PS3 to Debut Before E3

Posts: 2723 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 2:19 pm Post subject: PS3 to Debut Before E3

Representatives of Sony Computer Entertainment America have confirmed with GameSpot that Sony "will have an event to premiere [its] next-generation system" before the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) this year.

The Playstation 3 is going to be powered by a much-hyped Cell microprocessor. According to current rumors, the Cell is a chip that will be crafted from 64-bit processors running at approximately 4GHz. The Cell will sport 234 million transistors. To put this in perspective, the current Pentium 4 CPUs have 125 million. However, since CPU makers typically double the transistor count every year or so, within months of the time that the Cell processor hits the market, Intel's standard CPU could easily catch up.

So far the only confirmed operating system to work with the Cell processor is Linux.

More information can be found here.

Posts: 1475 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 8:04 pm Post subject:

so, seeing as intel could easily catch up eventually, this doesnt count as a technological jump, correct?

Posts: 3258 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 8:55 pm Post subject:

It is a _huge_ jump. The cell processor has been rumored to be _much_ cheaper than traditional x86 chips. And at the same time, much more powerful. It is a whole different architecture, so its hard to compare. But many reviews/statements claim the Cell will offically fall into the category of "super-computer"...
Its hot.. Real hot.

Posts: 1475 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 9:04 pm Post subject:

at least, super console or something along the lines of that.

Posts: 3258 · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 10:13 pm Post subject:

nope, because the chips are so powerful, and have an expandable enough core, they will be featured in desktops as well. They are claimed to be in desktops by the end of 2004, and in the PS3 in 2005.

Posts: 2723 · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 1:55 am Post subject:

I'm very interested to see what actually comes out of the Cell processor and its technology. One part of me has a hunch that it's all hype and no delivery, but the other part of me is very curious and excited. It looks like I'll be holding off another year before building a new computer to see how this all shakes out. Keep an eye out for more news about the Cell as it develops. Hey Impact, maybe you could toss a couple links to where we can read more?

Posts: 3258 · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:02 am Post subject:

I'll get those up a little later