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!

[Beta-guy]

if they are knocking the price down this much, can't they put back in the HW PS2 compatibility? TBH if it's as big of an enhancement as they claim, I'd buy one of these 45nm PS3's if it had the PS2 compatibility. I'm one of the few that bought the 60GB PS3, and I want to know that there will be something available to replace my PS3 in every function if my PS3 ever need to be replaced, and the 60GB PS3 tends to be the one that needs the replacing... I believe it's using a 90nm Cell.

[Luis_A51]

so does that mean we'll see PS3s with these chips in them by April? I was going to buy a 2nd PS3 in December but I an wait until april.

I would also hope that the big reduction in cost would allow or PS2 compatibility to return.

[DezNutz]

I am also waiting for this chip to purchase my second at home PS3.. for when I get my new living room HDTV and move my current HDTV into my bedroom.. I will most likley keep my 60GB in living room, as it gets played more, has more room for ventiliation and the full backwards compatibility... but a nice lower energy PS3 with less need for as much ventilation will work for the bedroom..

The 60GB uses the 90nm Cell, I believe the 40GB already uses a 60nm cell, this is just going to the 45nm which is again just more efficient.. I thought the RSX had already been downsized to the 60nm from the 90nm in the 60gb.. have not heard anything about it going to 55 or lower..

[xtop]

a redesign already? historically havent most console redesigns come at the end of that consoles life/start of next generation?

i wouldnt have expected a smaller ps3 for another 2 years. i suppose if this is the case, 2 slimlines could happen. genesis and snes had 3 different versions

[groovyone]

Sounds like I have a timeframe for my second system.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by xtop

a redesign already? historically havent most console redesigns come at the end of that consoles life/start of next generation?

i wouldnt have expected a smaller ps3 for another 2 years. i suppose if this is the case, 2 slimlines could happen. genesis and snes had 3 different versions

PS2 got one 4 years after its introduction. The PS3 is much bigger than the phat PS2, and could use some slimming down. A redesigned PS3 is what the PS3 should have been at launch. Anyway it won't come until late 2009 or early 2010 so it is still a while off...

[xtop]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

PS2 got one 4 years after its introduction. The PS3 is much bigger than the phat PS2, and could use some slimming down. A redesigned PS3 is what the PS3 should have been at launch. Anyway it won't come until late 2009 or early 2010 so it is still a while off...

fair enough, just seemed pretty soon for it. but then again like you said, its a good bit bigger than the ps2, and could probably afford to shave some weight after the new chips

[BluOgre]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

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!

When you say "paving the way for price-cuts".......you make it sound like there will be no price cuts this year. That would be a pretty big mistake for the PS3......maybe not for Blu-ray but for the gaming side of the PS3, you can't have your main competition (X360) come out with a huge price cut and pretend the software will make up for it. I sure hope all the "we will not have a price cut this year" from Sony was about as truthful as last years price cut (when they were denying it even a couple days before the news hit).

A price cut (even a small $50 one) could be the difference of someone buying a PS3 this holiday season or not. People want a PS3 but they can't afford it......but they can afford the X360 even with it's horrendous problems. Sony execs have to see this.

[BIGSAPOTEER]

Are people still *****ing about BC? Just get a PS2! A slimer, cooler and cheaper PS3 is great for all of us. I don't get it? People want BC, because they have 1000 PS2 games but no PS2?

[blitz6speed]

Originally Posted by BluOgre

When you say "paving the way for price-cuts".......you make it sound like there will be no price cuts this year. That would be a pretty big mistake for the PS3......maybe not for Blu-ray but for the gaming side of the PS3, you can't have your main competition (X360) come out with a huge price cut and pretend the software will make up for it. I sure hope all the "we will not have a price cut this year" from Sony was about as truthful as last years price cut (when they were denying it even a couple days before the news hit).

A price cut (even a small $50 one) could be the difference of someone buying a PS3 this holiday season or not. People want a PS3 but they can't afford it......but they can afford the X360 even with it's horrendous problems. Sony execs have to see this.

