The $499 Grudge Match: PS3 vs the A2 (DING!) (1 Viewer)

[Ryan-G]

Being an owner of an 360 I can safely attest to the fact that the dang thing sounds like a small plane warming up it's engines.

The really sad part is my computer is an AMD 4200+, with 2 120mm case fans, 1 90mm side panel fan, plus the CPU, GPU, and PS fans, and it's maybe 1/4th as loud as the 360.

But my thinking is that if the PS3 has the same heat dissipation problems displayed by a 2.8ghz Intel or AMD, and the G70 is comparable to a 7x00 card, these things are going to cook themselves fairly quickly. The smaller the fans, the louder the noise with bearing models, and if these things are quiet they may not have adequate cooling. Sleeve model fans are quieter, but the price is that they have high rates of failure and relatively low lifespans, as well as problems with odd orientations, like being mounted horizontally and then turning the case so they're vertical. Something with balancing causes unusual wear.

I just don't see how Sony, who's never manufactured a modern CPU/GPU is going to avoid all of the problems plaguing the Pro's. Especially in a poorly ventilated case(by comparison).

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not "Sony must die!!!", I actually like BR as the HD solution better. But I think their console division isn't playing with a full deck and has gotten arrogant, thinking they don't have to play by the rules everyone else follows. I really think the PS3 is going to bite them in the butt.

Honestly, I'm sitting here looking at my 360, who's case is filled with holes for heat disipation, and knowing the fans blow very hot air out of the back. Then I'm looking at my computer, and knowing the temps in my very well ventilated case are ~90f on a good day at an idle(MB, CPU, GPU averaged). And I can't figure out how Sony's going to avoid all of these problems.

 

[Shawn Perron]

You have to remember that Sony is a huge corporation. They have access to R&D as well as technical help from all thier many divisions. Sony laptops have been some of the thinest and lightest on the market for many years. I'm sure they got some of thier laptop R&D people to work on a cooling solution. Unlike Nintendo or Microsoft, they have decades of manufacturing expertise to fall back on.

I wouldn't be worried about failure from overheating as much as problems from the optical disc reader, which even Microsoft is plagued with problems from. Any moving part is much more likely to break down in the long run then anything else.

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/1111/ps3.htm

Actually, here are some pictures of the inside of the PS3. The cooling solution totally looks like a laptop cooling solution. Laptop manufacturers like Alienware and other high end companies have been releasing laptops with SLI nvidia video cards along with top of the line processors lately. Cooling the modestly clocked video chip and main processor should be a piece of cake in comparison. Keep in mind that the vents in the back of the PS3 can probably be used to heat a small room though.

 

[Rob_Walton]

Isn't the CPU being manufactured by IBM, with additional imput from Toshiba? Though the key considerations regarding overheating would seem to be the internal architecture, and the choise of fan. I was very surprised to hear the PS3 was so quiet, with the kind of hardware it's packing.

I'm and Xbox owner, BTW, and only started using the PS2 for the first time a month back when I moved in with new flatmates. The differences between the devices have been overexagerated in my oppinion, as, most likely will be the differences between these next gen consoles.

PS: if we can use the PS3 to heat the room that'll means we don't have to turn on the central heating! Woohoo!

 

[ppltd]

Early reports certainly state the PS3 runs hot. Now, if that equates to an over heating problem or not is open for discussion. It was not long ago Sony had problems with systems shuting down because of heating issues. Sony stated it was because the PS3's were running in displays.

As the PS3 is being sold as a Home Entertainment system, it will most undoubtedly find it's way into Component Cabs and racks, restricting the airflow. Time will tell if the PS3 runs dependably with the heat it generates.

 

[Shawn Perron]

In the pictures, the PS3 looks to be using a fairly large diameter fan. The bigger the fan, the less RPMs it has to spin and therefor the quieter it will run. Smaller fans tend to have to run faster and have a higher pitch sound when they spin up to higher RPMs, thus the "jet taking off" noises.

Since the cooling system looks to be laptop based, it should be efficient and last a long time. It will still have the same problems that every air based cooling techonology has. If the ambient temperature is too high around the console, the cooling won't be able to remove the heat fast enough. This is why most high wattage electronic devices usually warn about being used in small enclosed spaces, like being shoehorned into a small space in your entertainment center.

 

[James St]

The fan is 160mm



Also what looks like a single laser in the BD drive capable of reading CD/DVD/BD.

 

[ppltd]

May be good for you, but I live in the Desert. Looks the my air conditioning bill will go up...

 

[Rob_Walton]

I knew living here would pay off someday!

 

[Anthony_De]

The only reliable reports of PS3s "overheating" came from the Tokyo Game Show. Demo units playing unfinished code for hours on end, stuck in a small display case. Not too surprising some should freeze up or crash. It's not about "running cool" it's about moving the heat away from the components as best as you can. The combination of the 160mm fan and the pictured heat pipes means it should do a good job of not overheating while being quiet.

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/1111/ps3_29.jpg
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/1111/ps3_27.jpg


It's not a problem since the PS3's GPU can read data from both pools of RAM.

Unfortunately the PS3 (core and premium) only comes with composite cables. However you can use any standard HDMI cable or your PS2 components cables if you already have them.