Playstation 3

[firstadopter]

<img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3-2.jpg" align="top"><br><img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3.jpg" align="top"><br>At the pre-E3 Sony press conference today, Sony announced details on the Playstation 3. The company confirmed a 2006 release date and these specs:<br>
-Blu-Ray media support with 6x today's DVD storage<br>
-Support for CD-ROM, CDR+W, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R<br>
-Backwards compatibility to PS2 and PS1 (touche Xbox 360)<br>
-Memory Stick Duo, SD, and Compact Flash memory slots<br>
-Detachable 2.5 inch hard-drive<br>
-Support for 7 Bluetooth controllers<br>
-6 USB slots (4 in front, 2 in the back<br>
-3.2 Ghz Cell processor with 2.18 teraflops of performance<br>
-255mb XDR RAM at 3.2ghz, 256mb GDDR VRAM at 700mhz<br>

RSX "Reality Synthesizer" graphics based on Nvidia technology is the eye catcher. It will have 128 bit pixel precision, support 1080p resolution (wow!), and take 300 million transistors. The RSX is more than twice as powerful as the best PC graphics cards today. The console will also support video conferencing, internet acccess, digital photos, etc. It's a home media entertainment Battle Royale vs. Microsoft. <br><img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3-3.jpg" align="top">

[firstadopter]

CPU
Cell Processor
PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz
1 VMX vector unit per core
512KB L2 cache
7 x SPE @3.2GHz
7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPRs
7 x 256KB SRAM for SPE
* 1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy
total floating point performance: 218 GFLOPS

GPU
RSX @550MHz
1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance
Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2 channels
Multi-way programmable parallel floating point shader pipelines

Sound
Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell- base processing)

Memory
256MB XDR Main RAM @3.2GHz 256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHz

System Bandwidth
Main RAM 25.6GB/s
VRAM 22.4GB/s
RSX 20GB/s (write) + 15GB/s (read)
SB< 2.5GB/s (write) + 2.5GB/s (read)

System Floating Point Performance
2 TFLOPS

Storage
Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1

I/O
USB Front x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)
Memory Stick standard/Duo, PRO x 1
SD standard/mini x 1
CompactFlash (Type I, II) x 1

Communication
Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)

Controller
Bluetooth (up to 7)
USB 2.0 (wired)
Wi-Fi (PSP)
Network (over IP)

AV Output
Screen size: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDMI: HDMI out x 2
Analog: AV MULTI OUT x 1
Digital audio: DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x 1

Disc Media
CD PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation 2 CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW, SACD, SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD, DualDisc, DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side)
DVD: PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW
Blu-ray Disc: PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, BD-Video, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE

[firstadopter]

<img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3gamepad.jpg" align="top"><br>
The new dual shock Bluetooth gamepad looks pretty weak in my opinion. With no inputs in the front of the console, it's pretty obvious this will be a wireless solution. It's almost like they stole the old Microsoft Sidewinder PC gamepad design. Ugly. What do you guys think?

[firstadopter]

As an audiophile, I love how it supports SACD. Hopefully that will give that format a shot in the arm.

[firstadopter]

The killer piece of information out of the PS3 launch tonight is the Spring 2006 launch date. Gates and crew were hooting and hollering that by releasing the Xbox 360 first, they could have a significant installed base beach-head to fend off the Sony goliath. I bet they were hoping for a late 2006 release. Now that is not going to happen.

If you're a hard-core gamer, do you want to wait just a few months for better graphics, better horsepower, Blu-Ray HD-DVD storage with 6x more storage, 1080p (yes P!) support, and SACD capability? All that for probably the same price point? Most gamers, including myself, would say yes. Sorry Microsoft, Sony just screwed you.

[firstadopter]

I don't like the Spiderman font that used on the hardware. Lol.

[Nick!]

The 3 ethernet ports is interesting. 1 "in", 2 "out"? Must be some goofy thing for linking Cells. My guess is it will never pan out and they'll vanish from the redesigned PS3.

That Spiderman font is HORRID. Thank god I wont notice it sitting on a shelf. (ahah Rendition you just beat me to it ;D)

2 HDMI outs? I wonder why.

SD and CF slots? And finally supporting their own Memory stick? agasp!

That controller looks horrid. I've read concerns about Bluetooth's latency too.

Will be interesting to see what happens with the PSP and PS3 together.

No video passthrough it seems (unless one of those HDMIs is an in? But not in the specs), seems like 360 will be better for integrating into your TV. No real online infrastructure yet. Better remote control solution on 360.

Suprised they actually kept the PS1 compatibility. Same trick as last time, a PS2 chipset onboard? That also contains a PS1 chipset? How many generations in will they do that if so? :D

[Nick!]

The new dual shock Bluetooth gamepad looks pretty weak in my opinion. With no inputs in the front of the console, it's pretty obvious this will be a wireless solution. It's almost like they stole the old Microsoft Sidewinder PC gamepad design. Ugly. What do you guys think?

Well, there are 4 USB ports on the front (so they say, haven't seen a picture with that door or whatever open yet), maybe it will be like Xbox 360 -- optionally wired, but ships wireless.

Maybe it handles well in person. Maybe it will grow on us. Nah... Im shocked they didn't stay conservative on the design considering how its layed out identically to the previous controllers. Sigh.

I bet it no longer vibrates after all that lawsuit trouble.

[firstadopter]

<img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3-rl1.jpg" align="top"><br>
<img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3-rl2.jpg" align="top"><br>
<img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3-rl3.jpg" align="top"><br>
The real-life photos of the Playstation 3 don't look as hot as the CGI rendered stuff we saw before. It's look big, chunky, heavy, and fat, not the sleek look we thought it was. The design is slowly looking worse and worse in my humble opinion. It's a Blimpie with a Spiderman font for god's sake.

