potato_hamster said:
KBG29 said:
Now this is some good conversation on the topic.
A couple more things to take into consideration.
1. The NUC is likely based on a diferent pricing model than a PS4 Portable. Retail price is most likely somewhere between 2x - 3x the cost of components, packaging, and shipping. Teardowns in the months to come will give a clearer picture.
2. The NUC has about 14 additional ports that would not be necissary on a PS4 Portable. PS4 Portable should only require a USB-C port, a Micro SD Slot, and a Nano Sim Slot. Maybe a Headphone jack.
3. The Ryzen Mobile information in Permalite's link are for Raven Ridge, which is 14nm. PS4 Portable would have to be based on 7nm which see improved performance and TDP, along with a smaller die, and more cost reduction. It is the best indication of where we sit with AMD based X86 and Radeon tech for a mobile platform.
We are closer to a PS4 Portable than some here are thinking. I see a lot of people looking at current desktop components as a barometer, but the PS4 does not use desktop parts. I also see people saying that PSP and PS Vita fell short of PS2 and PS3. You have to remember PS2 and PS3 were much different beasts than PS4. PS2 and PS3 went toe to toe with high end PC's on release. PS4 was using a weak mobile CPU and a mid range GPU on release.
It really is not a question of tech and pricing, but whether Sony will pull the trigger. Do they want to strengthen their position in the market, or do they sit on a single golden goose and prey the market never changes? I hope they take advantage of this current position, and expand the business, so they can be more flexable, depeneding on where technology takes us.
|
1. Source the NUC is selling for 2-3x cost?
2. Why do you think adding ports adds a notable cost increase? Also, super adorable that you add the sim card port as a requirement, and more important than a headphone jack. Why are you having such a hard time coming to terms with the fact that almost no one besides you would be willing to use a PS4 Portable as a phone? Besides, PS4 Portable wouldn't use USB-C ports. They would charge and interface with PS4 controllers, wouldn't they. Unless Sony wants to start trying to popularizing USB-C to micro USB controllers, that shit isn't flying either. It's pretty obvious that even if Sony were to make PS4 portable it would have a completely different feature set than what exists in your imagination.
3. I don't know why you're talking about manufacturing processes and about what a PS4 portable would have to be based off of when you have demonstrated time and time again that you barely have a basic understanding of hardware design. This should be pretty obvious to anyone who hears that you believe that Sony use use their Playstation OS on their phones and car stereos as if that even makes a modicum of sense. No. A PS4 portable would not have to be based on a 7nm process, would not necessarily have improved performance, or a cost reduction. That all depends on the chip design, and the yields.
We are not "closer to a PS4 portable than some are thinking" just because you assert that we are. PS2 and PS3 went toe to toe with high end PCs on release? Since when? Only if you believe the marketing nonsense coming out from Sony when they released those consoles. At 2000 and 2006 when the PS2 and PS3 were released, a $2000 PC would outperform them easily. It's like It really still is a question of tech and pricing. It's the reason why no one develops video games that are optimized for Cray Supercomputers. It's why nVidia sells more graphics card models than the 1080 Ti. Who besides you is going to buy, say, a $600-$800 PS4 portable that is twice the size of a Switch and weighs 2 lbs? Sony is only going to make something they are confident tens of millions of people are willing to buy. Not just a handful of people. Making a device without mass appeal doesn't serve Sony at all.
Think about it, how does making a portable device that doesn't sell (like the Vita) strengthen their position on the market? It obviously doesn't. How would they be "preying" the market never changes by NOT making a handheld console after releasing two handhelds that the market more or less rejected? If anything, wouldn't releasing a PS4 Portable would be "preying" the market DID change? And maybe, maybe you might have had a point about Sony sitting on their laurels with the PlayStation brand if they didn't release the PS4 Pro and PSVR, but its pretty obvious they've already pushed the envelope plenty during of the life of the PS4. Now they're priming for a PS5. The dev kits are already in the wild. PS5 games have already begun development. Even assuming the technology is there at a mass-market price point (it obviously isn't) it still probably doesn't not make any sense to try and sell a portable version of a console you're about to set on the back burner. It can be quite difficult to espouse the virtues of your new handheld PS4 when in the next breath you're trying to make a case why people should be moving away from their PS4s and into PS5s.
|
1. All Intel products ever?
2. Consoles typically do not come with extra ports unless deemed necessary to the core functionality. The fact that the NUC is this close to having the kitchen sink thrown in, says it's not aimed at being a bare bones cheap consumer item. It's mostly being targeted at people with more money than brains, but sure, anyone can buy one if that's what floats your boat.
3. 14nm Raven Ridge would be tough to make happen with all other components considered in 2018. Not only would the performance vs battery life vs physical size be questionable, but the price at this time just doesn't seem to be doable without a subsidy. 7nm makes more sense in every way, when 7nm is truly ready, and when that would be is unknown. Odds are your talking late 2019 at the earliest, maybe, if you want even a ballpark consumer friendly price.
How can you say it doesn't sell if the product doesn't even exist yet as far as we know? Vita wasn't exactly a hit, but Switch has been so far, and looks to continue to be, so why if PS creates a similar product, could it not succeed? By succeed, I don't mean match Switch sales either, but it does have to make money. Just because PS would create another portable, that in no way means they hope the market will go that way, it more than likely means either they simply want some of Switch's mobile crowd, or they simply want to keep their existing 'mobile consoles seem awesome' customers from going to Switch, or heaven forbid a mobile XB eventually. If you were XB right now, wouldn't you be thinking about how a Switch type device could potentially expand your ecosystem, considering PS4 dominance and no more gens regardless of the hardware going forward? XB admitted they've been more than just tempted.
As for trying to sell a PS4 Portable while trying to hype up a next gen PS5, you have a point to a certain degree, but it would depend on when that PS5 is going to launch. The more time the PS4 Portable had on the market, the easier the transition to PS5 would be. Then again, what would be much much easier, if they could make it happen without holding PS5 back, would be to have a PS5 Portable with PS4 digital BC. This would also allow them more time to see how Switch plays out over a few years before jumping in if they have cold feet.
While in terms of pure profits, doubling down on dedicated home consoles, even if that means more SKU's, makes more sense. In terms of future customer and industry growth, allowing Nin to have the portable and hybrid market completely to itself seems like asking for trouble eventually. Looking at just the here and now, the way forward is obvious, but looking to the future changes that perspective. Building yourself a giant wall is only useful if you have an army to defend it. Many stationary archers are a must, but men at arms are also necessary, regardless the pennies lost.