Slashdot Mirror
PS3 GPU Less Powerful Than GeForce 7800?
dividedsky319 writes "The Inquirer (as well as a more biased Team Xbox) is reporting that the PlayStation 3's GPU will be a little less powerful than a GeForce 7800, which would also mean it's less powerful than the Xbox360. If true, what could this mean for the release of the PS3, a year later than the Xbox360 is released?" From the article: "It's all awfully confusing we know, though it is an interesting tech mystery to try and get to the bottom of. Of course Microsoft and Sony engineers all know exactly what's in the difference between the two consoles, but the marketing people want to tell us that their console is twenty times better than everyone elses, so we must wait until someone rips the two boxes open and benchmarks them..."
Kick the fanboys off the editors panel!
The PS3 will be released for the same price as one expansion card and have (guessing) ten times the technology in it and people are bitching? Get a life. Does the 7800 have a cell processor behind it? Or any of the other advanced features?
Damien
How many times do we need to say it - its not the hardware that makes great games - its the gameplay! The graphics chips will help make a more immersive environment - but other than that, who cares?
The only thing these statistics help is the pissing contest between Sony and Microsoft.
I'm buying an Xbox 360. Its not because of the fact that its graphics chip is "bigger" than the PS3's.
BTW, don't even bother reading the Team Xbox article. It extremely biased, and sounds like it was written by the PR department.
Inq has already corrected the story. NVidia says the PS3 GPU will be slightly more powerful than the 7800.
I know fanboys love to brag about the specs for their boxes, but it really doesn't mean that much.
Take for example the way developers make their games. Japanese developers prefer to prerender their cinematics as opposed to rendering them in real time. The XBOX 360 is designed to render these cinematics in real time. Japanese developers have to change the way they build their games, and that is a speedbump when it comes to garnering the powerful Japanese 3rd party support.Tell me if the games are good in comparison to the XBox 360. That's what really is going to sway my purchase, especially given the insane pricing for both the XBox and the PS3.
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
-Hoban Washburn
Was it just me, or after reading this story (especially the last paragraph), did you get the feeling that you just wasted your time reading a story that basically said in itself that it wasn't much of a story?
...That this story is hosted on the same site that advertises The Escapist, which usually espouses the value of a good game with real story and gameplay as opposed to higher polygon count and one teraflop being worse than two ;)
Even if people don't care about the 'quality' of the game, like everyone else has said, the selection is what matters and the selection is what turned me off to the Xbox in the first round.
Perfecting Discordia
www.stevenvansickle.com
Anybody who has owned and/or played more than a few minutes with either the PS2 or the Xbox will know that there is not much difference in graphical quality between the two. I think the same thing will apply here.
It's not only the power of the GPU, but also how fast and how much data you can get to and from the GPU. Nobody knows, of course, how fast each does this task but from History I just have this hunch that the PS3 will still have comparable graphics to the Xbox. And of course, it's not all about graphics, its about gameplay foremost, where I find the Xbox mostly lacking compared to the PS2 (GTA:SA, 'nuff said)
I'M NOT ANGRY!
That the PS3 will continue to get the good, interesting games, while the X-Box 360 will get the usual collection of crap they have been getting (Football, Basketball, Halo, Yet Another FPS 2006, etc.) that just race to see who can paste the most poly's to the screen every second.
What is a game console? it's a entertainment system.
Now what if I offered you in 1995, a choice of a PS3, or a NES, which would you take?
Many people probably have answered the PS3. And that would seem to be the right answer because it's a HELL of a machine.
Problem is that in 1995, PS3 had no games, hell 10 years later we don't have a Ps3 game, if you had the NES you'd have less power but you'd have a library of about 300 games for the last 10 years.
Now this question seems pointless, but there's a point. Simply that numbers mean NOTHING, XBox was much faster then the PS2, yet the PS2 trumped it easily. Why is that? Because the games. And it's not because it's japanese because the Gamecube was a good system, that didn't have games and had little support from third parties, and it lost to the PS2 also.
So basically numbers really don't mean anything, if you hear anything about them, ignore it, focus on the core issue, which system has the games I want to play.
Yeah, but you still won't be able to play Gran Turismo 5 on your PC.
Neither can you play Super Smash Bros. Revolution on your Xbox 360 or PS3.
"How many times do we need to say it - its not the hardware that makes great games - its the gameplay!"
