PS4 Allows Less RAM For Games Than XBOX One, 3.5GB Reserved Just For OS
Options
PS4 devs can only use 4.5GB of system's 8GB RAM - Report
By Brendan Sinclair
For industry watchers who follow spec sheets, one of the Xbox One's disadvantages against the PlayStation 4 was that Microsoft was reserving a chunk of its console's RAM for always-on applications, leaving game developers only able to access about 5GB of the system's 8 GB total. But according to a report from Eurogamer's Digital Foundry (now confirmed by Sony), Sony is imposing similarly strict limitations on the PS4, guaranteeing developers only 4.5GB of the system's own 8GB of RAM.
According to the report, Sony's current PS4 developer documentation describes the system as reserving 3.5GB of memory for the operating system. However, depending on availability, developers may be able to reclaim an extra 1GB of that to use for games.
The RAM reservations made sense on the XBOX One because of all the functionality the OS and dashboard have that the PS4 does not. I don't see why Sony would need 3.5 reserved for their OS based on what i've seen, but I guess its just the smart thing to do in order to try an compete.
Comments
-
This is an old rumor. I didn't know it was actually confirmed, but I'll assume this article isn't lying. You thread title is incorrect though. The XB1 has about 5 GB of RAM accessible for gaming. The PS4 has 4.5 GB dedicated solely to gaming and another 1 GB that can be shifted to gaming purposes if needed. So the PS4 still allows more RAM for gaming than the XB1.
It does seem a little silly for so much of the RAM to be dedicated to the PS4 OS. From what I've read, the theory is it's a matter of future proofing. Basically, Sony doesn't expect that developers will use more than 4 - 5 GB of RAM early in the lifetime of the system, so they've reserved a big chunk of that RAM for stuff they plan to add in the future. However, they also expect to improve the OS and other stuff over the lifetime of the system and as a result, free up more of the RAM for gaming use as time goes by.
As I said, that's just the theory coming from some developers familiar with the system. Others suggest it might have something to do with all the social stuff you can do e.g., letting a friend remotely take over your game and play for you. -
Yeah read this a couple weeks ago
-
Yall do know that PS4 is using GDDR5 and Xbox is DDR3 right... PS4 RAM runs circles around it.
-
Yall do know that PS4 is using GDDR5 and Xbox is DDR3 right... PS4 RAM runs circles around it.
Circles huh?Xbox One and PS4 hardware "essentially the same," says John Carmack
August 2, 2013 1:12PM PDT
Facebook85
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Id Software co-founder says "it's almost weird how close" the two next-generation platforms are.
The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 hardware are "essentially the same," according to id Software co-founder John Carmack.
"It's almost amazing how close they are in capabilities, how common they are," Carmack said during his QuakeCon keynote address. "And that the capabilities that they give are essentially the same."
He acknowledged that there are differences in memory architecture and other various technical specifications, but ultimately, "it's almost weird how close they are," he said.
"In the near-term, it's clearly going to be a good thing for developers, gamers…it's an excellent thing for AMD," Carmack added.
Also during his keynote address, Carmack said the backlash surrounding Microsoft's since-reversed Xbox One policies was somewhat unjustified.
"I think the witch hunt was a little bit unjustified there," Carmack said. "I personally am extremely fond of having all of my digital purchases in a curated garden. All of my iTunes, all of my Amazon stuff, all of my Steam things. And it's a positive thing."
http://www.gamespot.com/news/xbox-one-and-ps4-hardware-essentially-the-same-says-john-carmack-6412473 -
ParallelRhymes wrote: »XboxOne has really been on the come up since E3...Sony has had a slight decline imo.
I don't think they've had a decline. After all, they haven't announced much at all really. But I do think they lost that edge on XB1 that many seemed to think they had coming out of E3. Now the more popular consensus I've seen is that there isn't much difference between the systems at all.Yall do know that PS4 is using GDDR5 and Xbox is DDR3 right... PS4 RAM runs circles around it.
Circles huh?Xbox One and PS4 hardware "essentially the same," says John Carmack
August 2, 2013 1:12PM PDT
Facebook85
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Id Software co-founder says "it's almost weird how close" the two next-generation platforms are.
The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 hardware are "essentially the same," according to id Software co-founder John Carmack.
