PotatoHog's daily lesson on the Wii U CPU/GPU situation
#1
Posted 22 November 2012 - 08:21 AM
I know this stuff because I have spent thousands on gaming computers and have ran various gaming tests. I like to think my lesson is a little better than what you'd learn over at Anandtech. Also, these are estimations and lowering the AI or even the GPU side of it can raise performance. The GPU can be used much better if games are 1080p but most games probably won't be because making a game 720p is easier.
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#2
Posted 22 November 2012 - 08:26 AM
#3
Posted 22 November 2012 - 08:28 AM
#4
Posted 22 November 2012 - 08:40 AM
#5
Posted 22 November 2012 - 08:49 AM
But I should say, next-generation games at 720p on the Wii U will probably look better than current-generation games at 1080p would.
#6
Posted 22 November 2012 - 08:56 AM
I am the hero this forum needs, but not the one it deserves.
#7
Posted 22 November 2012 - 09:28 AM
#8
Posted 22 November 2012 - 09:33 AM
#9
Posted 22 November 2012 - 09:37 AM
Yeah no problem.I'm a bit distracted right now. Can I post this later?
But I should say, next-generation games at 720p on the Wii U will probably look better than current-generation games at 1080p would.
And I expect the Wii U will be fine after my initial worrysome stage.
#10
Posted 22 November 2012 - 10:27 AM
1.5x falls within the ballpark figure for the system.
Some info for you though. How much overhead does the 360 spend on audio? Sometimes as much as 33% of the cpu in many games is dedicated to sound.
Well, the wii u cpu isnt burdened with sound, the systems designed to offload the burden to a dsp that handles all audio.
Unfortunately, 360 ports cant do that, as the 360 cant, theyd have to reprogram the game instead of merely porting it, they emulate the 360's sound code through the cpu. Whoops.
How much cpu overhead does the 360 use on keeping the dashboard suspended? Xbox live features?
Wii u doesnt. It uses an arm coprocessor for os and system functions.
Something to think about.
#11
Posted 22 November 2012 - 10:56 AM
Edited by Zonark, 22 November 2012 - 10:57 AM.
#12
Posted 22 November 2012 - 11:02 AM
I would also like to state something that everyone has been looking over... The GPU acts as a CPU while in standby and lower gfx uses AMD has been making these chips for awhile now and with this being no surprise i believe the same tech to be being used in wii u. since both are on a single chip i wouldnt be surprised if thats whats going on
Well, Iwata did confirm it was designed as a gpgpu for the wii u in his iwata asks.
So, yeah, confirmed, gpgpu.
#13
Posted 22 November 2012 - 11:50 AM
#14
Posted 22 November 2012 - 03:36 PM
3Dude - I truthfully think the Wii U will be 33% more powerful than the 360/PS3. The pessimistic side of me says they will be the same and the optimistic side says 50%.
#15
Posted 22 November 2012 - 05:03 PM
Goose - I think that the Wii U will not be quite as successful in winning the console war sales percentages as the Wii. However I think the Wii U and PS4 will be on top of console sales. I think that the NextBox and PS4 will be 2x-4x as powerful as the Wii U and will have the best third-party support. I think that the 360 and Wii U wil be marketed as family systems but the PS4 will appeal more to a hardcore market.
3Dude - I truthfully think the Wii U will be 33% more powerful than the 360/PS3. The pessimistic side of me says they will be the same and the optimistic side says 50%.
If you are goi.g to be thinking like that, youd need to add on the extra processors wii u has that handles tasks that the 360 cpu was forced to ineffeciently tackle.
Youd be adding on a dsp dedicated to audio processing (I think the anandtech tear down said it was at 800Mhz, like the main ram... iirc) and the arm processor (may or may not be multicore, dont know yet).
Edited by 3Dude, 22 November 2012 - 05:05 PM.
#16
Posted 22 November 2012 - 05:14 PM
I think that's pretty realistic. From what I'm hearing lately is that the 360 and PS3 were built as CPU centered devices while the Wii U is centered around its GPU. So developers are going to have to use the GPU for some of the functions that a normal 360 PS3 game would otherwise use for the CPU. I too believe in general it is at least a 1.5 gen 7 system. I can't wait for the new systems to be teased at.Goose - I think that the Wii U will not be quite as successful in winning the console war sales percentages as the Wii. However I think the Wii U and PS4 will be on top of console sales. I think that the NextBox and PS4 will be 2x-4x as powerful as the Wii U and will have the best third-party support. I think that the 360 and Wii U wil be marketed as family systems but the PS4 will appeal more to a hardcore market.
3Dude - I truthfully think the Wii U will be 33% more powerful than the 360/PS3. The pessimistic side of me says they will be the same and the optimistic side says 50%.
#17
Posted 22 November 2012 - 06:01 PM
I think that's pretty realistic. From what I'm hearing lately is that the 360 and PS3 were built as CPU centered devices while the Wii U is centered around its GPU. So developers are going to have to use the GPU for some of the functions that a normal 360 PS3 game would otherwise use for the CPU. I too believe in general it is at least a 1.5 gen 7 system. I can't wait for the new systems to be teased at.
Sonys leaked specs.... Arent looking too good. Hopefuls are holding out for the announcement of a second gpu on top of the one in the a10... But it doesnt seem likely. Better than wii u obviously, but thats a given, while the wii u isnt 'horribly slow and weak' its by no means a powerhouse. It looks like the real gen leap may be up to microsoft... Which I probably wont get because I have a pc.
Besides, apparantly i HAVE to get a ps4 now because last guardian will be moved to it (whole reason i bought a ps3, lol).
#18
Posted 22 November 2012 - 06:11 PM
I wouldn't say it was bad in fact I feel they choose good since Right now they don't want to be losing money and I feel if they was to try to pull a PS3 again it will kill them .Sonys leaked specs.... Arent looking too good. Hopefuls are holding out for the announcement of a second gpu on top of the one in the a10... But it doesnt seem likely. Better than wii u obviously, but thats a given, while the wii u isnt 'horribly slow and weak' its by no means a powerhouse. It looks like the real gen leap may be up to microsoft... Which I probably wont get because I have a pc.
Besides, apparantly i HAVE to get a ps4 now because last guardian will be moved to it (whole reason i bought a ps3, lol).
Edited by The Lonely Koopa, 22 November 2012 - 06:11 PM.
#19
Posted 22 November 2012 - 06:42 PM
#20
Posted 22 November 2012 - 08:35 PM
I thought it was leaked they had a GPU in addition to the A10?Sonys leaked specs.... Arent looking too good. Hopefuls are holding out for the announcement of a second gpu on top of the one in the a10... But it doesnt seem likely. Better than wii u obviously, but thats a given, while the wii u isnt 'horribly slow and weak' its by no means a powerhouse. It looks like the real gen leap may be up to microsoft... Which I probably wont get because I have a pc.
Besides, apparantly i HAVE to get a ps4 now because last guardian will be moved to it (whole reason i bought a ps3, lol).
Just thought of something else. Everyone is rainbowting all over the CPU of the Wii U and watch how they are going to switch when it's announced the PS4 isn't even going to have a separate CPU.
Fanboys man...
Edited by Goose, 22 November 2012 - 08:35 PM.
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