PS4 Specs for Dummies.

[Coconut_Crunch]

Which is what I expected, this shows no bearing in terms of gameplay and graphical areas of the GPU anyway.

[Morganator]

Something to keep in mind, its GDDR5 and not DDR5.

GDDR5 is high bandwidth - high latency. Not so great for CPU's, but I imagine the Jaguars have beefed up cache to compensate. The GDDR category of memory works best with graphics cards.

You know, I was quite surprised they didn't push XDR ram as their solution. They could have had twice the bandwidth with half the latency while having a lower temperature solution. I'm starting to wonder if the ram architecture differences would have resulted in a more complex overall design.

[Coconut_Crunch]

the architecture would be different I assume. I am sure when Mark Cerny and others researched and asked the developers what they wanted, they gave actual options in terms of DDR3 or 4 (later on) XDR and GDDR5. From a developers standpoint and what I've read about GDDR5, it makes more sense because it's faster at doing bigger calculations compared to DDR3.

I would assume GDDR5 is a lot easier to work with compared to XDR. For where Console gaming is going, GDDR5 makes perfect sense. I'm still reading more about this thoguh. But from what I've written, that is what I got out of what GDDR5 Vs DDR is. I would assume the same.

Didn't the PS3 use XDR?

[shepard]

I am sure when Mark Cerny and others researched and asked the developers what they wanted, they gave actual options in terms of DDR3 or 4 (later on) XDR and GDDR5. From a developers standpoint and what I've read about GDDR5, it makes more sense because it's faster at doing bigger calculations compared to DDR3.

^^This right here.

[Morganator]

Yes. The PS3 used 256MB of XDR for the system ram while using 256MB of GDDR3 for RSX

[Vulgotha]

Which is what I expected, this shows no bearing in terms of gameplay and graphical areas of the GPU anyway.

GPU no- but having the CPU play nice with the GDDR will be more complicated than, say, having it work with DDR. Not deal breaking or anything just a trade off design wise.

They wanted lots of bandwidth and great GPU performance- much like the Xbox 360 design. Sony has backed away from their CPU centric architectures.

[Mikael]

I didn't have an error, I just didn't include the fact that its shared between the cpu and gpu. My statement of what URAM is, is still accurate.

Sorry, but unified memory doesn't have anything to do with combining different memory types in a single location. Unified memory specifically refers to a single memory pool that's accessible to different chips.

[shepard]

If you want to nerd out on this, read: http://www.intechopen.com/books/adva...s-memory-uram-


I'll post to you a segment of the conclusion paragraph for ease:

"The functions of nonvolatile Flash memory and high-speed DRAM are co-integrated, and this memory is named Unified-RAM or URAM. The combination of oxide/nitride/oxide gate dielectric and the floating body structure provide two functions in a single memory cell. In addition, the inherent operational bias domain for two functions allows independent function depending on the end user’s demand."

[PeanutButterMunky]

That has nothing to do with PS4.

[Coconut_Crunch]

If you want to nerd out on this, read: http://www.intechopen.com/books/adva...s-memory-uram-


I'll post to you a segment of the conclusion paragraph for ease:

"The functions of nonvolatile Flash memory and high-speed DRAM are co-integrated, and this memory is named Unified-RAM or URAM. The combination of oxide/nitride/oxide gate dielectric and the floating body structure provide two functions in a single memory cell. In addition, the inherent operational bias domain for two functions allows independent function depending on the end user’s demand."

you are also right for pointing that out. In fact you are both right in that regard. Unified RAM is a pool of ram that can be used and split however they like. Unified RAM isn't just 1 type of ram or 2 types of ram in a single pool, unified can be both. 8GB GDDR5 in the PS4 is unified because it's not split. In that article, that can be considered unified because it's sharing the same pool. Unified isn't used in Desktop PC's but more like tablets, consoles, etc etc. The Xbox360 I believe the RAM was Unified, but the PS3 wasn't.

