A new Sony patent details several possible changes to the PS5, including the launch of an ultra-powerful PlayStation 5 Pro with two GPUs, SoC and/or cloud gaming.
Sony already seems to be working on an even more powerful evolution of the PS5 – which could lead to the launch of a PlayStation 5 Pro or a cloud-based cloud console. Of course at this point we are talking about a patent that seems to be exploring several possibilities – without any guarantee that all will eventually materialize. However, as Sony has already launched Pro models in the past, the prospect of a more powerful console remains on the table.
Sony imagines a console with several GPUs in a patent
In its paper, Sony explores several types of multi-processor architectures. The patent relies at length on the benefits of several GPUs and how to link them together. The repository speaks of a standard model with a single GPU (presumably the basic PS5) and a more powerful model, coming up, with two GPUs. The patent also mentions the possibility of a console with one or more GPUs that could have access to additional GPUs, via the cloud.
A function that is very reminiscent of the PlayStation Now service. But to improve rendering, the patent proposes to make in parallel dedicated parts of the dataset for each GPU – enough to reduce artifacts and other problems related to the use of multiple GPUs. The document also mentions the possibility of putting both GPUs on the same die to share the same memory controller and the same RAM.
The last possibility mentioned by the patent is to use two SoCs with their own CPU and GPU on the same die,with nUMA technology that allows faster access to ram data. Towards the end of the patent, it is understood, in addition to these questions, that Sony does not yet know whether these additional GPUs or SoCs will really be integrated into a future PS5 Pro, or whether these cores will simply be available via the cloud. With the prospect of being able to use such a service on older consoles.
This could make access to this increased power more economical while addressing the issue of heat dissipation, which is easier to manage in a data center than in a (too) powerful consumer console. The document states: "A user may be allocated more die (and therefore more APU) on a server in the cloud by paying an additional fee, with a single die allocated to those who pay less."
Read also: PS5 – CPU, GPU, features, here are new details on its technical sheet
Two GPUs in local, even more GPU in the cloud… What do you think of this possibility? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Source: Tweaktown