Is the PS4 a backwards step?

[dismalswamp]

Yes, I know it will be fast, have more RAM, better GPU etc, but Sony are dropping the technically superior PPC based CELL architecture and going back to what is in effect a 30 year old chipset, it seems to allow more smaller scale development studios access to the party. Surely just because something is established and easy, doesn't make it better? I think the drop of the Cell is a tragedy

 

[Skynhead]

No one liked the CELL apart from SONY fanboys, I'm pretty sure SONY know what they are doing and have learned their lesson.
Modern x86 architecture is a wee bit different from x86 30 years ago.

 

[dismalswamp]

Fanboy or not, the CELL is a better architecture than x86, which still retains the limitations and inefficiencies of 30 years ago. Sometimes it is better to draw a line in the sand and start over, akin to the French wide gauge railways, let go of the past.

 

[ManofScience]

would u want to take a punt on new technology on such a big scale? PS4 disaster could kill Sony in these hard times...

 

[TCBigsy31]

Though the CELL is vastly superior, it wasn't really well built for gaming. It was notoriously difficult to code for and it didn't help when Sony released dev kits with the manual completely written in Japanese.