I’m sure this has been discussed before, but I’m going to bring it up anyway because I’m a massive fanboy with nothing better to do. :D There was a topic created today about Nintendo’s next console being the best evar Nintendo product seen by man. And as much as I agree it should be, it just got me thinking about Sony’s next box and what might be awesome about it, and surprisingly, there’s quite a bit!
Processor.
With the PS3, they went with the Cell processor, which has been an absolute pain in the ass to program for, but works really well with optimized engines, I’m no computer genius or anything, but from what I’ve heard it sounds like you could easily double, triple, hell even quadruple “up” on the processors because of the way the PPU talks to them. So ease of power expansion seems infinitely easy and at this point (with the 45 nano, or is it smaller now?) I see it as a pretty cheap method of processing as well.
The processor it’s self seems infinitely useful for other applications as well, Toshiba is using it in a TV, IBM in servers, chip sets, laptops, god knows what the future might hold for that little chip :P By the time the PS4 comes out the damn things might be practically free :P and since Sony pretty much co-designed the thing I’m sure the royalty fee’s will be almost non-existent.
Also note, with the programming and such of the PS3, I have a feeling Sony knows the EXACT limitations the Cell has, and will easily be able to correct them with the next box, better synchronization with the memory, graphics card, blu-ray, hard drive, etc etc etc. Added on to that fact would be that developers will have engines already custom tailored to working with the Cell processor :D
Disc Format.
Blu-ray as the established disc medium. Digital downloads are definitely in the future, we can all see that, HOWEVER the next generation of consoles MUST have a disc format still. If the market share gets bigger and bigger for the little blue guy, it will more than likely be in PC’s, disc players, the next Xbox, maybe the next Nintendo, but for SURE the next Playstation, and again, because Sony’s worked extensively with it on the PS3, they will have the advantage of knowing full well what the capabilities and limitations are of using the format. And again because of the co-development, the technology will be practically free for them, they already have miniscule, reliable diodes, and they’re licensing fees will be practically non-existent.
Graphics Chip.
It seems like this generation the Cell is the beast, but the graphics card is holding it back. With this much time to work on games, I’m pretty sure they’ll figure out what to give it to get exactly what they want out of it. They’ll know the memory needed, and just how much horsepower to give it this time around.
Operating System.
Since the PSP, the PS3 has adopted a “similar” OS, they use the XMB (cross media bar), and they’ve learned plenty of tricks with it since the PSP. Should they use this OS in the PS4, they will have an almost entirely optimized OS from the box, capable of doing anything the PSP + 3 can and more by the end of they’re life spans. The memory footprint will be exponentially decreased, and the functionality of in-game features will be better than anything on PSP or 3 combined, in-game video chat, while playing your own MP3’s, talking with your parents on Skype, while browsing the internet in the background could be a possibility. :P On a side note, I have a feeling this OS will be used with the PSP2 as well.
Online Network.
With this generation truly establishing they’re Playstation Network, and working in features like Home, by the time the next box rolls around, they will have an absolute understanding of what they need and want from these services. I expect Home to carry over to the PS4, maybe enhance or change the graphics, add more stuff to the servers, whatever they have in mind :P I’m just going to say that no matter how the PSN or Home end up this generation, they will be much more realized and focused on the next machine.
Backwards compatibility.
With the PSN growing and the PS2 dying out, they PS3 will need to have some way to get it’s classic titles on the PSN, I’m pretty sure they’ve been working extensively on getting the Cell to do it via full software emulation, and when this is realized this generation, should they go with the Cell again next generation, all of your previous games purchased on disc or on the PSN will work flawlessly on the PS4. The architecture would be setup to no only play the games, but to upscale them just fine, hell maybe even increase frame rates etc etc etc.
Cost.
With all the features that I could easily see ending up in the PS4, the heat sinks, processors, disc readers, hell pretty much EVERYTHING in the PS4, will not only cost them next to nothing, the royalty/licensing fee’s will be practically free, the unit it’s self has a high chance of already being “slim” meaning the cost of additional material will be drastically reduced. I pretty much expect this machine to make them money right out of the gate, and be cheap for consumers to boot while retaining the horsepower and performance that Sony consoles try to push. I’d say there’s a decent possibility that the PS4 might theoretically be the cheapest release console they’ve ever had.
A Sony representative recently mentioned that the “Next Generation” of consoles is our time to innovate, and I think I’m going to buy into that hype judging by the position they are in now. As much as I don’t want to think of it, the PS3 really does seem like the “test tube baby” of this generation to breed something truly wicked for the next :P
Sorry for the wall of text, but I repeat my earlier statement. MAN I'M BORED!
From 0 to KICKASS in .stupid seconds.
