Wednesday, April 11th 2012

Xbox Durango Packs 16-core PowerPC CPU

A report in the the latest issue of Xbox World print magazine suggests that developer kits (devkits) of Durango (next-generation Xbox console), were implementing a "state of the art" 16-core IBM PowerPC CPU, its companion graphics processor is AMD-made, spec'd equivalent to AMD Radeon HD 7000 series, as previously reported. The 16-core CPU is said to have been implemented with a far-sight on the platform's longevity. "It's a ridiculous amount of power for a games machine - too much power, even. But remember, Kinect 2 could chew up four whole cores tracking multiple players right down to their fingertips, so it'll need a lot of power," the Xbox World article commented.
Source: CVG
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93 Comments on Xbox Durango Packs 16-core PowerPC CPU

#77
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
Shihabyooo*cough* always-on DRM*cough*
You have nothing to hide if all of your games and software are legit. :shadedshu
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#78
FordGT90Concept
"I go fast!1!11!1!"
If you don't have internet, game is worthless. If you happened to buy it used, game is worthless. If you like selling your used games, it is worthless. If you value your privacy, it makes your console an open book. If it malfunctions (or the publisher decides to revoke your access for any reason) and locks you out, you own a $40-60 coaster. If you bought the game from another country (big problem in Europe) and brought it home to play, it likely won't work.

The list goes on and on. Legitimacy has little to do with it because pirates know it isn't legit and will find a way around it anyway or simply not play it. It's the "legit" customers that consistently get shafted by DRM.
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#79
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
FordGT90ConceptIf you don't have internet, game is worthless. If you happened to buy it used, game is worthless. If you like selling your used games, it is worthless. If you value your privacy, it makes your console an open book. If it malfunctions (or the publisher decides to revoke your access for any reason) and locks you out, you own a $40-60 coaster. If you bought the game from another country (big problem in Europe) and brought it home to play, it likely won't work.

The list goes on and on. Legitimacy has little to do with it because pirates know it isn't legitate and will find a way around it anyway or simply not play it. It's the "legit" customers that consistently get shafted by DRM.
I can't remember the last time I didn't have Internet and my Xbox together. Also, I don't tend to sell my games because I only buy games if I really like them, otherwise a demo is fine with me so I guess this just doesn't impact me much and honestly. What kind of data are companies going to gather from my gaming console? That I like to play video games at night and not in the morning? If you have Cable with a company cable box, they monitor when you turn your cable box on and off and what channel you're on, so privacy is relative. Honestly, how people use Twitter and Facebook is worse for your privacy than a little bit of DRM data gathering from a gaming console.
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#80
entropy13
AquinusWhat kind of data are companies going to gather from my gaming console? That I like to play video games at night and not in the morning?
That you devote most of your playing time to a certain type of game.
AquinusIf you have Cable with a company cable box, they monitor when you turn your cable box on and off and what channel you're on, so privacy is relative.
They monitor when you turn your lower classes' gaming contraption on and off and what you are doing with it, and if you are playing, what game it is you are playing.
AquinusHonestly, how people use Twitter and Facebook is worse for your privacy than a little bit of DRM data gathering from a gaming console.
Comparing apples to oranges there. Twitter and Facebook is dangerous because of how much information can be gathered there, depending on how much information the users put in there. In the latter case, it is dangerous because there's only really one kind of information they could gather, and they could gather it easily, because there would be no way to avoid supplying the information, unless you stop playing.
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#81
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
entropy13In the latter case, it is dangerous because there's only really one kind of information they could gather, and they could gather it easily, because there would be no way to avoid supplying the information, unless you stop playing.
It's only gaming habits, I wouldn't call that incredibly sensitive information.
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#82
Shihab
AquinusYou have nothing to hide if all of your games and software are legit. :shadedshu
Because Always On DRM has proven effective to thwart piracy...Not.
The restriction such kinds of DRM places on genuine owners is MUCH more than it does on pirates (if it did at all).
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#83
FordGT90Concept
"I go fast!1!11!1!"
AquinusIt's only gaming habits, I wouldn't call that incredibly sensitive information.
Knowledge is power. Expect targeted advertisements which 7/10 browsers that notice they have been targeted do not like them (hence, opt-out services). They can sell any and all information collected on you to third parties which could be used in any number of ways. Likewise, if the Department of Justice were to subpena Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo, all the information collected could be used against you (e.g. charged with murder, had a nasty chat with someone you knew that ended up dead, oh boy: motive). Use your imagination. The possibilities are virtually endless.
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#84
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
AquinusIt's only gaming habits, I wouldn't call that incredibly sensitive information.
when they have access to your spending habits, credit cards (for DLC), address, IP address, gaming (and estimated work habits outside those hours), as well as acess to microphones and webcams, always on DRM could get quite worrisome.

