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.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.
88 Comments on Orbis Implements Multi-GPU, Too
I also think it's more likely they would release the games with any Crossfire-induced bugs and try and patch around it similar to how AMD does with drivers (hopefully more successfully than AMD does with drivers but I digress). It's adding more of a burden to developers than necessary, which is the EXACT same problem developers had with CELL.
They cannot just throw a more powerful GPU on an older CPU design by the way. They have to consider power consumption and heat generation, as well as available die space. If none of the these things were very real concerns we'd see Trinity launching with the likes of HD7860D's on them or something of that nature. Which I was responding to. I think you'd sooner see developers push that kind of stuff off than spend time fixing it right away. If AMD has issues getting Crossfire to work so frequently I doubt regular developers would be immune from the issues. I still think a single more powerful GPU would be an infinitely better solution.
I don't want to get the latest Gen console if it's still going to be 720p and look rubbish on any 1080p HD tv :/
It doesn't really sound next gen at all to me. Not impressed.
If you are talking about bluescreens, crashes and lock ups - those issues are due to variables pertaining to driver conflicts, configurations, software/hardwre variations and is not a major factor in a console due to standardisation of equipment. I guess that's one thing we're in agreement about. I would rather see a single powerful GPU too (but for different reasons).
firstly hopefully they will go with trinity, as they wouldnt want the next 4/6 core xbox piping them in performance so im optimistically declareing this news BS
but either way not long ago AMD were talking about games coded bare metal style(like on consoles )being a future possibility on pc, and if you consider the fact that pc's under utilise gpu's as it is 2x low end gpu's can be made to pack a punch, plus sony are said to be adding in chips for functionality / performance, without knowing the full details of these ,and how they might enhance performace its a bit early to right sony or the ps4 off imho
CFX is a nice feature especially if and when hardware is already available so there's no waste of resources. This time end-user experience (EUXP) during gameplay ain't of any crucial significance it's reather how to build readily available hardware on cheapest process (40nm?) and offer something newer than PS3 that's already 5yrs old (in Q1 2013 will be 6yrs obsolete product)
I think it would be interesting to see where Soy will produce DAMNs IP licenced chips and at what price. TSMC 28nm is highly overpriced and UMC who should have it in H2 2012 could offer some alternative. Or it will be a glofo. It would be grief if they would produce and optimise it for already obsolete 40nm which is 2-3 times cheaper but then it would suck 200W more than DAMNs APU on 32nm SOI that is in production now. It crapptastic for customers which already dont know on what they would waste their money.
But then DAMNs proposal is to respin consoles from 6-7yrs cycle to 3-4yrs and that could be part of this agenda.
I dont think obsoleted VLIW5 engine would be in NGC PS4 as it performs best but just for it's compatibility to build CFX as you mentioned. And we could hail microstuttering feature finally arrives into consoles world.
Would those APU+GPU mean really that there wil be separate GPU in PS4 not as before uni-chip-composite aka. Quasi-SoC? I think thats more like of DAMNs agenda to fertilize their investment in hardware that Sony-MS-DAMN consortium agreed upon rather than that we should see satisfying experience on superior optimized apps/games that will run on those TWO-GEN Obsoleted Hadware when it finally arrives to the market. Yep. Finally i might add :D
I'm not dissapointed with Sony or DAMN.
Why o why o why o why nobody ever complains about same shabby GigaIntel practice that they NEED TO SOLD OUT their little or no upgrade chipsets everytime when release their shiny tic-toc chip out of the box??? It's shabby practice Intel does for 25yrs. And now Sony-MS-DAMN is THE ONLY evil kartel?
Are these specs confirmed or not?