PS3 chip yields low

PS3 News | Not enough chips to Cell.

Microsoft suffered from supply issues when the Xbox 360 was released near the end of last year, and it appears as if Sony will be looking down the barrel of the same gun later this year when it releases the PlayStation 3. News has surfaced that there are difficulties involved in manufacturing the processor that powers the console. It appears that as a result of the complexity of the PS3’s Cell processor, usable yields are relatively low. Many have questioned whether IBM will be able to manufacture enough of these chips to supply early demand for the Playstation 3.

In an interview with Electronic News Tom Reeves, Vice President of semiconductor and technology services at IBM, had the following to say about manufacturing the Cell processor: “With chips that are one-by-one and silicon germanium, we can get yields of 95 percent. With a chip like the Cell processor, you’re lucky to get 10 or 20 percent. If you put logic redundancy on it, you can double that. It’s a great strategy, and I’m not sure anyone other than IBM is doing that with logic.”

Even doubling the 10 to 20 percent yield, this is still a relatively low amount of usable chips, calling into question just how available PS3s will be at launch. We'll find out in November what exactly this will mean for consumers, but currently it looks like we're set to witness a similar story to that of the Xbox 360 launch, with consumer demand outstripping supply, and of course the inevitable selling of products on eBay at an extremely inflated price.

Related Content

Conflict: Denied Ops announced
21 Aug, 2007 Shooter series continues on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

Tony Hawk Project 8 images
30 May, 2006 The Birdman returns to non-Nintendo systems too.

Xbox 360 overheating issues resolved
26 Nov, 2005 Sort of.

Page12 3 4 Next

85 Comments

Chris-Leigh

5 years ago

Good God, that could be one of the worst puns we've ever posted.

Damn good work, sir.

Tristan

5 years ago

Yeah, I cringed as wrote it. Don't know if I went too far

If I can keep up bad puns at that level it looks like I might make it as a dad after all.

LeonJ

5 years ago

Has there been anything positive about the PS3 since E3? I can't think of one point that puts this once 'touted' future king is good light.

Oh wells, MGS4 will make all happy.

Zarnoss

5 years ago

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62199

Interesting comment by Hideo Kojima/\

Joseph

5 years ago

Amazing, I've heard nothing but manufactoring woes for 360 and PS3 yet with Wii, it sounds as if everything is going smoothly. No doubt the complexity of each console is at the heart of this my guess is.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

Well all i'm hoping is that the Ps3 is released in America or Japan first so that they can have all the teething issues with it and then we get a revised model of the machine if there are any major problems. If it launches in Australia the same time as everywhere else....then I probably won't be buying one at launch for fears that the hardware could be faulty. All I keep hearing are negatives on the hardware side so I just don't have that much confidence in a $1000 system that might not work so well.

Sol_Bad

5 years ago

Xcs:sIVE wrote

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62199

Interesting comment by Hideo Kojima/\

WTF
You did realise the date of that article didn't you?
Kojima has stated since that the 360 couldn't handle the camo technology used on PS3.

*sigh*

Jellyfish

5 years ago

^ Since then there have been rumours that the PS3 Cell chips have lost 200Mhz of clock speed. Really I wouldn't believe much that he says about comparing PS3 or Xbox 360 since he's going to be obviously biased towards to Sony. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if Sony bought exclusivity and Kojima merely said that to cover the tracks.

So how does this low yields affect Sony's expected shipping numbers?

admeister

5 years ago

Yikes, not going to be many chips are there? Not many chips = not many PS3s. This could be a serious issue for Sony, perhaps they went a bit too far with powering the console, it's too complex! Now the Wii, well that's a stable model for you, you can make tonnes of them in no time.

~DESTROY~

5 years ago

The Wiis were produced awhile ago already, so theyre not going to have issues as theyre already made and waiting and Nintendo havent got their thumbs in their asses like sony do.

If you ask me its just going to be a stupid marketing ploy by sony to get in line with the fact that availabilty issues was one thing that made the availability, sales and hype for the 360 go through the roof
I suspect sony are going to yet again steal another idea so they can make PS3 get the hype that the 360 got, because we all know what we cant have or what is hard to get is a main reason people strive to attain those things in the first place, I just think sonys marketing stratagy is focusing on the human condition now which goes to show how desperate and clutching for straws of success they really are.
Another low move by sony IMHO.

