880°

AMD hints at faster, more power-efficient Xbox, PS4 chips

Industry observers estimate the new chips could be ready for the Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 in about two years

GarrusVakarian3854d ago (Edited 3854d ago )

"Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4 are due for release next month, but chip supplier Advanced Micro Devices is already teasing chip upgrades that could make the game consoles faster and more power-efficient"

Interesting. Faster and more power efficient, im all for this.

KHATL663854d ago

"Interesting. Faster and more power efficient, im all for this"

Me too. Just not sure how I feel about buying a new console every two years.

angelsx3853d ago

Anyway you buy new phones every year even more expensive

Braid3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

That they're working on more power efficient chips that could also be used on next-gen consoles doesn't necessarily mean that we'll see an upgrade to the console hardware in the near future, that'd be a somewhat contradictory practice to the nature of 'close-box' gaming consoles that we're used to -and more importantly- we all love, as it's undeniable that console gamers are more interested in comfort and ease of use than 'upgradable hardware' and 'more power'.

I don't know how this could work with the developers either, if there was a newer, upgraded hardware available, they'd have to write two types of codes that would benefit older and newer chips, and games would look different, which is the type of thing you see on PC gaming, and not on consoles.

I doubt console gamers would want or like that.

Ju3853d ago

This will be the exact same machine. No performance "upgrade" will happen on an SKU base. What it will be is a cost saving version, smaller, cheaper to build. But that's about it.

- BTW: In the future - which is already starting now - devs will have to develop for a broader range of HW. SteamBox is a nightmare in that respect, but also PS360/PS4One/Vita/Mobile...and PC. Developers are adjusting to that changing infrastructure, we might as well see a broader range of devices in 2-5 years. SteamBox is to consoles what Android is for Mobile. Fragmentation is coming.

Gaming1013853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

For those who can't read between the lines, smaller chips that use less energy produce less heat. This results in fewer failure rates, as heat is usually what melts some of the seals causing the yellow light of death on the PS3, and RROD in the xbox, cooling systems be damned.

This is not something that's going to run games better, although this 'closed box' model that everyone is alluding to is ridiculous.

If you can buy a $700 iPhone every year, why can't you buy a $400 console every 3 years? I'd like to be able to upgrade and catch up to the PC's of that time, it's ridiculous that it's been 7 and 8 years before a console upgrade.

Computersaysno3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

Its nothing new to the industry or particularly exciting. The console specs are now fixed, have been for months. They are both in full production, so obviously their hardware performance is now set in stone for their lives.

These will just be the designs for the 20nm fabrication node which should hit properly next year. Full mass production on the node at TSMC hasn't actually started yet- its not due until February 2014. It'll be May 2014 before a couple more 20nm production lines start up. I wouldn't expect consoles with 20nm chips arriving much before this time next year...

Both machines have been designed and launched on existing 28nm hardware which has been around for large dies at TSMC since early 2012, 18 months ago.

The latest node will be ready for full production in about 4 months, whereupon we'll see a brand new generation of fast PC graphics, drastic reduction in the price of existing cards and the consoles transitioning eventually to the smaller newer node.

The shrink should reduce the chips power consumption and eventually the cost of them. The problem is at the moment going to 20nm will be more expensive early on because of the major technical challenges posed by this process. It will come down however, in time.

Its standard procedure. The faster you get on the latest process generally the better because it allows you to cut costs and the cost of the console of course.

Smaller chips on good yields cost less. Smaller chips make less heat. Less heat means less cooling requirements. Less cooling requirements means cheaper cooling solutions.

Consoles won't likely move onto new processes until after Nvidia and AMD have launched their 20nm graphics cards.

The reason for this is that they buy up so much of the manufacturing capacity for their cards and pay a premium for it, that the consoles have to wait a bit until more capacity is around.

