IBM to Continue to Power the Console Market

IBM has its processors powering the Xbox 360 and the Wii and co-developed the Cell processor that is at the heart of the PS3 and they plan to continue into the next generation.

[Otheros00]

http://www.pcworld.idg.com....

This article has already been approved twice.
http://n4g.com/news/624497/...
http://n4g.com/news/622444/...

[MNicholas]

pretty much requires it.

However, Microsoft got the short end of the stick with the bog-slow Xenon CPU and won't be too happy about being stuck with IBM.

When Microsoft went to IBM for a CPU, it's true that IBM took from the Cell which has 8 fast processors and one slow processor. For unknown reasons, IBM simply stuck three of the slow processors on one chip (while reducing the amount of cache/processor) and, apart from some near inconsequential modifications to the instruction set, left it at that.

[CombineElite]

IBM Toshiba and Sony formed a 3 way partnership and came up with the Cell Broadband Engine or The Cell.

Toshiba uses it in their top of the line TV's
Sony uses it in the PS3
IBM just makes and sells them (but the U.S. Military has bought a ship load of them because the chips can communicate with one another, think SKYNET)

IBM says they are staying in the console business and when IBM talks the world listens. IBM has reached out to developers and given them seminars on programming with the Cell. Hopefully 3rd party developers will make games with KIllzone 3 graphics or better.

The PS4 would require a Cell for backward compatibility with PS3 games. I don't see Sony spending cash on the Cell then ditch it as it is a marvelous chip. Nvidia will do a GPU versus the crap RISC accelerator Nvidia put in the PS3.

Rumor has it of Microsoft ditching Backward capability for their "xbox 720" for a New Intel chip but this is not certain and just a rumor. But if AMD doesn't provide the chips for the xbox 720 then backward capability could be a problem.

Intel is throwing a lot of cash at M$ to put a Intel CPU/GPU (Larrabee) into the xbox 720 but who knows?

The Wii will most likely use something from IBM as their system needs more power to compete along with either a GPU from AMD or most likely Nvidia.

Nothing is final as things are still on the drawing board but this is the only new news on next gen consoles at the moment.

[ECM0NEY]

"The company has a history of releasing chips every three years, which points to a Power8 chip release for 2013."

Might be pointing at a 2013 console release.

[HOSe]

world ends in 2012 (buy a console now) :D

[Otheros00]

Hope you go to heaven if it exist. While you are in heaven I will be looking forward to the ps4 and what ever systems come out after 2012.

[RememberThe357]

Watch the first minute.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[IHateYouFanboys]

so when i said that Sony wont use the Cell in the next Playstation and all the sony fanboys disagreed, i was right?

theyll use ideas and tech from it in future processors - just like they used ideas and tech from it to make the CPU for the 360. so the Cell, as we know it, was born with the PS3 and will die with the PS3.

[ZombieAssassin]

Pretty sure the CELL is used in some TV's too.

[Nicaragua]

You do know IBM makes the cell processor right?

If so then how you think this article proves your half assed theory is beyond me.

[IHateYouFanboys]

lol

are you serious? this is IBM saying with 100% certainty that the Cell, as a standalone CPU, is dead. did you even read the article?

"That's the way to think about it as opposed to a separate line it'll just get integrated into the next line of things that we do"

if they were using the Cell, they wouldnt be integrating its technology into the next line of things that they do - theyd just be using the cell or further developing it.

[gamingdroid]

The original source actually indicates that the PowerPC can now do what the Cell does and is no longer needed.

"The kinds of things you used to be able to do with the Cell you can do in ... [the] Power line," Menon said.

Source: http://www.pcworld.idg.com....

Sounds to me like IBM is actually ditching CELL and incorporating whatever scraps that might be useful into the PowerPC instead.

[raztad]

N4G is the only place where advancement of tech is seen as a negative thing. The good stuff (funny how gamingdroid called it "scraps") from The Cell arch are incorporated in a more advanced (and developer friendly or so I read) I dont see what is wrong with that.

I dont expect the processor powering the next PS3 be a regular, stock Power4 but a custom design backward compatible with PS3 games.

[Snakefist30]

ya right it is because of cell we are seeing games like killzone 2and 3,god of war 3,Infamous 2,Uncharted 2,Resistance 3 and much more.Sony shud go with the cell in the future consoles like PS4 and also they need to redesigned the cell so that developers cant complain when they are making games.

[ECM0NEY]

I would say the reason IBM is ditching the cell is bc it wasnt user friendly. The evidence is every muliplat game out.

[HOSe]

the perfect console is one with no set specifications - thus allowing the boundaries of graphics/cgi/immersion to be pushed to the limit.

butttt this wont happen because there is too much money involved in selling the xbox, the playstation , and the next big thing from nintendo.

[DJMarty]

Cell isn't getting ditched anytime soon. Since Sony and Toshiba are joint developers of the tech with IBM, it will continue.

Infact it's already continuing as Toshiba now make Sony Cells for PS3 not IBM.

There is know reason to believe Cell R & D couldn't carry on, just without IBM.

[Aleusia]

in b4 IBM make their own console XD