GDDR5 vs DDR3 in PS4

[lamedude]

Already happened with the PS2 (moved RAM into EE+GS probably because they couldn't buy RDRAM anymore) and is happening with the PS3 (only Samsung makes XDR now).

[tbris84]

Originally Posted by VirtualLarry

Perhaps Sony is hoping to avoid the additional cost of DDR3, once they stop making it, as the industry moves on to DDR4 in the next year or so? Whereas, there is still likely to be a good supply of GDDR5 in the channel for a long time to come.

GDDR6 is set to release in early 2014 with a 6 year life expectancy, so they would be in the same situation either way.

[dagamer34]

Originally Posted by VirtualLarry

Perhaps the added expense was having a seperate GDDR5 memory controller, alongside another DDR3 memory controller. Perhaps the additional number of I/O pins for that would have negated the cost savings from going with half GDDR5/DDR3.

Perhaps Sony is hoping to avoid the additional cost of DDR3, once they stop making it, as the industry moves on to DDR4 in the next year or so? Whereas, there is still likely to be a good supply of GDDR5 in the channel for a long time to come.

Could you imagine if the PS3 used DDR2 memory, and the price of said memory went up?

It's not as if anyone still uses GDDR3 in both the Xbox 360/PS3 or XDR RAM in PS3 anymore. There's no way to avoid that.

[BladeVenom]

Going all GDDR5 seems expensive. Of course going all DDR3 like the Xbox One would cripple your graphics.