IBM says Cell processor coming along fine
by Nick Doerr 
{ Jul 28th 2006 at 6:00PM }
Remember a while back when we reported that cell processors weren't being produced very satisfactorily? Well, according to an article at the Inquirer, IBM executives are now claiming cell processor yields are on or above their targeted average yield. Good thing, too. No one wants to send their newly bought PS3 back to the manufacturer for repairs or end up with a defective system. Happens to every system (red circle of death (360), disc read error (PS2)) except GameCube, really. Has anyone had trouble with their 'Cube? ...Does anyone have a 'Cube? Why not? It's a great non-online party system. Nothing beats a round of Super Smash Bros. Melee.Getting back on track, IBM released statements that translated somewhere along the line as "yields for a large, complex part like the Cell are expected to be low at the start of production and improve steadily thereafter". So the bad yield rumor reported earlier was indeed true and accurate, but not unexpected by IBM. We may want to try to steer clear from the Asustek manufactured PS3's though, since they have connections with the cell processors with lower yields. Might be difficult, with 4 million units on their way to Sony. Still, Sony has said they only use the highest yield processors created, so perhaps the junky ones are in a landfill, next to the E.T. game for the Atari 2600.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ace @ Jul 28th 2006 6:39PM
The Inquirer? Is this the same Magazine that takes pictures of people turning into aliens? Well sony is just as believable as them. Does anyone remember how powerful the ps3 was supposed to be when its games struggled to look half as good as the Dreamcast?
Gear_Monkey @ Jul 28th 2006 10:44PM
My god I am sick of 360 Trolls.
Firstly you are thinking of the ENQUIRER this is the INQUIRER. The NATIONAL ENQUIRER is the paper that posts unbelievable stuff.
Second I am sick of people comparing the Dreamcast to the PS3. The DC was a fine piece of machinery, but if you ever owned one you would know that it could not produce the screens we have seen thus far. Also I would like to mention the PS3 is still months away from release, and any screens/video’s thus far are not finalized! They are still being improved since they are still in development.
If you don’t like PS3, don’t troll Ps3 sites! You’re not going to persuade anyone away from the PS3. Why not go to a 360 site, and post some productive and intelligent replys.
Vince @ Jul 29th 2006 1:42AM
"Does anyone remember how powerful the ps3 was supposed to be"
I know technology moves fast nowadays but I think talking about the PS3 in the past tense is pushing it a bit.
This is Major Tom to Ground Control... I'm stepping through the door...
and I'm floating in a most peculiar way...
and the stars look very different today...
Night Elve @ Jul 29th 2006 1:54AM
@ Nick Doerr
except GameCube, really. Has anyone had trouble with their 'Cube? ...Does anyone have a 'Cube? Why not? It's a great non-online party system. Nothing beats a round of Super Smash Bros. Melee.
-------------
Lol that was pretty hilarious, nice sense of humor.
NitrogenB @ Jul 29th 2006 8:17AM
I actually think #1 was talking about the ps2, which if you were even a little bit coherent at the time dreamcast and ps2 were going, crushed dreamcast. Now I will say, I still have a dreamcast, and it was a nice system, but sega just didn't make it, it bombed out.
And as far as graphics, absolutely no contest...i think it's safe to say that 99% of semi-truthful people will agree w/ me.
Now, comparin the xbox to the dreamcast....that's another issue...
ps2 2000-2006 (pruduction life so far...)
xbox 2002-2005 (hmmm, making another one only after 3 years...I'm not sure if that's a good sign or not, maybe it's just me...)
JD @ Jul 30th 2006 4:27AM
#1 - it's utterly amazing how you can type without thinking, especially when the link is right there for you to click on and see for yourself what the Inquirer really is.
I've been following this blog for a few weeks, and the comments I read on here, the number of trolls and how many ignorant people who comment is just appalling.
Anyways, this is good news for me because I'm planning on getting one after a year or a price drop (whichever comes first), so hopefully, I'll be far far away from one of those first 4 million units. After getting a PS2 somewhat early and landing the DRE, I'm going to wait it out this time and hopefully the later wave of PS3s will have all the annoying kinks worked out.
ozymandias @ Jul 30th 2006 1:51PM
I know your going to say im a troll but...
after the Inquirer posted this story
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32171
it was the most unreliable, untrustworthy source of news on the web. Now, when it has an article you agree with, you rush to defend it against the same type of responses that you had a month ago.
SuicideNinja @ Jul 31st 2006 1:00PM
"Happens to every system (red circle of death (360), disc read error (PS2)) except GameCube, really. Has anyone had trouble with their 'Cube? ...Does anyone have a 'Cube?"
Hell yeah I have a 'Cube! That thing's way reliable. Apparently, they can be broken in HALF and still power on...where a PS2 can be sneezed on and it stops working. =)
http://suicideninja.blogspot.com/2006/07/video-proof-of-ps2s-questionable.html
As for trying to debunk the Xbox, it just seems a little silly to me. I don't care about its life span if I've got twice as much entertainment out of it compared to a PS2 that I've had longer.
I'm glad to hear that IBM is doing well with the processors. I don't care about the Cell so much for the PS3, but moreso for server and networking applications. There is a lot of potential there if multiple processors were used.
KawF @ Aug 1st 2006 8:33AM
Er... excuse me, but how did someone make the connection low-yeild and many-faulty-ps3's?
Do you actually think defective processors are even alloved to leave the plants? Hell no. They are scrapped as soon as they are discovered to be defective. And yes, that is quite possible to know right off the bat by analysing them both "visually" and by actually fitting them to a test rig that executes all known operations and such on them.
So to repeat: low yeild does not equate to defective processors shipped with the PS3. Any and all defective processors are discarded. This applies to all chip manufacturing.
Tim Sonderman @ Aug 1st 2006 6:02PM
I have a cube, and I left in on for four days because I would have lost my animal crossing save if i had not, and it died. I got it fixed and its worked fine since.
As to the post above "If you don't like Ps3, dont troll Ps3 sites!" I would have to completely disagree. I don't like Ps3 (gasp!) yet I still "troll" this site because it is interesting to view teh competition. And besides, if I don't look into it, how will I ever learn to like the Ps3. The more people who buy the Ps3 means the more games are produced, and the more quality these games are. It's simple business. You should be encouraging people who do not like the Ps3 to read this site, not vice-versa. If it's wonderful as you claim, then won't I, or someone like me, be easily convinced by posts here, and the following comments?
I am not here to say "Ps3 15 73h 5UXX0rz!!1!one!!111" but I am here to try and provide a contrasting view on things and to make sure the Ps3 fanboys don't get out of line. I invite you to "troll" as you would say, the Xbox 360 Fanboy site. I'm sure it would do you some good. I'll even give you a link in case you need a little help: http://xbox.joystiq.com.