U.S. Air Force Uses PS3 Consoles for “Cheap” Supercomputer

Here’s a cool factoid that’s a testament to the power of the PlayStation 3: the U.S. Airforce has used Sony’s console to construct an extremely powerful supercomputer for a relatively cheap price. According to UPI:

The U.S. Air Force used 1,760 Sony Playstation 3 video game consoles to create a supercomputer at about a tenth the normal cost for such a setup, officials say.

Named the Condor Cluster and to be unveiled Wednesday, it’s the fastest interactive computer the Defense Department has, the Air Force said.

Part of me wishes I was still at G4tv just so I could post this article and watch the flame wars. “PS3 am more powerfulz than Xbox 360! The Navy uses it! February 27th!!! Fore!!!”

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Author: RPadTV

https://rpad.tv

24 thoughts on “U.S. Air Force Uses PS3 Consoles for “Cheap” Supercomputer”

      1. Random question for you, dear Thundercracker. Has anyone used your handle and tried to refute a point you made by changing the lyrics to "Uncle Fucka" from the South Park movie?

  1. Meanwhile the Chinese are building actual super computers…

    (read that in the super friends/justice league voice)

    1. @Sandrock

      No they installed Linux on them all and then networked them together so they run as one large PC, much the same way it works when you connect to all of the other PCs and PS3s running Folding@Home. They started off with a little under 400 a year ago and have vastly ramped it up to 1700+.

      I assume it will not be getting any large since they cannot use the slim models with this type of setup.

  2. I vaguely remember Ken Kutaragi saying something about PS3s being used to control nuclear missiles. Anyone else remember that? Or am I just scared of North Korea?

  3. Unless China sOld them equipment I wouldn't be too worried how far 30 Koreans can toss a warhead.

    1. @SG

      HAHA. No i looked into that too. There system isn't connect to any outside networks.

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