Next Xbox "to have 16 core processor"

[babinro]

I thought that having so many processors made the PS3 inherently more difficult to program for over the Xbox. This is partially what led to ports being underwhelming on PS3 when compared to their Xbox counterparts.

Assuming there is any truth to that statement, the idea of having 16 processors seems iffy.

 

[ElPatron]

I want to believe.

I don't know who the hell is going to optimize for 16 cores... Wouldn't this kind of CPU make developers have a harder time optimizing for multiple platforms?
Doesn't matter if the most powerful console belongs to Sony or Microsoft if we will have piss poor ports.

 

[GmonXyZ]

It's hard enough to find places that u can optimize for parallelism in a game engine, somethings just need to be processed in a fixed sequence and cannot/should not be threaded.

It would seem like a strange move to make when a lot of games still can't fully utilize four cores.

 

[MercurySteam]

16 cores? Someone try running the Heaven DX11 Benchmark on max see if it breaks.

And what makes you think a 16-core CPU can break a GPU benchmark?

We're not even thinking of 16 core CPUs for hardcore gaming PCs. AMD have only just released an 8 core CPU which is still a hefty amount.

Well technically it's a quad core that has the shit hyperthreaded out of it, so it doesn't actually have 8 physical cores. I think there are 16-core CPUs but they're probably Bulldozer server processors (even then, they don't have 16 physical cores).

 

[TorqueConverter]

16 core CPUs exist.. anywhere in the world?

How did I miss that. Server hardware no doubt. Yeah it's a devkit but still cool as hell. I wonder what that thing has for GPU? The devkit, not the nextbox.

 

[Strazdas]

And twice what the PS3 has, though doesn't this seem a bit excessive? 4 to 6 with a good bus would be plenty. Though I can see a console this generation bringing in neat a little ARM processor.

Well, you know, they have to be able to compete with PC players at least on the launch date.

We're not even thinking of 16 core CPUs for hardcore gaming PCs. AMD have only just released an 8 core CPU which is still a hefty amount. A Radeon HD 7000 equivalent seems a little far fetched as well having seen how far they can push what's in the current xbox's card.

Well AMD is not thiking about 16 core CPUs, Intel has a I7 with 8 cores that due to new architecture already works at the speed of around 12 core CPU, and thats whats been on the market for what, 2 years now? what do you think runs in their lab for "next cpu" ?

 

[x EvilErmine x]

Just watch, there will be rumours about it have 6 gigs of ram or something next.

Is that all?

"point and shoot: the middle east"

I saw we take this idea, develop it and make millions.

We could corner the market, as far as I know, no one else is in this space.

You could also release map packs for it as DLC:

Point and shoot: Russia's Revenge

&

Point and shoot: Badass Jungle adventure

OT

Ha ha ha 16 cores indeed, MS seem to find designing cooling for there consoles difficult enough with 3 cores and a GPU, 16 would probably kill them, not to mention that unless someone has come up with a really cheep and efficiently way of manufacturing these chips then the cost would be huge and in today's financial market that's going to be s successful as a one legged man in an arse kicking contest.

 

[black_knight1337]

God these rumours are hilarious. 16 core cpu? just no. I can see them having 6 maybe 8 but thats pushing it. The gpu is a bit more reasonable, the 7000 series is possible. This all depends on when they actually want to release this stuff. For the cpu maybe in another 5 years or so, the gpu would most likely be suitable if its released with 1-2 years. idk what Ram is being suggested, but something like 8gb is reasonably within a year or two.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

God these rumours are hilarious. 16 core cpu? just no. I can see them having 6 maybe 8 but thats pushing it. The gpu is a bit more reasonable, the 7000 series is possible. This all depends on when they actually want to release this stuff. For the cpu maybe in another 5 years or so, the gpu would most likely be suitable if its released with 1-2 years. idk what Ram is being suggested, but something like 8gb is reasonably within a year or two.

8Gb would be excellent but it may increase the price too much.

