A brand new machine is entering the console arms race -- in China, at least. AMD, the electronics company who produces the PS4's Jaguar CPU, has partnered with Zhongshan Subor to build a console for the Chinese market, and the details released so far put it on a level with the PS4 Pro, possibly even surpassing it.
All the information we know right now is a bit technical, but essentially, this new machine features the same memory as the Pro - 8GB DDR5 - but with a larger bandwidth. It also contains a more modern GPU than the Pro, but according to Digital Foundry, the end result will theoretically be on par with Sony's premium console. The CPU is more powerful, and is what could potentially elevate AMD's machine above the capabilities of the Pro, but not enough is currently known to make a firm judgement on its power. You can read a more detailed breakdown of AMD's new console over on Eurogamer.
Will this new box will have any effect on the current console market, and indeed, the next generation? Probably not, but it's interesting to see China getting its very own machine at this point in time. Whether it'll cause any concern for Sony, we'll have to wait and see, but we doubt it'll lose any sleep over this.
[source eurogamer.net, via community.amd.com, cogconnected.com]
Comments 16
Could this also open the market for piracy in China?? Think about it if it's on level with the pro all they have to do is figure out a way to copy disc based games and crack open the system. It would be hard but it's do able anything is there to hack if someone tries too
It doesn't matter how powerful it is. Consoles have always been about the games.
@Nakatomi_Uk ''Could this also open the market for piracy in China?''
If you're worried about piracy in the video game industry in China you're 30 years late.
This sounds like the plot of an episode of Silicon Valley.
@Enuo Jared: Jian-Yang, are you copying all those companies for the Chinese markets?
Jian-Yang: (nervous) Oh no!
Meh
Can't wait to play 16bit bootleg games on this new amazing chinese console that will have crap games only
It's a curious "why" from me.
The article doesn't tell me what the machine is aimed at - probably because there is no info.
Zhongshan Subor, I think makes cheap electronics games as well as appliances.. but it's a cat's breakfast to try to find anything on it.
The console needs to have a market, games, OS, developers, a strategy, etc.. and this seems to have none of that. Just plonk it down and Hey- it's something!
Strange.. seems like a waste of money for Zhongshan Subor. I'm sure custom R&D isn't cheap with AMD.
wow now that's ugly. Looks like someone smashed their Xbox.
Is this meant to be a console competitor - PS4 and X1 exclusive type games - or an Nvidia Shield competitor playing mobile apps?
For those not following, Shield in China also has been getting Wii games so it's starting to straddle the fence. Probably some deal made between Nintendo and Nvidia for the hardware powering the Switch.
@Octane
It's more like a PC as it run Windows. But what I'd really like to see is a console that run both PS4 and Xbox One games. It should be posible with the right software, as they are both very similar on hardware. But I guess we are years way from that as it would need a lot of reverse enginering or leaked documents.
Can't wait to see all the censored games that will hit that console.
I actually don't think it's all that obscured to have a "console pc" that one could hook up underneath a TV to run Windows on it
@Party_Cannon hey, sorry to bother you but I’ve got a totally off-topic question 😅
Is “a cat’s breakfast” a common idiom? Cause I’ve never heard it but I know a song by Rx Bandits that’s called Breakfast Cat, and I’ve always wondered what that means.
I’m not a native, so forgive me if it indeed is 😅
Not really surprise, tbh. As with a lot of other products that they make, they're bound to pick up a few things here and there and eventually be able to make their own products.
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