Xbox 720 vs PlayStation 4: Whats in Store?
 

Microsoft's Xbox 720 and Sony's PlayStation 4 are the two gaming consoles that have been heavily discussed on the Internet over the last few months.

Though both the companies had denied any such developments, gamers expected announcements of the devices at the CES 2012. However, no such announcements were made and now it is expected that official announcements will be made at the E3 2012.

Both PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720 have to be launched at the same time if they want to stand any chance to outclass each other in the console market. The prices are expected to be high for a console that will deliver next-gen graphics and gameplay. However, both the companies have to play this card wisely as the price factor will have a major determining point in the popularity of the console. The same goes for the game and points achievements and the Live arena options.

Let's have quick look at what could be expected:

Processing Power: Though it is widely believed that the current PlayStation 3 has the edge over the Xbox 360 technically with processing power, graphical prowess and high-definition media via Blu-Ray drive, the next generation Xbox is expected to sport a more powerful processor with extreme graphics capability. According to a New Xbox 720 report, the new Xbox will feature an advanced Central Processing Unit with ground-breaking graphics. The current generation console sports a triple-cored 3.2 GHz processor, coupled with an exciting Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).

However, these specs have been countered by a report from PS4Playstation4.com report, saying Sony will add more SPEs (Synergistic Processing Elements) to the current amount of 8 SPEs which run at 3.2 GHz. Out of this, one is disabled for yield purposes and one for security purposes such as encryption and decryption of the hard drive in real time.

The cell in the PS3 has an overall performance of 204 GFLOPs (floating-point operation per second). It is believed that Sony will increase the current amount of 8 SPEs to 16 SPEs to provide optimal power to heat ratio, provided it is manufactured at 32nm. This will make it capable of consuming the same amount of energy as the 90nm Cell processor found in the 60/20GB PS3s.

It is expected that Microsoft may not choose to stick with IBM to deliver the device's processing power in the future for their new console and a new Fusion chip from AMD might replace it. To meet the fan expectations, Microsoft will surely have to bring in more horsepower to last for at least 10 years. This can be done with an enhanced CPU that will compliment the GPU to produce amazing visuals. Although no game has been declared for the new Xbox, it is believed that titles like "Halo 5" and "Gears of War 4" could become one of the first few games to arrive for the console.

Disc Format: Many believe that Sony will let to go its usual Blu-Ray and replace it with HVDs (Holographic Versatile Disc) though the HVD drives are too expensive and too big.

The new drives are expected to use a full 100GB disc with an advanced Blu-Ray drive for faster reading. The current PS3 has a 2x Blu-ray Disc, where 4x is the minimum to read a 100Gb disc. However, the average read speed nowadays is 8x and it is also relatively cheap. Hence it can be expected that the PS4 will have at least an 8x drive which reads at 36MB/s, and games will load much faster.

The 720, on the other hand, has an unusual rumor making rounds saying that the new console will use Cloud for storage which have been redirected from the fact that Steam has done so well on PC over the years. Now it is being thought if the 720 games will actually feature on a disc at all, or will be simply downloaded from Cloud whenever they will be required. Microsoft could also have opted for the traditional Blu-ray system hadn't it been already owned by rivals, Sony. Other sources have claimed that the future 720 games could also come as Flash drives.

Controller: With rumors making rounds, stories about the console controllers have also gained momentum over the months. Although nothing really is known about the PS4 controller or is too absurd to write about it, the 720 controllers have seen interesting rumors and stories making headlines. It is expected that the 720 controllers will be controlled purely by Kinect style motion sensors. This may sound absurd at the moment but could make a surprise entry with the 720. However, hopefully the traditional style controllers for both Sony and Microsoft will be around for a while.

USB connections: Like the controllers for Sony above, nothing really is known about the Xbox 720 USB connections while a little has been known about the PS4 USB connections. At least 2 to 4 USB 3.0 connections are expected that will back up 100GBs of install data, save data and applications that will take only half the normal time of transfer which can currently take up to 8 hours.

(These are all speculations based on what the consoles currently have and the latest technology that is available at the moment. Any further developments will be posted.)


Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/technolog...#ixzz1jggMJJFG

If MS goes the Cloud route I am done with them.

I'm personally waiting for the Xbox 23040

Yeah, thats the other thing. Just because PS does the numbering thing doesn't mean Xbox can't. JFC 720? 360 was stupid enough.

Just call it the X3.

My Money is ready! lets do it!

I would also be surprised if one or both didn't offer 3-D. That really seems to be the way everything is going and I would be surprised if gaming didn't dive into it as well.

I really don't care about 3D. It's a gimmick that's already running out of steam.

