PSP2 graphics chip revealed?

Source: The Spanish cousin of UK-based Eurogamer. What we heard: Though the more streamlined, UMD-less PSP Go was revealed just over a month ago at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, reports of Sony's next handheld are already sprouting up. Case in point: a report today on Eurogamer.es, which...

Source: The Spanish cousin of UK-based Eurogamer.

What we heard: Though the more streamlined, UMD-less PSP Go was revealed just over a month ago at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, reports of Sony's next handheld are already sprouting up. Case in point: a report today on Eurogamer.es, which claims to have uncovered the processor at the heart of the PSP platform's successor, the PSP2. (Completely speculative concept art pictured--no form factor has been revealed.)

According to a handy translation provided by Eurogamer's hardware site Digital Foundry, Eurogamer.es is citing insider sources as saying the PSP2 will be powered by the SGX543MP chip from the PowerVR line of graphics processors. PowerVR is a division of GPU-maker Imagination Technologies, which also specializes in "the creation and licensing of semiconductor system-on-chip intellectual property."

A netbook equipped with a single-core version of the SGX543MP was shown off at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show running Quake III arena at a robust 30 frames per second while playing high-def video. Eurogamer.es claims the PSP2 will be sporting a quad core, low-power-consumption variant of the mutlicore chipset, code-named "Hydra," which can be used for both central and graphics processing. It can process 133 million polygons/second and will boast a 4 gigapixels/second fill rate if operated at the lower end of the spectrum to preserve the PSP2's battery life--more graphics-processing power than the original Xbox. Indeed, the SGX543MP is rumored to be at the center of a new HD-video capable iPhone, since its processors are already used by Apple in the iPhone 3GS. Apple currently owns a near-10 percent stake in London-based Imagination.

The official story: Sony did not respond to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: A little thin, but looking plausible. Last November, long after Apple licensed PowerVR tech in mid-2007, Imagination revealed a deal with an unnamed "major international consumer electronics company" to provide a "high-performance forthcoming member of Imagination's PowerVR SGX graphics processor family" for use in a mystery device or devices.

274 Comments

  • sivasiva

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:50 am PT

    This is utter rubbish. Dont believe this article. Would u expect sony to release a psp2 when they just made the psp Go?

  • Rheinmetal

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:50 am PT

    Will it support UMD?

  • Cloud737

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:50 am PT

    @ slayersdeath200

    Please read the article again. It would have been best if you had done that before posting that big chunk of message.

    The article says that the PSP2 will feature a very powerful graphics chip (GPU), similar to what the iPhone uses. That's all. It doesn't say that it'll be a phone, it doesn't say the iPhone will work with PSP2 games or anything of the like. The article draws no lines other than that between games and phones.

    ... Though I agree with your points (even though you horribly misunderstood the article).

  • NinjaMunkey01

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:44 am PT

    Sounds good.

  • perfect_chao

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:20 am PT

    The Pandora handheld also uses a Power VR chip, very similar to what dreamcast used (and why it had so many awesome arcade ports) and graphics will look great.. its about time they started making a PSP2 instead of rehashing their handhelds with Lite versions and all this nonsense instead of new hardware.

  • residude

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:06 am PT

    so they're making a psp2 aswell as the PSPgo or are they the same thing? The article is a little vague, if so, well done Sony, talk about wasting money!

  • redsnake9111

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:02 am PT

    I'm going to say not bogus.....

  • slayersdeath200 posted Jul 8, 2009 3:02 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    slayersdeath200

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 3:02 am PT (hide)

    A portable games console and a phone together sounds to me a stupid idea (any one remember the n-gage and how well that did) my reason for this is that your playing a game and someone rings you, you have to stop playing your game to answer but if they are to seperate devices you can still play whilst on the phone and i can see the battery lasting not even aslong as the psp battery and thats not long at all really and with HD as well there is going to have to be a good battery in it to make it last, i dont want to even think about the price probably boardering on ps3 prices (when it first came out) imo keep game consoles as game consoles and phones as phones

  • Ronin893

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 2:47 am PT

    All I understood was PSP2. How many remakes of the same system can this company do. It is getting ridiculous. Every year its something else and it is the main reason I don't have a PSP yet. I buy one one year and not even a year later another one comes out. I think I am just going to get a DS.

  • lilmp89

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 2:34 am PT

    What value would one put on a device that let you play PS2 games on the go? (given that it had a second nub, second set of shoulder buttons, and everything else necessary to work)

  • Skat137321

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 2:30 am PT

    Do it already!!!!!

  • coruscant

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 2:26 am PT

    @suntaice
    I stand corrected.

