Sony says base PS3 will be upgradeable

With the recent rumors of the low-end PS3 sporting wired controllers and a non-upgradeable HDD, things weren't looking good for Sony fanboys without a whole $600 to blow on the next-gen console. Luckily, Sony has squashed those rumors, stating that both configurations will support Bluetooth controllers, and that the hard drive will be upgradeable just like a computer. A Sony representative went on to state that you'll also be able to purchase a WiFi adapter and a memory card reader for the console, leaving the HDMI port as the only feature you won't be able to match with ad hoc upgrades. Sure, it'd be nice to have it all in there in the first place, but we'll take what we can get.

[antaeus @ May 17th 2006 7:24PM]

sounds good, I can't wait for this to come out and specially because it looks like my Xbox 360 will be able to fit on top.

[bastiat @ May 17th 2006 7:28PM]

Did the Sony representative at any time say, "Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket!" during his announcement.

[brian stone @ May 17th 2006 7:36PM]

Lame. The HDMI port is far more important than bluetooth joysticks. Sony really seems to have their head up their arse with this release. Lets hope they pull it out in time for the release..

[will chen @ May 17th 2006 7:43PM]

judging from sony's press releases... i think its an indication that the dont really have a firm plan for the ps3 and they simply judging the reaction that their announcement at e3 had.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it seems more like they're going with the flow.

This is such an important feature that, if sony had conceived it before e3, it would have definitely been announced.

Again, this is pure speculation.

[Breakpoint @ May 17th 2006 7:44PM]

If you can afford a 3000$ HDTV you can afford the $100 HDMI PS3 upgrade

Cut A Check Or Suck A D**K

[LA Dave @ May 17th 2006 7:45PM]

"Lame. The HDMI port is far more important than bluetooth joysticks. Sony really seems to have their head up their arse with this release. Lets hope they pull it out in time for the release.."

And the Microsoft was so great to release the 360 without HDMI at all? HDMI TV owners is currently a small segment of the gaming population. But at least with the PS3 you have the option of having HDMI, if you want it. Nothing so far announced for the 360 officially.

[James Smith @ May 17th 2006 7:49PM]

I guess without the HDMI, the cheap one isn't "future proof".

[Wanax @ May 17th 2006 7:51PM]

@LA Dave

The difference though is HDMI is integral to the whole HDCP thing and Blu-Ray. With the DRM on Blu-Ray, that could be very important in a few years when and if the studios decide to restrict Hi-Def to HDCP only

[patrick @ May 17th 2006 7:57PM]

i think they are gonna keep changing their minds about what the ps3 is actually going to be until the day it comes out.

kinda like the controller, the pricing, all that jazz. everyone keep being vocal about it! sony is bleeding money out of its ass and it sure as hell doesn't want to screw this up.

[ChrisRX @ May 17th 2006 8:04PM]

I just noticed that shops here in the uk are taking preorders for the ps3. You americans think you got it bad, we always see a huge markup on everything. The ps3 60gb(which is the only version we're getting at launch) is consting �425, thats $800!

[Sizer @ May 17th 2006 8:06PM]

This is going to be just like the cheaper ('Core') Xbox 360. You're not really saving anything by going with the cheaper model. It's a suckers' game. Though maybe like the 360 you can only /find/ the cheaper version.

[LA Dave @ May 17th 2006 8:10PM]

"
The difference though is HDMI is integral to the whole HDCP thing and Blu-Ray. With the DRM on Blu-Ray, that could be very important in a few years when and if the studios decide to restrict Hi-Def to HDCP only"

Yeah, I realize that HDMI is also for HDCP. I only plan on getting the high-end PS3. I am just saying if you're gonna blast Sony for not having HDMI on the low-end PS3, then you should blast Microsoft for not having HDMI nor DVI on the 360 for the same reasons.

[Peter McCaffrey @ May 17th 2006 8:12PM]

Sony have been very clever with their wording...

"stating that both configurations will support Bluetooth controllers"

...this is pretty much what I have been hearing everywhere.

Just because the core version 'will SUPPORT' wireless controllers, doesn't mean it will SHIP with wireless controllers.

1 Wired Controller included anyone?

[charlie @ May 17th 2006 8:16PM]

umm why does everyone get hard over HDMI? Isnt it just DVI and optical audio plus an obnoxious DRM/Broadcast Flag system in one cable? I would rather have seperate DVI and optical audio anyway and spare all the anti-piracy crap that comes with HDMI.

[Peter @ May 17th 2006 8:18PM]

One good thing I'll say about Sony is that it does pay some attention to the uproar about the PS3 on the net (e.g., the dislike of the boomerang controller & this current topic).

Now if only the PS3 fanboys would stop defending Sony about "great value" of the $600 PS3 and start complaining about how overpriced the whole Blu-Ray "tax" is on the PS3, may be we can all get a less expensive PS3 from Sony.

