doing something right as this is the first console that my wife has been interested in getting right at launch. In the past I have had to coax her into looking into counsoles and out of the last couple of generations she has always complained about the complex controllers and games. She stills plays the SNES more today because of its simplicity).

 

[inefficient]

Who said Nintendo will only reach "the smallest fraction of gamers"? That might be your prediction, but Nintendo is obviously thinking otherwise. In fact i think that twice now they have tried to be "the second console", the console lots of people will buy together with one of the other 2 consoles. That way, they can dip into both the MS and Sony userbase. Pretty clever idea, which could be heaven for them if it works out right.

The thing is, I don't even WANT a machine this weak in performance to be #2. Do you really?

I want technology to keep driving ferociously forward not be held in place. I feel their hardware is holding us back. We are not even close to that place where graphics are "good enough"

 

[London Geezer]

The thing is, I don't even WANT a machine this weak in performance to be #2. Do you really?

I want technology to keep driving ferociously forward not be held in place. I feel their hardware is holding us back. We are not even close to that place where graphics are "good enough"

Well then you won't buy one. Personally, i couldn't care less what CPU is inside the "number 2", or the "number 1" or the "number 15".

Nintendo obviously took a different approach, and the "ferocious technological advances" - as you call them - they wanted are all in the controller and the way we play the games, not the way we look at the games.
If you don't agree with them, if you just don't want one, don't buy it. But don't come here telling us that Nintendo doesn't "deserve" to sell well, only because their CPU is less powerful than PS3 or X360. That's absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Teasy]

Actually the article claims its based on the 750FX rather then the 750GX. Then again the link that article gives doesn't say a thing about the specifics of the CPU or GPU, just the names, processes and tech partners. It just seems like speculation to me.

 

[StefanS]

Actually the article claims its based on the 750FX rather then the 750GX. Then again the link that article gives doesn't say a think about the specifics of the CPU or GPU, just the names, processes and tech partners. It just seems like speculation to me.

As written previously, the Wii will ship with a PowerPC CPU jointly developed between IBM and Nintendo. Nintendo says the codename of the processor is Broadway and was manufactured using a 90nm fabrication process. IBM claims the PowerPC CPU is based on the 750FX processor designed by the company several years ago.
..
On Nintendo's official Wii hardware "specifications" page, the GPU of the console is listed as still being developed with ATI. Whether this means that the GPU is still being tuned or there was simply a grammatical error on the site is up in the air. Very little is known about the Wii's GPU, codenamed Hollywood except that it is part of ATI's R520 family.

I have to agree that article sounds pretty BS to me. I don't remember a single quote from IBM or one of its employees were they claimed Broadway is a 750FX derivative. Also I'd like to know who the source is that said Hollywood is a R520 derivative.
The rest is straight from Nintendo's Wii homepage

To sum up:
The article contains news and facts. But the facts are not news, and the news are not facts.

 

[GwymWeepa]

So, pure speculation.

Anyway, I don't care about graphics much anymore. I think it would be very nice if my wii were more powerful *giggles*, but that isn't as important anymore. With previous generations of hardware it would have been unacceptable for previous generation graphics to be rereleased for the sake of innovation. Imagine that out of the 32/64 bit era Nintendo rereleased n64+ hardware with something like the wiimote...it would have been another virtual boy fiasco. But graphics are beginning to show their diminishing returns, IMO Twilight Princess looks fabulous, and it doesn't bother me one bit that its probably the best looking wii game we'll see in a while.

 

[Rodéric]

Come back when you have ACTUAL informations and not just rumors please.
(With at least two sources)