Sony Unveils New PlayStation 3 Consoles

ABC News ^ | May 16, 2005

[Panerai]

Sony Corp. unveiled three flavors of its new PlayStation 3 video game machine Monday in what is likely a new round of console wars with rivals Microsoft Corp. and Nintendo Co.

The new machine, set for release in the spring of 2006, is about the same size as the current generation PlayStation 2 but has a more rounded look. Besides black, the PS3 will be available in silver and white.

Sony officials said the PS3's new processor technology called Cell will offer high performance for movie-like realism in games, high-definition movies and other features.

"The PS3 is truly is a system to be placed in the center of the living room," said Ken Kutaragi, creator of the original PlayStation console as well as the more recent PlayStation Portable handheld.

Prices or a specific lineup of games that will be available were not were not provided, though Sony showed off numerous demonstrations of games in development.

[Panerai]

Wireless controllers, connection to the PSP and a powerful new graphics processor technology: Take a look at the PlayStation 3's performance specifications as provided by Sony.

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 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
• HDD: 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: Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)

Controller
• Bluetooth:(up to 7)
• USB2.0: (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
• SACDL: 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)

[supercat]

And to think I just got out and played my Stargate cartridge for the Atari 2600 on Saturday (awesome cart, btw).

[Petronski]

That reads like a cold-war-era supercomputer.

One could power a space program with such a computer.

[Michael Goldsberry]

Ogg! Ogg...! Ogg!! the BASE!!!

(... whoops! Wrong game.)

[Conservative Firster]

[seacapn]

I remember how happy eveyone was back when I shipped a couple of PS2 units and games to my nephew in Iraq... this one would probably go over even better, if I could afford it!

[Panerai]

Cool, I was just looking for some decent images

[SamAdams76]

This is nothing. In 25 years, you will have a computer 100 times as powerful as this sitting on your wristwatch.

[dc27]

I am glad that it will have HDMI output. Get some 1080i action.

[Petronski]

With respect, this is something. In the future it will be nothing, but right now, it is "frickin' sweet."

[Viking2002]

Just remember: your average PDA has more total computing power than every computer system on an Apollo launch vehicle. And that includes the command and lunar modules. Yet, 35 years later, we're still farting around in low Earth orbit.

There's a conspiracy theory for you to chew on.

[Petronski]

Meanwhile, I want my wristwatch videophone and my flying car. Where's my flying car? Hanna-Barbera promised me a flying car.

[Petronski]

Yeah, that is spooky.


When I say "enough computing power to run a space program," I'm talking about the craft AND ground control.

[LdSentinal]

Lucky kids. All I had when I grew up was this.

[FreedomNeocon]

I'm counting on $399 to $499 initial Christmas cost.

[catbertz]

Forget 1080i, progressive is what you want for fast gameplay. This thing does the latest and greatest..1080p :drool:

[Petronski]

[supercat]

Lucky kids. All I had when I grew up was this.

Bummer. Only 64 colors. The Atari 2600 VCS from the previous decade could display 128 simultaneous with the right programming.

[marajade]

Cheap way to get blu ray

[FreedomNeocon]

Interesting Sidenote: You're average CAR RADIO in 2004 contins more electonic power (in CPU TERMS) than the LUNAR ROVER does.