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[PS3Scene]

IBM shrinks Cell to 45nm. Cheaper PS3s will follow Posted by XanTium | 7-2-2008 16:38 EST

From arstechnica.com: At an ISSCC session yesterday afternoon, IBM announced details of a smaller, lower-power version The 45nm Cell will use about 40 percent less power than its 65nm predecessor, and its die area will be reduced by 34 percent. The greatly reduced power budget will cut down on the amount of active cooling required by the console, which in turn will make it cheaper to produce and more reliable (this means fewer warrantied returns). Also affecting Sony's per-unit cost is the reduction in overall die size. A smaller die means a smaller, cheaper package; it also means that yields will be better and that each chip will cost less overall.of the Cell BE processor that powers Sony's PlayStation 3. The Cell BE is currently fabricated on IBM's 65nm SOI process, but IBM will soon move the console chip onto the company's much-ballyhooed, next-generation 45nm high-k process. Full Story: arstechnica.com

[scottmuller28]

Go Sony I like the way they keep changing their product for the better. M$ needs to take note & do the similar changes to the 360. The Ps3 is catching up with a real solid gaming machine that will outlast the 360.

[fiya]

QUOTE(scottmuller28 @ Feb 8 2008, 02:14 AM)

Go Sony I like the way they keep changing their product for the better. M$ needs to take note & do the similar changes to the 360. The Ps3 is catching up with a real solid gaming machine that will outlast the 360.

IBM makes the processor in the 360 too and the cell uses similar technology just with a different approach. Any advancements made in the cell manufacturing process is usually at a similar stage as the xenon.

I know this may draw some flames but somebody gotta say it. Some ppl think just because MS doesn't announce every week that they are working to make the 360 cheaper dont mean they arent doing it.

[Swahili]

Actually the cell and the xenon are far from using the same technology. And if you have kept up with what has happened with the 360 and its die shrinks you should be well aware that MS are having problem with getting their dies shrunk and fitted into the 360. This in large part due to the faulty hardware.

Oh and MS aren't as much trying to make the 360s cheaper as trying to figure out how they are gonna make them stop falling apart. And I applaud them for it.

[bucko]

As long as it can still play games I aint really that bothered

This post has been edited by bucko: Feb 8 2008, 10:51 AM

[mercury187]

does this mean another price cut? If so I'm in.