I like the idea of a 360 with a built in DVR, though.

yeah, **** a 3D. I have absolutely no interest in that shit. Just give me better graphics, faster tech and better games.

Make more PC exclusive games please, Keyboard and trackball is the wave of the future. ;)

This article is like a nerd speculating if Wonder Woman or Supergirl will be giving him a beej this June. Neither exist and neither will happen. :shake:

As a few people mentioned, 3D has not gotten off like people expected. It is doing OK in theaters, but home entertainment, TV, and games haven't recieved it as well.

I was Manager of a theater when 3D got going and I thought it was going to be huge, and it has been in the movies, but it really hasn't gone places anywhere else.

What a big bag of "coulds" this article offers.

Kinect isn't the future **** motion technology

Kinect is fun when you get a group of people and make a night of it, but gaming is supposed to be a lazy fat **** sitting on the couch blowing shit up or playing sports.

PS3 already has 3D.

Yeah, I think it is a total gimmick too. When I was a kid and something was in 3-D, it was like it came off the screen and right at you.

I don't go to the movies a lot, but last I did I took the wife and kids and everything was 3-D. We paid over the usual rip off price and it didn't seem like the 3-D I remembered, it was like a meh version. For like $15 each I sure expected more.

Then we went to look at TV's and they had all these 3-D TV's and I just knew it would invade the gaming world. I really hope not, or if it does it is an option because I would hate to see more expensive games for this latest gimmick.

They do? Are they more expensive? Do you have to have a 3-D TV?

Oh yeah, and my son has been asking for the new nintendo DS 3-D which is a rip off also.

3D is a huge gimmick and always has been. Obviously the movie companies and theaters love it because they can charge the surcharge and make more money off of you.

Everything ive read about 3D TV's is that to date its been a disappointment. Nobody wants to pay extra for it, wear the dorky glasses in their living rooms. Pluse, theres just not alot of 3D broadcast content out there.

Do we really need to see Modern Family, the Bachelor and Greys Anatomy in 3D???

Yes, you have to have a 3DTV. Other than that I think all models of PS3 can do it.

The Nintendo 3DS is not a rip off, IMO.

Nope.

And Move is WORSE.

They're already doing it on the 360.

I know but the games I play are still disk based. I don't do the downloadable shit. If they were to actually go all cloud I wouldn't even bother with them. Last thing I need is my bandwidth cap getting pulverized over games.

Well, the cloud is more about access to apps and storage. You can download or load games from disc anytime. But they're offering the availability to store CONTENT (like saved games) in "the cloud".

It's not the optical drive they're looking to replace, it's the hard drive.

If I have to download a 10gb game to play it I won't buy it. That feature is listed under the Disk Format segment.

You wouldn't download a 10GB game. The game would be streamed to you real-time in just the bits and pieces you need at the time.

Cloud storage means no hard drive - there's no place on your device to PUT a 10GB game.

10Gb in small bits you need at the time is stil 10Gb, though, is it not?

Unless they use some type of temporary caching to disk (which I would think they would have to do just for performance reasons), it would likely end up being a whole lot MORE, because you'd ultimately load some portions more than once.

EDIT: Back to his original concern, though, his bandwidth cap may or may not be an issue. The point is that it wouldn't be 10GB all at once - it would be bits and pieces delivered over time. If his bandwidth cap is daily, it likely wouldn't be an issue. If his bandwidth gap is MONTHLY, he's going to have a big issue I would think.

THIS is exactly what I am referring to. Guess I was being too complicated about it. The last thing I want is these companies going to complete cloud storage. I average 75gb per month already. factor in games I would easily exceed the 150 I am allowed. There is absolutely no reason to get rid of physical media for games. Now if they want to put the games on encrypted flash drives I'm fine with that but it it goes 100% cloud based they won't get my money. Now, when the ISPs stop bleeding people over bandwidth I might reconsider that stance but for now, NO WAY.

75Gb/mo? Jesus. No wonder they want to institute bandwidth caps. :cuss:

I have news for you - EVERYTHING is moving towards the cloud. When Google first unveiled their operating system concept, it had NO local storage. Microsoft is gradually moving applications from the desktop OS to the cloud.

We're moving further and further into a realm where we, the consumer, do not and will not own content. We'll consume it on-demand, with permission from the actual owner/provider.

Hate to break it to you but 75gb is peanuts compared to what most people use. Thats just netflix and watching tv shows I missed while they were airing.
I know, and the ISPs are cashing in on it. I have a hard time justifying $45 a month for internet as it is. ISPs are moving to $70-100 per month models now thanks to this ****ing cloud based crap.

I don't know of any ISPs doing business around here, other than HughesNet, that have bandwidth caps.