"It's almost amazing how close they are in capabilities, how common they are," Carmack said during his QuakeCon keynote address. "And that the capabilities that they give are essentially the same."
He acknowledged that there are differences in memory architecture and other various technical specifications, but ultimately, "it's almost weird how close they are," he said.
"In the near-term, it's clearly going to be a good thing for developers, gamers…it's an excellent thing for AMD," Carmack added.
Also during his keynote address, Carmack said the backlash surrounding Microsoft's since-reversed Xbox One policies was somewhat unjustified.
"I think the witch hunt was a little bit unjustified there," Carmack said. "I personally am extremely fond of having all of my digital purchases in a curated garden. All of my iTunes, all of my Amazon stuff, all of my Steam things. And it's a positive thing."
http://www.gamespot.com/news/xbox-one-and-ps4-hardware-essentially-the-same-says-john-carmack-6412473
That article really doesn't refute what he said. Even if the GDDR5 RAM is much better than the DDR3, the difference between the systems as a whole would still be relatively small. That said, the RAM difference is supposed to just lead to slightly sharper graphics for the PS4. Even in that it's debatable how much of a distance there will be.
-
#PS4
#Japsissmart
#Godzillaofconsoles -
ParallelRhymes wrote: »XboxOne has really been on the come up since E3...Sony has had a slight decline imo.
Tell that to the pre-orders. They remain stronger for the PS4. The XboxOne had to change its philosophy to compete with the PS4 and it changed nothing as far as hype. -
@focus
A multiplat developer trying to sell his multiplat game since PC games don't sell as well... You forgot to quote that he said he hasn't really delve in them yet... Ask anyone with tech knowledge and they will tell you the PS4 is 50% more powerful than the Xbone.
@theloniousmonk
How did they lose the edge... They are more powerful at the cheaper price.
Also, the difference will be small with 3rd parties but Sonys First parties will show it gap. Ram is more than sharper graphics... It processes information quicker than can free up CPU and GPU to do their work easier... you'll notice AA being crisper, better frame rate to graphic ratio higher... And maybe bigger worlds. Sony invested in GDDR5 for a reason...
Plus... The 3.5 saved is up to the developers... It isn't mandatory... It's a just in case situation if Xbox does something revolutionary. They didn't want to be in the same situation they are now with the PS3 256 ram -
ParallelRhymes wrote: »Raging Raven wrote: »ParallelRhymes wrote: »XboxOne has really been on the come up since E3...Sony has had a slight decline imo.
Tell that to the pre-orders. They remain stronger for the PS4. The XboxOne had to change its philosophy to compete with the PS4 and it changed nothing as far as hype.
...pre-orders don't really have anything to do with the fact that XboxOne has made their system a lot better since E3 while Sony hasn't really made headlines with major changes at all...
Hopefully, XB1's changes are done properly and isn't rushed and we don't have another 54% RROD problem like the 360 -
The games are going to look just as good and play just as well on both consoles.
All these numbers don't mean ? to us. -
This rumour has been debunked.
Nice of focus to post old rumours.
LOL, this Microsoft and Nintendo Fanboy. -
if they are practically the same why should i pay 100$ extra for xbox..and dont gimmie no ? about the kinect 2.0, id rather spend 500 and get a vita instead.
-
if they are practically the same why should i pay 100$ extra for xbox..and dont gimmie no ? about the kinect 2.0, id rather spend 500 and get a vita instead.
Lol wtf
-
id rather spend 500 bucks and get the ps4+vita bundle coming out, as oppsed to spending 500 to get a xbox1 which cost what it does because of the kinect
-
I have a vita so I can buy whatever I want.
-
I have a vita so I can buy whatever I want.
I don't have a Vita and I could still buy whatever I want in the end. Which will be all the 8th generation home consoles (yes even Wii U).
-
@focus
A multiplat developer trying to sell his multiplat game since PC games don't sell as well... You forgot to quote that he said he hasn't really delve in them yet... Ask anyone with tech knowledge and they will tell you the PS4 is 50% more powerful than the Xbone.
"A" multiplat developer?
"Ask anyone with tech knowledge?"
