>>> With its in order execution unit, its not that powerful or that well suited to
>>> applications outside gaming.

>> That's not a fair statement to make. There are many more applications than gaming
>> where the Cell concept shines, such as imaging, video processing, network processing,
>> geophysical and climatic simulation etc. [...]. It should be noted that game makers
>> have said they were struggling to exploit the Cell concept for game programming.

> if I am not mistaken, you don't code.

I don't think any of my statements require me to be a coder to make them. The fields of applications for the Cell result from its hardware architecture, which is well documented. And regarding game programming for the Cell I didn't give my personal opinion but recited statements I read from actual game coders.

> The SPEs don't make up for the performance penalty branching creates.

With applications where there's no heavy branching taking place, like the ones I listed for you, the Cell's SPEs don't have to make up for it. On the contrary, the SPEs can display their full power with those. Modern gaming on the other hand does use a good amount of branching so it's effortful to use the Cell to capacity with game code (at least that's what actual game developers said about it).

> you yourself quoted the low dmips figures for the PPE.

The PPE has got nothing to do with the applications I listed for the SPEs. With those applications, the PPE merely distributes the actual work to the SPEs and collects the results upon its completion. And the PPE alone is even less suited for modern gaming.