Gamer19823853d ago

Not gonna happen as older consoles wouldn't be able to play the newer games they cannot put out a new console every couple of years. People who use phones as an example of how it can work have to look at the bigger picture. You don't buy £60 games for your phone. It's as simple as that. They could upgrade the chips to make them cooler and the consoles smaller and cheaper. But they have been doing that for years. That's no doubt what this is really about and somebody is getting ahead of themselves here.

pixelsword3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

If I gotta get a console every two years, I might as well upgrade my PC; it's at least useful for more than entertainment: I can make money on my PC.

turgore3853d ago

Its not really a new console. It will probably be just like releasing the ps3 slim and super-slim or the xbox s.
If they will make it faster it probably won't impact gameplay in any way except a couple of faster fps.

Blachek3853d ago

Does anybody else remember Perfect Dark... what about the Expansion Pack it required to be plugged into your N64 just to access the Campaign in Single Player?

I wish it were this simple again to double the power of a gaming console

Hitman07693853d ago

I would support a new console generation every 4-5 years. 8-9 years was absolutely garbage.

Mr_Skyfish3852d ago

Aha but that's where a 2 year warranty comes in handy!

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 3852d ago
zeal0us3854d ago (Edited 3854d ago )

Well these probably won't be put into the next gen console 1-2 years. This gen we seen CPU and GPU process go from 90nm to 45nm. Both next gen consoles are starting out at 28nm. I wonder how low will next gen goes before this generation is over.

NarooN3853d ago

Depending on if they get TSMC or GloFo to do the chips, they might get down to 14nm FinFets or something.

HighResHero3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

It's becoming increasingly difficult to manufacture that scale and beyond I hear.
This (and battery limitations etc) is why we can see some stagnation in mobile devices.
Maybe we will see some massive, "quantum" ;) leaps though with some revolutionary technology.
28nm Is already pretty darn amazing imo.

GribbleGrunger3854d ago

And you think that they'll use that extra power? It's not going to happen.

FlyingFoxy3853d ago

It doesn't matter if the games are designed to use it or not, if there are any performance issues like frame rate dips and the newer chips are actually faster, it would give better performance at least in those areas.

hesido3853d ago

@flyingFoxy:

You don't want fragment your user base in the console world.

One good thing about developing for consoles is that you have set performance that you can optimize to. Making faster consoles inside a generation will ruin this.

Do you not think they could have upped the clocks on the RSX (ps3)? They could easily have. But the RSX inside the latest PS3's have the same performance of the first PS3 that's rolled out.

It's not as if they couldn't make a faster RSX.

rainslacker3853d ago

At most you might see improvement in UI functions and things not really related to games. Games will use the initial specs of the system, and Sony would not open up that power to be used on newer games for the sole reason of it fragments the user base.

They could become more reliable, if that happens to be an issue early on, but until these consoles are in use for the consumer, it is unknown if that is even neccesary.

It's a cost saving thing, and a way to reduce the form factor like they do with slim models.

ATi_Elite3854d ago (Edited 3854d ago )

Upgrade will be CHeaper to make NOT faster or more power.

Imagine having a Day 1 box then 2 years later that same box has a more powerful chip.

Now Devs are gonna make games using the better chip thus making you have to go out and buy another Box.

see the problem.

So cheaper to make is about all your gonna get and maybe more watt efficient.

Rhaigun3853d ago

Exactly. Even if the chip is a hair faster, we're talking about something so minuscule, you won't Eben notice.

thisismyaccount3853d ago

What if the new PS4 is up to 10 - 20% more faster and efficient ? What if next gen games will have an extra sticker on the back cover like :

Gran Turismo 8 (2018)
"Works only with PS4 Rev. 2.0 2015+"

come_bom3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

"AMD hints at faster, more power-efficient Xbox, PS4 chips"

And this is another of the reasons I'm only purchasing my next gen console next year. No RUSH!

nypifisel3853d ago

Going down in chip size will greatly reduce heat output and power consumption. But it wouldn't make sense to give them any upclocks due to it alienating consumers within their own brand.