[Mikael]

If you want to nerd out on this, read: http://www.intechopen.com/books/adva...s-memory-uram-


I'll post to you a segment of the conclusion paragraph for ease:

"The functions of nonvolatile Flash memory and high-speed DRAM are co-integrated, and this memory is named Unified-RAM or URAM. The combination of oxide/nitride/oxide gate dielectric and the floating body structure provide two functions in a single memory cell. In addition, the inherent operational bias domain for two functions allows independent function depending on the end user’s demand."

As far as I'm aware, that kind of memory is not even commercially available. Unified memory, or "Unified Memory Architecture", in the PS4's case means the sharing of the 8GB GDDR5 between the CPU and the GPU. As Coconut_Crunch points out, this type of memory access was used in the Xbox 360 and was often pointed out as an advantage over the PS3's split memory.

[mooninites]

Thanks for this thread guys. It really puts a couple things in perspective.

I hear a lot about how the graphics are going to be great and everything else graphics. Is there anything else we can expect from these types of specs other than graphics and how smooth it'll be.? Ie: Bigger worlds, livelier environments smarter AI... Or does that solely fall upon the dev and disc space?

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

[shepard]

Well maybe I confused unified memory with "unified memory". Seems odd they'd use an identical naming convention to describe their memory build. Guess we'll have to wait and see if more specifics surface on it from sony themselves. But as far as I can tell you and I are discussing the samething if not for the fact you believe the chips to still be separate??? If I understand you correctly?

Anyway, the OP can update his post accordingly.

[Ixion]

Bigger worlds, livelier environments smarter AI

If anything, more RAM will be better for those aspects rather than pure graphical detail, from what I understand. Polygon count is dependent on the GPU, unless I'm mistaken.

[Vulgotha]

http://imgur.com/a/FS86x


Interesting.. Thoughts?

[PeanutButterMunky]

http://imgur.com/a/FS86x


Interesting.. Thoughts?

The still images make it look worse than it is. I watched it again and it's pretty awesome.

[Vulgotha]

More than likely it wasn't the best optimized demo out there is what I'm guessing.

[Ixion]

http://imgur.com/a/FS86x


Interesting.. Thoughts?

The ice section that was added seems to have shadows, while the fire section doesn't. Perhaps that's because they ported over the fire section and created the ice section from the ground-up for PS4?

[Blacksite]

http://imgur.com/a/FS86x


Interesting.. Thoughts?

No mention of the lack of depth of field?

[shepard]

If anything, more RAM will be better for those aspects rather than pure graphical detail, from what I understand. Polygon count is dependent on the GPU, unless I'm mistaken.

There is a working balance across PC hardware. RAM assists in quick access of desired data in no particular order of retrieval. CPU works to process that data as fast as it can. More RAM you have, the more data can be stored for quick access. More CPU you have, the faster you can call out that data and run calculations on it.

When it comes to graphics, you are looking at your gfx card for pretty much everything. Whether it be draw distance or densely populated AI environments. The generation of those is coming from your video card.

[Vulgotha]

No mention of the lack of depth of field?

Yep that was noticeably absent. DoF though has been used in PS3 titles from what I can remember- didn't Killzone 2 and 3 use it?

I don't think this was optimized at all.

[Blacksite]

Yep that was noticeably absent. DoF though has been used in PS3 titles from what I can remember- didn't Killzone 2 and 3 use it?

I don't think this was optimized at all.

Can't remember. I know some PS3 titles used it but I was thinking more like the bokeh DOF effect which is more refined.

[PeanutButterMunky]

More than likely it wasn't the best optimized demo out there is what I'm guessing.

I think that would be a safe assumption.

The ice section that was added seems to have shadows, while the fire section doesn't. Perhaps that's because they ported over the fire section and created the ice section from the ground-up for PS4?

That's kind of what it felt like.

[Blacksite]

Sony probably weren't expecting people to analyze it. For a brief moment, in motion, it still looks good. And they did follow it up with better footage.

[PeanutButterMunky]

Well Epic even said they added on the extra portion just for PS4. It still looks awesome, though.