Here are the specs for all the >= 16Bit Systems (02.04.95)
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (aka Super Famicon aka SNES)
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CPU: 16 bit 65815 3.6 MHz
resolution: 256 x 224
max. 512 x 448
Planes: ? *
Colors: 256/32768
Sprites: 128 sized 32 x 32 pixel
Audio: PCM 8-lyr
RAM: 128K+64Kgx
storage medium: cards (minimum 4 Mbit, maximum 64Mbit)
Release date: ??/??/90 *
Price: 80$
Genesis (aka Megadrive)
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CPU: 16 bit MC68000 7.6 Mhz
Audio: Z80
resolutions: 320 x 224
max. 320 x 448
Planes: 2
Colors: 64/512
Sprites: 80 sized 32 x 32 pixel
Audio: 10-lyr
RAM: 72K+64Kgx
storage medium: cards (minimum 4 MBit*, maxium 48Mbit*)
Release date: ??/??/1989 *
Price: 80$
Sega 32x
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CPU: Two Hitachi 32bit RISC processors
running at 23MHz/40 MIPS
Co-processing: Genesis 68000 & new VDP
Graphics: Risc processors enabling 50,000 polygons/sec
Colors: 32768 simultaneous colors (15 bit colour depth)
Memory: 4 Mbit Ram (plus Genesis and Sega CD capacity)
sorage medium: cards (average size: 24 Mbit)
or Sega CD single speed CD-ROM (150 kbyte/second)
Video: Able to overlay a plane of graphics over standard
Genesis video
Audio: stereo and digital audio are mixed with Genesis
Launch: In the US, Europe and Japan, the unit shipped in
November 1994.
Price: $99
Atari Jaguar
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CPU: MC68000 13.295Mhz
Co-processors: "Tom" Graphics Processing Unit (processor #1)
32-bit RISC architecture at 26.591 MHz
Object processor
64-bit RISC architecture
Programmable processor
Blitter - 64 bits
DRAM memory controller - 64 bits
"Jerry"
Digital Signal Processor (processor #4)
32 bits (32-bit registers) at 26.6 MHz
Graphics: free resolution up to 800 x 576 pixels
24-bit "True Color" display with 16,777,216 colors
Multiple-resolution, multiple-color depth objects
(monochrome, 2-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, 24-bit)
can be used simultaneously
Memory: 16 megabits DRAM
Storage Medium: cards (max. 48 megabits) and JagPEG compression
double-speed CD-ROM drive has been announced for
release in 1995, with an estimated price of $150.
Sound: DSP with 16-bit DAC
Price: $249.95
NEC FX
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CPU: 32 bit Risc processor
Memory: Main Mbit; VRAM 1.25 Mb, ROM 1MB< CD buffer 256kb
Back-up memory: 32K SRAM
Graphics: 16,770,000 colors; 320x240 maximum resolution;
max. sprites: 128; maximum backround screens 7
Rotation/enlargement/reduction/transparent/fade/prio rity
Image Proc.: JPEG;horizontal scrolling
Format: Fx CD, audio CD, CD+G, Photo CD
Launch: November 1994 in Japan. No plans yet for the US
and Europe
Price: Yen equivalent of approximately $400 *
Neo-Geo CD
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CPU: 16 bit 68000 running at 12 MHz,
supported by 4 MHz Z80
Graphics: Three simultaneous scrolling play fields, up to
380 hardware scaling support
Colors: 4,096 colors on-screen from a 16 bit palette
Memory: 430K VRAM, 64K SRAM, 56 Mbits DRAM
Sound: 13-channel Yamaha 2610 chip
Format: singlespeed CD-ROM (US model rumoured to be doublespeed)
Launch: Limited edition version already available in
Japan. Lower cost top-loader released in December.