WTF? Bruh, this is JOHN CARMACK we talking about. You need to go do a quick Google/Wiki search, then come back and join the discussion after you wipe that egg off yo face. And the last thing he worried about is if some ? sell or not, he not hurtin at all. These consoles are technically the same.
-
This rumour has been debunked.
Nice of focus to post old rumours.
Nothing has been debunked. Sony's still hasn't clarified exactly how much RAM will be reserved for the OS, even after releasing a statement on the matter. If it wasn't true, you'd think they would just say that...
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/26/35gb-of-playstation-4-ram-reportedly-reserved-for-os -
Sony invested in GDDR5 for a reason...
Yeah the same reason why Microsoft invested on the cloud.
-
@theloniousmonk
How did they lose the edge... They are more powerful at the cheaper price.
Also, the difference will be small with 3rd parties but Sonys First parties will show it gap. Ram is more than sharper graphics... It processes information quicker than can free up CPU and GPU to do their work easier... you'll notice AA being crisper, better frame rate to graphic ratio higher... And maybe bigger worlds. Sony invested in GDDR5 for a reason...
Plus... The 3.5 saved is up to the developers... It isn't mandatory... It's a just in case situation if Xbox does something revolutionary. They didn't want to be in the same situation they are now with the PS3 256 ram
It's not that much more powerful. Pretty much everyone dealing with both systems have said that. They lost some of their edge because a lot of what they were hammering M$ over (DRM, Indie support, etc...) M$ has since adopted too. So much of what was making the PS4 look to be hands down the more attractive systems has been nullified. I'm not saying that the XB1 is now the better option. I'm just saying that the gap between the two isn't nearly as big as it seemed coming out of E3.
Yeah the same reason why Microsoft invested on the cloud.
Ehhh, one of the guys from Sony came out and said that the PS4 can do the same type of things with the cloud as the XB1. Whether or not they have the resources to actually pull that off remains to be seen. -
umm Sony has cloud too... Unless you're joking. Cloud will not improve graphics or anything... Trust me...IGN interview with Cerny covers a few things, and it's only Part One of 3, but he did mention cloud computing as far as what it can and can't do:
"It’s possible to do computing in the Cloud, PlayStation 4 can do computing in the Cloud. We do something today: Matchmaking is done in the Cloud and it works very well. If we think about things that don’t work well… Trying to boost the quality of the graphics, that won’t work well in the Cloud."
Not surprising, stuff that can be handled in the cloud like matchmaking and some some basic AI routine stuff. Good to see him mention matchmaking tho, which I've seen some people wondering about as far as whether the PS4 will have@focus
A multiplat developer trying to sell his multiplat game since PC games don't sell as well... You forgot to quote that he said he hasn't really delve in them yet... Ask anyone with tech knowledge and they will tell you the PS4 is 50% more powerful than the Xbone.
"A" multiplat developer?
"Ask anyone with tech knowledge?"
WTF? Bruh, this is JOHN CARMACK we talking about. You need to go do a quick Google/Wiki search, then come back and join the discussion after you wipe that egg off yo face. And the last thing he worried about is if some ? sell or not, he not hurtin at all. These consoles are technically the same.
Bruh... I know who he is... He's a little overrated imo but dude is a genius... Dude said he has delved in both yet... It is what it is...
Also don't need an expert... We can get the stats and do the math here and ill prove it to you. -
*hasn't
-
@theloniousmonk
But it isn't tho... The specs are up... PS4 has faster RAM with 50% more powerful GPU... What developer is going to say X is better than Y... When they're partners with both...
The PS4 is still 100.00 cheaper and its stronger than Xbox bruh... How is it nullified again? I agree the gap isn't as big tho. -
OK pal but it will do those other things you were blabbing on about earlier like affect A.I. and enhance the processing power considerably.
-
The Lonious Monk wrote: »
Ehhh, one of the guys from Sony came out and said that the PS4 can do the same type of things with the cloud as the XB1. Whether or not they have the resources to actually pull that off remains to be seen.
This is why I don't buy any of that. I can't see Sony having dedicated servers to the same standard Microsoft will. Because Microsoft has the advantage in terms of network infrastructure. Unlike Sony that is a big part of their bread and butter across all platforms not just their games division. Bottom line is there is a vast differences in resources between both companies and more importantly there is a greater infrastructure that is already in place for MS.
