Cell 65NM started, 45NM next

I thought there was an old thread on this that I would have just updated but it seems I cannot find it with the search function. Anyway looks like 65NM Cell production has finally started, and Sony is hoping for 45NM chips in 1-2 years.

IBM announced today a significant step towards PlayStation 3 cost-cutting, as the chip maker announced the production of a 65nm version of the Cell processor.
ImageThe Cell launched as a 90nm processor. The 65nm version will be manufactured at IBM’s East Fishkill, New York plant.

IBM created the chip with Sony and Toshiba in a collaboration which began in March 2001. IBM recently began reaching out to game developers to help them harness the Cell's potential.

A Sony exec recently said that a move to a 45nm Cell would occur in late 2008 or early 2009.

Click to expand...

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4920&Itemid=2

Would put this in CPUs as this is what it is, but right now the Cell is not really used in anything but Supercomputers and the PS3 so figure this would be the best place for it.

Wonder how long it'll be before it makes its' way into the PS3? Hopefully by fall as that is when I plan on getting one (after the rumoured price drop).

Well that is why I put it here and not the CPU section is this right now really only effects the PS3 as it will be getting it first. I wouldn't really count on a price drop right now though, they are still losing hundreds on each system sold. (over 300 last I saw)

That's phase 2 of the secret save the PS3 plan Sony put forth. Phase1 is to cut production costs (which they have with BluRay going down, removing the PS2 CPU and the smaller CPU) then hoping they sell well before Christmas 07 due to content. If they do not then Phase2 is a price drop. I've not heard anything of phase3 if there even is one. Phase2 is probably not going to happen until AFTER Christmas though, unless they either A: get desperate or B: the 360 Price drop and new model totally kick their asses.

Right now though their is nothing to backup a price drop. People just speculate it because every system has had one and they want one. Just like the PSP, of course it's going to have a new version, the question is when.

arnt they still having a high rate of failure of cores inside the PS3s? it seems like it would be better to work that out.

Surprisingly, I've not heard much yet about dead/malfunctioning PS3s. The failed cores are getting weeded out at the factory. Then again, it was just over a year before all the CD drives failed in the PS1 and the DVD drives failed in the PS2.

They are working extremly well right now, but really you cannot test a year in a head for defeats. I mean you can to extreme usage test which may give you an idea for a few months but if something is going to break a year or more down the road no one will be able to tell till it actually happens. The Cell though I really don't think would be the issue, if it's already running cool (Mines been on since I bought it months ago) with no issues then making it even smaller to where it consumes even less electricity and can run even cooler should not be a problem. The Blu-Ray drive on the other hand is really unknown as Blu-Ray is a new technology and this is one of the first drives, so it could very well break.