 

[RipRoaringWaterfowl]

All I know is Xbox Durango sounds badass. That should be the final retail name for the console.

 

[Griffolion]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a375714/new-xbox-powered-by-16-core-processor.html

The new Xbox will be equipped with a 16-core processor, a new report has suggested.

The news comes after devkits were sent out to developers following a secret meeting in London last month, reports CVG.

The kits aren't thought to represent the final appearance of the new Xbox, which is codenamed Durango, but they do house the same technology.

This includes a 16-core IBM Power PC CPU, with a graphical power on par with AMD's Radeon HD 7000-series graphics cards.

That's a lot of juice, its four times what the 360 currently has.

Hmm, and how many transistors per core, and what is the clock speed? CISC or RISC?

People, let's not get in over our heads, this 16 core CPU might still get trounced by a top level Intel Xeon. More cores != more computational capability.

Also, MS has a hell of a job on their hands making sure their API's will properly tap 16-cores, because asking the devs to do that manually will be a killer, it was bad enough with PS3's 6.

Lastly, [a href = "http://www.zdnet.com/blog/home-theater/next-generation-xbox-durango-could-ship-with-16-core-cpu/5792"]I've read that the graphics will be on par with the Radeon 7 series.[/a] When putting this one out, were MS saying it with some sort of pride or gleefulness? Because the 7 series will be outdated by the end of the year and the [a href = "http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-680-review-benchmark,review-32404.html"]top level cards have already been soundly beaten by the NVidia GTX 680.[/a]

I put this in an earlier next-gen console thread, I expect Durango and Orbis to have no more than 2GB of RAM considering the memory management algorithms and lightweight OS that go into consoles.

Aside from that, til we see something more concrete, let's keep all this speculation at a very liberal arm's length.

 

[laggyteabag]

Somebody high-up at Microsoft must be sitting there shouting "MOAR POWER!!!!1!1", it doent need that many cores.

 

[Da Orky Man]

That's a lot of juice. I'm half-expecting it to become self-aware.

 

[DazZ.]

They took their time, but the PC Master Race has deigned to speak to us lowly console mortals.

He hasn't said anything about PCs, he's talking completely about the stuff consoles are made of. This happens to be a a thread about technology, using words such as "transistor" doesn't mean he's speaking down to you.

 

[Something Amyss]

lolwut!?

We're not even thinking of 16 core CPUs for hardcore gaming PCs. AMD have only just released an 8 core CPU which is still a hefty amount. A Radeon HD 7000 equivalent seems a little far fetched as well having seen how far they can push what's in the current xbox's card.

Either this thing's gonna cost a bomb or I'm underestimating Microsoft.

Or it's one of the million bullshit rumours. Remember when it wasn't going to be significantly more powerful, for cost reasons, than the XBox 360? Remember the dueling rumours of no disc drive and a BD drive?

I think the current rumour is that it's 63' feet tall, requires an industriual power line, and kicks you in the ass if you insert a used game.

 

[Xanthious]

I've heard that the new Xbox will forego computer parts all together and will be powered by a group of tiny unicorns inside the individual units. Furthermore, it will not use physical or direct download for games but rather you will buy small pouches of fairy dust which will be used to wish games onto the Xbox.

**Disclaimer**: For all you internet "journalists" (*snicker* journalists, that's fucking rich) the following is written for comedic purposes only so please try your hardest to avoid posting (read: copy/pasting) this on your front page. I am not a reliable source (nor is anyone else who's given you a story recently but fuck all if you'll let that stop you) and the following is a total fabrication. So please, I know the page hits trumps the truth in your line of work but, again please, try your hardest.

 

[Elamdri]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a375714/new-xbox-powered-by-16-core-processor.html

The new Xbox will be equipped with a 16-core processor, a new report has suggested.

The news comes after devkits were sent out to developers following a secret meeting in London last month, reports CVG.

The kits aren't thought to represent the final appearance of the new Xbox, which is codenamed Durango, but they do house the same technology.