Here in Topeka ATT is 150gb for DSL and 200gb for uverse internet. Cox is 50gb for basic internet and 200gb for mid teir internet. The Cox has an unlimited package for $100 per month.

They must have some terrible network in the area. Those bandwidth caps are in place to alleviate over-subscription issues.

Define most people? Most people with Netflix? How much Netflix do you watch? I can maybe see a pirating fiend piping 75Gb/mo.

they need to make a next gen connection/internet system.

4 kids and I'm a techie. No I don't ****ing pirate. also, Onlive takes up some of that bandwidth but I severely limit that.

the last couple months I've been able to get it down to 50gb per month because I found out how to turn down the quality settings on netflix to the crappiest setting.

BTW, a true pirating fiend would make my use look like absolutely NOTHING.

Decent read on the subject of caps. Blog quality.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/dsl-serv...ews-10514.html

I use that easily but I work from home.

Never happen. Not enough money in it.

I don't Pirate - We use netflix -and PlayOn - as our main source of TV

I have a 250GB Cap and I go over every Month with comcast..

http://i.imgur.com/qWoFm.png

you must be a pirate then. Don't you love closed minded people.:thumb:

Uh oh, don't look now Pants. Another pesky pirate right?;)

This is part of the problem with you guys using AT&T and Comcast for Internet - they're also cable TV providers.

I'll bet you that the bandwidth caps don't include U-verse TV, do they?

This is the whole idea behind network neutrality - AT&T and companies like them implement bandwidth limits and throttling so that your (negative) experiences with Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, and the rest gradually coerce you into consuming all of THEIR content.

It's a difficult subject because ultimately they own the network you're using and should have the right to use it however they want. However, what they're doing is extremely anti-competitive.

You guys must be watching a shit ton of Netflix. And you were the one complaining about the price of Internet Service? How the hell can someone justify low prices when they're putting 350Gb through their pipes? LOL

The only clear solution is for Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, vudu, etc to become their own ISP's so they don't have to rely on anyone else to deliver their content. :)

Yep, uverse even has a bandwidth cap for all internet usage but not for usage of their ATT services such as VOD.

That will never, ever happen.

Even Google, who aggressively acquired wireless spectrum, hasn't found a way to make it work.

Netflix, Vudu, Playon and CinemaNow. I've come to appreciate not having to go to the store to rent a movie. Vudu is the best one of the rental sites because you get multiple views during your rental unlike other sites that only give you one view.

I agree with this 100%

When I moved to IL in Aug. I was soooo angry that I had to pick between ATT and Comcast - I went with Comcast because ATT wanted me to wait 3 weeks for installation - I just couldn't do that

LMAO

Then you shouldn't complain about rising internet service costs.

Cloud streaming for the FIghting game community is terrible. You have to be so damn precise in your reactions that it will make playing fighting games unplayable. We already have to deal with a little lag for online play, imagine online play plus cloud streaming? shit would be a good half a second behind and thats not good at all. I would be pissed considering thats pretty much all i play right now is fighting games.

Pretty much, just bend over and take it or go back to Blockbuster, Redbox or Netflix mail order.

JFC. I'm not even in the same ballpark as the people you are complaining about. Hell, we only rent one movie a month. The reason we watch it more than once is because my wife and I work totally different shifts and rarely can sit down to watch a movie together. Especially with 4 kids.

I don't like the price of ISP because the the caps they are throwing up and also reducing down. The big problem is everything wanting to go to cloud based service. While it is a great idea, the ISPs are going to kill it with their greed to bleed customers for their use of it.

I already budget my bandwidth usage the same as we budget our monthly expenses with the bank. It's a pain in the ass too. At least now that I am switching from cox to ATT DSL and increasing my bandwidth from 50gb to 150gb I won't have to keep such a close eye on it.

Well, I use a fraction of the bandwidth Guru and SLAG use and I'm still getting bent over with a $105 monthly bill. I'm guessing it's because TW has to cover the cost of their customers putting the equivalent of an average hard drive through their pipes on a monthly basis.

Hence the reason I said they pretty much have to use on-disk local caching for performance reasons...

$105 for your internet alone? Seriously?

U should look to see if netzero is available around ur area unlimited and cheap dsl

No, internet and cable.

32.95 for 6mbps isn't bad at all. Wonder what their bandwidth cap is?

How much is your internet bill?

They dont have a cap

Don't know, probably around $50-60.

Damn. Sorry to hear that. Especially if you have as low usage as it sounds.

Well, when I am done with my year with ATT I'll have to look into that. I'm getting the new customer rate for a year at 19.95 but then it will go up to $45. $33 is reasonable for a 6mbps rate.

