Low Cell Yields

[Abooie]

Seems even with the lower speed and number of usable SPE's cut down from 8 to 7 IBM are still having trouble getting them manufactured.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060712-7248.html

Tom Reeves, VP of semiconductor and technology services at IBM, openly admitted that only one of every five Cell CPUs rolling out of their fabs is fully functional with regards to all eight Synergistic Processing Elements. In an interview with Electronics News, Reeves said "With a chip like the Cell processor, you’re lucky to get 10 or 20 percent [yield]. If you put logic redundancy on it, you can double that." His comments suggest that Sony's effective yield should be closer to 20 to 40 percent, since the PlayStation 3 only requires 7 functional SPEs (6 for the heavy lifting, one for the system).

or for a more tabloid take on it > http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32978

I can see a further delay on the horizon.

 

[Abooie]

I'm really getting bored with these threads now.

There was me thinking that a few months ago the majority of members on here eventually agreed that it was the game and not the hardware that made a winning console.

And look at the threads of late. Come on fellas, get a grip.

*that's NOT a dig at smcshaw, every right to bring it to attention, but these threads drift off into a slagging match with no outcome because we just don't know the final results yet. So no hard feelings mate.

I do agree mate. Both consoles will have their share of great titles and I don't think any real gamer wants any of them to 'fail'.
I thought I'd post about the yields as I'm starting to fear launch quantities may be reduced or even worse, and unkthinkable, the PS3 slips.

Having read a few more articles the plan is to still use chips with 3, 4 etc. working SPEs though it still seems a little sketchy exactly how.

It does seem as that guy who phoned into (Gamespot I think) said "Bad News! Always Bad News!". The problem atm is their just isn't any good news for Sony. All these threads are just reporting it per se.

I'm sure once it's launched, and as we get closer, there'll be many good articles. (Hopefully, as even though I currently have no plans to get one, I hope people who do really enjoy theres).

*and absolutely no hard feelings mate.... I'll get ya though! [/