PS3 Slim Has Updated 45-nm Cell/B.E. Chip

By Marcus Yam
published

It's smaller than ever!

When the PS3 Slim debuted earlier this week, the immediate takeaway from the reveal was that the redesigned console was 33 percent smaller, 36 percent lighter and consumes 34 percent less power.

Buyers will also be paying less and getting more, with the $100 drop to $299 and the hard drive getting bumped from 80 GB to 120 GB.

Inside, however, there was also another shrink job at play. According to the IDG News Service, the new PS3 Slim utilizes a Cell Broadband Engine CPU manufactured using a 45-nm process.

The outgoing, larger models of PlayStation 3 use a 65-nm Cell/B.E., and the original launch units (which had the PS2 backwards compatibility) run the hottest with the 90-nm chips.

While IBM confirmed that the Cell chip had indeed undergone a process shrink, Nvidia hasn't spoke out on whether or not the RSX graphics chip in the PS3 is now made using a more advanced process.

Either way, the 45-nm Cell processor helps to explain a decent amount of the power savings.

More on the new PS3 Slim:

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
30 Comments Comment from the forums
  • hillarymakesmecry
    Saving power is good! : o )
    Reply
  • mlopinto2k1
    This is pretty sweet actually. I like the whole idea behind the new thin design. Lower power, lower price, smaller size... everything was enhanced. Screw PS2 compatibility... GET A PS2!
    Reply
  • Honis
    mlopinto2k1This is pretty sweet actually. I like the whole idea behind the new thin design. Lower power, lower price, smaller size... everything was enhanced. Screw PS2 compatibility... GET A PS2!Buy a PS2 for $100 and a PS3 doe $300 and we're back to the original PS3...
    Reply
  • Honis
    HonisBuy a PS2 for $100 and a PS3 for $300 and we're back to the original PS3...Sorry fixed.
    Reply
  • Sushi Warrior
    I still can't understand why they made it deeper, why make a "slim" console that's bigger in one dimension? It's not small enough.
    Reply
  • tayb
    Why do people still play PS2 games? Maybe I am in the minority but when the PS3 came out I started playing PS3 games. The PS2 hasn't seen the light of day in almost two years and I have no desire to bust out any old games to play.
    Reply
  • anamaniac
    Bringing out a new generation would be a great time for them to bust out a new GPU also, instead of the pathetic excuse they have in the last 2 generations.

    And yes, I still occasionally play PS2 games.
    Reply
  • Now is the time to buy. Sony should have done this two years ago.
    Reply
  • omnimodis78
    Let the console wars (re-)start! No way Nintendo will just sit by and watch, nor will Microsoft. Again, the consumers win! Car companies take note, this is how the game should be played! Give us better, cleaner and cheaper and we'll buy your cars. Anyway I digress.
    Reply
  • mlopinto2k1
    HonisBuy a PS2 for $100 and a PS3 doe $300 and we're back to the original PS3...Listen, I understand but honestly, do you actually use PS2 games? I told my friend about this same thing with the new design and he says, "Awww man, that blows... I liked the fact the original was backwards compatible EVEN THOUGH I DONT USE IT!" I was like dude, it's people like you that screw everything up.

    Reply