Rumor: Sony Playstation 4 will be an x86 CPU with an AMD GPU

• March 10, 2012
• Written by Mark
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We have been hearing rumors for the past year now that AMD GPU’s will be used in the next generation consoles however, aside from reports that the Xbox would use a Fusion variant of Bulldozer, we have not been hearing to much about the actual CPU that may be used. Now SemiAccurate claims that the Sony Playstation 4 will be an x86 CPU with an AMD GPU. This “completes the AMD clean sweep of all the next gen consoles.” We have been watching these rumors about the next-generation console hardware very closely since using all AMD hardware, especially the GPU would put NVIDIA and PhysX in an interesting spot since they would probably have to port PhysX to OpenCL or go completely CPU based, which as most people would agree is not a bad thing at all. Aside from the future of PhysX we will probably not start to see physics implemented into games on a larger scale than what we see now until the next-generation consoles are out so we are very eager to learn the capabilities of them.

From SemiAccurate – Sony Playstation 4 will be an x86 CPU with an AMD GPU:

With the current wave of Playstation 4 leaks, it is time to spill some of the beans on what we know about the console. The short story is that it completes the AMD clean sweep of all the next gen consoles.

Yes, you heard that right, multiple sources have been telling SemiAccurate for some time that AMD won not just the GPU as many are suggesting, but the CPU as well. Sony will almost assuredly use an x86 CPU for the PS4, and after Cell in the PS3, can you really blame them? While this may point to a very Fusion/Llano-like architecture we hear that is only the beginning.

For starters, you have an AMD Fusion type design, and the recently launched but underwhelming Bulldozer, coupled with a GCN/Southern Islands/HD7000 series core is a good start. If you look at the Bulldozer architecture, it does have some really creepy high level similarities to Cell, doesn’t it? SemiAccurate’s sources won’t spill the beans on the exact generation of CPU and GPU that are in the PS4, but we expect it to be a very customized version of an existing or near future design.

Source [SemiAccurate]

Sony Doesn’t Plan To Unveil A New PlayStation at E3 2012

• January 10, 2012
• Written by Mark
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With all of the excitement about rumored hardware being used in the next-generation consoles, some very disappointing news has come today. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sony has no plans to unveil the Sony Playstation 4 at this years E3 and is going to stick with the 10-year life cycle plan. If this is true then it is very disappointing news for game physics. We are eagerly awaiting the next-generation consoles or at least solid information about their capabilities so we can see physics in games progress and be implemented on a larger scale. It sounds like we are going to have a long wait until game physics really takes off.

Sony Doesn’t Plan To Unveil A New PlayStation At Key Trade Show:

Sony said it does not plan on making an announcement about a new home console at this year’s E3 videogame trade show, deflating expectation that a successor to its PlayStation 3 will be on its way soon.

Kaz Hirai, who oversees Sony’s videogame and consumer electronics businesses, said the company always viewed PlayStation 3, which debuted in 2006, as a product with a 10-year life cycle and he sees no reason to rush to replace it with a new system.

Sony Doesn’t Plan To Unveil A New PlayStation At Key Trade Show [WSJ]
No, There Won’t be a PlayStation 4 at E3 [Kotaku]

Next Generation Console Rumor Update: Xbox Will Use AMD Fusion Bulldozer variant APU

• July 21, 2011
• Written by Mark
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I was pretty excited this past week to hear the rumor from hardocp that AMD will be the GPU choice on all three next generation consoles. This is pretty big news for game physics as it puts NVIDIA and the future of PhysX in a tough spot. Now hardocp is reporting that that the CPU in the next-gen Xbox may be an AMD Fusion Bulldozer variant APU instead of the reported IBM cell processor. Not only is this a huge win for AMD if it is true but it could also mean a HUGE win for video game physics. If a Bulldozer Fusion APU with integrated Radeon graphics was used as the main CPU and paired with a discrete GPU, it could possibly leave the on-board GPU to be used exclusively for OpenCL physics processing.

From [H]ardOCP:

We reported earlier this month in our “E3 Rumors on Next Generation Console Hardware” article that Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox would likely be sporting a new IBM cell processor, although we did suggest that was not written in stone. We are hearing this week that AMD has very likely locked up the whole shebang with a Fusion Bulldozer variant APU. This of course will be a huge win for AMD.

Source

Rumor: AMD will be the GPU choice on all three next generation consoles

• July 14, 2011
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With news starting to surface about the next generation consoles, rumors are starting to surface about the hardware specs that they will use. It was recently announced that the successor to the Nintendo Wii, the Wii U, will use an AMD Radeon GPU for its graphiscs. Rumors are also starting to fly that Sony will start production of PS4 at end of 2011 for a possible 2012 release. If all of this is true then there is no doubt that development is well underway on these next-generation consoles and there is a good bet that the preliminary hardware design has already been laid out. Now [H]ardOCP.com has posted an interesting article about rumors that have surfaced from E3 2011 on the next generation console hardware that these consoles will use and according to HardOCP, “Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony, are looking very much to be part of Team AMD for GPU”.

If this is true that AMD GPUs will be used for all of the next generation consoles then this could possibly spell certain doom for PhysX or force NVIDIA to port it OpenCL or make it CPU accelerated only. Since GPU accelerated PhysX requires a CUDA capable NVIDIA GPU there would be no way for developers to implement GPU PhysX into their games on consoles that use AMD GPUs. They could always use the CPU Accelerated PhysX like it is done now with many titles but with NVIDIA continuing to push GPU accelerated PhysX for games this will no doubt means an uncertain future for PhysX.

From E3 Rumors on Next Generation Console Hardware:

What looks to be a “done deal” at this point is that AMD will be the GPU choice on all three next generation consoles. Yes, all the big guns in the console world, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony, are looking very much to be part of Team AMD for GPU. That is correct, NVIDIA, “NO SOUP FOR YOU!” But NVIDIA already knew this, now you do too.

Read the rest of the article at [H]ardOCP.