EA: We're Blown Away By Wii U

[fir_ser]

Hope to see some interesting games for this new upcoming console.

 

[TheViper]

Dark Comet, the problem between Wii and PS3/X360 wasn't horsepower alone, it was the use of a fixed function pipeline without programmable shaders and the use of standard definition resolutions. The Wii U fixes those issues such that even if the PS4 and Next X end up much more powerful, it will still receive ports as the shaders, resolutions and game engines will still be compatible. Think of it more like regular PC GPU's. An HD 4870 and an HD 6970 can still run the same game despite the large difference in performance.

 

[joe gamer]

[citation][nom]TheViper[/nom]It's actually IBM Power7 based. Quite literally the most powerful CPU on the planet[/citation]

This guy, lol. It's a 45nm proc, a fine processor to be sure but core for core any of the 32nm chips will be significantly more powerful.

All that aside it's a server proc, most of it's admittedly spectacular performance comes from the 4 way SMT which allows for massive multi-threading in enterprise applications. However this does not necessarily translate into gaming performance. The engine from an M1 Abrams tank is significantly more powerful than a Corvette V8, but which one is actually faster? Something to be said for purpose built design.

 

[TheViper]

Joe Gamer, IBM doesn't fabricate 32 nm Power7 chips yet. Nor do they even have a public roadmap for it. But just being 32 nm doesn't make a chip any more powerful than a 45 nm chip, that makes it more thermally and cost efficient.

As for being a server chip, that's what the PS3 and Xbox 360 have. Server chips. They are both based on Power ISA v2.03.

 

[joe gamer]

You missed my point entirely, consoles use server architectures for many reasons, low power, long life, reliability, but raw power is not one of them. Power7 may be the best server processor but it is not "Quite literally the most powerful CPU on the planet", when it comes to gaming there are dozens of other processors that will perform better. Games do not benefit from heavy multi-threading so anything with a higher clock-speed and a few cores will be better. 32nm Procs can achieve higher speeds at the same temperatures which is why for gaming they will walk all over the Power7.

I don't have a problem with the Wii using that processor, It is a much better fit for the console form-factor than a high power, high heat, desktop processor and the GPU will be much more important anyway, I only object to your particular description of it. I won't continue to argue with you, we will just see how it holds up once the other players bring their machines to the field.

 

[rantoc]

What was to be expected, EA wants revenue and what better way to get there than produce crap titles in 1/3 the time compared to a real AAA title to other platforms and still sell it for the same price? Ofcorse it blown their minds away at the same rate it will blow away the wallets of their customers for less!

 

[hatethisbull]

What console system /hasn't/ had its system-defining games written in-house?