We have to keep saying it until people stop buying crap. Which they will not for awhile. Games are still new to the overwhelming majority. They still see shiny and cannot avoid the instinct to buy. Just like every other technology at it's beginnings, most people are uneducated about what to look for. So the market droids dumb things down and drawn in people who do not realize an informed decision is beneficial.
Add to this the PS3 and XBox 360 are almost exactly identical in feature sets. Before you flame me, think about the consumer.
When you look at these, it's obvious that the only major difference will be in those rare blockbuster exclusives. The key is you have to do the math, and most people would rather just whip out the cash card.
Exercise to the reader:Does what we know about the Nintendo Revolution fit into this?
-- I have fans? Wow.
Since when do PC specs have anything to do with console? Compare the specs of any console to a high end PC of the time and the PC is going to be more powerful, because it is a general computing machine with tons of hardware options. With a console you can optimize code much better because it is always the same hardware. I thought this was like Gaming 101???
perhaps Nvidia thinks so?? http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/9132/PlayStation-3-G PU-More-Powerful-than-GeForce-7800/
The article actually says the GeForce 7800 GTX is not as fast as the RSX graphics processing unit that NVIDIA developed for the PlayStation 3.
We apologize for any confusion and we'd like to thank NVIDIA for providing the exact info.
"Is Sausage bad for printers?"
Just like the bogus "Toy Story" graphics lie xbots seem to cherish and spout off about to no end even though it was actually MS who was stupid enough to actually make the claim, this latest bogus news story will embraced by Xbots as gospel.
With how badly things are going for MS and the 360, just look at the massively negative respose to the system on fanboy sites like teamxbox, Xbots are like shipwreck victims floating in the ocean looking for anything, and I mean anything, to cling on to like this bullshit story.
Sad.
It is no surprise to me that the PS3 will be less powerful than the 7800, I figured it all along.
Can I touch you? I feel humbled to be in the presence of the Great Oracle of Slashdot.
"REALITY FOLKS, REALITY. Please come back to it."
Please, read the article next time before posting.
Product loyalty. Remember the problems with the original two or three models of PS2? Disc drive failures after watching 30 hrs of DVDs or even less drove many of my friends mad. My brother went through three PS2s untill finally the fourth is still running. The first two died in the 90 day warrenty, the thrid being what Sony's Customer Service called the 2nd generation of PS2 and was exchanged at Wal-Mart after the 90 days by switching ID stickers and all that.
Still, I had other friends that went through one or two, and others who are still using the one they got at launch. All-in-all, I'd say that Sony may be suffering in "product" loyalty... but maybe people forgot.
On the other hand, X-boxes' original DVD player (toshiba?) started dieing a year or two after release for many people.
Now, I love all three current-gen systems as they all have amazing games that are must-haves (even though I would prefer not to like M$'s, but how else can I play Jade Empire?), but I have to say, the only one I haven't heard about mass problems is the Cube... but I could be wrong.
This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
For proof of this, look no further than the PSP.
so we must wait until someone rips the two boxes open and benchmarks them..."
Based upon the "debunking" comments I've read already, maybe they should have done that before even writing this article.
No sig for you!!
Even if the RSX had turned out to be slower than the 7800, why would that give the XBox360 an edge in graphics. I don't know what ATI chip is in the XBox but unless they get their fab problems straightened out, they won't have anything comparable to the 7800.
It was actually Thompson who made those DVD drives, and yes - they were horrible. A lot of people first started finding out how bad they were when Halo 2 launched - for some reason, the multiplayer maps were prone to problems because of this drive.
The only reason I'm correcting you is because I absolutely love Toshiba. Mad props to their awesome TVs. :D
I dont think you can so easily say that games are what gave the PS2 its big win. I had a PS2 and a Gamecube on their release date, why would I buy an XBOX? I feel many people probably felt this way. Microsoft had yet to prove they were really going into the game business so who knew if in 2 years the XBOX would be discontinued and would be shelved next to the 3D0. I will also admit that I didnt want to support Microsoft, they get enough of my business. Microsoft had not only to impress Sony/Nintendo fanboys but also impress the anti Microsoft/OSS/Linux crowd. Once my friends got their XBOX's I slowly started to see how great they really were. I havent touched my PS2 since I got my XBOX. The reason I got my XBOX is the games , thats also the reason I think its so succesful, I just dont agree that the PS2 won on its games.
Well, smart-ass if you click back to my posts in the original /. article heralding the 7800 release and it's tech specs. you will quite clearly see my comments and the time and date of them.