This includes a 16-core IBM Power PC CPU, with a graphical power on par with AMD's Radeon HD 7000-series graphics cards.

That's a lot of juice, its four times what the 360 currently has.

Bet it only has a Gig of RAM...

 

[Epona]

It'll still run like shit because Microsoft will outsource everything to suicidal Chinese workers and the consoles will still break down at the hint of a small breeze.

You realise they learned their lesson from that incident right? The FIRST thing they'd do is make sure it works for a long time.

The original XBOX broke down alot too, people probably thought they learned their lesson after that one too but they realeased an even more faulty successor.

 

[drednoahl]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a375714/new-xbox-powered-by-16-core-processor.html

The new Xbox will be equipped with a 16-core processor, a new report has suggested.

The news comes after devkits were sent out to developers following a secret meeting in London last month, reports CVG.

The kits aren't thought to represent the final appearance of the new Xbox, which is codenamed Durango, but they do house the same technology.

This includes a 16-core IBM Power PC CPU, with a graphical power on par with AMD's Radeon HD 7000-series graphics cards.

That's a lot of juice, its four times what the 360 currently has.

Hmm, and how many transistors per core, and what is the clock speed? CISC or RISC?

People, let's not get in over our heads, this 16 core CPU might still get trounced by a top level Intel Xeon. More cores != more computational capability.

Also, MS has a hell of a job on their hands making sure their API's will properly tap 16-cores, because asking the devs to do that manually will be a killer, it was bad enough with PS3's 6.

Lastly, [a href = "http://www.zdnet.com/blog/home-theater/next-generation-xbox-durango-could-ship-with-16-core-cpu/5792"]I've read that the graphics will be on par with the Radeon 7 series.[/a] When putting this one out, were MS saying it with some sort of pride or gleefulness? Because the 7 series will be outdated by the end of the year and the [a href = "http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-680-review-benchmark,review-32404.html"]top level cards have already been soundly beaten by the NVidia GTX 680.[/a]

I put this in an earlier next-gen console thread, I expect Durango and Orbis to have no more than 2GB of RAM considering the memory management algorithms and lightweight OS that go into consoles.

Aside from that, til we see something more concrete, let's keep all this speculation at a very liberal arm's length.

They took their time, but the PC Master Race has deigned to speak to us lowly console mortals.

When I got a 360 just after launch PC gamers were not happy - at the time the 360 could match most current gaming PCs so I expect the same to happen when Microsoft release their next gen... a year after that PC gamers might have something to be smug about (if they have the money for whatever tech comes out of course.)

From what I heard from the devs I know, Microsoft's next console will be equivalent to a 3.6ghz six core processor with a 7950 and 4gig of memory shared, however there is a second version to compete with the WiiU that will be cheaper - probably cloud based. As a recently converted PC gamer myself I will be fairly happy if what I've been told comes true because it means I don't have to upgrade for a long while (minimum spec for most PC games has been fairly static for a while, I suppose because of the 360's spec) however I really wish Microsoft would up the memory.

The deal breaker for me was the security measures. Don't be surprised if it comes with Origin either.

 

[CrystalShadow]

16 cores?

Yeah, good luck with that.

I have a quad-core CPU, and Í've yet to come across a game that can make meaningful use of more than 2 of them. (with some load on a 3rd for background tasks.)

Game programmers are just not very good at writing decent multi-threaded code.

Of course, it doesn't help that PC architecture isn't well-designed for it. DirectX in particular has some serious bottlenecks that make using more than 2 cpu cores efficiently almost impossible, because of the way the CPU, and GPU communicate with eachother.
DirectX 11 took a step or two in trying to fix this, but it's still a long way off from being usable.

That, and writing multi-threaded code given how a game functions is just plain difficult.

So... If it does have 16 cores, you'd better hope the architecture was planned really carefully...
Otherwise 12 or more of those cores are going to spend most of their time doing nothing...