nVidia and Sony team-up for custom GPU for PS3!!!

[Domination]

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and NVIDIA Announce Joint GPU Development for SCEI's Next-Generation Computer Entertainment System
Tuesday December 7, 3:11 am ET


TOKYO and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) and NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA - News) today announced that the companies have been collaborating on bringing advanced graphics technology and computer entertainment technology to SCEI's highly anticipated next-generation computer entertainment system. Both companies are jointly developing a custom graphics processing unit (GPU) incorporating NVIDIA's next-generation GeForce(TM) and SCEI's system solutions for next-generation computer entertainment systems featuring the Cell* processor.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020613/NVDALOGO http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041207/SFTU096 )
This collaboration is made under a broad, multi-year, royalty-bearing agreement. The powerful custom GPU will be the graphics and image processing foundation for a broad range of applications from computer entertainment to broadband applications. The agreement will encompass future Sony digital consumer electronics products.

"In the future, the experience of computer entertainment systems and broadband-ready PCs will be fused together to generate and transfer multi-streams of rich content simultaneously. In this sense, we have found the best way to integrate the state-of-the-art technologies from NVIDIA and SCEI," said Ken Kutaragi, executive deputy president and COO, Sony Corporation, and president and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "Our collaboration includes not only the chip development but also a variety of graphics development tools and middleware, essential for efficient content creation."

"We are thrilled to partner with Sony Computer Entertainment to build what will certainly be one of the most important computer entertainment and digital media platforms of the twenty-first century," added Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO, NVIDIA. "Over the past two years NVIDIA has worked closely with Sony Computer Entertainment on their next-generation computer entertainment system. In parallel, we have been designing our next-generation GeForce GPU. The combination of the revolutionary Cell processor and NVIDIA's graphics technologies will enable the creation of breathtaking imagery that will surprise and captivate consumers."

The custom GPU will be manufactured at Sony Group's Nagasaki Fab2 as well as OTSS (joint fabrication facility of Toshiba and Sony).

Note:

"Cell" is the code-name for an advanced microprocessor under development by IBM, Toshiba and Sony Group.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these two platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

About NVIDIA

NVIDIA Corporation is a worldwide leader in graphics and digital media processors. The Company's products enhance the end-user experience on consumer and professional computing devices. NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs), media and communications processors (MCPs), and wireless media processors (WMPs) have broad market reach and are incorporated into a variety of platforms, including consumer and enterprise PCs, notebooks, workstations, PDAs, mobile phones, and video game consoles. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and employs more than 2,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.nvidia.com.

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to the development of the custom GPU, the benefits of the collaboration, the benefits, uses, and capabilities of the custom GPU and computer entertainment systems featuring the Cell processor, the fusion of computer entertainment systems and broadband systems, the agreement between the parties, and the manufacture of the custom GPU are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to whether SCEI and NVIDIA continue the collaboration, whether SCEI continues to use the NVIDIA custom GPU as the foundation for a broad range of its applications, market acceptance of SCEI's next-generation computer entertainment system,, market acceptance of new products and technology, delays in ramping new products into production, manufacturing delays and defects, incompatibility of technologies, reliance on third-party manufacturers, general industry trends including cyclical trends in the semiconductor market, delays in integration of our products, the impact of competitive products and pricing alternatives, and other risks detailed from time to time in the NVIDIA reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 24, 2004. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.


:shock: :shock: :shock:
Once again, Deadmeat is wrong as a doornob, and I'm overly surprised at the news. It seems the rumors were right after all. After two whole years, it seems Sony has been keeping lip tight on their alliance with nVidia as wells as Toshiba for this new GPU. I don't know about you guys, but Cell-based streams across the mind.

[solidus]

I remember the rumour in 2003 announcing their cooperation but a company senior denied they were true. They managed to keep it secret for quit a while. I'm wondering how the GPU will work incorporated with NVIDIA's GeForce and SCEI's Cell processor.

[threepac3]

Yea i posted this statment in the graphics thread about 3 - 4 hours ago... This news puts the notion that ps3 will be hard to program for to bed.

