Wednesday, April 4th 2012
Orbis Implements Multi-GPU, Too
Sony's next-generation PlayStation, reportedly codenamed "Orbis", is known to be powered by an AMD x86-64 CPU with graphics based on its Southern Islands architecture, from the older report. We're now hearing that Sony may implement a multi-GPU solution of its own. According to an IGN.com report, the CPU in question will be a custom-version of AMD's A8-3850 quad-core APU. This should serve as indication that the processor cores will be based on AMD's K10 Stars architecture, rather than K15 Bulldozer/Piledriver.
The GPU, on the other hand, will be based on the "Southern Islands" architecture, and the IGN.com report pin points it to resemble Radeon HD 7670. The HD 7670 is a re-branded HD 6670, which is based on the 40 nm "Turks" GPU. Turks uses neither Graphics CoreNext nor VLIW4, but the older VLIW5 number-crunching machinery. The most interesting piece of information here is talk of a multi-GPU configuration between this Turks-based GPU, and the GPU that's embedded into the "Llano" APU. We know that the graphics core embedded into AMD A8-3850, the Radeon HD 6550D, can work in tandem with Radeon HD 6670 to yield an AMD Hybrid CrossFireX configuration called "Radeon HD 6690D2". This could be end up being Sony's graphics weapon of choice.
Speaking of choices, we see that AMD is falling back to established technologies, be it K10 Stars CPU cores, or VLIW5-based GPUs, avoiding Bulldozer CPU. While its new Graphics CoreNext architecture is found to be fairly efficient in performance GPUs such as the HD 7700 series, its incompatibility with Llano's graphics could have served as a deal-breaker. Pictured above, is fan-made concept art.
Source:
IGN
The GPU, on the other hand, will be based on the "Southern Islands" architecture, and the IGN.com report pin points it to resemble Radeon HD 7670. The HD 7670 is a re-branded HD 6670, which is based on the 40 nm "Turks" GPU. Turks uses neither Graphics CoreNext nor VLIW4, but the older VLIW5 number-crunching machinery. The most interesting piece of information here is talk of a multi-GPU configuration between this Turks-based GPU, and the GPU that's embedded into the "Llano" APU. We know that the graphics core embedded into AMD A8-3850, the Radeon HD 6550D, can work in tandem with Radeon HD 6670 to yield an AMD Hybrid CrossFireX configuration called "Radeon HD 6690D2". This could be end up being Sony's graphics weapon of choice.
88 Comments on Orbis Implements Multi-GPU, Too
www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-a8-3870k_7.html#sect0
I bet Games will look 5x better and the thing will perform much better than on a PC with same specs. An Xbox 360 shows quite an impressive video quality with such an outdated (ATI 1950 based) video chip.
on a serious note, mussels is right, these consoles will be worlds better than the current gen, use less power and these components are closer than ever to pc parts, should make ports better. this will be good :)
now the world of console gamers can get micro stutter too :nutkick:
:roll:
This will be faster than my HP laptop dv6 6620G that I paid 600$ for it and this prolly can be overclock whoot whoot!! ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=30zTM11hg7A
So this is the reason a console hardware will work better, because developers knows that the video chip will be the same in every PS4.
You just can't make the same assumption with PC. Even having DirectX in the middle of a PC, if you are a developer you may want to test the game in every video card possible, lets say at least from the ATI 2000 series all the way to 7000, and Nvidia 8000 series all the way to GTX600 series to make sure it will run without problems.
There were times where some consoles changed the chip from version to version, like the Xbox 360, the older one vs the newer ones but they just changed the chip for a better revision of it, lets say, it was the same chip with the same capabilities but improved in power consumption and other factors. "Digitally" it is the same thing, so it made no difference for the user nor the developer.
I don't think some kind of Hybrid Crossfire solution is the best idea for consoles. Just look at how often people on these forums have issues with Crossfire, do you really want that to carry over to your console? I know I don't. I see no reason why they couldn't just use a standard Quad-Core CPU with something akin to a 6850 or 7770.
I hope half these rumors about this upcoming generation of consoles are lies, because if not it seems like a huge amount of disappointment is inbound.
I believe in crossfire, its a good way of improving performance. In a console its even better: developers know that if something doesn't work well, they will have to fix it before release, and this fix will work on all (PS4) consoles. because they are all the same internally.
Now, if the PS4 will change specs from stepping to stepping and/or be upgradeable, get ready for problems. Because upgradability and compatibility with different hardware configs plagued the P.C. with trouble for ages.
Still, the 6670 is about 10% faster than the 5670. It does it consuming less power, though.
PC weren't specifically made for gaming despite technologies like DirectX/OpenGL enable it when paired with a good video card.
However, a good and powerful video card on PC proves to beat everything available in console gaming except for title availability. Here the difference with consoles is longetivity. PCs are always updating. Each year a new video card model is released, each year a new processor is released.
With consoles developers are working with a system which isn't changing in specifications and thus typical PC issues (like CF issues) shouldnt occur.