Sony to release its own PS4-SuperGrafx

[SGX Engine]

http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/sources-the-upgraded-playstation-4-is-codenamed-ne/1100-5437/
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-more-powerful-ps4-console-upgrade-detailed-fur/1100-6438978/
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-sonys-plan-for-playstation-4k-neo-revealed

CPU: The good news is that there will be a CPU upgrade over the lacklustre x86 cores found in PlayStation 4. The bad news is that the cores themselves have not been changed at all - they have simply been overclocked from 1.6GHz to 2.1GHz - a 31 per cent improvement. As with the current PlayStation 4, one core and a time-slice from another is reserved for the operating system.

Memory: We're still at 8GB of GDDR5, with a 24 per cent boost to bandwidth compared to the original PS4. The current machine uses 5.5gbps memory modules. Basic maths suggests that Sony has pushed this to the same 7.0gbps modules we see on high-end graphics cards like the GTX 980 and GTX 980 Ti. There are some concerns here. The boost to bandwidth isn't exactly huge, it will still be in contention with CPU utilisation (they both share the same interface), and the bandwidth doesn't scale particularly well with the mooted GPU boost, which - to be frank - is massive.

GPU: This is the most exciting aspect of the spec. Compute unit count doubles from 18 to 36, and clock-speed increases from 800MHz to 911MHz - a 14 per cent increase. That's an overall increase of 2.3x in FLOPs. The question is, what technology is being used here? AMD has created both of its current-gen console processors so far by taking older, off-the-shelf components and disabling a couple of compute units. In effect, Xbox One got the Radeon HD 7790, while PlayStation 4 got a more capable, semi-custom Radeon HD 7870. Here's where things get interesting - the 36 compute unit count cannot comfortably fit any of AMD's existing GPUs. It suggests that Sony and AMD have pushed the boat out, that they are using the upcoming Polaris technology.

How two PlayStations will co-exist: Base and Neo modes

Sony seemingly acknowledges the need to integrate the two models of PlayStation 4 available simultaneously on the market - internally dubbed as 'Base' and 'Neo'. There will be no games exclusive to the Neo model, every title will be available on both, and there's no suggestion of VR-exclusive Neo modes at this point. Developers are prohibited from creating Neo-exclusive gameplay features, and enhancements are expected to be graphical and performance-based in nature. Gamers on both systems will be tied into the same ecosystem, meaning that users of both models will be competing against one another in online games. The user interface and PSN systems will also be identical.

The big question is just what is possible using the enhanced hardware. The need to support existing PlayStation 4 hardware puts a ceiling on the kind of experiences developers can offer - any kind of multi-platform development is defined by the lowest common denominator, and it's rare to find a developer that will dedicate significant resources to a small minority of users.

[wilykat]

So will there be an add-on for older PS4 costing oh about $200 to boost the performance of older PS4? Or are we going to start seeing a crapload of sub-$100 used PS4 that many people may dump in favor of newer PS4?

[xelement5x]

So will there be an add-on for older PS4 costing oh about $200 to boost the performance of older PS4? Or are we going to start seeing a crapload of sub-$100 used PS4 that many people may dump in favor of newer PS4?

I can't see how it would really be possible to upgrade the GPU of an older system without some addon that is basically like 2/3 the cost of a new system.  Unless they do some sort of exchange program, which knowing Sony seems unlikely.  A glut of used PS4s for cheap would be niiiice though.

[Necromancer]

I doubt it's going to make a difference in the original PS4's value.  Considering how many people see no difference between the graphics of the PS4, xbone, and Wii-U (and little difference between current and previous generations), I'd wager the majority of current and prospective PS4 buyers could care less about having more power, unwilling to shell out more money for an incremental improvement.

Without additional ram to support much higher resolutions or improved texture packs, I expect the main difference between old and new PS4s will be in internal rendering resolutions and/or frame rates: the old PS4 will render a game at 720p or 900p while the neo will work in native 1080p, and/or they'll both be rendered at the same resolution but at 30 fps on the original hardware and 60 fps on the neo.

[SGX Engine]

This article and video was just put up by IGN within the last day.

PlayStation NEO: How It Could Fail


"The TurboGrafx-16 (called the PC Engine in Japan) was a late-80s Japanese console that beat Sega and Nintendo’s 16-bit models to market. The console was designed to be expandable, with compatibility built into its tiny Core Grafx base that encouraged CD-ROM based expansions, upgraded video output, improved sound, several varieties of RAM expansions, and optional internal storage memory. The console was actually a big hit in Japan."