[firstadopter]

Good god the gameplay clips for the Playstation 3 are breath-taking. Click on the "Sony E3 2005 Playstation 3 Game Demo Showcase 1" on <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/devilmaycry4/media.html">this page</a>. You will be treated with clips for Tekken 6, Devil May Cry 4, a Rockstar Wild West game, Killzone (the best of the bunch, FPS that wacks Halo 2/3 smack up on the side of its head), and Vision Gran Turismo. Good-bye Xbox 360.

[Nick!]

<img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3-rl1.jpg" align="top"><br>
The real-life photos of the Playstation 3 don't look as hot as the CGI rendered stuff we saw before. It's look big, chunky, heavy, and fat, not the sleek look we thought it was. The design is slowly looking worse and worse in my humble opinion. It's a Blimpie with a Spiderman font for god's sake.
Seriously, I think this real-life photo looks better than the CGI :) But you know, the PS2 was no marvel of design, either. Not really that important in the long run. Even the Xbox 360 has grown on me a little (and the name...). I thought the Gamecube was stupid, now I think it's brilliant.

I bet this thing looks far better in black, which is where my money is. Silver/White can bite me.

Still not sure that Xbox 360 is out of the picture. Better hardware isn't always the winner, you saw that in the last generation. Sony really needs to step up and have a 'Playstation Live!' answer that seals the big gap of what Xbox 360 has an advantage on. Heck, even Nintendo has already said they have a service.

Also... what are the costs???

[stupot42]

Thought people might like to see these:

http://media.ps3.ign.com/articles/615/615000/vids_1.html

http://media.ps3.ign.com/media/748/748475/vids_1.html

The second one of the game is amazing, and apparently in game footage not a cut scene! Amazing!

[Nick!]

"The PS3 not only will deliver high-definition video games to HDTV sets, but it also will allow those fortunate enough to own two HDTVs to create a single panoramic ultra-wide arena.

A second screen such as a PC monitor could also be used to show tactical and statistical game data or video chat streams. "

That's from a USA Today article... so that's why it has two HDMI outs. Sounds like another thing to get cut from the mini-PS3 later on :)

[TheAngryIntern]

I definitely like the black one the best, but i do agree with everybody else that the Spiderman font needs to go. Plus any other speculation as to the 3 ethernet jacks? I'm wondering if it could act as a switch or hub to hook in the Xbox360 and Revolution??

[arogan]

g4tv is doing 2hr e3 specials every day this week. I watched part of one last night. They showed the kill zone footage. Sony claims that is all real time and not prerendered. Pretty amazing stuff. They also showed a short clip of WARHAWK!!! I loved warhawk (me and probably 3 other people) which was a ps1 launch title.

[Nick!]

From http://ps3.ign.com/articles/615/615745p1.html:

"Officials from Sony apparently told the newspaper that PlayStation 3s would sell in Japan for "less than 50,000 yen each." That translates to about $465 US dollars."

That would NOT be good, not be good at all. That's like handing the gaming industry over to Microsoft in one fell swoop! One hopes they do better than that on the price, or that this is some goofy upgraded version (large hard drive) and not the base model.

[firstadopter]

I kind of expect Sony to launch in the US for $399. Microsoft will probably launch two SKUs, one at $299 and the other with some backward compatility for $360.

Sony better include at least a 20GB HD if they launch at $399. Man the design is dying on me. It still looks like an ugly Blimpie/BOSE music system to me. Blah!

[Nick!]

Or, as we said at work today, it's the George Forman Grill. We tried to find the hinge along the back... they hid it well.

[arogan]

http://uk.playstation.com/news/newsStory.jhtml?storyId=106796_en_GB_NEWS&linktype=NT3
seems like killzone was pre-rendered?

I never thought it was actualy gameplay but I was hoping at least it was a scripted scene that was rendered real time in engine.

[arogan]

side by side comparison:
http://bigkid.com.au/2005/05/17/xbox-360-vs-ps3/

[stupot42]

http://uk.playstation.com/news/newsStory.jhtml?storyId=106796_en_GB_NEWS&linktype=NT3
seems like killzone was pre-rendered?

I never thought it was actualy gameplay but I was hoping at least it was a scripted scene that was rendered real time in engine.

They haven't actually said that... closest we go was:


Is the Killzone sequence a fair example of what people can expect from realtime gameplay on PLAYSTATION 3?

Jan-Bart: Yeah, it's basically a representation of the look and feel of the game we're trying to make.

It neither confirms nor denys that it's real time. Hmmmmm... could be a bit of political stylee not answering the question going on tho.

[firstadopter]

You think they might do a bait and switch on us and launch the PS3 in Japan in the Spring and wait for the Fall of 2006 in the USA?

That is what they did in the past, but it would really suck if they did it this time because they said Spring 2006 at a freaking USA E3 show. It's not Tokyo Game Show Sony, when you say Spring 2006 at E3, we're all assuming Spring 2006 USA.

[firstadopter]

<img src="http://www.firstadopter.com/images/ps3warhawk.jpg" align="top"><br><br>IGN has the full list and all the official information available for the 34 <a href="http://ps3.ign.com/articles/618/618430p1.html">confirmed</a> games in development for the Playstation 3. It looks like the launch pipeline for the PS3 will be much better and more comprehensive than the PS2 and the PS1. Eat your heart out Xbox 360. Can you say Sega Dreamcast vaporware war all over again from Sony? <br><br>
Frankly there is so many more killer apps for the PS3 in my humble opinion. Sure Xbox 360 has Halo 3, but besides that, what else? The games on the list that max out the drool meter are Killzone, Warhawk, MotorStorm, VisionGT, and Tekken.