[:| @ May 17th 2006 8:19PM]

OMGFG i hate sony fanboys and your gay posts always comparing the xbox360 to your fucking ps3 when clearly the news post had nothing to do with 360 , and to help you a little i belive ms is releasing HDMI cable.

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=319&products_id=8540&

6. "Lame. The HDMI port is far more important than bluetooth joysticks. Sony really seems to have their head up their arse with this release. Lets hope they pull it out in time for the release.."

And the Microsoft was so great to release the 360 without HDMI at all? HDMI TV owners is currently a small segment of the gaming population. But at least with the PS3 you have the option of having HDMI, if you want it. Nothing so far announced for the 360 officially.



Posted at 7:45PM on May 17th 2006 by LA Dave 0 stars

[MthdDirector @ May 17th 2006 8:31PM]

For the record, Microsoft never ruled out the HDMI output for the 360. It hasn't been announced, but never ruled out.

However, Sony says "The only non-upgradeable feature of the 20GB configuration will be the HDMI output." They're ruling it out!

That means no HDCP - and potentially no HD Blu-Ray output (if Studios implement HDCP on Blu-Ray titles). It also means no 1080p.

This is ironic, especially since Sony accused the 360 of not being "true hi-def" last year.

Personally, I think the fact that the 360 core system is *just* as upgradeable as the premium is awsome. All those people who got core systems in November won't get screwed in the long run (although they did have to pay more for the hard drive / MU).

4 years from now, not having HDMI will be a much bigger issue, once HDCP becomes standard and more sets support the input. This is a problem that's going to stick w/ Sony for a while.

[Peter @ May 17th 2006 8:48PM]

I slag sony for no HDMI because part of the reason for hi expense is Blu Ray. Blu Ray with no HDMI is a waste of money on the Blu Ray drive.

As far as an HDMI cable for Xbox. That will be a trick. I think according to the specs, you need a hardware chip with key to be HDCP compliant. Doubtfull this is already in the xbox. That is going to be one expensive cable with an HDCP chip on board. Where exactly does it plug it, since it also would need access to the digital signal outs that are most likely not on the current Video out connector.

[[e-mail] @ May 17th 2006 8:53PM]

Well damn, If you can afford a $3K+ plasma/LCD tv, I really don't think that a measily 100 bucks extra is an issue. Or even a $600 console. If I had a 1080P 52" TV, I would definately put out 600 bucks to put it to it's actual potential.

Check this out, its what i'm getting in a few months. Make sure when You look for an HDTV it doesn't just say 1080P/i but the MAX res is 1920X1080, That's true HD.

Look at the price, DAMN that's good!
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Televisions&pid=05754095000&vertical=ELEC&subcat=52+inch+%26+larger+TVs&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

[Andy K @ May 17th 2006 8:57PM]

Something tells me the Engadget crew is composed 'most entirely of Sony fanboys... If I could only put my finger on it... It's... It's... Oh yeah, it's about every article they post :-0...

Seriously thought, why is everything with Sony "hopeful" and everything with MS reek of potential imminent doom? Just wondering...

[Marc @ May 17th 2006 9:01PM]

I wonder if the Wireless adapter will be $100 like teh 360 one. cuz it is SUCH A RIP OFF!!!

[JinKazama @ May 17th 2006 9:07PM]

Look guys it's going to be at least 2 years from this Christmas before either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD replaces DVD as the preferred media for movies . At that time the $600 high end PS3 is going to be $299 at the most more than likely $199...Blu-Ray players will be $250 to $300. Basically a duplication of the market conditions that made the PS2 take off.

If the PS3 can survive until then and Blu-Ray wins out, Sony will have a hugh market advantage.

A gamble on Sony's part...yes but it could pay big, big dividends

[bigshynepo @ May 17th 2006 9:11PM]

@ Andy K, You could go over to Gizmodo and chill with Sony Haterz?

Blogs are peoples opinions after all.

[Alex K. @ May 17th 2006 9:18PM]

why sony has no market for their product, here's how their market narrows down (x means won't buy):

general population
/
hardcore gamers...
/
...willing to spend at least $560
/
owns HDTV at 1080p (anyone without 1080p won't be able to see difference compared to xbox)
/
don't already have a 360 or wii wii plans.


so that's a total of what....10 people?

[Big Ed @ May 17th 2006 9:21PM]

Frickin great, more uprades. Pulls down pants and takes out tube of Vasoline..

"Okay Sony, please be gentle."

[megapenguinx @ May 17th 2006 9:26PM]

The Wii is already in first for the console cycle. Followed very close by the 360. And poor Sony is in last. That price point killed them.

[Brian @ May 17th 2006 9:39PM]

I think of Blu-Ray as a breaking of the shackles for creativity. With all that space, developers can put their best feet forward graphics- and content-wise.

Sony's plan proves that they kind of get it with gamers. "Don't have an HDTV? Okay, then here's the $500 version. Forked over the cash for that HDTV? 600 bones gets you HDMI." Really, everyone's gonna be saving their stuff on the HDD anyways. The card reader's for those who want to get out of the house and play with other gamers outside of the 'net.

