By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Soundwave on 05 June 2017
Edit Thread
KBG29 said:
Conina said:

So when do you expect these extremely energy efficient AMD-SoCs in 7nm FinFET? Where are all those smartphones and tablets running by efficient AMD-SoCs now?

Bristol Ridge is still in 28 nm, Raven Ridge will be in 14 nm.

I think you are overestimating what Sony and AMD can do in the next few years, if they want PS4 performance in a handheld format with "okay" battery life.

A 7nm mobile device running on PS4 tech should be possible around late 2019 or 2020. 

There are very few Tablets/Hybrids running AMD right now, and no phones that I know of. AMD has not been in a great position the last few years, and only now are they starting to regain some footing. Their Ryzen based mobile CPU's, and their Navi based GPU's should both go a long ways towards bringing PS4 level power in the 10 Watt range.

I fully expect Sony to get access to 7nm chips before AMD announces their successor to Raven Ridge. Like I said, I think 2019 is very reasonable, but they it could take until 2020.

AMD and Sony are both in the best positions they have been in, in nearly a decade. Sony is on pace to be the most successful they ever have. There is a lot more money going into PlayStation R&D now than there was during the inital PS4 phase, and Sony knows they have to continue to innovate to keep the momentum going. AMD knows they have to become viable in the mobile space if they want to continue to grow as well. A lot of time is being spent increasing performance per watt, some of which we have already seen, and we will see even more with Zen+ and Navi.

Even if 7nm is doable, the current PS4 at 16nm runs at over 55 watts. 

Assuming a die shrink brings that down by half, you are still over 25 watts consumption, which is way too hot for a mobile device. 

Beyond that, Nintendo themselves could easily counter with a Tegra X3 chip that would allow for PS4-tier graphics PLUS Nintendo exclusives (Pokmeon, Mario, Zelda, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, Smash, Mario Kart, etc.) AND backwards compatibility with by then probably like 1000+ Switch games. 

Sony is screwed either way. They can't compete with Nintendo, especially since they will never support a portable in the main way Nintendo supports theirs. You'll only get old/spin-off crappier versions of Sony console titles whereas Nintendo puts their main teams and puts real installments of their main games on the Switch platform. 

Is Sony going to move Uncharted 5 or 6 from the main Naughty Dog team away from PS5 to put it on PSP3? Hell no.