40GB PS3s run cooler, quieter, use less energy

by Kyle Orland { Oct 30th 2007 at 11:08AM }

A report from German site Computer Base reveals that consumers giving up backward compatibility on their 40GB PS3s are at least getting something in return. The new systems utilize the new 65nm version of the Cell processor, reducing the power usage from 200 watts to 135 and further limiting the heat and noise the system gives off.

With both the Xbox 360 and PS3 now having the cheaper, more efficient 65nm CPUs integrated into their designs, the race to 45nm can truly begin. After that? We're predicting microscopic quantum CPUs.

[Via Engadget]

Tags: 40GB, 65nm, hardware, heat, noise, power, PS3, tech

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Psaakyrn @ Oct 30th 2007 11:15AM

I'll wait till they manage to make the console the size of a Wii. Good things come in small packages, or something to that extent..

samfish (MSDF- Nurse Outfit!) @ Oct 30th 2007 11:56AM

Tell that to my girlfriend.

OOOOH! Self-burn!

ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Oct 30th 2007 7:29PM

"It's Itty Bitty"

Just like the ps3 user base!

F. Rocker or Fernando R.? @ Oct 30th 2007 11:17AM

How can I tell if the 360 has the 65nm chip? The Elite with the two free games have the 65nm chip?

Or the serial number is differente or something?

Cyro @ Oct 30th 2007 11:28AM

Its kind of hard to tell. Just keep your xbox 360 in a well ventilated area and use it standing up. And don't fraking play for 32 hours straight. That should keep it alive. This way you dont have to worry about the 65nm or 45nm. Just enjoy the amazing gamming machine.

Sean @ Oct 30th 2007 11:33AM

@Cyro

Does playing with it vertical really help?

FidliousWong @ Oct 30th 2007 11:33AM

Only way to tell is by shining a flashlight into the machine and look at the vent differences. Yep.... that is the only way to tell.

I prefer the Sony method which has a new SCPH-XXXXX number for each revision.

But if you're buying am Elite, you're getting a Falcon.

FrankTheCrank @ Oct 30th 2007 11:35AM

Don't even start...

Go over to the XBOX forums to read post after post about trying to figure out the difference between a Zephyr and a Falcon. You can literally drive yourself crazy getting a Falcon. And Microsoft is no help. People say pick up anything made after lot #734 by TEAM: FDOU. The "Go Big", "Go Pro", "Go Play" packages are the latest builds. But this will not guarantee a Falcon. But your chances are higher for Falcon.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Oct 30th 2007 11:35AM

Yeah what Cyro said. I have mine standing up in a good spot and Ive never had any issues. Had mine since launch BTW =)

Hey ck out the new Blacksite TV spot I was surprised. Looks pretty sweet!
http://www.gametrailers.com/game/4196.html

MooseMuffin @ Oct 30th 2007 11:47AM

I play with it horizontal and haven't had a problem in the year that I've had it. Vertical makes me nervous. Seems too easy for it to shake or fall over and destroy the game inside.

JJ Rooster @ Oct 30th 2007 12:23PM

Vertical blocks one side of the air exchange grill. I had my launch unit vertical for 1.5 years until it went RROD. Then I found the x-clamp repair and fixed it myself, and I'm keeping it horizontal now.

ill trooper @ Oct 30th 2007 2:33PM

Have always had mine horizontal, well ventilated and have had two die on me since launch day. One lasted 5 months, the other 17. Properly caring for your 360 is only half of it, sadly. The other half is winding up with a good or bad box in the first place.

Hyung @ Oct 31st 2007 2:41PM

@ CYRO

I don't have a 360 or anything, but... logically playing it vertically is WORSE. Heat rises, and so the heat from the end of the 360 that is adjacent to the floor would rise and pass through the already heated components of the 360 near the top, before exiting the vents built into the console.

Basically, play horizontally and it should be cooler, overall.

FrankTheCrank @ Oct 30th 2007 11:36AM

BTW, the PS3 is whisper quiet. Hot, it is, but not hot enough to RROD the system.

