Playstation 3 (PS3) hardware overview
For once, not all about PS3 games, but the console itself
We’ve taken the PS3 tech specs straight from Sony and will of course update them as they do. The first part of this article details the basic specification, and the second part, for those of you who are not very familiar with CPU speeds and gigabit interfaces, we have provided an explanation of what these crypto acronyms actually do!
CPU
Cellular processor
3.2 GHz PowerPC base core
1 VMX vector unit per core
512 KB L2 cache
7 x SPE at 3.2 GHz
7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPR
7 x 256 KB SRAM for SPE
* 1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy
Total Floating Point Throughput: 218 GFLOPS
GPU
RSX at 550 MHz
1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance
Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2ch
Multi-way Programmable Parallel Floating Point Shading Pipes
Dream
Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell based processing)
Memory
256MB of 3.2GHz XDR Main RAM 256MB of 700MHz GDDR3 VRAM
System bandwidth
Main RAM 25.6 GB / s
VRAM 22.4 GB / s
RSX 20GB / s (write) + 15GB / s (read)
SBSystem floating point performance
2 TFLOPS
Storage
20GB hard drive or 60GB hard drive
IT IS
Front USB x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)
Memory Stick Standard / Duo, PRO x 1
SD standard / mini x 1
CompactFlash (Type I, II) x 1
Communication
Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b / g
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)
Controller
Bluetooth (up to 7)
USB 2.0 (wired)
Wi-Fi (PSP)
Network (over IP)
AV out
Screen size: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDMI: HDMI output x 2
Analog: AV MULTI OUT x 1
Digital Audio: DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x 1
Disk media
CD PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation 2 CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW, SACD, SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD, DualDisc, DualDisc (side of audio), DualDisc (DVD side)
DVD: PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD + R, DVD + RW
Blu-ray Disc: PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, BD-Video, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE
Ok, for those, like most, who aren’t sure what all this babbling means, here’s the dummy guide to all the technical specs. Enjoy:
CPU
The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, is the brain of a computer or machine. Its main job is to translate instructions and process data from programs that start it. In other words, when a button is clicked, the CPU interprets it to mean kick the bad guy in the head, and as a result, the favorite character executes a sublime round kick. Almost all modern CPUs have a microprocessor at their heart, which dramatically increases the performance of the above methods. The PS3 CPU is built exclusively for the console, therefore it is not extremely scalable, but it packs a punch for your PS3 gaming needs.
GPU
GPU, or Graphics Pro, no Go ahead, wait, I can’t imagine what it will be like. I understand! Graphics processing unit! It is the father behind its visuals on the console, and it is extremely powerful with graphics manipulation and rendering as it is a dedicated piece of hardware. While it offers amazing graphics for PlayStation 3, it also takes some of the load off the CPU, allowing the brain to continue doing what it does best.
Dream
The PS3 will have Dolby 5.1CH speakers, synonymous with quality home theater systems. In short, when you hear a few rounds of a semiautomatic behind you, Japan hasn’t invaded, it’s the game.
Memory
Did you ever forget where you put that damn memory card? Well, the PS3 tries not to. The memory on the PS3 console is important, you never forget where you collected your last bounty, the villains you have killed or the puzzles you have solved. The more memory the better. When information is stored in memory, it is much faster for the system to retrieve that information, rather than read it from the hard drive, otherwise it is less hanging and skipping.
System bandwidth
It is a somewhat speculative term, which is difficult or almost impossible to prove. It is a complex assumption, which involves the ability of certain elements to communicate with each other, how fast they do it, how many resources they use. If you want more information, try a night course in quantum computing.
System floating point performance
System floating point performance is an indicator of computer or console performance, especially when floating point calculations are widely used. The PS3 has 2 TFLOPS (obviously), which equates to 1012 FLOPS (naturally). In simple terms, the console can perform advanced calculations very quickly.
Storage
Everyone loves a lot of storage space. For the car, home, or office, sometimes you just can’t get enough. The PlayStation 3 also likes space, it has a lot of data and information to store, when it needs to remember things permanently, or the memory cannot cope. With 20GB or 60GB of hard drive space, you have enough room to swing 10 cats on a rope.
IT IS
I / O, I / O, you’re ready to go, come on. I / O (input / output) is the speed and type of devices that the PS3 reads or writes to. As you can see, there are a few devices that you can connect to the console.
Communication
Communication is the key to success, and this PlayStation model has taken a leap from its predecessor, and is now connected to the information superhighway, or the internet as we often say. Multiplayer online gaming is now a thing of the past with the sleek new PS3
Controller
Controllers basically control (yes, they control) how different components communicate and interact with each other. Generally, this applies to peripherals (not on board). Something exciting.
AV out
AV output is the method of displaying the output, the images you see when you perform an unlock in GTA. You could have the best GPU, but without any mechanism to connect it to your screen, you are screwed.
Disk media
Obviously what kind of discs your PlayStation 3 can read. There are quite a few formats supported so check them out.
And that’s all folks, be sure to check out PS3 Cheats for all of your PlayStation 3 tips, hints, information, and tricks …