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[KAGE360]

i know the beta kits have been sent and developers are getting to grips of what the system can do.

when the alpha kits were released MS and developers have made it known that it only represents around 25% of the system's total power.  my question is does anyone know or read from some site, as to how much of the system's total power does the beta kits represent?  i understand that the new pics of PGR3 are running on the beta kits and they say that it only get better from here.  i would be more then happy if the graphics never went above that quality (we all know they will) but no one is expressing of how much of the systems total power these kits have.  

wanted to know to have a better idea of what the 360 is truly truly capable of.  i understand that the quality of the final dev kits wont have the same leap over the beta kits as they did with the alpha kits, but i figured it couldnt hurt to ask.  either that or im mistaken and the beta kits are the final dev kits, which i believe i read otherwise and the final kits would be sent around august.  thanks ahead of time for any answers

[crustyteacup]

although this isn't an answer to your question i do believe as with any consoles, you'll never really see what it is capable of until near the end of its lifetime (i.e 4-5 years after it comes out), developers will have to learn how to best use the multi-cores in it. if you get one when it comes out, and you get some games, even those games will not represent what the hardware could do.

[CattyKid]

The beta kits are close to what the power of the actual system will be.  They are to work out some of the major bugs in hardware and software.  I would say, as a rough estimate and from what happens in the past, the beta kits are about 90%-95% of the final power.

[Ozy]

Ask m_hael.

[Twasi]

According to IGN the Beta's should be very close to the final hardware using up to 90% of it's final power.

[KAGE360]

thanks guys, i know a system wont be pushed for a couple of years into its lifetime but to push a console and to get to know it and learn how to manage and manipulate the power developers need the final spec/hardware.  
well thanks for the answers and as for asking m_hael i hate bothering him as i can only imagine how busy he must be working.  but since were on the subject heh,    whats your take on the beta kits as to how close they are to the final hardware and have they met your (or the team you work in) expectations of what to expect from the 360? any response would be great m_hael

[m_hael]

as with most questions that are as yet covered by NDA.. I can't really answer. Those in the know who have answered are violating NDA and will be sought after by M$.

That said.. in answer to your general question about HOW close to final they are... we can't judge such until we HAVE final...

[KAGE360]

ok well i guess i didnt think of it that way, thanks a bunch though.  i didnt even think that expressing how powerful the new kits are was a violation of the NDA but then again im sure they dont want sony to have the least bit idea of how powerful their console really is.  thanks again though.

either way i hope that the hardware excites your team as much as it does me

[Twasi]

Come on M_hael tell use, who cares about those little NDA's? We got lots of international users here on the scene, so tell us and you can have a nice new home in mexico or canada or england!

[Andy51]

Or a nice home in Hawaii...

I would guess they would be 80 percent of the final hardware.