Magicite3853d ago

does that mean that consoles will be upgradeable kinda like PC's?

3-4-53853d ago

If it's like what Nintendo did with the N64 and the memory upgrade I'd be all for it.

It has to be something everyone can plug into their console...

Having to buy a new model is going to make half your market mad.

DOOMZ3853d ago

Next thing you know we will be having contracts for consoles. This way when we are done for the two year plan, we can just trade it in for a new one,SMH!

kevnb3853d ago

maybe ill buy one in 2-3 years

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 3852d ago
3853d ago Replies(1)
Baka-akaB3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

There is no way they'd fragment their base like this . People need to let go of their weird dreams of an upgradable console ... it makes little sense and goes against the purpose of consoles .

Get a pc already if you care about that . Only way it will happens is if future consoles go cazy about clouds and streaming

DomceM3853d ago

"People need to let go of their weird dreams of an upgradable console"

No need to let go of "weird" dreams.

Steambox is upgradable. so if its a big deal for someone, then they can do that.

Baka-akaB3853d ago

And steambox is a console ? Nope . It aint even there yet to boot , let alone fragmenting any kind of market

thehitman3853d ago

steambox is just a branded pc like alienware with its own O/S. Doesnt make it a console.

Bob Dole3853d ago

The faster more power efficient chips would probably be put in the "slim" models a couple years down the line.

jeffgoldwin3853d ago

Highly doubt they wud be faster. More efficient and smaller, yes. Just like last gen of consoles where the cpu shrunk 3 times/more efficient. But never got a speed increase.

MidnytRain3853d ago

I don't understand what purpose that would serve. Boosted performance? As console businesses, they're not going to screw over the guys who bought a console at launch.

solidboss073853d ago

Indeed. It seems these people are after a Steam Box, or something.
Its all about reducing manufacturing costs, and power usage for the customer.

Jazz41083853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

Will not happen.

DomceM3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

What is a console? Your "Consoles" have pc parts in them this gen. In the past they had their own parts like ps3's cell, ps2s chip, etc. What do they have now? slightly customized pc hardware? Maybe they dont be deserved to be called consoles anymore? Its just a locked down PC now.

Steambox is a console that you can modify. thats all. It has a controller, it will be used in the living room etc...

And marketshare is irrelevant. Its either a console or it isnt. And in this case it is.

So yeah bottom line. Locked down pc + controller or open pc + controller. Barely any difference.

I think you are afraid to call steambox a console b/c you know how kick ass its going to be. And you dont want it to be compared with your machine.

solidboss073853d ago

No Dunder-Nut. We are calling a SteamBox a console you can upgrade' as opposed to PS4 ect with fixed components.
WTF are you going on about?

DomceM3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

Nice personal attack without understanding why I posted what I did.

I was responding to baka-akab above. You have 3 bubbles. Are you new to N4G? The comment structure can be confusing at times in terms of how it is layed out.

I clicked to respond to him, but you see yourself where the comment is located. I couldve specified i was talking to him in my original post though. Still had i replied to you, my post wouldve appeared shifted to the right under yours. Which is not the case.

Oh yeah, stop the name calling at the drop of a hat.

Baka-akaB3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

"I think you are afraid to call steambox a console b/c you know how kick ass its going to be. And you dont want it to be compared with your machine. "

My machine ? I've got a gaming able pc too you know ... and i'm actually interested by the steam box . So spare me the whole "ooooh you feel threatened " angle .

Steambox , as yet to show that it's going for a different market than the usual pc game . So far it seems just made to facilitate that and another mean to distribute them . So again , it hardly risk fragmenting any kind of market .

Meanwhile , until everything is cloud/streaming based on the console side , there is little , if any way for devs and constructors alike to waste ressources making different set of games for hardware variations on a same console .

saikorican3853d ago

People having "weird dreams" is how things like innovation start. You shouldn't insult people just because they hope for things to be a different way someday. An upgradeable console doesn't have to fragment anything if you have regulations and actually spend time to do it right. Not saying it's gonna happen anytime soon but don't be so closed minded.

