Sony didn't use RSX GPU to render E3 tech demos

Marv Burkett, NVIDIA's CFO, shared some details regarding the development of its RSX GPU during a J.P. Morgan technology conference. The RSX chip is the 90nm graphics core that will be used by Sony's PlayStation 3 console.

He said the RSX is still in development and actual silion isn't available yet. Bit-Tech suspects NVIDIA is finalizing the RSX graphics solution right now to tape it out before September. First silicon chips should become available by Christmas, to be able to produce enough units for the Spring 2006 launch of the PS3.

Once completed Sony will take over the RSX production so NVIDIA won't need to worry about anything related to the production of the RSX GPU, while they still get paid for the technology.

The NVIDIA RSX GPU isn't ready yet, so how did Sony render the technology demos which were showed off at E3 2005?

Burkett stated NVIDIA and Sony used a high-end desktop product to demonstrate the capabilities of the PlayStation 3 RSX GPU. He didn't explicitly say which GPU they used, it might be the GeForce 6800 but could also be the upcoming GeForce 7800 which will likely be presented within two weeks at Computex.

This makes us suspect that the RSX is capable of producing even more impressive image quality than the tech demos that were presented at E3 last week.