Microsoft chooses AMD Fusion II for Next Generation Xbox ?

[InqWoN1776]

When Microsoft used Tegra for the Zune HD, it showed that MS and NV are at least back on decent terms. I thought there could be a chance for Nvidia to get the gpu design win for the next Xbox. I understand it wouldn’t make much sense because of the complications with backwards compatability and cost. However, the RROD was a big deal and could leave MS wanting different companies to design the internals. I think the fusion processor is a bad decision in terms of graphical power but cost effective.

[ViN86]

Nintendo's not a wild card. Take hardware that was decent 7 years ago, throw it in a little white box, and add a gimmick control scheme.

[Lyme]

Originally Posted by InqWoN1776

When Microsoft used Tegra for the Zune HD, it showed that MS and NV are at least back on decent terms. I thought there could be a chance for Nvidia to get the gpu design win for the next Xbox. I understand it wouldn’t make much sense because of the complications with backwards compatability and cost. However, the RROD was a big deal and could leave MS wanting different companies to design the internals. I think the fusion processor is a bad decision in terms of graphical power but cost effective.

MS liceneced the ATI IP when doing the 360, and have gone with snapdragon processors for their phones, NV is going to have a hard time getting back to preferential treatment.

[Redeemed]

Originally Posted by slaWter

Well no, a setup like that would be stupid for a military grade product.

Quoted the wrong post of yours! Fzt!


I'm just mocking/teasing you.

[Redeemed]

Originally Posted by slaWter

Just assumed you were talking about the military/aerospace products and not the consoles.
I work in that sector. Our products have a support cycle of 40 years. So a modern Intel CPU that gets phased out after 3 years would be the wrong platform

Honestly though... 40 years? That's way outdated.

I'd think it'd be better if they had a contract with AMD or Intel as x86 is such a mature platform.

Then again- that might be worse. Most viruses and other such crap are on the x86 platform, thus it'd be opening a large can of worms. Proprietary is probably best.

[Lyme]

Originally Posted by InqWoN1776

However, the RROD was a big deal and could leave MS wanting different companies to design the internals.

The RROD wasn't caused by cpu/gpu design, it was a artifact of the new requirement to use non-lead based soder. The new lead-less soder that was being used early in production had a much lower melting point, was much less rigid and caused the cpu/gpu to become 'unglued' after repeated use.

[Vardant]

I thought it wasn't as much a requirement, but a way to lower the cost, which didn't work exactly as they intended

[zoomy942]

Originally Posted by ViN86

Nintendo's not a wild card. Take hardware that was decent 7 years ago, throw it in a little white box, and add a gimmick control scheme.

best $250 i ever spent!

[Lyme]

It was a environmental requirement for a number of countries, lead has for the most part been phased out of most modern electronics.

[InqWoN1776]

Originally Posted by Lyme

The RROD wasn't caused by cpu/gpu design, it was a artifact of the new requirement to use non-lead based soder. The new lead-less soder that was being used early in production had a much lower melting point, was much less rigid and caused the cpu/gpu to become 'unglued' after repeated use.

In addition to smaller process nodes, the original gpu did receive a significant redesign along with the revision to Eutectic bumps. Microsoft's approach for designing the internals caused the RRoD. So, I was speculating that Microsoft might take a different approach with the design of the next Xbox.

[Lyme]

I'm sure they will ensure much higher design tolerances for the next xbox, going through a defect rate as high as has been predicted can be nothing but bad for the bottom line.