Intel, Nintendo Collaborating on New Console?

[exfileme]

The latest word is that Intel is trying to talk Nintendo into jumping on the Larrabee bandwagon.

Intel, Nintendo Collaborating on New Console? : Read more

 

[azcoyote]

Pshaw... Like Nintendo would want Larrabee in a new Wii... Last time I checked the old Wii has an Ati chip... Doubt that will change....

 

[B-Unit]

^^^
The Fail is strong in this one...

 

[juliom]

I'm pretty sure the next Nintendo console will continue to use an ATI graphics card. Dunno about the CPU though... Maybe Intel talks are for the CPU? Maybe AMD could manufacture a nice CPU for a nice price and we would get a Phenom II class chip on the next Wii for a low price?

 

[chuenl]

Well, they got to make it up somewhere for the 1.25B dollars given to AMD.

 

[brisingamen]

intel made 37 billion or some silly trash last year, the 1.5 they threw to amd was nothing, they should have been made to pay 5 billion.

 

[krazynutz]

Okay, gently correct me if I'm way off the mark here, but since the Dolphin emulator can play Wii games in HD, would it be possible for the Wii's successor to be backwards compatible and be able to play the old Wii games in beautiful HD? I know the PS3 can't do that for PS2 or PS1 games. Is it even possible on a console?

 

[neblogai]

There is no way Nintendo is getting Larrabee for their new console. They, as well as Sony, are suffering in this generation because their hardware is not common enough (in case of Nintendo- hardware is weak, in case of Sony- overcomplicated). So, Nintendo taking weak and overcomplicated Larrabee for their next console? A joke.

 

[jimmysmitty]

[citation][nom]neblogai[/nom]There is no way Nintendo is getting Larrabee for their new console. They, as well as Sony, are suffering in this generation because their hardware is not common enough (in case of Nintendo- hardware is weak, in case of Sony- overcomplicated). So, Nintendo taking weak and overcomplicated Larrabee for their next console? A joke.[/citation]

Weak? Larrabee is supposed to match a GTX285. The Wii has a pretty weak ATI GPU too. Its about the performance of a x1800 if I remember.

Complicated? Larrabee can code using any API (DX/OGL) and as well and x86 language (C, C++ ect). Thats pretty simple to me.

Cell on the other hand cannot code for APIs or x86 instruction sets.

If anything LRB would be better than them getting a weak last gen GPU again.

 

[kageryu]

Nintendo...Wiintel? Wiint? Intelliwin?

Either way, this could turn out to be a good thing. Nintendo is currently mocked as the console with the previous gen gfx. Intel's GPU could easily turn the tables around for the next generation and make the Nintendo's next console a valid competitor in terms of graphics and user interface, Natal may not go uncontested.

 

[mman74]

My 2 cents worth. If Wii is such a cash cow for them - then they need to split the market and come up with 2 machines.
This "family around the box" system only has an appeal at Xmas time, otherwise I am not going to use that machine. They need to put out something for the mature gamer demographic otherwise my money is staying with Sony or MS.

 

[silverblue]

[citation][nom]jimmysmitty[/nom]If anything LRB would be better than them getting a weak last gen GPU again.[/citation]

You get what you pay for. If Nintendo had wanted much better graphics, chances are they'd have asked ATi for something similar to the Xenos chip that the 360 possesses. They didn't, so there we go.

Additionally, the Wii may have the weakest graphics of the three consoles, but the very fact that it brought something new to the scene made it the only true next-gen machine... if you believe The Sims creator Will Wright, that is.

 

[cnyte]

If Nintendo do use the Larrabee graphics processor it'll be kool to see if the graphics are any better. But using the Larrabee graphic processor Nintendo might lose the backwards compatiblily of wii and Gamecube.

 

[cnyte]

If Nintendo do use the Larrabee graphics processor it'll be kool to see if the graphics are any better. But using the Larrabee graphic processor Nintendo might lose the backwards compatiblily of wii and Gamecube.

