That's some pretty sweet processing, 8 cores at 3.2 ghz. That makes me appreciate the engineering for keeping the system cool. That can make for some serious overheating if done wrong.

Part of the issue with multicore gaming is that some devs are lazy and don't make full use of it. If a game is designed to only use a core or 2, you have 6 cores sitting around doing nothing.

This does make for an interesting theory though - If multiplat HD games (360+ PS3) are similar in function and design, just easily ported over, then the most cores these games will make use of is 3, since that is the 360 max. If this holds true, every multiplat game that comes to the PS3 only uses 3 cores, with 5 cores doing nothing.

This must put high end developers in a tough spot, as the only way to fully use the PS3 power is to make an exclusive title, but the market shows that this isn't a wise investment.

I wonder if there will be a PS3 game that will use all 8 cores.

^ @ bardicverse, did you read the post before you?

^^ The post before me was asking for a link. I read the post before that, since you referred to an above mentioned post. While I don't disbelieve you, you're going to need a better source than wikipedia. I don't trust Wikipedia for info at all, as its easily corruptible.

Finally someone that can put Happy squrriel in his place!

lol jk

TEH CELL!

Hmmm maybe I was overstepping my boundary by making this thread. I thought I knew more about these things than I did. Not to mention you can't really simplify these things too much without being wrong.

Thanks Soleron for trying to clear things up. I was trying to have the average joe understand that T3H C3LL doesn't necessarily mean the games look better (which is still true). Well I learned something on this.

EDIT: By average joe I mean the average 12 year old fanboy

ok
Once again:

the chief designer and his team have stated at IBM the Cell processor is a HYBRID CPU/GPU i even posted the link to the paper here already .the PDF IBM has the direction of embedded chip's and their evolution forward and right there list chips from Intel, and IBM stated clearly that the Cell is a HYBRID processor. as for the SPE's not being core's...yet again that is 100% untrue the SPE's are infact full blown processing cores that is 100% a fact:

i will edit this and give the link from one of my post's that i had already did before here.

from One of the Chief Cell chip designer's

lanl.gov/orgs/hpc/roadrunner/rrinfo/RR%20webPDFs/Cell_Hofstee_Non_Conf.pdf

it is what it is :

the Cell is a CPU/GPU HYBRID CHIP

100% A FACT

Hell even Intel's very own jerry bautista call's the Cell a HYBRID ..

^ Nice link!

Thank's , the Cell is of course not the end all be all processor..far from it, just like any other processor it does indeed has it's strength's and weakness's. though with the Cell being pretty much still a very new Processor's for Mature API's for its design it's building Quite alot of ideas like so many multi-core programming ideas that's its a good thing that many other chip maker's are thinking along the same line's. It's where alot of inovation across many multi-core designs could very well spring forth new and better chip's faster than what we have had before. Notice i said Could generate better chip's faster, though the programmer's would prob. be pulling their hair out....

yes it is quite a bit of computeing power like the xbxo360 all the cores that's each core run's at 3.2 ghz, so yea it get's plenty hot...

as for all 8 being used..developers only have access to 6 that are free, the "8th spe core is disabled to Developer's" it's used for meshed era redundancy developer's have no access to that 8th core, as for the 7th SPE its used for OS functions and tied closely with the 8th disabled SPE core.So Developer's are not very likely to ever be able to use even the 7th because it's pretty much going to be very bizzy all the time in computeing cycle's.

so that will leave just the PPE+6 SPE cores that developer's can use for praticle purposes

bardicverse said: ^^ The post before me was asking for a link. I read the post before that, since you referred to an above mentioned post. While I don't disbelieve you, you're going to need a better source than wikipedia. I don't trust Wikipedia for info at all, as its easily corruptible.

But you rather believe that the Cell has 8 cores in a random forum?, is not cores is 8 SPEs ..

SPEs are not cores ..  you can search for info anywhere not only on Wiki and you'll read the same..

Theres only 6 SPEs available for gaming code

One is for the PS3 OS .

One is locked..not available. witch it doesn't count as the 8th SPE.

The Cell is a single core cpu with 7 SPEs, 6 for gaming, 1 for the OS..

At the other hand the Xbox 360 cpu Xenon is a Tri core cpu , 3 independent proccessor cores, each core has 2 (SMT) ..

I just want to clarify the myth of the Cell being an 8 core cpu instead of 7 SPEs witch is totaly different ..

Since the creator of both chips at IBM said, both cpu The Cell and Xenon are similar in strength I really dont care whats on paper or what its said about the cell anymore ..

I believed what the BIG man at IBM said and can't be said any better ..