EDIT: PS how many Nintendo systems have you had that have failed or been superceeded??? Me, none. Nintendo have always bought well thought out and durable consoles into the marketplace, the only company apart from MS to a degree that has been there for the gamer and not the dollars.
So the fact that the Wiis were assembled a long time ago (the START of this year!!!) doesnt suprise me, nintendo have alot of faith in their products and the fact that theyre already made means that they can fulfill all their promises to consumers where other companies talk too much sh!t just to compete with each other.

Good stuff Nintendo, im sure the offerings will be vast and plentiful, I still may not buy a Wii though as xbox360 costs enough to run.
Even if I do, I think after the MS experience, Ill be waiting to see where I can get the best deal for one, even though I'll probably buy from EB as im such a sucker to being a loyal customer, plus they never treat me like a sap/sucker when they give me honest answers to legit questions and let me know if a games crap so I can avoid it or bring it back no hassles,
developing a good repotoia with your local games shop always works in your favour.

Infested Jibbs

5 years ago

~DESTROY~ wrote

EDIT: PS how many Nintendo systems have you had that have failed or been superceeded???

Faiiled-None.

Superceeded(in a fairly short space of time)-every gamboy(and ds) i have ever owned

But in the end it was also my choice to upgrade, they made each evolution of the gameboy justttttttttttt that lil bit better then the older model to the point i couldn't resist.

HeDanny

5 years ago

Am I just showing my age, being a cranky old man.. or did anyone else read the article and go "attempt to cause early adopters to get worried about initial availability, and therefore a bigger rush on sales at launch?"

Cos It just seems that, well, we have all heard this story before. You know.. with virtually every new gadget ever released. It is as if you can not release anything without saying "oh.. there will note be enout to go around" or "initial supply will be small" etc etc.

It is expected.

Jim Dash

5 years ago

admeister wrote

Usual ball licking.

WERE TALKING ABOUT SONY HERE

I like my complex consoles, and Nintendo have chosen a good path to take with the Wii but problem's like Microsoft's and (upcoming) Sony's come with the complexity.

So does that mean they shouldn't make a complex console?

DancesInUnderwear

5 years ago

No, it means nobody should ever make a console except for Nintendo because everything else is crap compared to our God, Nintendo.

Fact: If Super Mario Bros. was released on the 360, it would not be fun, as the 360 is incapable of producing fun.

Fact 2: If ET was rereleased for the Wii, it would be the best game ever, because Nintendo consoles create awesomeness.

Fact 3: Games controlled with traditional controllers will never, ever, be fun again. Except for anything produced by Nintendo.

this post brought to you by admeister, "keeping palgn free of intelligent non-nintendo discussion since 1987"

Cerebral

5 years ago

Subtlety is DEAD.

Cro

5 years ago

Cerebral wrote

Subtlety is DEAD.

Your not implying something are you?

Sin Ogaris

5 years ago

Jim Dash wrote

admeister wrote

Sony I can understand, they're risking success on a few new technologies which will most definitely have teething issues due to their "newness" to the scene. Microsoft however... what exactly is complex about that system? Sure it has cores, but so do many other chips which don't offer the same level of issues as the XBox 360 gave us during its inception. Oh, and if anyone rants about how much "power" they're shoving under the hood I'll throw something virtual at you, manufacturers have been around long enough to know that correct cooling and ventilation is imperative to a working system.

As for Sony's lack of hardware, it's not so much against Sony as it is against the Cell processor (I can't remember who manufactures it, but I'm sure someone will tell you), this thing is just getting more and more bad press with every waking day.

Frozencry

5 years ago

Jim Dash wrote

admeister wrote

Yes, Complex consoles suck dude, like totally woah! If I recall Ps2 was pretty complex when it was first released, so therefore it never should've been created! And who needs rubbish like God of War, Devil May Cry and Metal Gear Solid when there are manufacturing hardships at the consoles launch? I mean really, woah!

