The package wouldn't get smaller, there are heat dissipation and socket requirements to consider. It's the same reason why desktop processors (the whole thing) don't get any smaller when they switch to a smaller process.
The heat goes down with the feature size. There is no socket here. Unless the chip is pad-limited (meaning they need as many pins as they have to get all the signals out), it should get smaller.
And even if it is pad limited, they should switch to a smaller ball pitch, like 0.4mm.
It's weird fixit didn't pop off the heat spreader and see the actual chip.
Look at all the length-matched differential pairs on that board. Presumably that's for RAMBUS RAM?
It's not technically a socket because they build them right into the boards, but it's the easiest way to describe the specific package constraints because of the analogue with desktop processors. All Cell processors are made to the same specifications for the purpose of having a standard size for standard equipment. The PS3 isn't the only device using the processor and Cell processors aren't manufactured specifically for Sony and the PS3.
That said, even when moving to the smaller processes, we are only talking several millimeters in difference in width and length. Doing a little math in my head (using the numbers I recall from years ago, so this could be off), it should be like 7 mm and 3 mm smaller along the edges, that's 1/4 inch and 1/10 of an inch respectively. The original 90nm cell was only about 1/3 square inch in die size (again from what I recall from when first announced).
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Looks like a good design.
It's hard to believe those two chips are still that large at 45nm. What, they were 4 chips at 90nm?
The package wouldn't get smaller, there are heat dissipation and socket requirements to consider. It's the same reason why desktop processors (the whole thing) don't get any smaller when they switch to a smaller process.
The heat goes down with the feature size. There is no socket here. Unless the chip is pad-limited (meaning they need as many pins as they have to get all the signals out), it should get smaller.
And even if it is pad limited, they should switch to a smaller ball pitch, like 0.4mm.
It's weird fixit didn't pop off the heat spreader and see the actual chip.
Look at all the length-matched differential pairs on that board. Presumably that's for RAMBUS RAM?
It's not technically a socket because they build them right into the boards, but it's the easiest way to describe the specific package constraints because of the analogue with desktop processors. All Cell processors are made to the same specifications for the purpose of having a standard size for standard equipment. The PS3 isn't the only device using the processor and Cell processors aren't manufactured specifically for Sony and the PS3.
That said, even when moving to the smaller processes, we are only talking several millimeters in difference in width and length. Doing a little math in my head (using the numbers I recall from years ago, so this could be off), it should be like 7 mm and 3 mm smaller along the edges, that's 1/4 inch and 1/10 of an inch respectively. The original 90nm cell was only about 1/3 square inch in die size (again from what I recall from when first announced).