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Forums - Sony Discussion - Ultimate Goal for Orbis: Run 1080p, 60frames with no problem. Powerful enough for today and tomorrows markets. Affordable but not a slouch.

Rumor: PS4 based on AMD A10 series, new dev kits shipping
Console featured revamped UI. Travel "anywhere" on the system mid-game.
November 1, 2012 / 12:39 PM EDT / Sal Romano (@salromano)

A plethora of new PlayStation 4 details have hit the net, that is, if the unnamed source of VG247 is to be trusted. Find the batch of information below. But of course, as it’s according to the site’s source, thus unconfirmed, take it with a grain of salt.

Dev Kits

A new version of the dev kit, housed in a standard PC case and codenamed Orbis, is being shipped to developers.

There will be four versions of the dev kit. The previous version was just a graphics card. The new version is of a “modified PC.” The next version, which will be sent out in January, will have close to final specs. The final version will be sent out “next summer.”

Developer Meetings

Sony held a “disclosure meeting” with U.S. developers this week to discuss the machine, what it’s designed to do, detail its hardware, and show a set of presentations. It will hold another meeting in “the coming weeks.”

The name “PlayStation 4″ was never used in these meetings. Sony has always referenced the machine as “Orbis.”

Hardware

Orbis is based on the AMD’s A10 APU series, which is a combined CPU and GPU. The system’s APU is “derivative” of existing A10 hardware, and is “based on A10 system and base platform.”

The “ultimate goal” for the hardware is to run 1080p, 60fps game in 3D with “no problem,” and to create a machine powerful enough for “today and tomorrow’s market.”

Current dev kits for the platform have either “8gb or 16gb of RAM.” The system will feature a Blu-ray drive, and offer a 256gb “standard” hard-drive. However, it was not clear if it will be a normal or solid state drive. It will also have Wi-Fi, and Etherhnet and HDMI out ports. There is “no difference” between Orbis and PlayStation 3′s outputs, according to the source.

With Orbis, Sony aims to avoid the problems it encountered when launching PlayStation 3. It aims to create a console that’s “very affordable,” but “isn’t a slouch.”

The machine is not being made in Japan.

User Interface

Orbis’ user interface has been revamped. Players will be able to press the PlayStation button mid-game and travel “anywhere” on the system. The source cites buying download content from the PlayStation Store mid-game, then seamelessly returning to the game.

“They’re trying to make it as fluid as possible,” said the source.

The system will also be able to accept system and product updates in the background, and will “always be in standby mode,” if you choose to enable that option.

Announcement

Sony is expected to announce the new console “just before E3″ next year, according to the source.



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Posted it on SuperChunk's thread. It will be awesome if Sony can pull of a powerful machine like that with a relative low price, more than $500 will be too much imo. And of course Sony can't take losses on this one, only if it is a really small one.



Nintendo and PC gamer

More than 400 is to much. Maybe 450, but 500 is still to much. Thats half a grand.



This all sounds pretty good to me but I dont know much about the A10 APU

Any tech guys expand on it?



Fuck. Yes. About time we got some more details!
They seem to be going in the right direction.

"The UI, however, has been revamped. It was said today that players will now be able to press the PS button mid-game and travel “anywhere” on the system. An example given was buying DLC from the PS Store mid-game then seamlessly returning to play.

“They’re trying to make it as fluid as possible,” our source said.

We were also told that the machine will be designed to accept system and product updates in the background, and that it’ll “always be in standby mode”. When you set the console up, we were told, you’ll be asked if you want to allow background downloads. You can, of course, disallow them."

This is especially good to hear. 



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Take the PS3 approach to gaming and apply it to modern day equivalent specs.

Take away any launch issues and delays, as Sony would hopefully have learned from that.

Take the $599 of 2006 and adjust it for inflation for todays dollar amount. Subtract $100-200.



Xbox: Best hardware, Game Pass best value, best BC, more 1st party genres and multiplayer titles. 

 

I really can't understand why people want a cheap console. Do you want to buy a new one in 5 years?



must-have-list for platforms i don't own yet:

WiiU: Donkey Kong

XBone: Dead Rising 3, Ryse

Charlie at S|A says it's coming Spring 2014.



Gehirnkrampf said:
I really can't understand why people want a cheap console. Do you want to buy a new one in 5 years?


PS3 was not cheap, but im on my third one. Unless you ment a PS5 then im not sure why you say that when most owners have had a PS3 break at least once.



Sounds so awesome. That last line annoys me though. Why not keep it for E3. I am talking "Sony is expected to announce the new console “just before E3″ next year, according to the source." There is so sense of wonder left for E3 anymore. Reckless Sony leaks or announces everything before. Argh.