2. So Far We Have...
• Covered game platforms and the software
technologies used upon them
• Undertaken the first assignment
– well I hope so!!!
• Completed half the content for this module
4. Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)
– Executes a sequence of stored instructions that
have been stored in a form of computer memory
– All computers have a CPU
– Fetch, Decode, Execute, Write
5. Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)
– Clock Speeds
• Measured in Hertz
• Number of cycles per second the CPU can accomplish
– How many hertz in 1.2MHz?
– How many hertz in 2.4GHz?
– Mega Drive clock speed - 7.67 MHz
– Xbox 360 clock speed – 3.4 GHz
6. Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)
– Cache
– Cache > RAM > Hard Disk
• L1 (Level One)
– Built into the CPU
– Extremely fast to access although small in size (256Kb is common)
• L2 (Level Two)
– Also built in (on modern processors)
– Increased latency due to distance (1MB in size is common)
• L3 (Level Three)
– Normally shared by cores (i.e. AMD Shanghai chips both have
their own L1 & L2 cache, but share a larger L3 cache)
– Located on the motherboard
7. Hardware
• CPU (Central Processing Unit)
– Bus
• How a computer connects various locations to each
other within the system
• Types of CPU Bus
– Address
– Data
• FSB (Front Side Bus)
– Carries data between the CPU & the System Memory
(Northbridge)
– Percentage of CPU speed
– Can be key in games
8. Hardware
• Memory
– Purpose of Computer Memory
• To allow the computer to access and execute specific
files and applications quicker and faster than directly
from its stored location (i.e. Hard Drive / Flash Disk)
– Number of types of memory
• Functionality
• Durability
9. Hardware
• Memory
– Volatile
• RAM
• DRAM (Dynamic)
• SRAM (Static)
• SDRAM (Synchronous)
– Non Volatile
• ROM
• Flash Memory
10. Hardware
• Graphics Processor
– Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) / Visual
Processing Unit (VPU)
– Offloads and accelerates the process of 2D & 3D
graphic rendering from the CPU
– Can be integrated (on board) or dedicated
dependant on requirements
11. Hardware
• Graphics Processor
– Designed specifically for performing complex
mathematical and geometric calculations
– GPU speeds not as high as CPU
– Inbuilt RAM to store the image created
– Frame Buffer
12. Hardware
• Graphics Processor
– RAMDAC
• Converts the digital signals stored within the RAM to an
analogue base so that the monitor can interpret and
display the result
13. Hardware
• Graphics Processor
– Xbox 360 (Xenos GPU)
• 500MHz
• 4 x Full Scene Anti Aliasing (FSAA)
• Z Buffering
– PS3 (RXS)
• 550MHz
• Based on nVidea GeForce 7800 architecture
14. Hardware
• Power
– Internal (see image) stored within a PC case with
an external power lead supplying the electrical
current
– PSU dependant on internal components
– High power GPU = High Watt PSU