It is no surprise to me, I've worked in this industry for some time and my B.S. detectors work perfectly fine. Also my reality shield is firmly up and fairly impervious to hype.
Seriously who honestly thought Sony would be putting uber 7800's in PS3's? The transistor counts are the same or less for the RSX... exactly how Einstein were you planning for them to make some mega-7800 with the same or less transistor counts? Especially in a console that will be drawing less or equal power for the ENTIRE system than just one 7800?
http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
You are mixing up your hype. The RSX may be FASTER, but it means nothing about its specs/power/abilities. Also "faster" is not quantitative and truly means nothing. The RSX is to have the same or slightly less transistors than the 7800 and it is to run on less power, how you think the RSX is going to blow the doors off of a 7800 is puzzling. In the end the RSX may be on par with the 7800 and maybe faster in some areas but most certainly not overall or even in the majority of categories.
http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
Yes, it is common sense. That begs the question, "why were you bragging about calling something obvious?"
It also begs for a wedgie.
Maybe you should start by looking at the fact that the RSX is a 90 nm part vs. the 7800GTX which is 110 nm.
Obviously you have done very little research on this.
And calling other people smart-ass is another great way to prove your point [/sarcasm]
Well "common sense" and "obvious" apparently don't reach everyone on /. as these "revelations" are always met with shock and awe. Face it people get so wrapped up in hype and shit if MS told them their new console would give them a reach around while playing people would be pre-ordering seconds after the press release.
It just amazes me that otherwise intelligent people get snowed time and time again by cheesy marketing gimmicks and hype. I've been to my share of E3's and your faith in humanity can only take so much. I actually have vowed to never attend again.
http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
I would have to disagree with you on the PS2 vs GameCube remark. ive owned a PS2 since its first week, and have bought about 2 or 3 games for it, and played them each for a few hours... worst game library ever for a console, imo. but i jsut playe da freinds GC, and a bunch of games he has, so i just ran out and bought a GC and a bunch of games, and there are a bunch more old ones, and plenty of unreleased one i want to get soon. and its costing me a whole lot less than it would to buy a PS2 right now. not trying to start a console/flame war... or am I... (dum dum duuum)
My hand touched her hand. Her hand touched her boob. By the transitive property, I got some boob! Algebra is awesome!
I read in a gaming magazine that the PS3 is going to be the most powerful console ever made, and it will even be more powerful than most computers. It has this special "cell-chip" thingy that lets it do 14 grillion calculations per millisecond, or something like that.
There's no way that was all just hype.
there is a huge performance difference between playing games on xbox and ps2. i buy exclusive ps2 content(japanese games), but for games on both systems i pick up the xbox version for the better graphics and quicker loads.
http://psinext.e-mpire.com/index.php?categoryid=3& m_articles_articleid=98
I will call you out on this, Granted this article is not new, I believe it does a decent job of explaining how the RSX will probably be faster. it will have 120Mhz faster clock, a smaller process, and parts that are specifically developed for the PC will be removed thus allowing comparable speed with an equal or lower transistor count which is touted to be near 300 Million, the same claim as the 7800
I find it entertaining that the original article could have been so very true but claims that dispute the original article have to be utter bullshit and hype. Since that is what you want to believe I will let you continue to think you are an industry expert as you claimed below, it seems to me you are nothing more than a desperate fanboy backpeddling on your arrogant claims that you knew that the RSX could never be better than the 7800
"Is Sausage bad for printers?"
if MS told them their new console would give them a reach around while playing people would be pre-ordering seconds after the press release.
Sign me up!
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=25862
I don't know why people post such bullshit stories on the internet. It's especially frustrating when the story not only make no logic sense, but it's source is some idiots thread on a message board nameless message board. Then on top of all of this, the story makes its way onto the hallowed pages of Slashdot????? Devastating.
Hmm... I've got a Toshiba 19" TV...
Got it in 2001 (whenever it was, it was *RIGHT* before the V-Chips came out), and the thing doesn't have any fscking A/V jacks!
Not a bad TV, but no A/V jacks? WTF were they thinking?
Can you guys update this article please? It's already been shown to be a lie. The RSX is faster than the 7800.
They were thinking cost. That 19" TV was probably a good $100 less than another 19" with a normal human number of inputs. My girlfriend has a Toshiba TV with an absolutely stellar picture. I was shocked that it was a good $150 less than my television, which is the same size. Then I realize my television has 5 inputs, from component down to RF, while heres as a measly two composite. You get what you pay for is the moral here.
