-It's always been the intention from the outset to combine the Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesiser chips, but the process technologies have not advanced sufficiently to make this possible," Sony spokesperson Anne Carroll told ZDNet Australia. -We will do it."
This follows reports that Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi told Nikkei Microdevices, a Japanese trade publication, that the company has combined the Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesiser chips into a single unit using a 0.13 micron manufacturing process.
The original PlayStation 2 chips are designed on the 0.18-0.15 manufacturing process. Shrinking the design rule and combining the two chips on the one processor unit will reduce processing power and be cheaper to manufacture, without affecting the console's performance.
-The Sony-Toshiba alliance last year allowed the 0.13 micron technology, and the Sony-Toshiba-IBM alliance announced this year will allow the next generation," said Carroll. -They've said it's possible to put both of them on the one chip, but it hasn't been officially confirmed that we've achieved it."
A reduction in manufacturing costs made possible by the new process would allow Sony to again slash prices on its PlayStation 2, a move anticipated by many players in the industry. Nintendo have already indicated it could cut the price of its GameCube, depending on how large a price cut Sony makes.
However, Sony was typically reticent about any plans for a price cut in the near future. -At the moment it's pure speculation," said Carroll.
Dear Sony
Just want to know about slide cards for the PS2
Does any of your distributers sell them and if so where could they be purchased?