45nm Cell processors coming in 2009

by Ross Miller { Sep 22nd 2008 at 3:40PM }

Sony, Toshiba and IBM will start mass production on a 45nm version of the Cell processor in 2009, according to Japan's Nikkan. We first heard about the 45 nm shrinkage in February 2008, when Ars Technica reported the smaller chips would run off only 80 watts of power (compared to the 200 watts of the 90nm Cell when the PlayStation 3 first launched).

There is no reported time frame indicating when in 2009 production will begin. The new chip will also be cheaper to produce, meaning Sony is approximately 200% more likely to use these for PS3 production as soon as feasibly possible.

[Via Engadget]

Tags: 45nm, cell, cell-processor, ibm, sony, toshiba

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Shagittarius @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:44PM

The cell processor look a lot like a dime. Amazing!

farfisa @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:21PM

Aw, man, I thought that was the cost.

CGamble20 @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:39PM

Only doing this to get on the top of the comment list.

Immortal Technique PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:51PM

Hopefully they can pass the savings onto the consumer ASAP so everyone can enjoy the PS3.

Dirty @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:58PM

And so games can be more profitable on the system....so we get more of them.

Titanium_Orchid @ Sep 22nd 2008 3:59PM

when will these things come to computers? I want them in a laptop.

Hashbrown Hunter @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:10PM

Well if Toshiba is seeking them out than that may not be too far off.

Lekko @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:50PM

you would only want one in a laptop as a co-processor.

Cell would maul tasks like decompression, transcoding, and raw power, but would fail miserably at the spaghetti code of an OS.

A beefier version that is more geared towards an OS, perhaps... but then you would be venturing into CPU/GPU on one die territory.

BananaBoat @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:08PM

I'm not a comp-sci major or anything, but isn't it staying away from PC's because it's not x86? The only thing that runs on cell right now is Linux distributions with support for whatever the hell the cell is.

If this were an x86 chip (which would have cost them a ton of money in licensing fees) it would already be in consumer PC's today.

Whatever the case, I'm still waiting for someone to unlock the GPU so that I can turn my PS3 into an actual computer, instead of a graphically-gimped computer like it is right now.

Lone Starr @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:04PM

"45 nm shrinkage"

Must be cold outside.

Bad Mojo @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:05PM

Welcome to the first day of fall :)

Hashbrown Hunter @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:11PM

That reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with "maximum shrinkage". haha man that was classic.

deaftly @ Sep 22nd 2008 5:30PM

Like a frightened turtle!

zuburi @ Sep 22nd 2008 4:05PM

Good, now put the Emotion Engine back in so I don't have to worry every time I turn on my 60GB machine.

I read the horror story of the guy whose 60GB machine broke and has yet to receive a replacement :O It's led to me babying my system.

umm....hello??? @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:55PM

yep...same here. but I doubt a revision will change their stupid arched top which disallows stacking other things on top of my PS3. =(

Jouten @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:26PM

It's actually a good idea to NOT stack anything on top of your PS3. I can't even imagine putting anything on top of any of my consoles for that matter. Longevity is more likely with better ventilation. My 360 finally crapped out just recently and it was an original launch box.

umm....hello??? @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:52PM

yeah, but the only things I like to stack on top of my consoles are some videogame controllers or their respective remotes (it gets tiresome looking for controllers when you have 4 or more consoles hooked up to your tv). other than that, I keep them and my sound system separated to keep them from overheating.

The Aggie CEO @ Sep 22nd 2008 6:42PM

that would be a little early to see the slim model PS3.....

the PSOne Slim came out RIIGHT before the PS2 was launched(5-6 years after the PS1 came out).

PS2 Slim came out in 2004(4 years after the Original PS2)

I wouldnt suspect to see a PS3 Slim until 2010(4 years after launch).....

BUT if they move it up a year or so(like they did with the difference between the PS1 & PS2 slim revisions from 5 years to 4 years) then it just MIGHT make it out next year.......

but hell it can only get SO small with the HDD in there........unless they go the SSD route in which case the PS3 Slim would be OUTRAGEOUSLY priced.......

SimbaDogg @ Sep 23rd 2008 4:17AM

remember, its not the harddrive that makes the ps3 so big. is the built in power brick. choosing to include that internally (which i greatly appreciate as compared to the x360) is really what made it quite a bit bigger.

The Aggie CEO @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:59AM

oh yea I know the HDD aint what made it that big......

but I was thinking in comparison to how thin the PSOne was as well as the PS2 Slim.....the PS2 slim was around an inch thick....

I just wonder how they will get the heatsink, HDD, and all that in a nice small package.......I know they will put the power supply outside and HOPEFULLY without all the trouble they had with the PS2 Slim power supplies.......as long as it WAAAAAAAAAY smaller than the 360 one I'm good.....lol

hell even the PS3 laptop(even tho made from parts of the current PS3 model) was pretty thick.....

but hell........I cant wait.......seeing as how I already have a BC PS3 model I wont care if the PS3 Slim has it or not......I'll get one for the bedroom and use it as a BD Player/Game Console......lol