Did Sony make a mistake by be first to release an upgraded console.

[EricHiggin]

Intrinsic said:

KBG29 said:

I think people only look at the launch PS4 numbers and have not looked at recent numbers on the slim. The Slim uses significantly less power than the day one model, and even the 1200 model had a decent size reduction in power use, without a shrink in the APU. Actually PS4 Slim only draws a maximum of 86 Watts in the most load heavy situation, with the front end at 47W and 4 player split screen on Rocket League taking 63W. 

There are already rumors of an even slimmer PS4, and it would make sense that this would have an even lower power draw than the current slim. As times goes on, everything in the system shrinks, and in some cases, things can be eliminated, and their operation can be picked up by other components at a cheaper cost powerwise and monetarly.

It is very possible for Sony to rework that PS4 into a portable if they want to. They can customize the components to reach the power levels they need. It would definitly be harder right now, but they could always be looking at 12 or 10nm options, which will be available sooner, and make it easier. Once the reach 7nm, I have no doubt they can pull it off. Even under the current curve they would be looking at just over 40Watts in the worst scenario at 7nm. That can easily be ironeed out if they are focusing on a portabe design.

As far as cost is concerened, I think it is all about making a profit, and less about massive market penitration. If it has to cost $499.99, to make it viable, then that is what it should be. Though I don't think it will be that bad. Samsung expects the price of NAND based memory to drop below traditional drives $/GB by 2020, and that would be the single most expensive component. I think if they launched this year it would be $399.99. As long as they give it 4G and Calling/Texting it will be worth $800 to me, because it will be a smatphone on steroids.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-hands-on-with-the-playstation-4-slim-cuh-2000

40W? Portable design?

Unless you are referring to a PS4 laptop. But if you are talking handheld then that is just not going to happen. 

And yes I am aware of the PS4slim power draw. But I was just trying to paint a picture for you. Even the slims peak power draw of 90W in demanding applications is still way too much. Shrinking to a 7nm node would still be too muc of a draw unless they downclock everything. But as I also mentioned, this shift is just way more trouble than its worth.

A PS4P with an x86 chip that only draws around 20w is almost impossible in the next 5-10 years, even if the resolution is 720p.

What would have to happen, is PS would have to basically build a Switch. By that I mean they would have to get a mobile ARM chip made by AMD or Nvidia, like the Tegra SOC, and have the software and API in place, to easily as possible, port PS4 titles over to PS4P.

The PS4 titles would be downgraded in many ways, like 1080p down to 720p, and not all PS4 titles may come to the PS4P, just the highest selling or most asked for/wanted by the fans. While Switch is new, it seems third party devs are hesitant to port to it, so porting to Switch must still involve some serious effort, just nowhere near what it used to take with previous portable handhelds. The payback for that effort seems to be the clincher.

If the handheld is part of an ecosystem with 50mil+ customers already, it makes the decision easier for third party devs to port their games over to a PS4P. However, this is still no guarantee that third party devs would take the time to port to PS4P, when their PS4/Pro sales are already going so well. It SHOULD end up better overall than the Vita, in terms of how many (quality) games it gets, but how much higher the PS4P sales would be, is questionable.

I remember a while back that AMD was working on an ARM chip that was being made in conjunction with Zen(x86), and had compatibility between them to some degree. Whether or not that chip in a semi custom format, could be used for a PS4P or even a PS5P in the future, I really don't know, but something like it, or Tegra, is what PS would need to make PS4P the real deal.

Will PS go to that trouble, as well as compete more directly with NiN? Who knows. PS learned their PS3 lesson. Does that same lesson apply to Vita? If Switch sales take off and start drawing potential PS4 customers, especially existing customers, then I would think PS would try one last time, since things are going so great at the moment. If a PS4P couldn't sell in decent numbers, then its time for PS to pack up that department and focus on home consoles and VR.