Is it possible to upgrade the ps3 ?

[ModIT]

I'm wondering :

We will soon able to run linux on our ps3 like we can run it on our pcs,
but the ps3 has not really much RAM - so would it be possible to replace the existing ram with a larger one?

[chesh]

Maybe if you were really good at touch soldering, and you could change the linux kernel to accept the higher amount of RAM. It may be like the xbox, which the dev consoles actually had double the amount of RAM, so the necessary info was already in the main OS. Dunno though, it'd be interesting to find out.

[rob_1980]

I assume even if it was possible, there would be no benefits when playing games?

Or would there be?


Would overclocking be another option if cooling was improved to allow it, and again, would there be any improvement?

I guess that games are designed based on the PS3s standard specs and any mods would make no difference, perhaps just in linux if it were adapted to suit?

Interesting topic

[sabin1981]

To follow on from what Chesh said; it may well be a possibility, though you'd need some extreme soldering skills I remember when Xbox modding (no, no putting a custom dashboard on... I'm talking REAL, hardware, modifications) was all the rage -- the DreamX 1480 was friggin' nuts! The mod not only helped emulators a shitload, but it also had real-world performance increases for a lot of games, especially the ports like HL2 and Doom 3. Sadly it also broke some other games, which were coded with specific timings in mind and increasing the speed of the processor and doubling the RAM actually lead to crashes/glitches/etc.

Enhanced Xbox w/ 1.4GHz CPU & 128MB, DreamX-1480-Gamestron-Discount Games & Gaming Systems Houston Texas

[ModIT]

Well, if it is possible, it wouldnt be that hard to find guys who are able to modify the ps3...it is not that they have to built a spaceship


For Linux i'm pretty sure it would increase speed - for games ? maybe, depends how the system works. does the ps3 "knows" how much ram it should have and check for it?
If the ps3 just loads data until its full, the ps3 could cache the double amout of data with double ram...

[Dofu]

I've spent the last 20 minutes googling, and having found no results... would it be possible to replace the XDR RAM chips to increase the power for Linux?

I only ask because we now have unrestricted access to Linux (Thanks to all the devs who made this possible), and are just awaiting drivers(?).

(And if you couldn't tell, yes, I am a newb/noob to modifying hardware, so I apologize if this is a stupid question.)

(Can you even buy XDR Ram as a consumer? Or is it only sold to businesses?)

Edit: Thanks to whichever mod moved this here, I searched the PS3 Development subforum for a topic and didn't find one... should've searched elsewhere first

~Dofu

[ModIT]

Doesnt matter - if it is possible some shops will buy batches of these ram chipsets and sell them...

[defyboy]

I once did exactly this to an Xbox original. I have had a quick look and the ps3 has 4x512Mb XDR DRAM memory chips. XDR is the successor to the uncommon RAMBUS technology. I was not successfull in locating any modules larger than 512Mb. Perhaps in the future an upgrade might be possible.

[barnhilltrckn]

To follow on from what Chesh said; it may well be a possibility, though you'd need some extreme soldering skills I remember when Xbox modding (no, no putting a custom dashboard on... I'm talking REAL, hardware, modifications) was all the rage -- the DreamX 1480 was friggin' nuts! The mod not only helped emulators a shitload, but it also had real-world performance increases for a lot of games, especially the ports like HL2 and Doom 3. Sadly it also broke some other games, which were coded with specific timings in mind and increasing the speed of the processor and doubling the RAM actually lead to crashes/glitches/etc.

Enhanced Xbox w/ 1.4GHz CPU & 128MB, DreamX-1480-Gamestron-Discount Games & Gaming Systems Houston Texas

Oh man a Dreambox. I wish i could find one of those today because i would jump all over it. That was EVERY xbox modder's dream to have one of those.

I still use my xbox1 on a daily basis so if i could find a Dreambox for a decent price then it would have to be the one i use the most. Hell if i find one i might just ditch my ps3.

[Dofu]

I once did exactly this to an Xbox original. I have had a quick look and the ps3 has 4x512Mb XDR DRAM memory chips. XDR is the successor to the uncommon RAMBUS technology. I was not successfull in locating any modules larger than 512Mb. Perhaps in the future an upgrade might be possible.

Er... It has 4x 64 MB chips. The slim has 2x 128.

PlayStation 3 Secrets

~Dofu