F. Rocker or Fernando R.? @ Oct 30th 2007 11:38AM

But hot enough to make a nice barbecue =P

FOXHOUND @ Oct 30th 2007 11:40AM

I noticed the same. Hell, I'm happy with just about any system these days that comes out quieter and colder vented than the Dreamcast(as much as I love my 2 DC consoles, it's true).

And any improvement on the weight of the PS3 helps too. ;D

FrankTheCrank @ Oct 30th 2007 11:41AM

Hey, I finally got my Wii condoms! Did you ever get yours?

Those rubber grips for the Wii controller are AWESOME!! They are PERFECT.

Phranctoast @ Oct 30th 2007 11:41AM

It runs hot enough to run into issue with some burnt media. The labels get really hot an cause playback issues if the unit was on for a while. Less temp is a good thing in this instance.

FidliousWong @ Oct 30th 2007 11:44AM

Fernando, please do me a favor.

Tone down the trolling a bit, yes? I'd hate to see you banned again and then Kye complain about how Ludwig doesn't have the right to ban your often warned ass.

F. Rocker or Fernando R.? @ Oct 30th 2007 11:45AM

I received the four Wii condoms last thursday... they are very good, very good quality.

Im still waiting my free feather DS stylus that I win by registering Phantom Hourglass.

Slaziman @ Oct 30th 2007 1:28PM

Free feather DS stylus? NICE! So you have Phantom Hourglass? What's your friend code, I'm a master at the PH multiplayer >:D I wanna own some Joystiqers

my friend code: 073128476137

Shagittarius @ Oct 30th 2007 11:42AM

My PS3 uses 0 watts beacuse theres nothing to play on it so its never on...

Zing?

rdj75 @ Oct 30th 2007 11:46AM

LOL, I was wondering when someone was going to say something along those lines.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Oct 30th 2007 11:46AM

Mine is still actually on the store shelf at room temp.
Zing???

FrankTheCrank @ Oct 30th 2007 11:48AM

Good one.

What do you people mean, "there's nothing to play"?

Ratchet, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Oblivion, Skate, Rally, Dirt, VF5, Motorstorm, Ridge Racer, FEAR, Ghost Recon 2...Guitar Hero III. This doesn't count the handful of decent PSN games.

F. Rocker or Fernando R.? @ Oct 30th 2007 11:52AM

Frank

Half of that games are on the 360 too, and one game has been on the 360 since last year.

And you have more value for your money if you buy the 360 version of that games.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Oct 30th 2007 11:57AM

Tellem Fernando tellem lol!

samfish (MSDF- Nurse Outfit!) @ Oct 30th 2007 12:00PM

. . .

Wait, what? Are you being sarcastic or did someone hack guess your password?
...or perhaps Hell has finally gone and froze.

Phranctoast @ Oct 30th 2007 12:04PM

I guess sarcasm or he wanted to see if he could get three stars.

Shagittarius @ Oct 30th 2007 12:05PM

PS3 games I have:

Motorstorm, Resistance Fall of Man, Heavenly Sword, Eye of Judgement, Ratchet and Clank, Virtua Fighter 5, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Warhawk, Lair, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom.

I have enjoyed all these games regardless of reviews or what any of you will tell me. Thats 10 games in under 1 year, not to bad at all. That doesn't even count PSN titles such as Super Stardust or Loco Roco.

FidliousWong @ Oct 30th 2007 12:09PM

This assuming you're not a points whore.

Ratchet: Exclusive
Heavenly Sword: Exclusive and lonely. Competition for this game won't arrive until NG2.
Warhawk: Exclusive
Oblivion: Plays better on PS3
Skate: Plays better on 360
Rally: Equal across plats
Dirt: Plays better on PS3
VF5: Online mode gives slight advantage (have yet to play 360 online without lag)
Motorstorm: Exclusive
Ridge Racer: Much better on PS3
Fear: Better on 360, best on PC
Ghost Recon 2: Better on 360
GHIII: Equal across plats.

PS3 Exclusive or play better on PS3 = 8
Plays equal between both = 2
Better on 360 = 4

You know, I'm going to start calling you Chewbacca Math, Fernando. Since those be some fuzzy numbers you're running.

FrankTheCrank @ Oct 30th 2007 1:06PM

FidliousWong gets a gold star!!