Sony does not own bluray dammit, like 30 companies do..

And I hope MS does not go all cloud either, I am sure it has been talked at above but that would screw the consumers over, because internet costs will skyrocket.. Hell it is bad enough now with movies, imagine doing that with games all the time in streaming..

I have never understood the anti blu ray stance either.

The way I heard it, MS called it the Xbox 360 because they didn't want the consumer to have to choose between the "Playstation 3" and the Xbox 2." Clever on the marketing side of things, I suppose.

On a side note, I just looked up what I'm getting from my ISP, as I didn't really recall - 10mbps with no cap at $53/mo. It's a grandfathered rate and plan. Is that worth a damn?

Here $53 on Cox gets you 12-18mbps with a 250gb cap. On ATT DSL it would be $43 for 6mbps and a 150gb cap.

Next generation Xbox more powerful than ever?



By Mike Wehner, Tecca | Today in Tech

The current video game console generation is entering its twilight years, and with that inevitability comes the unceasing rumors of what each company's next hardware will be capable of. Nintendo has already shown its hand by unveiling the Wii U, and now some tasty tidbits are beginning to surface regarding the next Xbox from Microsoft. Popularly nicknamed the Xbox 720, some new, well-sourced rumors suggest that it will be six times as powerful as the current console.

The Xbox 360 is no slouch, and it can still play host to the hottest new releases, but the hardware is approaching its 6th birthday and some serious advancements have been made in the world of graphics processing in the last half decade. The new Xbox will reportedly run on a derivative of AMD's 6670 graphics chip, which supports 1080p HD, 3D, and linking to multiple external displays.

Compared to the Wii U, the Xbox 720 should be roughly 20% more powerful, though the stats of the two systems appear to be close enough that players may not notice a difference. Like Microsoft, Sony has yet to officially reveal anything about its followup to the PlayStation 3, but based on their console release history, a new machine is undoubtedly in the works. Where the PlayStation 4 will stack up in comparison to the new systems by Nintendo and Microsoft is anyone's guess.

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged...225610683.html

Jesus, stop using so much bandwidth. Go outside or something.

I cant wait til march so i can leave ATT. 6mb lines suck ass. Imma go back to comcast. I hella miss that 24mb line.

6670? Is that a ****ing joke? I really hope that article was written by someone really, really uniformed.

So when does the PS4 come out?

Xbox 720 Will Be Six Times as Powerful as Current Gen

Sources confirm fall 2013 release, detail graphics processing power

The next Xbox will ship to retailers in late October or early November of next year with six times the processing power of the Xbox 360, sources close to the project have told IGN.

Following initial reports from tech blogs Fudzilla and SemiAccurate, our sources have confirmed that mass production of the system's GPU will indeed begin by the end of 2012 but will not, however, be based on AMD's 7000 series Southern Islands GPU. Instead, the processor will be derived from the 6000 series, which was introduced last year. More specifically, it will be akin to the Radeon HD 6670, which offers support for DirectX11, multidisplay output, 3D and 1080p HD output. The chip currently has a market price of upwards of $79.99.

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/...01/6670_01.jpg

In real terms, the Xbox 720's raw graphics processing power is expected to be six times that of the Xbox 360 and will yield 20-percent greater performance than Nintendo's forthcoming console, the Wii U.

Developers are likely to receive development kits based on the system's final configuration in August. Projected pricing for the console was not provided

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/01/...as-current-gen

Report: Next Xbox to Feature Blu-Ray Drive

Microsoft to use Blu-Ray discs for the Xbox 360's successor.

Following news that the next Xbox will be six times as powerful as the current model, new reports reveal how the Xbox 360's successor will handle disc content.

Games industry sources have told Kotaku that Microsoft will be making the transition to Blu-Ray technology with the new console, increasing the storage space by at least double the amount found on DVDs.

Sony has been utilizing Blu-Ray discs for gaming since the introduction of the PlayStation 3. Single layer Blu-Ray discs hold 25 GB of data, with dual-layer discs managing 50 GB.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/01/...-blu-ray-drive

The big games are going to take 4+ years to develop now that developers have to finely tune the graphics, sound, and gameplay with these powerful systems and the immense possibilities they offer. I miss the 2 year development cycles of older systems. FFVII, while shitty graphics, offered one of the greatest gaming experiences ever, just goes to show.

What rising costs? Putting in new fibers? All of that is recooped quickly.

They make obscene profit, well timewarner at least.

so the Xbox will be 6 times faster...does that mean games will be better?

at the rate EA updates their stuff, we should see great sports graphics in 2018.

problem isnt really graphics with ea. its gameplay. Not all but the main one football. Lol shit is turrible lol