Baka-akaB3853d ago

I've insulted no one here . And i did mention a future way of it happening , so keep reading whatever you want from it

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3853d ago
darksky3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

They could use the faster chips and allow devs to develop games that run better on the newer boxes and slightly downgraded on the older ones..i.e lower resolution instead of 1080p like XBOX one already does. The older units will then get phased out over a few years.

The benefit of this is that we don't have to wait for 10 years for the next gen to get better games and SONY/MS can build cheaper consoles in the process.

Bob Dole3853d ago

Sounds terrible. If that had happened last gen Bob Dole would have had a $600 phased out console.

DomceM3853d ago (Edited 3853d ago )

you shouldn't have gotten agrees for that comment.

This is normal for chips. (power + cost savings).

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270°

AMD gaming revenue declined massively year-over-year, CFO says the demand is 'weak'

Poor Xbox sales have affected AMD’S bottom line

Read Full Story >>
tweaktown.com
RonsonPL5d ago

Oh wow. How surprising! Nvidia overpriced their RTX cards by +100% and AMD instead of offering real competition, decided to join Nvidia in their greedy approach, while not having the same mindshare as Nvidia (sadly) does. The 7900 launch was a marketing disaster. All the reviews were made while the card was not worth the money at all, they lowered the price a bit later on, but not only not enough but also too late and out of "free marketing" window coming along with the new card generation release. Then the geniuses at AMD axed the high-end SKUs with increased cache etc, cause "nobody will buy expensive cards to play games" while Nvidia laughed at them selling their 2000€ 4090s.
Intel had all the mindshare among PC enthusiasts with their CPUs. All it took was a competetive product and good price (Ryzen 7000 series and especially 7800x3d) and guess what? AMD regained the market share in DYI PCs in no time! The same could've have happened with Radeon 5000, Radeon 6000 and Radeon 7000.
But meh. Why bother. Let's cancell high-end RDNA 4 and use the TSMC wafers for AI and then let the clueless "analysts" make their articles about "gaming demand dwingling".

I'm sure low-end, very overpriced and barely faster if not slower RDNA4 will turn things around. It will have AI and RT! Two things nobody asked for, especially not gamers who'd like to use the PC for what's most exciting about PC gaming (VR, high framerate gaming, hi-res gaming).
8000 series will be slow, overpriced and marketed based on its much improved RT/AI... and it will flop badly.
And there will be no sane conclusions made at AMD about that. There will be just one, insane: Gaming is not worth catering to. Let's go into AI/RT instead, what could go wrong..."

Crows905d ago

What would you say would be the correct pricing for new cards?

Very insightful post!

RonsonPL5d ago

That's a complicated question. Depends on what you mean. The pricing at the release date or the pricing planned ahead. They couldn't just suddenly end up in a situation where their existing stock of 6000 cards is suddenly unsellable, but if it was properly rolled out, the prices should be where they were while PC gaming industry was healthy. I recognize the arguments about inflation, higher power draw and PCB/BOM costs, more expensive wafers from TSMC etc. but still, PC gaming needs some sanity to exist and be healthy. Past few years were very unhealthy and dangerous to whole PC gaming. AMD should recognize this market is very good for them as they have advantage in software for gaming and other markets while attractive short term, may be just too difficult to compete at. AI is the modern day gold rush and Nvidia and Intel can easily out-spend AMD on R&D. Meanwhile gaming is tricky for newcomers and Nvidia doesn't seem to care that much about gaming anymore. So I would argue that it should be in AMDs interest to even sell some Radeon SKUs at zero profit, just to prevent the PC gaming from collapsing. Cards like 6400 and 6500 should never exist at their prices. This tier was traditionally "office only" and priced at 50$ in early 2000s. Then we have Radeons 7600 which is not really 6-tier card. Those were traditionally quite performant cards based on wider than 128-bit memory bus. Also 8GB is screaming "low end". So I'd say the 7600 should've been available at below 200$ (+taxes etc.) as soon as possible, at least for some cheaper SKUs.For faster cards, the situation is bad for AMD, because people spending like $400+ are usually fairly knowledgable and demanding. While personally I don't see any value in upscallers and RT for 400-700$ cards, the fact is that especially DLSS is a valuable feature for potential buyers. Therefore, even 7800 and 7900 cards should be significantly cheaper than they currently are. People knew what they were paying for when buying Radeon 9700, 9800, X800, 4870 etc. They were getting gaming experience truly unlike console or low-end PC gaming. By all means, let's have expensive AMD cards for even above $1000, but first, AMD needs to show value. Make the product attractive. PS5 consoles can be bought at 400$. If AMD offers just a slightly better upscalled image on the 400$ GPU, or their 900$ GPU cannot even push 3x as many fps compared to cheap consoles, the pricing acts like cancer on PC gaming. And poor old PC gaming can endure only so much.

