Tech blog Digital Foundry reports that sources "intimately involved with the alliances and deal-making within their sector" have effectively confirmed that Nintendo and nVidia are indeed teaming up for the next DS iteration. The report also mentions that Sony has formed an alliance with IMG for the PSP2.

While neither devices have been flat-out confirmed by both groups, Digital Foundry tosses around some tentative tech specs for the next generation of handheld gaming supposedly leaked by industry insiders. It's a long post, so we'll just get a few snippets for each handheld.

Here's what they can say about the DS2:

So, how does the Tegra 2 we expect to see in the new Nintendo handheld stack up? Let's just say that it is a significant improvement, and a colossal jump in performance compared to the current DS. While the amount of vertex shader units remains the same, TMUs and pixel shaders are doubled, and as the chip will be manufactured at a physically smaller size (40nm perhaps, versus the current Tegra's 65nm), we can expect a reasonable bump in clock speed too. Our sources can only speculate at this point, but suspect anything up to 300MHz is possible, depending on just how much the platform holders want to concentrate on battery power. The faster the chip, the more impact it has on battery life.

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Regardless, there's no doubt that the new Nintendo unit will have a useful graphical power boost over what's been seen in the currently available Tegra devices, and in terms of the tech demo discussed previously, we also need to factor in that handheld consoles are unlikely to require full WVGA 800x480: an iPhone utilises a 480x320 screen, for example. Fewer pixels means more effects or potentially higher frame-rates.

And here's what PSP fans can allegedly expect from the PSP2:

From what we've learned about the in-development PSP2, the device is going to be a technological monster. Insiders in the mobile space are fully aware that a deal has been struck between Sony and IMG (creators of the PowerVR derivatives found in the iPhone) and, as previously reported by Eurogamer, a multi-core variant of the forthcoming SGX543 looks set to the GPU of choice for the new machine. A four-core version of the chip appears to be most likely, and while this sounds like overkill, at 45nm you'd be looking at die of around 20 square millimetres based on measurement derived from IMG's own whitepaper. That's significantly lower than the silicon used by the current-generation PSP's graphics unit, which should give some inkling of an idea on costs and power consumption.

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The raw potential of Sony's mooted solution is seriously impressive, to the point where you really have to sit down and take a deep breath before reading the next bit: we're talking about a GPU with the potential to be a halfway house between the raw power of the original Xbox's graphics chip and the Xenos GPU found in the Xbox 360, without factoring in all the advantages of running on a much lower resolution screen.

You can check out the full post by clicking the source link below. It's long and filled with a lot of technical terms, but it does make for some interesting weekend reading, especially for hardcore technophiles.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-ds2-vs-psp2-article

Good read. not sure if its all for a fact though.

There were some articles last month that indicated that Sony was seeking PowerVR/ARM-based hardware for the next generation PSP.

It's sorta ironic though. People forget that Imagination Technologies (IMG as they refer to them in the article, which is their stock exchange name) were the creators of the Dreamcast GPU (though it was fabricated by NEC). So, here was Sony a decade ago, marketing against the Dreamcast and its "inferior" technology, yet they are using a modern-day variation in their PSP2. Kinda funny, I think.

But that's exactly why PowerVR dumped desktop GPU design in favor of small, efficient, and fast mobile and set-top technology. Nobody else cared at the time, and they seem to have *the* product if you want high--powered 3D on-the-go. Nintendo and nVidia have a long-way to go if they want to catch up. Low-powered chips for small devices are not nVidia's strong point.

If true, then sony hasn't learned their lesson. You don't need bleeding edge technology. Probably going to cost 2x the DS2 and again sell half. Well considering we have no idea on the launch line ups or real features, its probably too early to draw those types of conclusions. But, it still seems likely.

PSP2 $500 confirmed

can anyone give us an idea at what we wre looking at in terms of power for these two portables

n64<ds2<gc

wii<=psp2

However that is a very general idea as it says nothing beyond raw gpu power. More than likely psp2 would be less than Wii in the end, but the ds2 stat will be right on.

If its has really a quadcore CPU and a GPU wit half of the Xbox360 Power its not<=Wii its more like 30%-50% Xbox360. And with a lower Resulotion the Graphic could and at the Xbox360 level.

But I think that wont happen. I cant imagine that the batterys are good enough to power a QuadCore Cpu in a Portable Device for a longer time.

The PSP is already somewhere in the WII range if it end up just beeing as powerful as WII then it will be a cheap hardware.

If its really half a Xbox360 then it would be something like 299.

And it would offer HD graphics without HD. I dont know if they really want to do this. But if they can offer this at the same price (249) then it would be a good move. But I have the feeling that there wont be Handhelds for maybe 2-3 years because I dont think that the Customers want a graphics update. certainly not for the PSP. Its still a generation before the DS if it comes to Graphics. And even if they catch up and why should Nintendo release another DS ? Its senseless in my eyes aslong as the sales stay above 200k a week. And the PSP dont need new Hardware it needs new Software.

Actually going by the specs they give the DS2 could quite possibly rival the Wii while the PSP2 is somewhere in between the XBOX and the XBOX 360.

The DS2 will be closer to the PSP2 in terms of power than what the DS is to the PSP but Sony's will still be say half a generation ahead.

Was that 300 MHz for CPU or GPU? If it were GPU, that would be impressive

I was sure DS-2 would be Tegra since the moment thebrigthsideofnews.com reported it. I guess that after getting right the Radeon 5 launch, the Geforce 300 core concept and first-hand information about the DS-2 they are now beyond doubt.

Intersting overall. DS-2 should zoom through the Wii and the PSP-2 would come close to the X360 as far as theoretical numbers are concerned (since in theory the PSP GPU is just as good as the Flipper).