I would kill any man who took my Devil May Cry away from me.

admeister

5 years ago

Anything I say is ball licking, according to you JimDash.. I was stating a fact, chips for the Wii are easier to produce than ones
Thanks for that DIU, in a bad mood were you? You guys seem to enjoy attacking me and my posts. Let me make myself clear, I have nothing against Sony, I own a PS1 and a PS2 currently, and I intend to get a PS3 in the future. My main reason for disliking Microsoft is the fact that I don't think that they should have entered into console gaming in the first place. My main next gen interst, is of course the Wii, since I am a fan of Nintendo's past work, and I am impressed with the ideas they are employing now (not to mention it's the only one I'll be able to afford to buy in the next 2 years or so.) I'm not trying to be single minded, but someone has to represent Nintendo, and their ideas (and I'm glad to do so, I like debating, though I start to get annoyed when people insult me*), I get annoyed when I hear people saying "Ooh, look at my 360, it has better graphics than my Xbox, it's the best console ever". It's way too shallow.

*I'm looking at you, JimDash..

David

5 years ago

Good post admeister. I thought they were being harsh on you (espescially since you've shown you like Sony in other threads).

You should write well written, well thought out posts like the one above more often.

Cro

5 years ago

David wrote

Couldn't agree more.

Although the Wii isn't being frowned upon, when you say your going to represent Nintendo, you definitely wouldn't be the only one.

Frozencry

5 years ago

admeister wrote

Good post, you're obviously out to prove the point and I think you achieved it pretty well.

Infested Jibbs

5 years ago

Well, ad has got a point about his earlier statement about the ps3 being complciated.I mean there's one thing to release a high-powered console, but it's another thing entirely to release a console that is so high powered that simply manufacturing the thing in decent quantity's and at an acceptable price is nearly impossible.To me, the ps3 is still a paper tiger.It still is all bark no bite.

Though, the negativity towards the x360 needs to be throttled back at the same time as well.I think ms has learnt SO much from the first xbox, and through some of their innovations(online console gaming finding it's feet, console HD's, multimedia's hubs) have only positive effects on the industry in general.

DancesInUnderwear

5 years ago

admeister wrote

My main reason for disliking Microsoft is the fact that I don't think that they should have entered into console gaming in the first place.

That makes no sense, and its the type of thing that annoys me about your posts - you make these huge sweeping comments (which are generally anti-Microsoft) and don't say anything to back it up (I'm thinking of both the "Microsoft shouldn't make consoles" argument and the equally perplexing comment that a certain game (can't remember which one) wouldn't be fun on the Xbox simply because its on an Xbox). These things make no sense, and while I appreciate you don't go "OMG Micro$oft is teh suxxorz! They is teh gay!", at least then I'd be able to know exactly what you mean by the comments.

And for the record, I love Nintendo, and I always will, and I will happily shell out however much money is required to pick up a console with the next Mario platformer, Mario Kart game or Super Smash Bros. game (which would be my 3 favourite games series, in order). So you don't need to preach to me about Nintendo. I also happen to think that the Wii controller is a great idea for alot (though not all) types of games, in theory. However that doesn't mean anything to me yet, as I have not played the thing yet, and I will abstain from being too vocally about this opinion until I actually know that the Wiimote is the best thing since sliced bread.

At the same time, however, I can appreciate the huge games (not to be confused with games that just have a graphical update, but games that use the extra features of the improved hardware to create better gaming experiences) that the PS3 and Xbox 360 will provide.

I will happily admit that, aside from giving off the impression that you wanted to turn yet another thread into a Wii thread, though that is apparently not what you meant, so I'm sorry, but your posts have been annoying me for a while, so I thought I'd express my anger with a very, lets face it, terribly thought out post (not necessarily the content - but the way I expressed it is very much a c-grade style of humour). Its just that your constant negative, unfounded bashing of Microsoft gets on my nerves, just as would if people constantly negatively bashed anything, regardless of whether I liked the subject or not.

Holy bajeezus that was long.

Page12 3 4 Next

View as forum topic

Add Comment