  • suntaice

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:55 am PT

    @coruscant
    You can get HD on small screens. The Zune HD(PMP) and Omnia HD(Phone) are examples.

    The idea of a PSP phone is stupid, the PSP was built to be a portable gaming system, not a multifuctional gadget... A PSP phone would jack the price up even more.

  • mister-no

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:52 am PT

    whit the psp sony is pushing the heandheld market to new quality in gaming...both visualy and audio...the psp gave them some ideas in are the consumers interested in a hardcore games such as god of war and not only easy to pick up games and puzzles tipical for this market...i hope the psp2 launches as soon as posible and they include the goddam second analog stick???...

  • OGSEYBABY

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:48 am PT

    all sony has to do is learn there lesson from the ps3 on the pricing factor. Most people are cutting it close with budgets these days and cannot afford pricey video game systems such has the ps3.

  • NbAlIvEr10000

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:44 am PT

    For people saying that the PSP is as powerful as the PS2 is a bit over-doing it right now. Yes, it is close to it, but not quite up to par just yet. The PSP can't efficiently process PS2 graphics and maintain a stable battery life as of now, but hopefully with these PSP2 rumors we can get a few steps closer. Hopefully being able to play PS2 games on the PSP2 would be a basic function of it we can only hope.

  • Mikean007

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:37 am PT

    Whoever made the photos has the right concept. Monster Hunter should be the graphics representative for the psp.

  • ranjeet_murba

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:23 am PT

    how much MONEY do i need to save 2 get my hands on new PSP2....???

  • Fantasy_Gamer

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:04 am PT

    I hope next-gen won't be a war on pricing just like what happened this gen 'coz it's really sad to see the only real next-gen being toppled by last gen + 0.5 systems.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 1:01 am PT

    PowerVR? That would make it in the same family as the Dreamcast's GPU too!

  • nerd_assassin

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 12:55 am PT

    If they also use the "10 year" philosophy on their handheld, then Sony would release this on the 6th or 7th year of PSP, I think.

  • coruscant

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 12:46 am PT

    If the PSP2 has HD-equivalent graphics (obviously you can't get HD on such a small screen), two analogue sticks and PS3 interaction, I might actually start playing handhelds again - I lost interest after the GBA SP.

  • Ehggsz

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 12:45 am PT

    If I had to throw down a guess, I'd have to say 2.5 to 3 years before a PSP2 hits the market. It most definitely SHOULD sport a right analog stick, have an optional contract for phone service, and backwards compatibility with digitally distributed PSP titles. A little bigger screen with touch sensitivity wouldn't be a bad thing either.

  • LithuanianGamer

    Posted Jul 8, 2009 12:22 am PT

    PSP PHONE ftw

  • izmickey

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 11:52 pm PT

    This looks really bad@ss. I think they should have games on memory cards so people can sell or trade them and also be able to upload to the psp2 so no need to carry so many games.

  • Gen007

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 11:47 pm PT

    all i know is the next gen of portables is gonna be crazy the psp is already as powerful as a ps2 and if they manage to go above that its gonna be crazy.

  • tudyniuz

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 11:42 pm PT

    a PSP phone would be great

  • chimpanchu

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 11:24 pm PT

    Well it's only a matter or time PSP2 and PS4 will come out. The question is, realistically when? Whatever happen I'm sure PSP2 will be a phone as well so it'll compete with iPhone.

  • dragon31691

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 11:19 pm PT

    If this is true, it's awesome. I care more that they're showing a second thumbstick than the graphics though. Because I don't care how good the graphics get, if you still have to use the rediculous control schemes they come up with for psp shooters then it would all suck anyway.

  • FallenOneX

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:52 pm PT

    @ least we know in what direction handheld's may be going. in terms of a Sony handheld, I'd want it to be able to play all FF's up to XII. I'm using FF games as an example because any thing portable, smaller than a netbook that could play VII-XII flawlessly would be worth the price of admission alone, regardless if those games were to ever make it to the system.

  • Proman84

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:41 pm PT

    A quad core handheld processor? I like what I'm hearing.

