PS3 Cell chip powers record-smashing supercomputer

[Shrygue]

via Computer and Video Games


The Cell chip that forms the brains for your slick black PS3 has been used to power the fastest supercomputer in the world.

IBM's roadrunner supercomputer has shot into the record books after having become the first computer to process one quadrillion calculations per second. That's like one of those numbers you make up after a billion and, in more technical terms, is a f**king lot.

It managed that with 12, 960 Cell processors combined with 6,948 dual core AMD Opteron chips. We'd love to get Crysis running on that bad boy.

The previous record holder, the Blue Gene computer, had many more processors - 212,992 to be exact - but only managed half the processing speed (around 478.2 teraflops, if you know what they are). You can go here if you want to geek out on more specifics.

What does that mean for games? Nothing. But you can rest in the knowledge tonight that your PS3 has a good brain in its box.

[Mc_Logical]

What does that mean for games? Nothing LOL damnit, but yeah! very interesting to know

[Justise]

For Gods sake! This is a game console!.... It is supposed to be used for playing games, yet they are using it for all the deferent reasons other than this!...

I can imagine the next Sony news.

Sony PS3s powerful Cell processor was used to power up 3046 coffee makers and 3 deep fryers in a pud somewhere in Bratislava.

or something like that....

[Mc_Logical]

Or terrorists get hold of it by taking ps3 apart and create a bomb that needs to process alot to blow a whole city lol jk <-- stupid I know