 

[anamaniac]

[citation][nom]cnyte[/nom]If Nintendo do use the Larrabee graphics processor it'll be kool to see if the graphics are any better. But using the Larrabee graphic processor Nintendo might lose the backwards compatiblily of wii and Gamecube.[/citation]
It would be cool.
Larrabee could be both the GPU and CPU. If a dev makes a game with say, heavy physics, he can use more cores for general processing. If it's a simple games, but is graphics intensive, they can use the majority of the cores for graphics. Sounds like it's close to a SoC. Instead of mutliple processors side by side on a SoC though, it's one processor that does it all and allocates cores accordingly.

I also believe they could keep backwards compatibility, because larrabee should be strong enough for Wii/GameCube software emulation.

I still have high hopes for Nintendo. They make high profits with the Wii, so hopefully they're going to invest it properly.
Hell, give me an ARM CPU (such as the OLPC program, going from VIA to AMD to increase CPU power, and eventually AMD to ARM to reduce cost and increase CPU power at the same time)and a tegra GPU with some extremely low voltage RAM (shared between CPU and GPU) and a 0.001W SSD etc. in the next Wii and I'll still be happy. Have something comparable to the current Wii at a 2W power draw. Then mix it up with a decent low power pocket projector. Mix it with a high quality 50Wh battery to top it off. Give me those, and I will go buy one.

 

[snarfeck]

i love dogs.

 

[Guest]

this is just intel searching for a way to save face after the disater the larribe project became.

 

[bamslang]

[citation][nom]neblogai[/nom]There is no way Nintendo is getting Larrabee for their new console. They, as well as Sony, are suffering in this generation because their hardware is not common enough (in case of Nintendo- hardware is weak, in case of Sony- overcomplicated). So, Nintendo taking weak and overcomplicated Larrabee for their next console? A joke.[/citation]

Suffering? I hardly call being the market leader suffering nor do I think it's suffering when you can keep demand for your product so high that stock outs are occurring years after its release.

It's so funny to see all of the "hardcore" gamers whine and complain about the Wii's graphics and how it's a crappy system because of them. Fact is, while M$ and Sony were busy simply upgrading their hardware, Nintendo was creating a new way to play video games. Sure it has its flaws since, as does all new technology, but it will revolutionize the way we play games in the future. People are so excited about natal and Sony’s new motion sensor saying "it will PWN Wii." Of course it will, it's second gen compared to the Wii. The fact is though, you wouldn’t have Natal to look forward to if Nintendo didn't invent the Wii. The Wii was never meant to have cutting edge graphics and that’s why it has been so successful. Instead of loading it with a huge GPU and a Blueray player, Nintendo decided to keep it affordable and let the fun (debatable to some) gameplay be its selling factor.

Like it or not, the Wii was what Nintendo needed to become relevant in the gaming scene again and what the industry needed to actually force innovation. I guarantee you M$ or Sony would have been completely fine with simply slapping in a better GPU and CPU into a reworked console and calling it next gen with the Xbox 540 and the PS4 had it not been for the Wii.

 

[gto127]

Part of the reason the wii has been so sucessful is it's look & small footprint. If they use a powerful CPU/graphics it would have to be bigger for cooling. I don't see them messing with that basic equation that has made them sucessful this go roound. Wii GPU technology is about 7 years old. They could update to 2 year old technology & still make a machine that's small & would look good enough for most people. I prefer the latest tech myself but that's what I think Nintendo will do.

 

[silverblue]

Nintendo will have made a packet off the Wii, because it's selling for above its actual cost, also the different style of gaming plus good advertising keeps drawing people in. More money in the bank = more for R&D, so expect Nintendo to put it to good use.

You can get a 360 bundle for cheaper than a Wii bundle, and the 360 hardware is far more powerful, but Microsoft have historically sold their consoles at a loss anyway. Even so, it's not enough to overhaul the Wii as the most popular console.