Microsoft Xbox 720 and Sony PlayStation 4, what hardware should there be under the hood?

Sony currently has the Cell Processor, a powerful beast, that has yet to reach it’s true potential. Sure there’s some truly brilliant games like Uncharted 2. But lets think about it for a second, the PS2 did’nt hit it’s limits for around 5-6 years, will it take that long for the PS3 to do the same? I hope so.

But the 360 is’nt a slouch either, and while both were devoloped and created at the same time, the 360 has an advantage over the PS3 for software developers.
You see the 360 borrows a large amount of it’s software development from the original Xbox, but Sony had to start from scratch with a completely new set of instructions. Thats why it’s been tough to get the PS3 off the ground.
But fear not, devs are getting used to it, and we are seeing some astounding titles. And there’s more to come.

While the 360 may eventually run out of steam before the PS3, most devs will keep cross platform titles looking and playing about the same. Why? Because it’s easier to make one game on two platforms identical, than one game on two systems, but one of them very different from the other.

So what about the future consoles?
We’ve already seen that Sony have made it very easy to change the hard disk in a PS3, it takes 2-3 minutes to swap HDD’s. While the xbox is locked to expensive upgrade paths, swapping a HDD on a 360 is rediculously expensive. Not only that, but with a drive caddy, you can re-use the PS3 HDD again.
So it’s a step in the right direction for Sony.
But what about the CPU or graphics cards? Or what about RAM too?
Well, there’s no real reason for stopping a user for upgrading them, other than they are hardwired to the system boards.
If they were interchangeable, just like PC’s, then you couyld dramatically increase the life, and useabilty of a system.
When they get to the end of their life cycle, just drop in another CPU, graphics card, and more RAM. and suddenly, you have a new console. You’d eventually have to replace the system for a new one as this upgrade path is still reliant on technology that was developed when the console was new. I’m taking about chipsets.
A chipset is the main controller on a system board that controls everything else. See image:

So eventually, you would need to replace the sytem all together. But this increases the longevity dramatically, and seeing as you would have to buy Sony or Microsoft branded parts, you’d know that you were getting true compatabilty, and it would help keep the developer going a while longer.

But what other advantages does having a PC like upgrade path have?
Game developers could make a version of the game that works on both paths, but works and looks better on an upgraded system. Eventually you’d have THE ONE game that you must have, and you could upgrade then.
It also gives you an option to use the system as you see fit, right now the PS3 has a viable second operating system in the form of Linux. But it’s severely limited in the amount of memory it has, 256mb system memory and 256mb of graphics memory, or near as damnit. It’s not a lot, even if you know linux and know how to get the best out of it, it’s not enough. So how about adding more?
If you could add more ram, Linux is’nt the only thing to benefit, the entire system would too. Games like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 would’nt need to constantly access the disk, it could load all the textures at once. This would reduce wear and tear on the blu-ray drive, making it last longer. Also more memory for textures means better textures too, which means better looking games.
Which in turn brings us to the graphics card.
You see, everything you see on screen is constructed by the graphics card. So if you have a better one, it stands to reason that games will look better. You’d have higher frame rates, better textures, better and more polygons and more details.
The CPU would also help in this department, but seeing as the CELL has’nt met it’s potential yet, this point may be moot.

So what are the Pro’s and Cons?

Cons:
1. Well, you might get left behind if you can not afford the upgrades.
2. If upgrades are too minor, why bother with the upgrade?
3. You just dont need it, the system is fine without it.
4. The temptation by game devs is to code only for a platform that looks best. Making the lower end non-viable.
5. Fewer games for the lower end – see 4.
6. Why not buy a PC instead?

Pros:
1. Better performance.
2. More choice
3. A console that runs better as a PC and is also a gaming console.
4. It’s cheaper than buying a new console.
5. It’s easier for game devs to code for new hardware than learning to code for a new console.
6. You get to keep all your old games, and enjoy new games without buying a new console and loosing compatability.

Summary.
It’s a tough choice for Sony or Microsoft to make, new console, or upgrade?
Or is it? You see they could create a new revenue stream from an old console by offering upgrades, but when a new console eventually comes, what will the uptake be?
Then you have the argument that you may as well buy a PC.
Thats fine, but PC monitors are very expensive, so you have to include that in the price, then there’s the actual hardware and software to run it, and it suddenly starts to get very expensive. A minimum price for a gaming PC is around £500 + monitor. With top end upto well inexcess of £1000.
Then there’s the noise, PC’s are very noisey, and keeping them quiet means spending a fair amount of cash. That’ll be another £150+ for water cooling.
So is it a no brainer?
You decide.