The future of gaming graphics: Raytracing GPU's

[makingmusic476]

ssj12 said:

Troll_Monster said:

leo-j said:
You know the cell can ray trace.

It took 3 PS3's networked to gether to muster the power to render just 1 car using raytracing in real time, which is a feat of it's own, but to render a full scene like in games would require much more than just 3 PS3's.

true but lets look at rumored specs of the next gen PlayStation (PS4) and Cell 2.0. (not the shrunk varieties of the cell 1.0)

Current Cell (1.0) specs:

1 PPE
8 SPEs
up to 6.4GHz (200 degrees Fahrenheit)

PS3 Cell Specs:

1 PPE
7 SPEs
3.2GHz (due to heat)

now Cell 2.0 rumored specs:

4 PPEs
32 SPEs
Clock Unknown

 

It took the power of 3 RSXs, 21 SPEs, and 3 PPEs to properly raytrack a single car.

 

The PS4 wont be strong enough to do full scale raytracking but due rumored abilities of the PS4 having massively upgraded CELL and a video card that will easily be above the strength of 3 RSXs combined there is extreme possibility that there will be limited raytracking in games so lighting will be at least 1000 times better.

 

For CELL 2.0 rumor see Sony's 2005 E3 press conference.

Yeah, the Cell 2.0 is essentially just a cluster of Cell 1.0s (hopefully with the eigth SPU active). I wonder if they'll be able to manage the heat of a 4.0 ghz Cell now, with the smaller dies and all. Just think if they hadn't downclocked the speed of the Cell for the ps3.

As for the PS4's GPU, I doubt it would only be as strong as 3 RSXs.  The RSX was stronger than two 6800 Ultras, which hit shelves over 4 years after the ps2 came out.