PS1/2 PS3 OS and Homebrew!

[Hitto]

You can easily find a cheaper computer that has more than 256 megs of RAM, though.

Good luck booting into anything more complicated than XFCE or e17 and not even being able to run firefox (unless it doesn't display any pages or doesn't load any extensions) on your PS3 linux. It's just that, linux, it doesn't mean it's magically gonna solve your computing or hardware problems and work better than mac OS or windows. Disclaimer : I primarily use Kubuntu, so keep the flames down.

Just like the PS2 that was supposed to replace the home computer (Am I the only one that remembers? Are you all that young? Or forgetful?), don't get your hopes up, guys.

 

[Scorpin200]

A console is not a computer, and it will never be anywhere near one...crysis anyone

P.S lol 256 was standard what last generation on pc maybe, and that's why the games will be just as poor cause of it. Does anyone remember max payne for the ps2.

 

[Phrostay]

Wow I obviously didn't take note of the memory specs. With all that high flying hardware and only 256mb RAM!!! I thought it would be better than that? I also heard that the PS3 VRAM is split from 512mb VRAM into two separate 256mb VRAM sections, dunno if this is correct.

 

[The Teej]

Actually the VRAM is 256, alongside the 256 System RAM. 512 total.

You're thinking of the 360, which has 512MB Shared RAM, to be used by both the system and video.

 

[FranckKnight]

Consoles don't need as many RAM or CPU speed simply because they aren't made to run anything else anyway.

A PC will lose lots of memory and speed cycles juts running its normal and required services and programs in the background, basically its Operating system.

Consoles have a 'minimal' Operating system that is just about enough to boot the system, check the validity of the discs and handle stuff like USB and controller data. It doesn't require as many tasks in the background.

Emulators eat up more cycles as well by trying to use software to emulate tasks that consoles are built-in with using chips and devices. That's why you needed like 200 mhz to properly run a SNES game, despite the SNES clocking at a mere 4.25 mhz.

Another example is comparing the specs of the PS2 in games that was made for the PC as well, like say Oblivion or FFXI. I'm sure you have a computer that is tons better than a PS2, yet PS2 might run the game smoother.

That said, I'm sure you can find a 'more powerful' computer for the same price as a PS3, but PS3 will still offer some of the best speed and graphics simply because its made to do only that and nothing else.

When you run a different OS off it, you obviously won't have the same performances as a computer, in the same way running a PS3 game off your computer wouldn't be the same.