Xbox2 partially unveiled

[SamuraiCatJB]

I am not at GDC this year as there was very little general purpose stuff announced until the last minute... :(

but I am following the news....

Xbox2 preview (code named Xenon):
http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microsoft-xbox/594331p1.html
Xenon's CPU has three 3.0 GHz PowerPC cores.
Xenon's GPU is a generation beyond the ATI X800.
Xenon will have 256 MB of system RAM.
Games will come on dual-layer DVD-9 discs.
Xenon will use 64 MB to 1,024 MB memory cards.
As many have speculated, Xenon's hard drive is optional. 2 GB of the drive will be used as game cache. The final drive size is still being determined.
Xenon will have a USB 2.0 camera. It's capable of 1.2 megapixel still shots and VGA video. Photos can be used in-game and for gamer profiles. The camera can also be used for video chat. It's unknown if the Xenon camera will allow for EyeToy-like gameplay.
Xenon does not have an audio chip in the traditional sense. Decompression is handled by hardware, while the rest of the chores are handled by software. DirectSound3D has been dropped in favor of X3DAudio.


:)

[JackAxe]

Yes the Xenon in all it's glory will make ugliness like this possible for our low-rez TVs. :)

http://www.unrealtechnology.com/screens/character_creation3.jpg

Instead of this current cheeeeeeeeeese ball effect;
http://www.eurogamer.net/assets/articles/a55926/OXM-GruntRender2-040204copy.jpg

Sooooon after its release, peeps will be outfiting their Xenons with 200 GB disks and loading them up with games that they pirated from their comp onto a DL disc.

Impressive game console though, I like the fact they use a PPC now. :)

<]=)

[Joel]

Impressive...

...but for what price?

[zackepceo]

I'm more interested in the fact that IBM thinks they can improve their yields so much that they can not only supply Apple with dual core 3.0GHz chips, but supply MS with tri-core 3.0GHz chips, Nintendo with presumably dual core 3.2GHz chips, and Sony with 4.7GHz CELLs.

[JackAxe]

It's the watered down PowerPC, so maybe that helps out?

<]=)

[zackepceo]

Nah, IBM needs to use their strained silicon process to really do anything more. I'm thinking that IBM is betting the bank on the 970mp/gx technology for decreasing heat to work.

[SamuraiCatJB]

It's the watered down PowerPC, so maybe that helps out?

<]=)

didn't seem so watered down... tri-core, including altavecta or whatever that processor is you talk about and I never listen. ;) :p

[JackAxe]

It's Alitvic 20 and comes with an external tape player for loading your latest pong game. :p

I don't know the whole scoop, but a G5 for example can execute 4 instructions per cycle plus one branch, 5 total, where as one of these cores executes 2 insctructions per cycle. Pretty impressive for a game system though and all 3 cores give it 6 total. I can add. :) I'm probably missing a great deal there, but blah.

<]=)

[Homie S]

I thought the codename was Xbox360 or something like that? They definitely can't call it Xbox2, That would be such a suicidal marketing strategy! PS3 and then Xbox2, WELL OBVIOUSLY THE PS3 IS BETTER BECAUSE IT IS A BIGGER NUMBER.

[JackAxe]

But ya know that a X represents 10, so obviously this is better. :p

<]=)

[SamuraiCatJB]

But ya know that a X represents 10, so obviously this is better. :p

<]=)

nope much, much worse!!!

Assuming agebraic 2x == 2 times x
replacing x with 10 gives the following equation:

10 times BO times 10 times 2 = XBOX2

which is a real stinker.... ;) :p

[zackepceo]

Wouldn't that be.. XBOX200? :p

[SamuraiCatJB]

Wouldn't that be.. XBOX200? :p

BO 200

[JackAxe]

BoFlex 2000?

You peeps are both wrong. It's the Xenon Warrioer Princes console. It includes two joy jiggle pads with analogue nibs for control.

<]=)

[zackepceo]

With ample dongles to connect, I trust? :p