8 replies to this topic

[Zinix]

First and foremost, the PlayStation 4's specs triumph the Durango's in every way possible. Based on the rumors—which appear to be spot-on—Microsoft has opted for DDR3 memory as opposed to the PlayStation 4's unified GDDR5 memory. For game developers this is a huge difference that will have visual consequences, and will necessarily dampen the quality of multiplatform titles on Microsoft’s next system. Similarly, the Durango's GPU is a huge jump from last generation but is expected to produce roughly 15 – 30% fewer teraflops than what the PlayStation 4's solution. In the current climate where consumers are expecting a huge leap in graphics, every horsepower counts
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Quote:
Microsoft appears to be going a completely different route than last generation with multi-tasking, motion controls, and applications being the staple features of its upcoming hardware. It is also likely to be sold at a reasonable price point that could be anywhere from $99 - $199 less than the PlayStation 4. The mixture of its moderate specs, thorough integration of Kinect technology, and affordable price point make it more of a competitor for Nintendo than Sony.

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Meanwhile, Microsoft is trying to make a multimedia device that fits into the living room of American families. That's not to say that it won't be good at playing Call of Duty and other titles, but we’ve seen what happens when one system has even a minor advantage in multiplatform titles and graphics.

http://www.gamerevolution.com/manifesto/sony-will-compete-with-valve-not-microsoft-next-generation-17733


Hmm.

Pretty interesting, I wonder how Microsoft will respond to this.

[TheUltimateWaddleDee]

Valve isn't that big of a factor in this equation: pc's are a separate market than consoles imo. Sony should worry about Nintendo first and foremost, then Microsoft, then the Vita (that thing needs help now), and then Valve.

[meitantei_conan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, from what i understand from this is that next generation its going to be Wiiu and Xbox 720 will have comparable power(obiviously xbox will have more) while ps4 will be the super power. inst this good news for Nintendo then, because now they can get mulitplates from the Xbox?

[Eskimo_sam]

hmmm interesting

[TheUltimateWaddleDee]

Correct me if I'm wrong, from what i understand from this is that next generation its going to be Wiiu and Xbox 720 will have comparable power(obiviously xbox will have more) while ps4 will be the super power. inst this good news for Nintendo then, because now they can get mulitplates from the Xbox?

I saw this as more of the nextbox being a weaker system focusing more on kinect, but if it was like what you stated, than yes it would be good news.

[Nollog]

The principle differences are:
•DDR3 runs at a higher voltage that GDDR5 (typically 1.25-1.65V versus ~1V)
•DDR3 uses a 64-bit memory controller per channel ( so, 128-bit bus for dual channel, 256-bit for quad channel), whereas GDDR5 is paired with controllers of a nominal 32-bit (16 bit each for input and output), but whereas the CPU's memory contoller is 64-bit per channel, a GPU can utilise any number of 32-bit I/O's (at the cost of die size) depending upon application ( 2 for 64-bit bus, 4 for 128-bit, 6 for 192-bit, 8 for 256-bit, 12 for 384-bit etc...). The GDDR5 setup also allows for doubling or asymetric memory configurations. Normally (using this generation of cards as example) GDDR5 memory uses 2Gbit memory chips for each 32-bit I/O (I.e for a 256-bit bus/2GB card: 8 x 32-bit I/O each connected by a circuit to a 2Gbit IC = 8 x 2Gbit = 16Gbit = 2GB), but GDDR5 can also operate in what is known as clamshell mode, where the 32-bit I/O instead of being connected to one IC is split between two (one on each side of the PCB) allowing for a doubling up of memory capacity. Mixing the arrangement of 32-bit memory controllers, memory IC density, and memory circuit splitting allows of asymetric configurations ( 192-bit, 2GB VRAM for example)
•Physically, a GDDR5 controller/IC doubles the I/O of DDR3 - With DDR, I/O handles an input (written to memory), or output (read from memory) but not both on the same cycle. GDDR handles input and output on the same cycle.

The memory is also fundamentally set up specifically for the application it uses:
System memory (DDR3) benefits from low latency (tight timings) at the expense of bandwidth, GDDR5's case is the opposite. Timings for GDDR5 would seems unbelieveably slow in relation to DDR3, but the speed of VRAM is blazing fast in comparison with desktop RAM- this has resulted from the relative workloads that a CPU and GPU undertake. Latency isn't much of an issue with GPU's since their parallel nature allows them to move to other calculation when latency cycles cause a stall in the current workload/thread. The performance of a graphics card for instance is greatly affected (as a percentage) by altering the internal bandwidth, yet altering the external bandwidth (the PCI-Express bus, say lowering from x16 to x8 or x4 lanes) has a minimal effect. This is because there is a great deal of I/O (textures for examples) that get swapped in and out of VRAM continuously- the nature of a GPU is many parallel computations, whereas a CPU computes in a basically linear way.

[taz546565]

i dont think msoft will be going head to head with sony power wise i think they are going too be chasing the casual/multimedia market with the 720 i think for the hardcore gamers ps4/pc is going too be top dogs this gen.

[SoldMyWiiUAndLeftTheForums]

This is gonna be a very interesting generation compared to the last, I wonder if this one will last as long too.

[Gamejunkie]

Valve isn't that big of a factor in this equation: pc's are a separate market than consoles imo. Sony should worry about Nintendo first and foremost, then Microsoft, then the Vita (that thing needs help now), and then Valve.

Sony has nothing what so ever to worry about when it comes to Nintendo. If anything regardless of the specs of the next Microsoft console they are the ones Sony needs to worry about.