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[Foot]

So comparing current gen and last gen (yeah I've made the change already), and then PC, I've kinda wondered some techy questions...so 3Dude yeah, your definitely someone that could help me out here, but all opinions are welcome

So first off textures, this kinda relates to Wii U, and why it's multi-platforms released this holiday for both gens, that Wii U's textures are based off of last gen. Why can't use the same textures, such as the PS4 and Xbox One's for some of these games like Call of Duty Ghosts and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag? I guess my actual question towards this is: Do better textures really put a lot more strain on the hardware, or is is more of a memory or storage issue? (Seeing as a lot of this newer gen's games are around the 30-50gb range).

Next, going more towards memory and the next gen of memory, DDR4, what are the advances because it seems to me like the only thing I'm noticing is an increased clock speed? Also what difference is there between normal DDR ram and GDDR ram (what are the benefits of each, this kinda relates to Xbox one vs PS4)

One more thing, cache's, and what are they? How are they so much more reliable (like the Wii U's 32 MB of eDRAM, or the Xbox one's eSRAM) than the regular RAM?



So yeah, kind of some hardware noob questions.

[Mewbot]

So yeah, kind of some hardware noob questions.

I guess I'm a noob too, then.

 

Basically all I know is that RAM is good, and the GDDR5 RAM in the PS4 is faster or something?

[xile6]

The file size of the game is bigger because there more information.

Take a picture with a web cam then take one with a high quality camera and compare the file size.

The high quality camera will be bigger because it's has more information per pixel. Or textures.

 

So they look better because there pack with more information.

 

Now ram is the memory . It's like a buffer. It reads from disc then it loaded to ram and then you see it.

Again the more information the more memory needed.

 

So the ps4 and x1 having more ram means that they can output better grapichs because they can physical load it.

 

And cache is like a buffer for the buffer .

And different types of ram r used for different things . I don't remember the break down of it but sometimes they can run faster then one of the same spec because of the tech they use.

 

 

I hope this helps try not to get to tech with it.

[3Dude]

Both memory size and bandwidth are important. Both xbone and ps4 have 8x the ram capacity (though probably only 5-6 of that will be available for games) with much higher bandwidth.

Gddr is based off of ddr Its pretty much just a version of the ram that can attain higher clock speeds.. But its not the same thing as its corresponding number. For example gddr3 is NOT based off of ddr3, but rather ddr2. gddr4 and gddr5, are based off of ddr3. (gddr4 was so poopy, it was replaced almost as soon as it came out, i dont think it even lasted a year). These are more simple changes to boost performance particularly raising bandwidth, with things like higher clock speeds, compared to the more substantial differences you see between ddr generations.

The major 'next gen' changes occur between number changes of ddr, while simple performance boosters are done via 'g'ddr to get that desired bandwidth for graphics.

Without getting into obnoxiously boring stuff like DIMMS and p2p... ddr4 can be clocked higher than ddr3, has improved data transfer rates (Wwwwwwwway faster) which means it can move more data at lower clock speeds than ddr3 based ram like gddr5.... which also means it uses less power to do it.

Cache's are pools of ram that are actually IN the processors themselves, and heavily bussed for very high bandwidth. Ideally, the cache is what you want to always be used, as its right there, super fast to access (very very low latency) thats unfortunately just not possible, so if your cache is full, you are going to have a 'miss' as you try to access memory thats not available. Depending on your architecture cache misses have differing penalties. On nintendo's 750's for cube, wii, and espresso, you are looking at a 3-5 cycle penalty. On xenon and cell, you are looking at 500+ cycle penalties.

Anyways when you miss your cache you have to take a trip to the supermarket 5 miles away. ie main ram. And all instructions that are reliant on that data from memory have to sit there and wait on it. Devastating on an in order execution unit like xenon or cell, bht not too bad on an out of order processor like nintendo uses, where it can just be put off to the side and other instructions completed while it waits for the data to come in from main.

But as for the cross gen ps4/xbone games textures?

There was absolutely no reason the wii u didnt have those besides 'lol its nintendo who cares?'.

[Mewbot]

But as for the cross gen ps4/xbone games textures?

There was absolutely no reason the wii u didnt have those besides 'lol its nintendo who cares?'.

Only part I understood lol.

[tboss]

more ram=largertextures mostly. this leads nicer looking graphics. there are other things put in ram but most dont take up as much space. 

 

the speed limits how much the GPU can do. if the GPU doesnt get what it needs , then it will run slower, same with the CPU. GDDR memory is amazing for the common large files the GPU's use, like well textures. GDDR also suffers latency issues with most other things, making it bad for CPU relient memory, or lots of small memory if i remember right. 

 

its also one of the reasons i wouldnt be surprised if the PS4 runs games the worst, but with the best graphics. X1 uses some of its Sram for the CPU's, likily for the extra memory, aka x1 secret sauce improves gameplay/multytasting, not graphics. wiiU, from what i heard, does the same thing, but i dont know if it has its own seperate Edram, or shares the GPU's embeded.  wiiU should hold up well gameplay wise, though with likly half way inbetween graphics. wiiu's DDR3 seems to scale almost evenly with X1's including speed and size, and GPU power. both X1/wiiU have extra embeded ram pools to stream common stuff, freing up main ram bandwidth. both consuls will likly shortan the graphical gap between them and the PS4. reason i say that is wiiU is designed almost purly for gaming, though low end power wise. the X1 is well designed for multytasking, along with gaming, its gamming ability is hurt by multytasking though. the PS4, is sony throughing in as much on paper power as they can for as cheap as they can. not bashing no the PS4 itself, but it is poorly designed =/.

[syks-1]

the ps4 is not poorly designed at all and runs games at 1080p and 60fps...the xbobe runs games at 720p and 60fps so that there shows the ps4 runs games just fine,,,infact it runs them GREAT

[grahamf]

But the cpu may get starved. So while everything looks great, stuff like physics engines and enemy AI won't be as great.

[3Dude]

But the cpu may get starved. So while everything looks great, stuff like physics engines and enemy AI won't be as great.

Physics can be handled gpu side with compute shaders, ai... Well nobody who makes ps4/xbone games really CARES about advancing ai past the cube/ps2/xbox on... er.. xbox the original era anyways...

[Foot]

Thanks for all the answers guys but something else kinda sparked up too

Do higher res textures put more strain on the gpu? Or do they even use that much power regardless of resolution?