The Xbox 360 had to drop below the Wii price just to keep up with the PS3. The PS3 does not need a price cut at all this year. It has the hottest games lineup of all the major gaming systems, it has the best hardware in specs and reliability, and it has Blu-ray with movies like Transformers, Iron Man, and of course, The Dark Knight to help sell the system to people on the fence.

Don't buy into the hype that the 360 is suddenly going to overthrow the PS3 now that its cheaper, its been cheaper THIS ENTIRE TIME, and it barely made a difference.

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by BIGSAPOTEER

Are people still *****ing about BC? Just get a PS2! A slimer, cooler and cheaper PS3 is great for all of us. I don't get it? People want BC, because they have 1000 PS2 games but no PS2?

Because the ps3 is fantastic at upscaling Ps2 games.
Trust me, it makes a huge difference.

[fsavoie]

Originally Posted by BIGSAPOTEER

Are people still *****ing about BC? Just get a PS2! A slimer, cooler and cheaper PS3 is great for all of us. I don't get it? People want BC, because they have 1000 PS2 games but no PS2?

I want to be able to play my ps2 game with the wireless controller. Its why I have the 60G ps3.

+ the upscalling feature
+ it take less space in my tv stand

[Luis_A51]

Originally Posted by blitz6speed

The Xbox 360 had to drop below the Wii price just to keep up with the PS3. The PS3 does not need a price cut at all this year. It has the hottest games lineup of all the major gaming systems, it has the best hardware in specs and reliability, and it has Blu-ray with movies like Transformers, Iron Man, and of course, The Dark Knight to help sell the system to people on the fence.

Don't buy into the hype that the 360 is suddenly going to overthrow the PS3 now that its cheaper, its been cheaper THIS ENTIRE TIME, and it barely made a difference.

Im as big a PS3 supporter as there is, but you cant deny the benefits of a price cut. I know Arcades are pretty crap and dont compare at all with an 80gig ps3, but the fact that its 1/2 the price will sway a lot of lower-income families.

The ps3 might not NEED a pricecut to stay ahead of the 360, but it would definitely help. It would also help with holiday marketing. Make commercials that emphasize great games and a pricecut, and im sure that would be a big boost to sales.

[blitz6speed]

Originally Posted by Luis_A51

Im as big a PS3 supporter as there is, but you cant deny the benefits of a price cut. I know Arcades are pretty crap and dont compare at all with an 80gig ps3, but the fact that its 1/2 the price will sway a lot of lower-income families.

The ps3 might not NEED a pricecut to stay ahead of the 360, but it would definitely help. It would also help with holiday marketing. Make commercials that emphasize great games and a pricecut, and im sure that would be a big boost to sales.

Sony is after profitability this year, not marketshare. They've said that countless times. They are going to sell pretty much every system they put on the shelf this holiday season, so why lose 50 bucks per sale when its all going to be sold anyway. Price cut in feb/march is INSANELY likely tho. Its just stupid to do it now. Sony is not in a weak position like they were in 07.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by BluOgre

When you say "paving the way for price-cuts".......you make it sound like there will be no price cuts this year. That would be a pretty big mistake for the PS3......maybe not for Blu-ray but for the gaming side of the PS3, you can't have your main competition (X360) come out with a huge price cut and pretend the software will make up for it. I sure hope all the "we will not have a price cut this year" from Sony was about as truthful as last years price cut (when they were denying it even a couple days before the news hit).

A price cut (even a small $50 one) could be the difference of someone buying a PS3 this holiday season or not. People want a PS3 but they can't afford it......but they can afford the X360 even with it's horrendous problems. Sony execs have to see this.

I don't think there will be a cut in the price of entry for the PS3 until Sony can prove long term stability in the games unit. That means it needs to show a consistent profit for at least three quarters. This will prove to investors that it SCE will become the formidable profit generation centre it once was.

