PS3 Hardware Revision

[scoobiesnackarff]

This thread was merged to keep the PS3 Skews up to date.

Alan

[user friendly]

I'll add some info on the different motherboards as Sony has been changing them with almost every version.


Since launch back in 06, the PS3 mobo has changed quite a bit in a years time. It seems Sony is still working on a design that they can be happy with, both production and cost wise.

They are now on their 5th motherboard layout and some will be surprised by the fact that the 40GB white (JPN) and the 40GB black (NA) models are actually completely different.

The history is as follows:

20GB




North American 60GB


Not much different than the 20GB but there is a slight difference



European 60GB / North American 80GB


This is where you start to really see the differences in layout. The most obvious is the Emotion Engine (EE) has been plucked out and is being emulated via software means. The motherboard also looks a lot cleaner on the left side



White 40GB / Black 40GB


This is probably the most surprising out of all the redesigns. Both 40GB models are completely different. The white model (JPN) now has 2x128MB for XDR ram, instead of 4x64MB. Also, the Cell is now 65nm, the RSX is still 90nm though.

The HDD is installed differently in the White model as well and the back of the unit is different than the Black SKU.




They are perfecting the mobo as much as they can, cutting costs very effectively imo. The cooling method is much different than it used to be on the 60GB model. (pics in the link below)

Click here for more info

I'll refine this if anyone catches any mistakes or has any additions.

[scoobiesnackarff]

Thank you for the wonderful information!

Alan

[user friendly]

No sweat, the original thread can be found here. I knew it would be useful one day.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by user friendly

No sweat, the original thread can be found here. I knew it would be useful one day.

Thank you, those are some interesting pictures.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Very informative.

[jorg]

whya re 40 gig blaack and white diffrent? (i am assumming the black uses 4 xrd chips due use up stock same as 80 gig?

[reiella]

Originally Posted by jorg

whya re 40 gig blaack and white diffrent? (i am assumming the black uses 4 xrd chips due use up stock same as 80 gig?

black 40gb are the US 40gb models.

the white are the newer JP 40gb models.

[jorg]

actrualy jp white 40 gig ps3 was out a month b4 we got the black 40 gig

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/09/s...k-3-announced/

[reiella]

Originally Posted by jorg

actrualy jp white 40 gig ps3 was out a month b4 we got the black 40 gig

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/09/s...k-3-announced/

Hmm, fair point. The fabrication, on the whites happened later though, which is prolly the really odd part of it.

[user friendly]

Originally Posted by jorg

actrualy jp white 40 gig ps3 was out a month b4 we got the black 40 gig

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/09/s...k-3-announced/

Actually, the 40GB black launched in America on Nov. 2nd and the ceramic White launched on the 11th making the ceramic white 9 days younger than the American black 40GB.


North American 40GB black (press release) Nov. 2nd

Japan 40GB white (press release) Nov. 11th

[Mystique]

WOW thats pretty interesting!

[Shin-Ra]

If the graph here is to be trusted, there will be a further 38% reduction in power consumption on the 45nm 3.2GHz CELL B.E. compared to the current 65nm.









Could we eventually see a combined CELL B.E. and RSX?

[Clark Kent]

This might make a good sticky thread.

[Shin-Ra]

It's not useful or interesting for a vast majority of people here. I'll link it in the 'Popular Game / Useful Threads' thread but I still don't think it'll pop back up on the first page often.

[hardcore_canadian]

It may not be the most interesting topic, but it definately is thought provoking...in a nerdy techy kinda way

[WriteSimply]

From Tech-On!

Automation Technology Helps Shrink 65nm Cell to 45nm
Feb 6, 2008 19:37
Tomonori Shindou, Nikkei Electronics


IBM Corp and Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc (SCEA) talked about the layout of the 45nm Cell at ISSCC 2008, an international academic conference on semiconductors taking place in San Francisco from Feb 3, 2008.

With the use of layout assistant tool "MASH" and a layout checking tool for DFM developed by IBM, the companies reportedly automated most of the processes required to migrate the 65nm Cell to 45nm.

First, a basic cell such as the Flip-Flop was shrunk semi-automatically by utilizing MASH, making it applicable to the 45nm SOI production technology. Then, some of the layout violations were corrected by MASH and the rest were corrected manually by designers, according to the companies. Thus, the chip size was reduced by 34% from the 65nm product's 174.6 to 115.46mm2.

Moreover, the power consumption was reduced by approximately 40% compared with the 65nm product through the following improvements: (1) Replacing dynamic circuits with CMOS static circuits as much as possible and (2) Avoiding the use of high-speed transistors with low threshold voltage. (The percentage of PMOS transistors was reduced from 2.4 to 0.5% and NMOS transistors from 2.9 to 0.7%.)

fuad

[DetroitSportsFan]

Looks like the 45nm units could be coming in the near future.

http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/02/22/...-fcc-but-what/

[Shin-Ra]

3rd-gen Heatsink for PS3 Unveiled

Furukawa Electric Co Ltd exhibited a new heat sink for the PlayStation 3 (PS3), a game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc (SCE), at Techno-Frontier 2008. The exhibition took place from April 16 to 18, 2008, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

The company defines the first heat sink mounted in the PS3, which was released in November 2006, as the first-generation product. And it already begun commercial production of the third-generation heat sink for the PS3. The third-generation product is characterized by its small size, light weight and low cost.

[DetroitSportsFan]

I wonder when these 3rd-gen heat sinks will be available in PS3s.