AMD will give consoles a Die-shrink first
As you guys probably know, console APUs have become big business for AMD. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are all using one. These are still based on a 28nm fabrication process. However TSMC is getting its 20nm fabrication node up and running.
Now everybody expected AMD to die-shrink their APUs for the PC market first, but it's the console SoCs that will be favored. As TPU reports today:
Unlike NVIDIA, which may use the new process to shrink its GPUs, or launch bigger chips based on its "Maxwell" architecture, AMD will treat its console SoCs with optical-shrinks to the new nodes first, so the company could immediately eke out better margins, as console gamers upgrade to Xbox One or the PlayStation 4. AMD's SoC for the Xbox One, could be the first in line for this optical shrink to 20 nm. This chip features a transistor count of 5 billion, and houses eight 64-bit x86 CPU cores, and a 768 SP GPU based on the Graphics CoreNext architecture; 48 MB of on-die cache, and a quad-channel DDR3 IMC. The chip also features an integrated core logic. AMD's chip for the PlayStation 4 features design inputs from Sony. The chip features the same CPU component, but a 1152 SP GPU, and a 256-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface, wired to 8 GB of memory that's virtualized for both system- and graphics-memory. The 20 nm shrinks of both chips are expected to lower not just manufacturing costs, but also step up energy-efficiency, which could then let Microsoft and Sony save additional costs on other components, such as power and cooling.
Via TPU and Expreview.
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Nope, if anyone feels left behind they would buy new improved one and sell old.
The game would still be designed for slower ones, these newer would run it a bit faster is all.
If they cheapen on coolling/psu parts that sounds like it will be worse quality.
Lol you're a bit delusional aren't ya?
One of two things would happen, either game developers would only develop for the previous version of the console, or for the new version of the console, not both, so either the extra power wouldn't matter because the game looks just as good on both systems, or original supporters of the console will be SOL. They wouldn't develop for both, as that would be a waste of money, and they wouldn't develop for the "new" console, as that would alienate their customers that have the previous console, and in tern get them less sales.
There is absolutely no way a refresh of current consoles in terms of graphics/processing performance would do any good, it would either do no difference (due to no one developing for the extra performance), or be the death of the console
It's really, really that simple.
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30fps is more often than not a design choice, the majority of people I speak to would rather better graphics than a better frame-rate.
There is also the marketing side of things, it's easy to advertise your game on TV or the cinema if your game is throwing out a lot of fancy visual effects, but how do you advertise 60fps on a 24fps cinema screen or 25/30fps TV channel?
You put "1080P 60FPS" in the advert.
Not that hard.
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Lol you're a bit delusional aren't ya?
One of two things would happen, either game developers would only develop for the previous version of the console, or for the new version of the console, not both, so either the extra power wouldn't matter because the game looks just as good on both systems, or original supporters of the console will be SOL. They wouldn't develop for both, as that would be a waste of money, and they wouldn't develop for the "new" console, as that would alienate their customers that have the previous console, and in tern get them less sales.
There is absolutely no way a refresh of current consoles in terms of graphics/processing performance would do any good, it would either do no difference (due to no one developing for the extra performance), or be the death of the console
It's really, really that simple.
It was an idea, no one said you have to agree.
and nope im not delusional maybe you are

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Folks let's calm down.
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These things have only been out for a year and they're already about to do a die shrink...
What I don't like is that there is currently a new version of the PS4 with reduced power phases and other cheapening like all the heat exchanger fins are now the same density - whereas before they were more dense were there was higher pressure from the fan.
These things aren't ever heating in anyway. People shouldn't really care about die shrinks. Only Sony, who's paying to make them should care.
there is supposedly already 3 diffrent ps4 with diffrent die shinks already weather it true or not i not sure though i cant find that link anymore