Hey guys, I've seen lots of people experiencing the same issue relative to save file size and performance. HOWEVER, not everyone is experiencing it, and everyone I personally know that has experienced it has an old console version. When I say 'old' I don't mean just slim vs fat, because some people with fat systems are functioning perfectly.

Also this would explain why it never arose in playtesting. Part of our responsibility as gamers when an issue like this arises is to provide as much information as possible so they can systematically narrow it down.

Judging by what I've read the issue is likely related to the early console versions that had different NAND sizes. If people could post what console version they have and whether they're experiencing the lag it might help us to narrow that down. Early in the PS3s life they switched from 256mb NAND to 16MB NAND. I had posted this information in another thread but I figured the best way to make it visible is to start another one!

Here is a chart of the model numbers and what size NAND they have. Post a reply here with your model and whether you're experiencing the issue


PS3 Fat:
CECHA = 256MB
CECHB = 256MB
CECHC = 256MB
CECHE = 256MB
CECHG = 256MB
CECHH = 16MB
CECHJ = 16MB
CECHK = 16MB
CECHL = 16MB
CECHM = 16MB
CECHP = 16MB
CECHQ = 16MB

PS3 Slim:
CECH-20..A = 16MB
CECH-20..B = 16MB
CECH-21..A = 16MB
CECH-21..B = 16MB
CECH-250.A = 16MB
CECH-250.B = 16MB
CECH-250.A = 16MB
CECH-250.B = 16MB
CECH-251.A = 16MB
CECH-251.B = 16MB

Reserving the secondary spot for ongoing results.

So far I've spoken to 3 people I know personally who are having lag issues and all 3 have 256MB NAND machines, the 2 who do not (myself included) have fat 16MB Consoles. We've all played to 6mb+ save file sizes.

PLEASE DO NOT POST IF YOU'RE LAGGING IF YOU HAVEN'T REACHED 6MB SAVE FILE SIZE.

First post from someone experiencing issues is 256mb nand, first from no issues is 16mb nand.

ALSO, please only post when the lag is VERY bad. I'm not talking about random stuttering or little framerate drops, I mean consistent problems. People have reported it getting as bad as to look like a slideshow.

People with reported lag issues:

256MB: 5 (3 from outside the forum)
16MB: 0

How can I tell?

I have a PS3 slim that was $299 and it came with 120gb

Then you have 16mb NAND, are you experiencing lag issues?

Yes, it get's worse the longer I play.

I'm not sure I'm understanding your theory OP, are you saying the people with 16MB NAND models shouldn't/don't have any lag problems, while those with 256MB should/do?

I have a fatboy PS3 with 500GB HDD no issues 20 hours in

Yes, that is what I am saying. It may SOUND silly (to most people more memory = better) but it could simply be an addressing or memory management issue that only affects the larger NAND size.

@whatchel HDD Size isn't relevant, I'm wondering what NAND size you have, which is told by the model number on the rear of the console (referenced by the table I posted above)

I don't think it has to do with the system you use.

I have a feeling the people who say they aren't experiencing it are either...

A: Not playing for long enough periods of time for the problems to occur.

B: Like my younger brother and completely oblivious to what low frame rate looks like.

C: Have somehow not activating whatever it is that's causing this "memory leak" as some are calling it.

Or D: Are full of crap.

I obviously know what low frame rate looks like, are you saying I'm full of crap?

CECHH01 NO problems yet.

I am having lag issues as well, I've got about 40 hours+ invested in my save and the lag is just horrendous at times. I believe my PS3 is a CECHB Fat.

No, maybe you're in category C.

Why is it so out of the realm of possibility that the NAND may be the issue? So far 100% of people who I've dealt with that have the old NAND have the issue and 100% that have the new NAND have 0 problems.

It could still be a memory leak, but the memory leak might be related to that version of console. I realize that the NAND memory only stores the updated firmware but there could be something else that's in variance that causes the issue.

CECHA = 256MB
29 Hours of game play
14MB game save.
Unplayable frame rate.

k I'm starting to think my idea might not be so silly...

But I thought according to your theory I should be having no problem?

If you have a 16mb NAND system and are having lag issues (and when I say lag I don't mean stuttering, I mean consistent bad and at points entirely unplayable, because thats the issue im talking about right now) then yes, I would be wrong. You never said that though. It'd be weird that the only person who is disagreeing with me and didn't mention their issues and model before would suddenly have proof against it. Especially given the current response rate.

Not that I'm saying I'm right. I just want to help resolve this issue and I'm trying to use the scientific method to determine it. Theory, test theory.

I agree and I would like to help.

Mine isn't always bad but after about 2 hours of play it gets unplayable.

And so if you're having no problems at all... what could be causing the difference?

One crash and a little lag but that's all.

PS3 Fat:
CECHA = 256MB
CECHB = 256MB
CECHC = 256MB
CECHE = 256MB
CECHG = 256MB
CECHH = 16MB
CECHJ = 16MB
CECHK = 16MB
CECHL = 16MB
CECHM = 16MB
CECHP = 16MB
CECHQ = 16MB

PS3 Slim:
CECH-20..A = 16MB
CECH-20..B = 16MB
CECH-21..A = 16MB
CECH-21..B = 16MB
CECH-250.A = 16MB
CECH-250.B = 16MB
CECH-250.A = 16MB
CECH-250.B = 16MB
CECH-251.A = 16MB
CECH-251.B = 16MB

According to this only the PS3 fat should be having the issues.

But I've heard many people say their slims are having the problem, In fact there's a youtube video where a guy's playing on a slim with awful lag.

Literally every one I've read about or talked to that has a slim has 0 problems. I just searched youtube for ps3 lag issues and the one video posted that showed the console he was using was a fat one. If you can show me the link then it will help.

The only people who I've seen complain about lag on a slim turned out to be talking about the general stuttering from loading chunks.

I'll try to find it.

maybe I was wrong. But everyone keeps saying it's most likely a memory leak and if that's true it would affect all PS3s.

But, I will say that I only experience really bad lag like in the videos after 10+ hours.
So maybe people with slims aren't playing long enough to experience what fat players do after playing less time.

It COULD be a memory leak, but a memory leak shouldn't be related to save file size (which is about the only thing that seems universally true). I'm guessing it has something to do with how the game interacts with the save file (pulling information about the locations you've visited, dead things and whatnot).

I have a slim and I'm experiencing lag. And I'm not talking about the stuttering, I'm talking about it looking like a swift moving slideshow and extremely long loading times (I waited 15 minutes once before I got bored and quit)