[axia777]

This is the most pimp ass news I have heard in a long long time. So much for PS3's GPU being shite! :lol: NVIDIA is deffinatly the top market leader along with ATI, some argue the better is the better of the two. I can't wait to see a full list of functions and kool stuff NVIDIA and Sony are gonna pack into the GPU. Vertex shaders and pixel shaders and the like. PS3 is gonna kick some major ass man. Bring it on! :P

[Domination]

For those who are a little confused about this news, both Sony and nVidia will/is building the GPU.Hence the term "custom," co-development was used. It is nothing like the deal Microsoft had with nVidia where nVidia were the only ones supplying knowledge for the entire GPU. This explains why Sony would have the chip developed in their plant as well while retaining backwards compatibility for their previous consoles.

[Chris Metal]

Mwahahahaha :twisted: Well this is welcome news. Now the fun begins. The question remains will Nvidia be able to better ATI at developing a GPU for Next Gen. I certainly hope so, but both companies are pretty much even in their field. But Nvidia and Sony have been working on this for 2 years if I read correctly so this GPU for PS3 should be something to behold. :D

[Domination]

Mwahahahaha :twisted: Well this is welcome news. Now the fun begins. The question remains will Nvidia be able to better ATI at developing a GPU for Next Gen. I certainly hope so, but both companies are pretty much even in their field. But Nvidia and Sony have been working on this for 2 years if I read correctly so this GPU for PS3 should be something to behold. :D

You should ask yourself these question: how often does ATI and nVidia build new GPUs? How distant apart are they from their previous GPUs? How did Sony's knowledge for a GPU work up against the competition? :wink:

[Dralor]

Oh well, I guess its an end to Sony's patented brute force approach on the gpu at least. :lol:

[Splitter]

Hmm… I like my Geforce 6800GT. Let’s hope they’ll make something awesome for PS3.

Things just keep getting more interesting, don’t they? :D

[GTShotoKen]

hmmmmm...... I would prefer ATI, but Nvidia is fantastic also. I guess all those articles 2 years ago saying that Sony did not want any outside help on the design of its GPU was false (They basically said that they declined praticipation from Nvidia).

I hope that the GPU for the PS3 will be vastly more powerful than that of the one for the PC (nextgen PC card that is!).

Nvidia! Now is your time to shine over ATI and gain your title back.

[Rallyracr420]

I just read the article by IGN on the same nVidia/Sony partnership. They had one helluva interesting quote:

Firstly, if NVIDIA's GPU for PS3 is a custom version of its next-gen chip, then SLI (or dual chip) is practically a shoe-in. We'd put a few bucks on the line that says there will be at least two NVIDIA branded GPUs in PlayStation 3. The interesting thing would be to see more than two, but that's for future investigation.

Source: http://gear.ign.com/articles/571/571598p1.html

[PeanutButterMunky]

The PS3 is scaring me :( It will be TOO powerful. It will bring life to all the electronics and furniture in people's homes with it's "interconnectivity", and the once inanimate objects will take over the world and bring forth ARMAGEDDON!!

Well...maybe not...

[Domination]

Oh well, I guess its an end to Sony's patented brute force approach on the gpu at least. :lol:

Seeing how Sony is working on the GPU with nVidia, this could still hold true. But, that's what I was talking about. nVidia aren't just building a GPU for Sony's console like ATI is doing with Microsoft's console. The two have partnered on the project a little of their input as well, and they would have to if Cell and this workstation is supose to be compatible with the console.

[ainsley]

I just read the article by IGN on the same nVidia/Sony partnership. They had one helluva interesting quote:

Firstly, if NVIDIA's GPU for PS3 is a custom version of its next-gen chip, then SLI (or dual chip) is practically a shoe-in. We'd put a few bucks on the line that says there will be at least two NVIDIA branded GPUs in PlayStation 3. The interesting thing would be to see more than two, but that's for future investigation.

Source: http://gear.ign.com/articles/571/571598p1.html

2 gpus in the PS3 will make it too expensive to manufacter and give it an uncompetative (high) retail price. Unless the two gpu chips are low profile, in which case it would be more logical to just put in one relatively higher performance GPU. I could be wrong as im only making assumptions, so dont qoute me on this. Taking PC SLI for an example, two 6600gts bring about the same performance as one 6800gt, but one 6800gt is cheaper than two 6600gts.

