PS3 to get 45nm Cell early next year

[Maximus]

http://www.nikkan.co.jp/news/nkx0320080922aaab.html

The article basically says that the PS3 will receive 45nm Cell BE processors early next year (January/February).

From my personal knowledge it is a 50% smaller die and consumes about 30-40% less power. The yields are about 75% more dice per wafer.

The cost of the chip to Sony will be about 50% less than it currently costs, and the cost of the PSU and cooling will be reduced by about 25%. At around the same time the RSX and XDR will move to 55nm at TSMC which should yield similar reductions in cost to Sony. By April of next year I suspect the production cost of the PS3 to be reduced by around 40% paving the way for price-cuts and eventually a redesign later in the year.

If you though 2008 was good for the PS3, you haven't seen what's in store for 2009!