"But manufacturer NEC didn’t know when to quit. The company kept creating more and better hardware expansions for the platform, eventually producing a fragmented market. The design culminated in the massive Japan-only SuperGrafx spin-off, which was a colossal failure."

"Worse, NEC couldn’t duplicate its initial Japanese success when it came to the US. The expensive variety of hardware iterations fragmented the market and added extra cost at a time when the Genesis and SNES promised simpler solutions. While the TG-16 had some spectacular games, poor marketing, high prices, and a market fragmented by expansions and competitors doomed it."





http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/04/20/playstation-neo-how-it-could-fail

[esteban]

This article and video was just put up by IGN within the last day.

PlayStation NEO: How It Could Fail




"The TurboGrafx-16 (called the PC Engine in Japan) was a late-80s Japanese console that beat Sega and Nintendo’s 16-bit models to market. The console was designed to be expandable, with compatibility built into its tiny Core Grafx base that encouraged CD-ROM based expansions, upgraded video output, improved sound, several varieties of RAM expansions, and optional internal storage memory. The console was actually a big hit in Japan."

"But manufacturer NEC didn’t know when to quit. The company kept creating more and better hardware expansions for the platform, eventually producing a fragmented market. The design culminated in the massive Japan-only SuperGrafx spin-off, which was a colossal failure."

"Worse, NEC couldn’t duplicate its initial Japanese success when it came to the US. The expensive variety of hardware iterations fragmented the market and added extra cost at a time when the Genesis and SNES promised simpler solutions. While the TG-16 had some spectacular games, poor marketing, high prices, and a market fragmented by expansions and competitors doomed it."

[url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/04/20/playstation-neo-how-it-could-fail]

Fragmenting the market is a real concern, but obviously this person is oversimplifying/conflating factors for PCE/TG-16 failure...

Why are aesthetic changes an issue? Who cares? The hardware is functionally equivalent....



SuperGrafx, you poor thing! Are you the 32X of NEC Land?

Unfortunately, the chronology and immediate abortion of SuperGrafx doesn't fit the author's theory...

[SGX Engine]

I'm just surprised they mentioned and showed the SuperGrafx !!

[wilykat]

Would the PS4 Neo suffer from frequent PCB cracking due to poorly designed board and plastic layout like SuperGrafx does?

[Necromancer]

Unfortunately, the chronology and immediate abortion of SuperGrafx doesn't fit the author's theory...

Agreed.  It was dead and buried long before the Super CD, Arcade Card, or Duos came out.

[BlueBMW]

The closest comparable situation I see is the New 3DS.  It irritated me a little bit since I already had a 3ds and 3ds xl but honestly so far I've seen no reason to get a New 3DS yet.  But it is frustrating when you've already bought hardware and then very quickly a new version comes out.

This is probably the norm though.  I'm already accustomed to upgrading my PC every few years.  I usually do graphics card every 4 years and CPU/memory every 4 years and stagger the two so something new every 2 years.  Its just the way of things it seems.

[TheClash603]

I bought the New 3DS because my original 3DS was not an XL model.  I agree this is the best comparison, because the New 3DS has performance improvements which are nearly unnoticeable.  There is Xenoblade which can't be played on the original 3DS and only the new one, but that is the only exclusive game I think.

However, I didn't pick up Hyrule Warriors 3DS yet, but I have heard it is nearly unplayable without the New 3DS.  Review scores were markedly lower when speaking about original 3DS performance.  In the event Neo mode turns into a similar situation, that would not go over well with consumers.  3DS has gotten away with it because it is only one game and the install base is likely not buying games primarily based on graphics, due to the limitations of the system.

[SGX Engine]

Sony exec Andrew House confirmed the existence of the new, more powerful PS4, often referred to as PS4K and PS4 Neo or Neo PS4.

House called it "a high-end PS4"

However it won't be shown at E3.

http://www.cnet.com/news/sony-confirms-high-end-ps4-is-coming-but-it-wont-be-at-e3/
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/06/sony-ps4-neo-confirmed-e3/
http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/10/ps4-neo-confirmed-wont-be-at-e3

“We want to ensure we have a full range of the best experiences on the new system that we can showcase in their entirety.”

[SGX Engine]

So yeah.