[oxygenuk]

i hope they put 2 gpu's in the ps3, COME ON NVIDIA U KNOW U WANT TO, imagine the possibilitys :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[GTShotoKen]

I just read the article by IGN on the same nVidia/Sony partnership. They had one helluva interesting quote:

Firstly, if NVIDIA's GPU for PS3 is a custom version of its next-gen chip, then SLI (or dual chip) is practically a shoe-in. We'd put a few bucks on the line that says there will be at least two NVIDIA branded GPUs in PlayStation 3. The interesting thing would be to see more than two, but that's for future investigation.

Source: http://gear.ign.com/articles/571/571598p1.html

I have seen many revews on SLI, and all of them have said that it is useless unless your run the monitors resolution at 1600x1200 (below leaves the game cpu limited, and above does not receive as much of a performance increase), and you have all settings, including Anti-alaising and Anitstrophic filtering, turned up to max settings. This may sound good for some people, but that would mean that everyone would have to buy some pretty expensive televisions, unless you are going to play your PS3 on a CRT, or LCD, monitor.

This may be worked out, but then again; the nvidia cards that support SLI through the drivers weren't designed to work as a dual GPU unit, so my worries may just be me being peroniod (I don't know the spelling :lol: ).

[xbdestroya]

I just read the article by IGN on the same nVidia/Sony partnership. They had one helluva interesting quote:

Firstly, if NVIDIA's GPU for PS3 is a custom version of its next-gen chip, then SLI (or dual chip) is practically a shoe-in. We'd put a few bucks on the line that says there will be at least two NVIDIA branded GPUs in PlayStation 3. The interesting thing would be to see more than two, but that's for future investigation.

Source: http://gear.ign.com/articles/571/571598p1.html

2 gpus in the PS3 will make it too expensive to manufacter and give it an uncompetative (high) retail price. Unless the two gpu chips are low profile, in which case it would be more logical to just put in one relatively higher performance GPU. I could be wrong as im only making assumptions, so dont qoute me on this. Taking PC SLI for an example, two 6600gts bring about the same performance as one 6800gt, but one 6800gt is cheaper than two 6600gts.

Well, somethign tells me that's why Sony's goign to take care of the manufacturing themselves! 8) That is going to do A LOT to make the chips more afordable.

[xbdestroya]

EDIT: [former double-post due to psinext.com's MAJOR ISSUES!!!]

[xbdestroya]

I just read the article by IGN on the same nVidia/Sony partnership. They had one helluva interesting quote:

Firstly, if NVIDIA's GPU for PS3 is a custom version of its next-gen chip, then SLI (or dual chip) is practically a shoe-in. We'd put a few bucks on the line that says there will be at least two NVIDIA branded GPUs in PlayStation 3. The interesting thing would be to see more than two, but that's for future investigation.

Source: http://gear.ign.com/articles/571/571598p1.html

I have seen many revews on SLI, and all of them have said that it is useless unless your run the monitors resolution at 1600x1200 (below leaves the game cpu limited, and above does not receive as much of a performance increase), and you have all settings, including Anti-alaising and Anitstrophic filtering, turned up to max settings. This may sound good for some people, but that would mean that everyone would have to buy some pretty expensive televisions, unless you are going to play your PS3 on a CRT, or LCD, monitor.

This may be worked out, but then again; the nvidia cards that support SLI through the drivers weren't designed to work as a dual GPU unit, so my worries may just be me being peroniod (I don't know the spelling :lol: ).

You make a very good point about the SLI technique and it's real world benefits; I remember that article now also, and beneath a certain resolution, the GPU's were indeed CPU limited. But, what happens when the CPU is the Cell? 8)

My theory is kick-ass performance!

[Rallyracr420]

:lol: Yeah but here's to hoping....

I realize it doesn't sound likely, but it sounded so cool that if IGN was taking guesses like this, they couldn't be too far off. It makes me drool a little though thinking about it...

We could have

1) Dual simple nVidia GPUs working together.
2) Dual Cell-modified nVidia GPUs
3) The first multicore nVidia GPU

Things to note: nVidia has a GPU they haven't released to the public yet called the NV47 with 24 piplines. The NV48 and NV50 chips were canceled just days before nVidia and Sony made this partnership announcement. I imagine that this is because nVidia needs to concentrate an even better architecture for the PS3. This also makes sense because nVidia is going to be getting a ton of revenue from Sony licensing their chips...they won't need to contentrate on the PC market right now because they'll have guarenteed income for years and years to come.