MrCrimson4d ago

I appreciate your rant sir, but it has very little to do with gpus. It is the fact that the PS5 and Xbox are in end cycle before a refresh.

RonsonPL4d ago

Yes, but also no. AMD let their PC GPU marketshare to shrink by a lot (and accidentally helped the whole market shrink in general due to bad value of PC GPUs over the years) and while their console business may be important here, I'd still argue their profits from GPU division could've been much better if not for mismanagement.

bababooiy4d ago

This is something many have argued over the last few years when it comes to AMD. The days of them selling their cards at a slight discount while having a similar offering are over. Its not just a matter of poor drivers anymore, they are behind on everything.

Tody_ZA4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Great post. I went for a Nvidia RTX 3060Ti which was insane value for money when I look at the fidelity and frame rates I can push in most games including new releases. Can't justify spending 3 times what my card cost at the time to get marginal better returns or the big sell of "ray tracing", which is a nice to have feature but hardly essential given what it costs to maintain.

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5d ago Replies(1)
KwietStorm_BLM5d ago

Well that's gonna happen when you don't really try. I want to support AMD so badly and give Nvidia some actual competition but they don't very much seem interested in challenging, by their own accord. I been waiting for them to attack the GPU segment the same way they took over CPU, but they just seem so content with handing Nvidia the market year after year, and it's happening again this year with their cancelled high end card.

MrCrimson4d ago

I think you're going to see almost zero interest from AMD or Nvidia on the gaming GPU market. They are all in on AI.

RhinoGamer885d ago

No Executive bonuses then...right?

enkiduxiv5d ago

What are smoking? Got to layoff your way to those bonuses. Fire 500 employees right before Christmas. That should get you there.

Tapani5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

Well, if you are 48% down in Q4 in your Gaming sector as they are, which in absolute money terms is north of 500M USD, then you are not likely to get at least your quarterly STI, but can be applicable for annual STI. The LTI may be something you are still eligible for, such as RSUs or other equity and benefits, especially if they are based on the company total result rather than your unit. All depends on your contract and AMD's reward system.

MrCrimson4d ago

Lisa Su took AMD from bankruptcy to one of the best semiconductor companies on the planet. AMD from 2 dollars a share to 147. She can take whatever she wants.

Tapani4d ago

You are not wrong about what she did for AMD and that is remarkable. However, MNCs' Rewards schemes do not work like "take whatever you want, because you performed well in the past".

darksky5d ago

AMD prcied their cards thinking that they will sell out just like in the mining craze. I suspect reality has hit home when they realized most gamers cannot afford to spend over $500 for a gpu.

Show all comments (33)
100°

Make your next GPU upgrade AMD as these latest-gen Radeon cards receive a special promotion

AMD has long been the best value option if you're looking for a new GPU. Now even their latest Radeon RX 7000 series is getting cheaper.

Father__Merrin15d ago

Best for the money is the Arc cards

just_looken15d ago

In the past yes but last gen amd has gotten cheaper and there new cards are on the horizon making 6k even cheaper.

