PC equivalent to PS4 specs?

Deleted User 234324 · 28 Feb 2013 at 12:56

It is not 8Gb of RAM!.

It is unified memory much like that used in laptops with integrated GPU's.

What this essentially means is that the GPU and CPU will have to share the same memory, most modern high end GPU's are 2GB+ VRAM so you can expect the PS4 to use a similar figure for its GPU.

The remaining 6GB will be for system memory.

GDDR5 depending on its speed will offer around 150Gb/s bandwidth.

Quad Channel DDR3 @ 2133Mhz is around 50Gb/s as used by the Socket 2011 i7.

So not only will be the PS4 have significantly more bandwidth to play with it will also be highly optimised. These optimisations should translate to PC fairly well though as its based on x86 and DX11 hardware. Obviously the PC hardware is forever evolving so while current top end hardware may fair pretty well,

snips86x · 28 Feb 2013 at 13:02

robfosters said:
I agree. Anything around this mark would surely be on a par at least.

Then give it a few months and we will be looking down our noses at Playstation hardware once more

I think even the A10 would kick it hard in the b***s

linwelin · 28 Feb 2013 at 13:18

MadMossy said:
It is not 8Gb of RAM!.

It is unified memory much like that used in laptops with integrated GPU's.

What this essentially means is that the GPU and CPU will have to share the same memory, most modern high end GPU's are 2GB+ VRAM so you can expect the PS4 to use a similar figure for its GPU.

The remaining 6GB will be for system memory.

GDDR5 depending on its speed will offer around 150Gb/s bandwidth.

Quad Channel DDR3 @ 2133Mhz is around 50Gb/s as used by the Socket 2011 i7.

So not only will be the PS4 have significantly more bandwidth to play with it will also be highly optimised. These optimisations should translate to PC fairly well though as its based on x86 and DX11 hardware. Obviously the PC hardware is forever evolving so while current top end hardware may fair pretty well,

I stand corrected then, i thought since it was GDDR5 it was GPU ram

jamiehavok · 28 Feb 2013 at 18:45

so basicly s ps4 has 8gb of ddr5 ram which is shared with the gpu. so its system ram is faster than current ddr3 ram in a pc? so question is when will ddr5 ram stick be available and will ddr4 be skipped?

dacads · 28 Feb 2013 at 19:16

ThaReaperGuy said:
3570k + 7950 + 8GB 2133mhz Ram and you're golden.

Why 2133MHz? I thought faster RAM was only beneficial for Trinity APUs plus 8GB of 1600MHz is plenty and copes fine anyway

olivier renault · 28 Feb 2013 at 22:12

jamiehavok said:
so basicly s ps4 has 8gb of ddr5 ram which is shared with the gpu. so its system ram is faster than current ddr3 ram in a pc? so question is when will ddr5 ram stick be available and will ddr4 be skipped?

It's higher bandwidth but also higher latency. Not ideal for desktop CPUs, fine for GPUs, and will need to be optimised for on consoles. The fact that the memory architecture is unified and leaning towards the GPU needs is a great idea. Can't wait to see what the boffins will come up with. The potential is huge.

I am shocked. Sony finally came up with a cost effective, sensible, yet opened, powerful and well-balanced architecture. Woot?!?

DaleTheWhale · 28 Feb 2013 at 23:18

dacads said:
Why 2133MHz? I thought faster RAM was only beneficial for Trinity APUs plus 8GB of 1600MHz is plenty and copes fine anyway

Why not eh? + 2133 was easier to type in all fairness.

Rroff · 28 Feb 2013 at 23:23

MadMossy said:
It is not 8Gb of RAM!.

It is unified memory much like that used in laptops with integrated GPU's.

What this essentially means is that the GPU and CPU will have to share the same memory, most modern high end GPU's are 2GB+ VRAM so you can expect the PS4 to use a similar figure for its GPU.

The remaining 6GB will be for system memory.

GDDR5 depending on its speed will offer around 150Gb/s bandwidth.

Quad Channel DDR3 @ 2133Mhz is around 50Gb/s as used by the Socket 2011 i7.

So not only will be the PS4 have significantly more bandwidth to play with it will also be highly optimised. These optimisations should translate to PC fairly well though as its based on x86 and DX11 hardware. Obviously the PC hardware is forever evolving so while current top end hardware may fair pretty well,

Was waiting for someone to post this

A low end i5 w/ 4GB RAM and a 7850 would probably be comparable tho its hard to directly compare (i.e. consoles can be extremely fast at specific features and extremely slow at other things).

Orcvader · 28 Feb 2013 at 23:27

Wasn't it mentioned that the APU is based off Jaguar cores (not Piledriver, but Bobcat's successor)? How will that compare with current CPUs? Although seeing as there's 8 cores, I'm assuming this will also promote multi-threaded performance.

dacads · 28 Feb 2013 at 23:57

Not only promote but a way of future-proofing as programmers will eventually decide to start using more cores / realise benefits

Sin_Chase · 1 Mar 2013 at 00:05

d_brennen said:
But it will still be a PC and not a custom, uniform design, with hundreds of developers working to make games run on JUST that spec

And?

A comparable PC will still run it better with more headroom.

Console developers have had years and years and years working within the constraints of current consoles and not once, ever, did consoles beat out comparable PCs capability graphically - even when new.

bru · 1 Mar 2013 at 00:14

Yes but with a comparable PC you still have to go through the gaming API (directX) and then windows to access the actual hardware, with the consoles the developers will be able to access things much more efficiently.

Sin_Chase · 1 Mar 2013 at 00:31

Doesn't make any odds, as even though that may be so the PC does a better job of actually putting good visuals onto the screen!

d_brennen · 1 Mar 2013 at 00:37

Sin_Chase said:
And?

A comparable PC will still run it better with more headroom.

Console developers have had years and years and years working within the constraints of current consoles and not once, ever, did consoles beat out comparable PCs capability graphically - even when new.

Because there has barely been a comparable console in recent times? Xbox 360 and PS3 are actually squeezing far more out of their x1800 and GT7800 equivalents than PCs ever could. Have you used either of those GPUs recently? Not to mention both had very different CPU architectures and the amount you need to spend on PC to get those gains

XeNoN89 · 1 Mar 2013 at 14:48

Sin_Chase said:
And?

A comparable PC will still run it better with more headroom.

Console developers have had years and years and years working within the constraints of current consoles and not once, ever, did consoles beat out comparable PCs capability graphically - even when new.

Lol what?

Good luck playing anything even remotely close to a modern PS3 game on a PC with similar specs

Wucked · 1 Mar 2013 at 15:10

Your average windows gaming PC is never going to be as optimized or efficient with hardware as a console. Perhaps things will get better with Valve starting to push Linux, we'll see. But the PC is a hell of allot more versatile, both in terms of software you can run, and hardware that you can change or upgrade.

But tbh there's only one thing that stops me switching to consoles for gaming, and that's mouse and keyboard support. Put me in front of a console running BF4 with a mouse and keyboard, and most likely I'd sell my gaming monster desktop and switch to a tablet.