[xbdestroya]

hmmmmm...... I would prefer ATI, but Nvidia is fantastic also. I guess all those articles 2 years ago saying that Sony did not want any outside help on the design of its GPU was false (They basically said that they declined praticipation from Nvidia).

I hope that the GPU for the PS3 will be vastly more powerful than that of the one for the PC (nextgen PC card that is!).

Nvidia! Now is your time to shine over ATI and gain your title back.


I have a theory on this, and maybe it's wrong. But I wouldn;t be surprised if in-house teams from Sony (and maybe Toshiba) weren;t indeed workignon the GPU solution. At the same time, NVidia was working with a different Sony team on a proposed solution. Now, the time has come to choose one of the two architectures, they were compared, and the NVidia solution won out. It obviously must have been a good bit better, because Sony would prefer to not pay licensing, I'm sure.

Two things from a future perspective. Firstly, this is great for NVidia - it could be the defining moment in their chip roadmap for quite awhile. Have any of you been hearing the recent rumors stating that NVidia cancelled work on their next generation NV50 chip? Well I have - and I wonder what that's about. But I wouldn't be surprised if the PS3 design is part of that, and NVIdia's decided to go with some new, totally different chip plan for their future PC GPU's as well.

Secondly, I think this is good for the PS3, but maybe bad for Sony (in the long run, depending). Rather, I hope they keep a strong in-house graphics development team. Them going with NVidia has me worried that they might reduce funding for the in-house team - at the very least, I hope their license includes rights to the architecture and the ability to tweak it and release different versions down the line if they like. SCEI's graphics team wasn't the most incredible, but it was still strong when you consider the other players that could possibly challenge NVidia and ATI. Having less players in the market just makes me feel like some cool idea might get missed down the line.

I just worry that with Sony working so much with other firms to help with chip design, they'll start becoming dependent on them and begin to let their own chip people languish. That could have a negative effect in the NEXT-next generation.

[Darknight]

I just worry that with Sony working so much with other firms to help with chip design, they'll start becoming dependent on them and begin to let their own chip people languish. That could have a negative effect in the NEXT-next generation.

Gotta agree with you there. I'm also not sure about Sony paying royalties and using third party hardware in their consoles.

One of the main things that make Sony stand out in their console manufacturing is the fact that most of the work is done in house - so Sony have absolute control over their overheads. If you bring another company into the mix, you are faced with a few issues.

These include pricing (obviously, as this was probably the main factor in Segas downfall) and the fact that Sony may not have total control over what's going into their console. Look at how well the PSTwo is selling - I'm certain Sony will want to do this with the PS3, but what if that would involve a redesign of the graphics chip? Would Nvidia be willing to do this? (obviously the answer is yes, but what about in the future? Will Sony allow more outside forces to put more equipment in their consoles?)

I'll bet Microsoft are looking at PSTwo sales and are drooling over themselves at the moment, but they can't redesign their Xbox because none of the parts in it are made by Microsoft. They're stuck with crappy colour changes (Xbox Crystal, anyone :lol: )

[PlayBoy]

I just worry that with Sony working so much with other firms to help with chip design, they'll start becoming dependent on them and begin to let their own chip people languish. That could have a negative effect in the NEXT-next generation.

Gotta agree with you there. I'm also not sure about Sony paying royalties and using third party hardware in their consoles.

One of the main things that make Sony stand out in their console manufacturing is the fact that most of the work is done in house - so Sony have absolute control over their overheads. If you bring another company into the mix, you are faced with a few issues.

Not true. Toshiba's semiconductor division designed most of the hardware in the PS2 by the spec given by SCEI. Then, with this experience gained from the work with Toshiba, SCEI developped the PSP almost completely with their own in-house technology, hence you can see the aggressive price of the PSP today. Beyond the PS3, SCEI now gains access to the IP of nVIDIA and learns something, contrary to the Xbox deal in which MS had no access to the nVIDIA technology itself. F34r the PS4 :P

[xbdestroya]

I just worry that with Sony working so much with other firms to help with chip design, they'll start becoming dependent on them and begin to let their own chip people languish. That could have a negative effect in the NEXT-next generation.

