Updated Revolution specs on IGN

http://revolution.ign.com/articles/699/699118p1.html

Here's the basics for those that don't want to wade through the article:

Originally Posted by IGN

Components are extensions of the Gamecube's
CPU: 729MHz (Gamecube: 485MHz)
GPU: 243MHz (Gamecube: 162MHz)
Main System RAM: 88MB (Gamecube: 24MB)

Personally, I'm a bit surprised at this. The CPU and GPU basically just had their clockrates increased by 50% (Gamecube 1.5, lawl), and they added another of 64MB main RAM (which strangely is seperate from the other 24MB). I expected the CPU to reach at least a GHz and for the GPU to be based on a somewhat newer design. On the other hand, this means that backwards compatability with Gamecube games is pretty easy for them to do, since the updated hardware should work just like the Gamecube did. This also explains how they were able to fit the console in such a small space: the Gamecube was already pretty small, so creating a system 5 years later with basically the same technology makes it easy to be made smaller.

Of course this is just the raw numbers and doesn't reference how much more efficient the components are compared to their Gamecube counterparts. But supposedly the final development kits are coming out in June, so we'll see then if the specs have been upgraded any more or if they've added anything else to the hardware.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Neogin

Just shy of the XBOX? I just hope the Revolution will be just several times more powerful than the XBOX, just power wise. I really don't want them to fall behind that much, I mean, sure innovation and costs play a big factor..but..hell..

Well, if the original Gamecube was nearly as powerful as the Xbox, then with these specs they'd be a bit more powerful than it. The RAM isn't a huge improvement (the extra 14MB is pretty inconsequencial, although the RAM is a bit faster), but the CPU and GPU should noticably better. But with these specs, I can certainly see why the system doesn't have HD support: this system wouldn't even be able to run previous generation games in HD, let alone newer ones.

I'm almost surprised they didn't follow through with the idea of making the controller an accessory for the original Gamecube like the article mentions they tried. I mean really, this system is getting into the "why not make an addon for Gamecube instead of making a new console" relm. Aside from the extra RAM (which they almost could've offered as an addon...Expansion Pak mark 2?), the console doesn't seem like a big enough upgrade to need to make an entirely new console over. Although they did add onto it in other ways such as storage space and wi-fi support, so it seems like their reason for making a seperate console wasn't for hardware power.

Originally Posted by sprouticus

Who cares how powerful it is, give me the games!

And if it's more powerful, then more developers would be willing to make games for it, and games can have more features in them. These things are not mutually exclusive.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by sprouticus

And as far as we know, those aren't the final specs yet.

CPU: 729MHz (Gamecube: 485MHz)
GPU: 243MHz (Gamecube: 162MHz)

That's all relative. a 500MHz Pentium 2 isn't as fast as a 500MHz Pentium 4. Who knows how fast the Hollywood and Broadway chips actually are.

But they specifically mention that those two chips are based on the Gamecube's architecture. So basically it's the 50% clockrate increase plus whatever optimisations they add. It isn't an entirely new design, so speeds should be fairly comparable.

And I'm pretty sure a 500MHz P2 would be about as fast as a 500MHz P4. Especially since a P3 would be FASTER than a P4.

Originally Posted by Murdercrow

Because addons have never ever turned a profit for any company in the history of gaming?

The Eyetoy and DDR dancepads seem to be doing pretty well.

Quote:

Because the Gamecube lets you switch out the RAM with an expansion pack just like the N64. Oh, wait.

And who says it's impossible? You don't think they might've thought ahead and given enough bandwidth to one of the many expansion ports on the console that it could support RAM? Yeah, I'm sure that Serial Port 2 is really getting a lot of use otherwise. Just like the Saturn cartridge slot was up to a certain point...

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.