40nm RSX Allows for Lightest, Most Efficient PS3
PS3's RSX GPU Gets 40nm Die Shrink; Even Lighter.
As part of the usual improvements throughout the console life cycle, Sony has updated the design of its PS3 Slim.
The major change this time wasn't a new feature or a new form factor, but rather a die shrink for its Nvidia-designed RSX GPU. The chip has shrunk from 65nm to 40nm, resulting in a reduction in both weight, heat, and power consumption.
A teardown narrated by Japanese site PocketNews examines the power requirements and updated (and simplified) designs for the cooling system. Compared to the original launch console, the new 40nm RSX-packing model CECH-2100A has a heatsink and fan that weighs nearly half of that from the first PlayStation 3 design.
Perhaps equally remarkable is that the new model's cooler weighs significantly less than even the PS3 Slim model unveiled last fall. The latest simpler cooling hardware weighs 408g, while the PS3 Slim's one that launched last year weighs 545g.
Expectedly, the die shrink has reduced power consumption by around 15 percent – an improvement in all powered-states. When powered off, the console still draws 9W.
Check out PocketNews for all the pictures and translated details.
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ravicai The new chip also allows the engine to rev well past 8000rpm thanks to it's K20 technology.Reply -
mister g Why would I care how much it weighs when for me a die shrink means better performance, or is this G80-G92 all over again?Reply -
nukemaster I honestly would have kept the old heatsink. You can never over cool it. And then even a dirty heatsink will still have the cooling needed.Reply -
nukemaster Reply
They mean the heatsink itself. It sounds like they mean the system, but the linked website clearly shows its just the heatsink.9202652 said:408 grams = 0.89948603 pounds? Is that really how light it is? Or did I miss something. -
nun good thing they added the new intake and headers for more performance from the rsx the chip really unlocks the potential in the k20 engine....Reply -
XD_dued gnookergi408 grams = 0.89948603 pounds? Is that really how light it is? Or did I miss something.Reply
significant figure fail :D -
raidenfox123 I was gonna pick up a slim for the blu ray player and FF7 and Tactics over the PSN. Does anyone know how to tell the diffrence?Reply -
Shin-san mister gWhy would I care how much it weighs when for me a die shrink means better performance, or is this G80-G92 all over again?In this case, it's more related to cost reduction. The chip could be actually more powerful (sometimes more powerful chips are cheaper to make), but it will more than likely run in practice close to the speed of the original model. Lower power requirements means less powerful of a PSU needed meaning Sony saves more cash. If it weighs less, it may mean that it would be cheaper to ship.Reply
Maybe a possible price drop to $249-279? -
nukemaster Reply
Got a scale handy :p9202656 said:I was gonna pick up a slim for the blu ray player and FF7 and Tactics over the PSN. Does anyone know how to tell the diffrence?