Gotta agree with you there. I'm also not sure about Sony paying royalties and using third party hardware in their consoles.

One of the main things that make Sony stand out in their console manufacturing is the fact that most of the work is done in house - so Sony have absolute control over their overheads. If you bring another company into the mix, you are faced with a few issues.

Not true. Toshiba's semiconductor division designed most of the hardware in the PS2 by the spec given by SCEI. Then, with this experience gained from the work with Toshiba, SCEI developped the PSP almost completely with their own in-house technology, hence you can see the aggressive price of the PSP today. Beyond the PS3, SCEI now gains access to the IP of nVIDIA and learns something, contrary to the Xbox deal in which MS had no access to the nVIDIA technology itself. F34r the PS4 :P

It's true Toshiba helped with some of the chip design and subsystem work of the PS2, but it was less of an issue because you know Toshiba's not going to e launching a console of their own ever; I'm not so sure about IBM or NVidia. :wink: Now, thew Toshiba deal certainly did include full IP rights, which is how Sony was able to do a system-on-chip design for the new PS2 and the PSP. Still, something 'feels' different about these recent deals. I hope Sony at least has rights to the IP of whatever tech NVidia's making for them, because PS3's going to kick ass, but I really would hate to see them painting themselves into a corner. Toshiba and Sony work in that passive-aggressive busines relationship way that Japanese companies do; IBM and NVidia are just utterly ruthless when you come down to it (not that I;m not a fan of both!).

[Domination]

hmmmmm...... I would prefer ATI, but Nvidia is fantastic also. I guess all those articles 2 years ago saying that Sony did not want any outside help on the design of its GPU was false (They basically said that they declined praticipation from Nvidia).

I hope that the GPU for the PS3 will be vastly more powerful than that of the one for the PC (nextgen PC card that is!).

Nvidia! Now is your time to shine over ATI and gain your title back.


I have a theory on this, and maybe it's wrong. But I wouldn;t be surprised if in-house teams from Sony (and maybe Toshiba) weren;t indeed workignon the GPU solution. At the same time, NVidia was working with a different Sony team on a proposed solution. Now, the time has come to choose one of the two architectures, they were compared, and the NVidia solution won out. It obviously must have been a good bit better, because Sony would prefer to not pay licensing, I'm sure.

Two things from a future perspective. Firstly, this is great for NVidia - it could be the defining moment in their chip roadmap for quite awhile. Have any of you been hearing the recent rumors stating that NVidia cancelled work on their next generation NV50 chip? Well I have - and I wonder what that's about. But I wouldn't be surprised if the PS3 design is part of that, and NVIdia's decided to go with some new, totally different chip plan for their future PC GPU's as well.

Secondly, I think this is good for the PS3, but maybe bad for Sony (in the long run, depending). Rather, I hope they keep a strong in-house graphics development team. Them going with NVidia has me worried that they might reduce funding for the in-house team - at the very least, I hope their license includes rights to the architecture and the ability to tweak it and release different versions down the line if they like. SCEI's graphics team wasn't the most incredible, but it was still strong when you consider the other players that could possibly challenge NVidia and ATI. Having less players in the market just makes me feel like some cool idea might get missed down the line.

I just worry that with Sony working so much with other firms to help with chip design, they'll start becoming dependent on them and begin to let their own chip people languish. That could have a negative effect in the NEXT-next generation.

As far as I know, the design will be completely different from anything nVidia has ever done, but I'll go into that later. It looks to me that Sony will be liceasing nVidia's technology as the both builds this new GPU.

Here's a small quote:

"It will be a custom GPU, not based on an existing architecture," said Jen-Hsun... "It will be based on an architecture under development."

full story (http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1737183,00.asp)

[Domination]

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[Domination]

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[julps31]

I know its been said before but the PS3's going to be a monster of a console. First you have the powerful CELL Processor (super fast, can do multiple task at once including some graphical task) than you got the xdr-ram, middleware, and Nvidias chip going into. Like they said in the IGN artical I think that Cell will or can do some of the graphical work (vertex transformations) taking the strain off the GPU allowing for intensive lighting effects, shaders and detailed characters.