Slaziman @ Oct 30th 2007 1:32PM

I only count 7 PS3 exclusives or better on PS3 games.

3 of them are racers, 2 of them came out later than the 360 version, and one has a Metacritic score of 79.

oldest gamer @ Oct 30th 2007 11:44AM

This is late news but I'm glad it was picked up finally. The CPU & the GPU in the PS3 are now at 65nm while the 360 is barely producing the 65nm CPU with the 65nm GPU arriving next summer. So don't try to lump it as both consoles are using it as they are not. I own the PS3 while my wife owns the xbox2 (360) so not trying to sound biased just the facts. It took Sony less than a year to goto 65nm while Micrsoft is still largely at 90nm. Only the Halo edition is using the 65nm CPU I think. Technically the PS3 version isn't on sale yet but on Nov 2 it will be.

Phranctoast @ Oct 30th 2007 11:48AM

so do your arguments with your wife sound all fanboyish?

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Oct 30th 2007 11:50AM

Guess it is true what they say.........women are definately smarter than men. Well at least in your case. Sorry =(

F. Rocker or Fernando R.? @ Oct 30th 2007 11:50AM

Maybe because Sony is in financial troubles and needs to reduce the cost of the console?

FidliousWong @ Oct 30th 2007 12:49PM

But Sony's not in Financial Trouble. That last quarter was a profit. The Playstation division is a money pit right now but Sony themselves are doing quite well.

Digi Smalls @ Oct 30th 2007 1:04PM

oldest gamer, microsoft doesn't make chips.

it didn't "take them two years" it took their chip vendor two years. PPC based chips started getting manufactured at 65nm in 2007, and the PS3 came out in 2006.

don't fault the 360 for coming out on-time in 2005.

.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 30th 2007 1:17PM

You know, the cost in developing a 65nm process probably added to the 599 USD price tag. You get what you pay for, and PSFanboys pay more for features they don't need.

darth balls @ Oct 30th 2007 2:12PM

@wong
the only reason they did was because of halo. after halo 3 came out i dont see a single game i would want to buy on 360. on the other hand in the near future there is a crap load of games i see for the ps3 i want to play. i have both consoles and though i play my xbox more now, i can see that things are gonna change in pretty soon, for both my console usage and in the console war.

Vidikron (FU) @ Oct 30th 2007 1:26PM

@Crono

Ironically enough, it's a feature 360 folks likely should have been paying for in light of the RRoD issue.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 30th 2007 1:44PM

But once again, the process wasn't developed until a year after 360 came out. See above.

Vidikron (FU) @ Oct 30th 2007 2:49PM

True enough... but perhaps 65 nm on both the cpu and gpu should have been here sooner in place of price cuts? Either way, I just found it funny that you were griping about PS3 owners paying for hardware they didn't need when the exact opposite is true of the 360.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Oct 30th 2007 11:55AM

FrankTheCrank

Your actually right on this. Actually there are some games to play on PS3. Maybe fanboys out there just mean there are no "Must Have" "system seller" games. I want Bluray to win becasue I prefer it so I can have a reason 2 buy one. Playing games would just be a bonus.

Joe @ Oct 30th 2007 11:55AM

I think this is good but it still sucks that the PS3 does not play PS2 games any more. Luckly for me I got the 60 that plays PS2 games. But for my friends who never own a PS2 but a Xbox and were hoping to play some PS2 games on the PS3 now can't seeing as they do not want to pay a lot of money to play the games.

The milk man @ Oct 30th 2007 11:55AM

Hey oldest gamer, what makes you think that MS is still using 90nm CPUS. Is it fact or just your opinion. Next time try harder not to sound unbiased. We know your lying when you say your wife has an 360 and you have a ps3. No wife is that cool.

xXFenixKnight13Xx @ Oct 30th 2007 12:02PM

"No wife is that cool"

The words you speak are true.

oldest gamer @ Oct 30th 2007 12:04PM

Maybe if you got your rocks off on real people instead of DOA on your xbox2 you would have a point but in reality people are different and once your 'balls' drop you'll grow up. I know MS is still using 90nm as the whole net knows it so flame on MS for dragging their feet. lol