The arc cards are no longer made by intel but asus/asrock has some the next line battlemage is coming out prices tbd.

Do to the longer software development its always best to go amd over intel if its not to much more money even though intel is a strong gpu i own 2/4 card versions.

270°

AMD FSR 3.1 Announced at GDC 2024, FSR 3 Available and Upcoming in 40 Games

Last September, we unleashed AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution 3 (FSR 3)1 on the gaming world, delivering massive FPS improvements in supported games.

Read Full Story >>
community.amd.com
Eonjay46d ago (Edited 46d ago )

So to put 2 and 2 together... FSR 3.1 is releasing later this year and the launch game to support it is Rachet and Clank: Rift Apart. In Sony's DevNet documentation it shows Rachet and Clank: Rift Apart as the example for PSSR. PS5 Pro also launches later this year... but there is something else coming too: AMD RDNA 4 Cards (The very same technology thats in the Pro). So, PSSR is either FSR 3.1 or its a direct collaboration with AMD for that builds on FSR 3.1. Somehow they are related. I think PSSR is FSR 3.1 with the bonus of AI... now lets see if RDNA 4 cards also include an AI block.

More details:
FSR 3.1 fixes Frame Generation
If you have a 30 series RTX card you can now use DLSS3 with FSR Frame Generation (No 40 Series required!)
Its Available on all Cards (we assume it will come to console)
Fixes Temporal stability

MrDead45d ago

I've been using a mod that allows dlss frame gen on my 3080 it works on all rtx series. It'll be good not to rely on mods for the future.

darksky45d ago

The mods avaiable are actually using FSR3 frame gen but with DLSS or FSR2 upscaling.

Babadook745d ago (Edited 45d ago )

I think that the leaks about the 5 Pro would debunk the notion that the two (FSR 3.1 and PSSR) are the same technology. PSSR is a Sony technology.

MrDead46d ago (Edited 46d ago )

I wonder how much they fixed the ghosting in dark areas as Nvidia are leaving them in the dust with image quality. Still good that they are improving in big leaps, I'll have to see when the RTX5000 series is released who I go with... at the moment the RTX5000's are sounding like monsters.

just_looken45d ago

Did you see the dell leaks were they are trying to cool cards using over 1k watts of power.

We are going to need 220 lines for next gen pcs lol

MrDead45d ago

That's crazy! Sounds like heating my house won't be a problem next winter.

porkChop45d ago

As much as I hate supporting Nvidia, AMD just doesn't even try to compete. Their whole business model is to beat Nvidia purely on price. But I'd rather pay for better performance and better features. AMD also doesn't even try to innovate. They just follow Nvidia's lead and make their own version of whatever Nvidia is doing. But they're always 1 or 2 generations behind when it comes to those software/driver innovations, so Nvidia is always miles ahead in quality and performance.

MrDead45d ago

I do a lot of work on photoshop so an Intel Nvidia set up has been the got to because of performance edge, more expensive but far more stable too. Intel also have the edge over AMD processors with better load distribution on the cores, less spikes and jitters. When you're working large format you don't want lag or spikes when you're editing or drawing.

I do think AMD has improved massively though and whist I don't think they threaten Nvidia on the tech side they do make very well priced cards and processors for the power. I'm probably going with a 5080 or 5090 but AMD will get a little side look from me, which is a first in a long time... but like you said they are a generation or two behind at the moment.

Goosejuice44d ago

While I can't argue for amd gpu, they aren't bad but they aren't great either. The cpu for amd have great. I would argue the 7800x3d as one of the best cpu for gaming right now. Idk about editing so I take ur word for that but gaming amd cpu is a great option these days.

porkChop44d ago

@Goosejuice

I have a 7800X3D. It certainly is great for gaming. Though for video editing, rendering, etc, I think Intel have the advantage from what I remember. I just mean from a GPU standpoint I can't support them.