-- I have fans? Wow.
Why would you even complain if the ps3 only has the power of a single 7800 card? The ps2 doesnt even have the power of a 6600GT. Anyway..onto my real post. You people have to consider that the video chip on the ps3 is not running on a PCI-E or AGP slot, It doesnt have the limitations of said formats and communicates directly with the processor. You also have to consider that while the makers of PC games have to consider the wide range of different computers, the makers of a console title make there games AROUND the system. I'de say that even if the RSX processor is of equal computing power of a 7800GT, it would still turn out to be a better processor.
I think we paid about $150 for it...
The picture's certainly not bad...
And you honestly believe that overall the RSX will be faster than a 7800? If over 20 years of game playing, 6 years of playtesting and development, and 4+ reviewing doesn't give me some validity, I don't know what does. I don't claim to be an expert, just someone who's been around this block for quite some time.
I also happen to have very close friends who work in other areas of the field and speak with them regularly. That means I have friends who do work with MS, Sony, Nintendo, and independant development houses. The amazing thing is that in real life we can all sit down and talk about new systems and shortcomings and bullshit without ever feeling any need to defend anything. I find it amusing when I get labled a "fanboy" for anyone. If you've worked in this industry you quickly realize how little loyalty anyone has to any company, outside of the users and true fanboys.
The truth is most of us are jaded, cynical, and could give two shits and a fuck about [insert company name]'s NEW Whiz-Bang super console. We have the ability to look at things objectively and it is exactly what I've done with the RSX.
I've read the full specs on the 7800 and know quite a bit about the RSX. It is a specialized processor, however it is not going to have the overall power of the 7800. It will excel in a few areas and that is all. Period. We'll soon see and you can fuck off once the final specs. are released.
So thanks for your opinion, I've promptly filed it in the who cares drawer.
http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
[sarcasm] thanks for your credentials, i am sorry i was completly wrong, by spouting off all that impressive information you have definitly changed my mind about the situation and i will never doubt your extreme intelligence again [/sarcasm]
by dodging what i previosuly posted and alluding back to your expertise in the field you have not proven a thing. You obviosuly did not read my link and expect people to take your "expert knowledge" as the truth. You have already backpedaled on your original post that there was no possible way in hell that the RSX could even come close to the 7800 to there might be a chance and it may even beat the 7800 in a few categories.
also playtesting, game playing, and game reviewing do not make you an expert in hardware. you are right we will see what is better when the RSX is release in its final form, but remember that when it is I was not the one who said there was no way on earth the RSX could be faster with an equivalent or less transistor count.
"Is Sausage bad for printers?"
Umm, I wasn't tooting my own horn. I simply stated what my background is, I am a computer guy and am quite competent in hardware as well as EE. I also quite clearly state I'm no expert, just someone who has been quite close to a lot of game matters and people who are.
I never backpedaled, I personally feel that overall the RSX will be sub-par to the 7800. Period. Based on specs and my best predictions I hold to this statement. Now if you think that the RSX won't be aggressively optimized for two or three tasks at the sacrifice of others then you are fooling yourself and I am being objective by pointing this out. I could easily defend my position without stating this to bolster it, but I didn't I am being objective. So it may run a hundred Mhz faster, if this was a normal vid card that would be no big deal. The job that the RSX has to do and the job a 7800 does are totally different. The job of the RSX is much easier and specialized, so yes in some areas it will be faster. Overall and taking into account all of the 7800 features it will not match up. Sorry to say.
Again, we'll see soon enough who is right.
http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
So many stereotypes and bias non-sense here.
I understand that most here hate M$, but you should stop ignoring the facts about the Xbox 360. I see to many comments about the Orignal Xbox only having FPS and Halo, which is utter non-sense.
Maybe if you dropped your ignorance and your hatred you would see there are tons of awesome games on the system covering many genres, and that this is the same thing happening on the 360.
If you want a revloution or a ps3, all the power to you!
Just make sure you understand there are millions of people whom are going to buy the Xbox 360 because of the games coming for it, and the price.
I will be playing Oblivion for the price of a new fancy video card I would need to play it on my pc.
I'll be downloading PC mods for the game, as the developer has already stated they will be using Xbox Live for this and will have those.
I'll also enjoy PGR3, and Kameo, PD0.
If you let go of the bias you might find yourself enjoying some cool games.
If you don't, it's not my problem. I'll be having fun myself!