[megadrive]

okay, Nvidia's CEO is saying that PS3's GPU will be roughly a 50 fold increase in power/performance over PS2's Graphics Synthesizer.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story.php?id=113056


Speaking at a Silicon Valley press conference, nVidia president Jen-Hsun Huang confirmed that the company has already been working on the chip for an extended time and suggested that it would be in the region of 50 times more powerful than the PS2's graphics chip.



http://www.totalvideogames.com/pages/articles/index.php?article_id=6897


Speaking at a San Jose Press Conference, Jen-Hsun Huang President nVidia, claimed that the processor set to feature has been specifically created for the Playstation3 and is not based on a PC chipset. Huang claimed that both Sony and nVidia have been working closely for the last two years on the design of the chip, backing up earlier speculation that both companies were in collaboration.

Naturally Huang believes the Playstation3 to be far more powerful then anything currently on the market, with some vague suggestions hinting at a 50 fold increase in performance compared to the Playstation2.

[julps31]

Now that we know this information the only thing I'll be worried about is the GPU architecture and the amount of memory in the PS3. Maybe the GPU will have some design elements from the CELL. I trust that since Sony worked with Nvidia on the GPU they wouldn't let a less powerful GPU bottleneck the Cell.

[xbdestroya]

okay, Nvidia's CEO is saying that PS3's GPU will be roughly a 50 fold increase in power/performance over PS2's Graphics Synthesizer.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/news/news_story.php?id=113056


Speaking at a Silicon Valley press conference, nVidia president Jen-Hsun Huang confirmed that the company has already been working on the chip for an extended time and suggested that it would be in the region of 50 times more powerful than the PS2's graphics chip.



http://www.totalvideogames.com/pages/articles/index.php?article_id=6897


Speaking at a San Jose Press Conference, Jen-Hsun Huang President nVidia, claimed that the processor set to feature has been specifically created for the Playstation3 and is not based on a PC chipset. Huang claimed that both Sony and nVidia have been working closely for the last two years on the design of the chip, backing up earlier speculation that both companies were in collaboration.

Naturally Huang believes the Playstation3 to be far more powerful then anything currently on the market, with some vague suggestions hinting at a 50 fold increase in performance compared to the
Playstation2.


Well, like Sony, NVidia's a bit of a hypester themselves. It'll be interestng to see exactly what 50x more powerful ends up being. More importantly, if the architecture is REALLY not based on any of their PC designs, that signifies something very, very significant on NVidia's part. A whole new architecture approach carries some risks, and I would imagine some hefty R&D costs - who knows, they could be on the verge of something huge.

Talk recently has been that they've cancelled their NV48 and NV 50 (their next generation) chip development.

What if that were because they've decided to go with the tech they've developed for PS3 in the PC as well? If anything like that were the case, it would indicate something incredible PS3-wise. But I've also heard it might be because their next generation of video cards might include an onboard Soundstorm chip. That's a different topic, however.

[cpiasminc]

Well, like Sony, NVidia's a bit of a hypester themselves. It'll be interestng to see exactly what 50x more powerful ends up being. More importantly, if the architecture is REALLY not based on any of their PC designs, that signifies something very, very significant on NVidia's part. A whole new architecture approach carries some risks, and I would imagine some hefty R&D costs - who knows, they could be on the verge of something huge.
Well, it's not that certain what the nature of their integration is just yet. One moment they speak of how it would be incorporated very straightforwardly, and another moment it seems to suggest CELL integration. Still not really sure.

Still, there's a lot of ways you can be 50x more powerful. Remember that texture layers ate up theoretical performance limits on PS2. Multitexturing nowadays is so ubiquitous that any GPU, nVidia or otherwise would be better suited to it. Considering that 50x as fast as PS2 using dual-texturing translates to 875 million polys/sec... that's still big, but it could well mean that the max performance w/o texturing wouldn't be that great as compared to the 3 billion you might calculate by comparing to non-textured PS2 performance. Moreover, a maximum of 875 million polys/sec could invalidate hopes of REYES rendering unless you have excellent HSR... depends on what nVidia wants to do about that... I doubt there'd be much value on nVidia's part to pour a lot of R&D money into PS3 as opposed to PC hardware (PC proliferation is still wider than consoles no matter how many PS3s are sold).

[Matt]

Anything graphic-related goes here guys:

http://www.psinext.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4222