a virus/succesful hack could really cause damage with a console designed to be always on.
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#85
librin.so.1
FordGT90ConceptKnowledge is power. Expect targeted advertisements which 7/10 browsers that notice they have been targeted do not like them (hence, opt-out services). They can sell any and all information collected on you to third parties which could be used in any number of ways. Likewise, if the Department of Justice were to subpena Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo, all the information collected could be used against you (e.g. charged with murder, had a nasty chat with someone you knew that ended up dead, oh boy: motive). Use your imagination. The possibilities are virtually endless.
Hmmm... come to think of it...
There were these games "Dead or Alive Xtreme [Beach Volleyball]" & "Dead or Alive Xtreme 2" for X[] and X[]O, respectively. Now, if people payed these games for what I think, then, if another sequel would be made, this time for Durango, I suppose may people who would buy this game would end up thinking:
"I bought this game, yet, I can't get myself to play it. The thought that "the ceiling cat" is always watching..."
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#86
lyndonguitar
I play games
16 core + crap GPU = LOL

What if they put a cheap i5-like proc and some 6870-ish GPU. yeah that would be good.
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#87
Kantastic
lyndonrakista16 core + crap GPU = LOL

What if they put a cheap i5-like proc and some 6870-ish GPU. yeah that would be good.
Yeah, so they can both not bother optimizing anything and be able to charge a $250 premium for the processor and a $300 premium for the GPU right?
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#88
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
lyndonrakista16 core + crap GPU = LOL

What if they put a cheap i5-like proc and some 6870-ish GPU. yeah that would be good.
its a quad core and a mindrange GPU.


if they put an i5 and a 6870 they'd overheat and die worse than the first gen 360's, consoles need to be mass produced cheaper, cooled with less, and last longer with possible 24/7 use off a cheap, compact PSU.
Posted on Reply
#89
Aquinus
Resident Wat-man
Well, think about it. The 360 has a 3-core processor. We know that Xbox games are topping out the that hardware. Remember when nobody could possible need more than 16k of memory? I think if the hardware is there, game software companies will do their best to take advantage of the hardware that is there, maybe not all of it, but enough to do what they need to do, and as the platform is out longer and used more, games will take more advantage of it. It takes time to adopt changes in hardware. You didn't see 64-bit software come out before the 64-bit hardware was actually being used...
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#90
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
AquinusWell, think about it. The 360 has a 3-core processor. We know that Xbox games are topping out the that hardware. Remember when nobody could possible need more than 16k of memory? I think if the hardware is there, game software companies will do their best to take advantage of the hardware that is there, maybe not all of it, but enough to do what they need to do, and as the platform is out longer and used more, games will take more advantage of it. It takes time to adopt changes in hardware. You didn't see 64-bit software come out before the 64-bit hardware was actually being used...
think pentium D vs conroe. dual core, tri, etc means next to nothing. if the IPC goes up, ram goes up, and GPU goes up even by 50% - they'll make the most of that 50% on a console.



this isnt PC where 50% faster gets us 5% better visuals, consoles get every last percent eked out of them for every model, shader effect, and level.
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#91
FordGT90Concept
"I go fast!1!11!1!"
Yup, the advantage of programming for one platform. You can test the game on one and you have effectively tested it on all. If it plays smooth, dial up the detail or resolution, if it does not, dial back the detail or resolution.
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#92
xenocide
AquinusWell, think about it. The 360 has a 3-core processor. We know that Xbox games are topping out the that hardware. Remember when nobody could possible need more than 16k of memory? I think if the hardware is there, game software companies will do their best to take advantage of the hardware that is there, maybe not all of it, but enough to do what they need to do, and as the platform is out longer and used more, games will take more advantage of it. It takes time to adopt changes in hardware. You didn't see 64-bit software come out before the 64-bit hardware was actually being used...
The 360 isn't really constrained by the CPU. The biggest problem with consoles is no VRAM\RAM. The 360 has 512mb of shared RAM, and like 16mb of eDRAM specifically for the GPU. The PS3 has 256mb System RAM, and 256mb VRAM. With PC's these days having 1-4GB VRAM, and 4-8GB System RAM, it's a pretty massive disparity. If consoles could handle higher resolution textures alone the game would look better. Adding a better GPU and substantially more RAM (especially for the GPU to access SONY >.>) should be the biggest concern.

Most people can still play games well on the PC with a very good Dual-Core, so adding even an entry-level Quad-Core (think Phenom II X4 with a better IMC-aka Llano with L3 Cache) will be more than enough on dedicated hardware that they can allocate most of the load to the GPU.
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#93
Vendor
i thought it was going the named 720, but it still is xbox 720 (technical wise).
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