Should hit US and Europe in '95
Price: Currently $520, but new model will be cheaper
Sony Playstation
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CPU: R3000A 32 bit Risc chip @ 33 MHz 3D Geometry Engine
(High-speed matrix calculator): Clearing capacity;
66 MIPS 1.5 million flat-shaded polygons per sec
Data Engine: Clearing capacity: 80 MIPS
Sound: ADPCM, 24 channels
Graphics: 16.7 million colors
Resolution: 256x224 - 640x480 4,000 8x8 pixel
sprites with individual scaling and rotation
Memory: Main RAM - 16 bits
VRAM - 8 Mbits
Sound RAM - 4 Mbits
CD-ROM buffer - 256K
Operating System ROM
4 Mbits RAM cards for data saving
Launch: Japan, November '94, US and Europe, September, 1995
Price: $300 or maybe even less
Sega Saturn
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CPU: Two Hitachi SH2 32bit RISC chips
running at 27MHz/50 MIPS
Co-processing: Hitachi SH1, 24bit DSP, Motorola 68000,
video processor
Memory: 36 Mbits
Color: A true 16.7 million palette
Graphics: 900,000 polygons/sec;
Gouraud Shading , texture mapping.
Custom sprites and scrolling engine;
scaling and rotation
Sound: 16bit 68EC000, PCM 32 channels,
FM eight channels
Format: CD (300k/sec)
Sega offers MPEG compatibility as an add-on
and CD-G compatibility as an add-on CD with software
Launch: It is selling in Japan now; no firm
news on US or European launches
Price: $400 in U.S It will come with Daytona in the U.S.
In Japan it is around $400 packed with Virtua Fighter
Nintendo Ultra 64 *
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CPU: 64bit R4200 MIPS RISC processor
running at 100MHz *
Graphics: Real-time anti-aliased texture-mapping of *
100,000 polygons per second, true colors from *
a palette of 16.7 million colors *
Memory: 16 Mbit 500 Mhz Rambus DRAM *
storage medium: cards (64 MBit and more) *
Display: free resolution up to High-res HDTV resolutions *
Sound: 64-bit Sound DSP with 64 channels running at 44.1KHz *
Launch: Japan-Sep '95, US-Sep '95, Europe-Nov '95 *
Price: $250 with Pilot Wings 2; $219 one controller no game; *
$250 with Mario 5 and Zelda 4, 2 controllers *
3DO
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CPU: ARM 60 32bit RISC processor
running at 12.5 MHz
Graphics: Twin 32bit animation engines
able to scale, rotate, warp and texture map animation
cells. True colors from a palette of 16.7 million
colors.
Memory: 3Mbytes (2 MByte DRAM, 1 MByte VRAM)
Resolution: 320*256 interpolated to 640x480
320*400 interpolated to 640*480
* still image at 640*480
Sound: 16 bit DSP
Launch: USA and Japan launched '93
Europe launch in '95
Price: 369$
3DO "Bulldog" M-2 Accelerator
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CPU : PowerPC 602 @ 66Mhz (133 Mflops)
Co-Processing: Graphics ASIC
10 co-processors for graphics/audio
Graphics: Over 1,000,000 plain polygons/sec
700,000 polygons/sec with affects (inc
texture mapping, light sourcing,MIP mapping)
100 million pixels/second throughput
RLE compression/decompression
Pixel-level gouraud shading and Alpha channel
pixel averaging/anti-aliasing
Resolution 640x480 in 24bit or 16bit colour
320x240 in 24bit or 16bit colour
Memory 32Mbit SDRAM plus NVRAM on base system
528Mb/second bus bandwidth
Sound DSP running at 66mhz , 2k cache
Options PCMCIA slot, MPEG 1 with multiple streams
Release Upgrade cartridge for existing 3do - Dec 1995
New Console including M2 technology - TBA
Price Upgrade cartridge $200 (127 Uk pounds) approx
CD-I
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CPU: 68000 running at 15.5 MHz
Graphics: Various modes
Colors: True color from a palette of 16.7 million
Memory: 1.5 Mbytes
Resolution: 384x280 - 768x560
Sound: ADPCM eight channels MPEG cart offered as option
Launch: 550 (450 bundled with DV cartridge) shipped late
October, 1994. The 450 bundled with Burn:Cycle shipped
in early November
Price: 550 (450 bundled with DV cartridge) is $499. The
450 bundled with Burn:Cycle is $299
* means: these dates/prices/specs are rumors but
they are pretty accurate or at least close.
Please correct me if you have more detailed offical informations
about any machine. I will update the list at once. Thank you!
Take it easy :)
F.A.Schober
--- SlowPoint v0.01ss
* Intel: software sells hardware! (242:5000/22.5)
--- SlowPoint v0.01ss
* Intel: PSX+Saturn+3DO=3-hit killer-combo! (242:5000/22.5)