Right now Sony break even on each PS3 sold, cutting the price of entry will mean they start to lose money on hardware, if SCE loses profitability it will damage the long term credibility of the unit.

What Sony need to do is decide what is more important to them, the confidence of their investors or a few hundred thousand lost sales over a two month period. I know what I would do, and it doesn't involve fanboy dreams...

[BluOgre]

Originally Posted by blitz6speed

The Xbox 360 had to drop below the Wii price just to keep up with the PS3. The PS3 does not need a price cut at all this year. It has the hottest games lineup of all the major gaming systems, it has the best hardware in specs and reliability, and it has Blu-ray with movies like Transformers, Iron Man, and of course, The Dark Knight to help sell the system to people on the fence.

Don't buy into the hype that the 360 is suddenly going to overthrow the PS3 now that its cheaper, its been cheaper THIS ENTIRE TIME, and it barely made a difference.

I run over 60 rental locations, I don't buy into hype. What I do is look at numbers, my numbers are telling me X360 is lightyears ahead of the PS3 in installed base (I'm in over 5 markets all around the US) if you just look at rental activity per title.

You can quote me all the specs you want, here are the facts that I've been seeing. PS2 revenue is dropping and dropping SUPER fast in my markets. The PS3 revenue is not matching the drop but X360 is. I look at specific turns of all titles for the PS3......it's horrible. The PS3 titles turn worse than the Wii games......that shoudl tell you something right there (considering the Wii has crap for titles).

Also I'm finishing up my 4th qtr prebooks for games, PS3 has equal strength in titles as the X360. If you think the software is going to be better than X360's you may be in for a shock. I'm not looking at this from a fanboys point of view, I have to look at from the business side. Everything I am looking at is telling me PS3 needs a price cut so PS2 gamers can buy the PS3.

My prediction for the US sales (hardware/software) if the PS3 does not reduce its $399 price.....Sony is going to get slaughtered (console sales wise....I'm sure Blu-ray as a whole is going to do fine). I wish the thousands of customers that visit my stores see the same thing in PS3 that you do but it's pretty obvious they don't. When about 75% of my stores can't make a PROFIT off the software in a 6 month period.....this is a serious problem with the installed base here in the US.

[PS3-Playb3yond]

This is probably due to the 360's price drop. And it's about time too. Sales wise....PS3 is not doing too good.

[slee915]

Originally Posted by BIGSAPOTEER

Are people still *****ing about BC? Just get a PS2! A slimer, cooler and cheaper PS3 is great for all of us. I don't get it? People want BC, because they have 1000 PS2 games but no PS2?

I hate switching my component input port between a PS2 and a wii.

[BluOgre]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

I don't think there will be a cut in the price of entry for the PS3 until Sony can prove long term stability in the games unit. That means it needs to show a consistent profit for at least three quarters. This will prove to investors that it SCE will become the formidable profit generation centre it once was.

Right now Sony break even on each PS3 sold, cutting the price of entry will mean they start to lose money on hardware, if SCE loses profitability it will damage the long term credibility of the unit.

What Sony need to do is decide what is more important to them, the confidence of their investors or a few hundred thousand lost sales over a two month period. I know what I would do, and it doesn't involve fanboy dreams...

I guess I thought making money off the console wasn't important to them after reading about that Sony exec saying they don't think they'll ever make back the losses in the PS3 hardware.

You maybe correct that it only hurts them this year with a few hundred thousand people goign to the competitor however the negative press will be BAD for the PS3. I find it amazing to this day that people still actually think there is no games to play on the PS3......but it all stims from the negative press the PS3 had at the beginning. The lack of software they had the first year still haunts them to this day.

All I'm saying is you could have the same situation here.....if X360 sales double PS3's in the US during the 4th qtr, that could have long term effects. Then again I'm not privy to your information so maybe it is a matter of securing investors for longterm. I'm just looking at it from a reailer/rentailers perspective who wants the PS3 to do good. Right now I believe the price is the only thing holding it back.