| Alby_da_Wolf said: Why should Sony switch to x64 architecture? For uses that don't require back compatibility with x64 and x86 legacy SW, it wastes for it silicon, electric and computing power and money. OTOH Power architecture is very advanced, efficient and scalable, each generation can give the designer not only a wide range of computing power and power consumption, but also the choice to achieve the desired computing power through few powerful cores, many lightweight cores, fewer running faster, more running slower, more powerful and complex cores running slower, simpler ones running fasters and various steps and combinations between the opposite choices. x86-x64 architecture can't even dream the flexibility and scalability of Power. |
1. AMD could have given them a higher discount on the CPU + GPU combo than going with IBM + AMD GPU separately.
2. You are overestimating the performance of Power CPUs for games. There is a reason Apple ditched Power in favor of Core 2 Duo back in the days, citing lack of CPU performance and per core performance necessary for applications. While AMD's CPUs are not faster than Intel's, even a $50 AMD quad-core CPU is faster than the CPUs in either Xbox 360 or PS3.
In fact, the entire Xbox 360 Xenon CPU is only 70-85% as powerful as one Core i7 core (but Core i7 CPUs have 4 cores with 2 threads each!!) (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-tech-interview-metro-2033?page=4)
The worst low-end AMD/NV GPU and the worst low-end AMD CPU deliver 30 fps constant in Dark Souls, something PS3 and Xbox360 can only dream of. That shows you how much lacking in power the Power PC in-order-architecture CPUs are. The more modern Power 7 is better but the CPUs in PS3 and 360 are extremely underpowered compared to even a $50 budget Intel/AMD chip.
$50 CPU + $60 GPU has no problem keeping 30 fps constant in Dark Souls at 2560x1600.
http://gamegpu.ru/images/stories/Test_GPU/Action/Dark%20Souls%20Prepare%20To%20Die%20Edition/ds%202560.png
http://gamegpu.ru/images/stories/Test_GPU/Action/Dark%20Souls%20Prepare%20To%20Die%20Edition/ds%20proz.png
3. x86 code means it would be a lot easier and cheaper to develop games and port them from PC. You could make a PC game from scratch using common tools, and easily port the game to the console by turning down some settings. This worked well for Xbox 1. It would have been better if MS had gone with a Core 2 Duo CPU for Xbox 360 but such option was too expensive at the time. With AMD now selling decent speed CPUs for under $125, x86 is now back on the table.
4. The above are still uncomfirmed specs and rumors. For all we know, there is no x86 CPU switch.