  • punkdsk8erdude

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:40 pm PT

    could be cool, but let me tell you something. i stopped with handhelds after GBASP. You get to a point where it's like playing a console, on a mini screen. Yes, it's cool and all, but if I own the console, it's enough for me to play it when i'm home, on my big screen. I dont want to be playing the same, watered down versions of console games on a mini portable device. i'd like something unique. thats why i like the ds too, even though i don't own one. it's a unique experience, that realizes i think that it doesnt matter what graphics you're looking at on a 3 inch screen anyway lol. to me, GB and GBA games are the best portable games there will ever be because they were made specifically for that system, not a watered down version of a console game. And, although games could be long and exciting and story driven, they were still simple enough. Thats the kind of game I'd like to play when im going somewhere, a simple to play, unique game. However, i do realize that even the GBA had comparable graphics to a super nintendo, and DS has comparable to N64, and psp to sub-par ps2, etc. But the thing is, although its cool i guess that they can have HD sub-par ps3 graphics on a little portable, i really dont need it. i like that for consoles on big screens. the simpler, old school stuff is why i loved GBA and i like DS. and we all know this thing is gonna cost a fortune. startin price will prob be higher than a 360.

  • da1writer

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:37 pm PT

    I don't know why Micrsoft hasn't yet thought about coming to the handheld market (Zune doesn't count), I mean they jumped into the console market and are doing great - so why not take another gamble and jump into the handheld market. Yes, Nintendo is in the lead by a long shot with the DS (and wii) but Sony took a gamble and popped out the PSP, which is doing pretty well and has been given a shot in the arm recently with tons of great titles this year. Why not jump in the pool Microsoft? Don't be scared, I know past handhelds have a hard time competing with Nintendo (Sega and others come to mind) but Sony is doing just fine. I believe competition is good and if the big boys play (Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo), there is no striking out !

  • da1writer

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:37 pm PT

    @ taylormadederek: I hope you know that the current PSP with it's now unlocked 333mhz (originally 222mhz due to Sony's concerns of battery life), games have now started to look exceptionally good now on the device. God of War was the first to look fantastic on the PSP and newest games coming out this year for the PSP are proof it's only going to get better. There is actually no difference between the new Silent Hill game on PSP and Wii graphically. So the PSP2 is going to have better graphics capabilities than the original Xbox, I'm sorry to say this but the Xbox has better looking games than the wii. Reason; only recently (with exception to Mario Galaxy) that the wii has shown shaders (which is easily done on the PS3, 360, and original Xbox) via The Conduit game. I'd love to have a pocket Xbox-like handheld from Sony if Microsoft doesn't jump on the bandwagon anytime soon.

  • Agent-Zero

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:33 pm PT

    that mock up is awesome looking

  • pakhair

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:22 pm PT

    If it's true..........

    Then WOW..........

  • Setsuka13

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:18 pm PT

    Could be a good thing.

  • denicola_a_god

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:10 pm PT

    woww millions of polygons i wonder how good the actual graphics wiill look on this new system once its out

  • Auricom_Pilot

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 10:06 pm PT

    3dfx is way better!

  • REVOLUTIONfreak

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:49 pm PT

    Only a little more powerful than an Xbox? How underwhelming. Like, almost Nintendo Wii underwhelming, graphically.

  • shinspikes

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:37 pm PT

    These portables always have little ram huh? Whos dumb decision is this?

  • spazmo_69

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:37 pm PT

    so going to trade my old psp in for this.

  • mrklorox

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:34 pm PT

    Watch it have something ridiculous like only 64mb ram shared with video. They almost always fudge it on one bottleneck.

  • shinspikes

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:34 pm PT

    Please let it be true, please. I don't like the psp go. Complete waste of money. Need to make the real part 2. 2 analogs, touch screen, better internet capabilities, faster and better, and all the phone capabilities of a samsung, not the iphone. Cause you know you have to wait for an update on the iphone just to get the other phone capabilities that other phones come stock with.

  • joevit

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:14 pm PT

    @Heartagram_03. True.

  • hoyholyhoy

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:12 pm PT

    yeah really lol to me i actually kinda want it more than my ps3, which is hard to come by. this looks soooo cooooolll!

  • Heartagram_03

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:07 pm PT

    ok if this is true the psp go is useless

  • rogue81

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:07 pm PT

    Sony would do well to borrow from the conceptual design. Thats a pretty sweet looking device, but the screen is still too exposed. If anything like this is confirmed, I'll pass on the "go" till the PSP2 comes out.

  • deadruler08

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:01 pm PT

    a good psp 2..... 1. Plays ps2 games, 2 ANALOG STICKS, HD GRAPHICS AND VIDEO, ipod-like battery life. 32+gb hard drive. I will spend whatever sony wants if they give us these things

  • hot_shot_9

    Posted Jul 7, 2009 9:01 pm PT

    Doesnt sound that true, but ima keep listening... Was going to get a psp this gen but now id rather stay with my ps3 and wait 4 a psp2...

    Sony dont release this handheld console to early though, because member, u just announced the pspgo.... Announce a psp2 in 2010-2011, thats prime time.... XD

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