We have confirmation from Ubisoft that they are working on the same games, so this makes leads us to believe that each system will be relitivelly similar to the next guys'. We have sifted thru pages and pages of technology jargon that are supposed "blueprints" for the PS4 console. According to GEMUDIBEROPPA who has their hands in the production of new hardware from basically every main-stream hardware manufacturer, the PS4 will use Cell Broadband Engine *CELL BE* technology. The BE chip will be integrated into the SCE (Sony Computer Entertainment).
There is speculation that the upcomming Playstation 4 will look similar to the orginal playstation. The inside and outside will likelly both be similar, but using a much more efficient chipset than the PSX. The reasoning behind this speculation is that both the PS2 and PS3 had a prototype like this but at the time the costs to produce the machines were much too high. Not only the cost of the hardware, but also the investment in the software stack and tools needed to execute this project exceeded the budget for the previous systems. With the way technology has advanced over the past 5 years or so, it is very likelly that they will use a style very much like the ones designed for the PS3. GEMUDIBEROPPA, who is a European based hardware company, have suggested that Sony has invested in reducing the size of the chip itself, which was one of the main possible problems with the PS3 design. The only reasoning we have gathered for this is to be able to compete with the cheaper alternative the "Wiivolution".
The current plan is that the PS4 is to increase the number of CPU cores and reduce the size to work just fine with the SCE. For instance the PS2 and PS3 both use a 200 square mm die chip, but the PS3 uses a "PPU" or *Power Processor Unit* which provides control for the core operations. "SPU" aka *Synergistic Processor Unit* is in charge of creating instructions for how to manage the main cores. The playstation 3 used a total of 8 CPU cores, which enabled the Cell BE to increase performance by allowing it to use the cores as needed. The PS4 will likelly use a 90nm shrink layout which take the place of the 200mm die chip that the PS3 is currently using. This is just an example of resizing chips, the PS4 will likelly use a 90nm or 45nm version which is significantly "shrunk" from the PS3's chip. According the Moore's law, the most cores a system with these specs can support is 32 which SCE most likelly will do.
It is going to take an incredible investment on Sony's part to use this new technology for a large-scale operation which they have avoided in the past. But with this new setup Sony will be able to actually increase performance with time as opposed to using what resources are currently available. It is also very plausible to increase the number of cores used, manage CPU resources, and enhance the performance
Since technology has advanced so much, it seems that SCE is planning on making milder improvements than we originally expected, and focusing on offering a quality system that performs well at a reasonable price. This does not mean that the PS4 will not have many changes from the PS3, but technologically speaking it seems that they do not intend to offer the best of the best at the time of release. The main reason for this is probably to compete with the Xbox and Wii consoles that are scheduled to release around the same time as the PS4. Since we have seen such a vast decline in price over the past 5 years or so in terms of hardware, if Wii were to stick to being a cheaper alternative to Microsoft and Sony's next generation consoles, they may lose an incredible amount of money due to lack of sales because the "Wiivolution" will offer a gaming system that is custom tailored to the wants/needs of "average gamers". The general population does not need the top of the line system, they would rather meet halfway between performance capabilities and a reasonable price as seen with Nintendo's Wii. This also makes it more affordable to people who typically don't buy new gaming systems and opens up a market there as well.
Our final answer to the question is that it will probably be somewhere in the middle. It will offer much better hardware support than the PS3 did but it is doubtful that it will include the top of the line hardware since they have to design a system that will have a decent shelf-life at an affordable rate.
Brought to you by: www.PS4insider.net