[Steve @ May 17th 2006 9:53PM]

I'd like to see what "just like a computer" upgradability translates to. Does Sony expect people to start taking to their PS3's with screwdrivers just to install a hard drive, or does the hardware allow a new hard drive to be installed without opening up the case?

How will this affect their warranty?

[Jeff @ May 17th 2006 9:55PM]

"For the record, Microsoft never ruled out the HDMI output for the 360. It hasn't been announced, but never ruled out."

It either supports it or it doesn't. There's no "ruling it out" or "not ruling it out". It's not something you can retrofit.

MS hasn't released an HDMI *cable* for the Xbox 360. If it's possible for them to do so, then the console supports HDMI. Which makes it double-cynical for them not to release a cable, because they're using a proprietary connector to limit what you can do with the console, even though it supports a standard. But what else is new from MS? They do the same thing in IE and their Office apps - claim they support a standard, but then lock it down so you can't really do anything with it.

From what I have seen, the PS3's HDMI output is a plain old vanilla HDMI connector. That's the way it oughta be. The cheaper model is just probably missing this connector.

[not lazy @ May 17th 2006 9:55PM]

I don't know about you, but I want these "stars" how do we get them?

[Steve @ May 17th 2006 10:01PM]

Come to think...

What about system memory. With Sony sowing rumours of a full Linux installation running homebrew applications, what is to stop one of these people attempting to upgrade system memory also.

I can't see Sony allowing this sort of change under warranty.

I don't think they are coming completly clean yet regarding upgradability. There has to be caveats. They are selling an expensive consumer device. It isn't "just like a computer" at all.

[Acholic Zombie @ May 17th 2006 10:15PM]

This news may sound good on the surface but underneath it all is a big problem come launch day for the PS3.

Facts and feedback about the X360 launch led to one big disadvantage, the dual versions of the X360 and accessories in order to make one similar to the other.

Not to mention the fact that the PS3 is $200 more than the X360 will only add more fuel to the fire of problems the launch is having. No one will ever want the same situation to happen to them with the PS3 that happen with the X360.

The upside on the dual versions of the X360 is that the core unit can be exactly the same as with the pro unit. Unlike the PS3, you can get all the accessories but wont have a true 60GB PS3.

It doesnt matter if HDMI is useful or not but it's having the ability to use it is what matters.

Also the PS3 is lacking the innovation for their new system. They need to think of the experience like the Nintendo system is doing and not just follow the lead of others. Focusing on power and stats will not help the PS3 stay afloat on the console market.

[Alcoholic Zombie @ May 17th 2006 10:18PM]

Also, zombies are people too!

[Locknarr @ May 17th 2006 10:21PM]

Yey for having to buy extra crap that should have already come with it in the first place!

[KD @ May 17th 2006 10:31PM]

"Sure, it'd be nice to have it all in there in the first place, but we'll take what we can get."

No, I think I'll leave what their offering at the Sony store. $600 is too much for a console I want more gaming value in the console not a Blue Ray. How about two controllers, a game or at least the remote for the Blue Ray drive.

[Jamie @ May 17th 2006 10:34PM]

The price is too high, nobody is gonna buy it. Riiight, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, I heard all that crap about the Xbox 360, but guess what, it still sold. Face it kids, when the sony console is released those of us that actually work and make good money will buy it en masse. I own the xbox, I will buy the nintendo revolution, and I will definitely buy the sony playstation 3 (I have to play my Tekken and socom in HD!) Sorry guys, but 50 people yelling "sony sucks" or "microsoft sucks" is not gonna change the fact that the majority of us are gonna go out there and support these fine companies.

[Yem @ May 17th 2006 10:41PM]

@ Andy K: "Seriously thought, why is everything with Sony "hopeful" and everything with MS reek of potential imminent doom? Just wondering..."

What site are you reading? Joystiq & Engadget have been mocking the PS3 for the last two weeks straight.

[Vman @ May 17th 2006 11:02PM]

Who is going to use their PS3 for a Blu-Ray player in 4 years?!

It's like saying that everyone that bought a PS2 got it for playing DVD's and never purchased a stand alone unit for their entertainment system.

This is to help the early adotion of the technology through gamers. I personally think it's a genious marketing strategy. To suplement that, I believe Rlu-Ray will overcome it's adversity. The percentage of the population that even knows avout HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is confined to the rich and the geek. Everything will be out and sailing by the time the general consumer figues out there is even a war going on.

Sorry for going off on a tangent. I was just conveying my thoughts about the similarities and that they will both make it big in their respective industries.

[Tony @ May 17th 2006 11:10PM]

I am thinking that the wii is just weird enough for me to drop as much as $300 on it before I blow $600 on the PS3

[simon @ May 17th 2006 11:18PM]

#34 I think you're right. This thread and the one about the VAIO UX have numerous people complaining about MSRP. Guess what guys...Sony's not aiming for you as their core market. They are trying to rebuild themselves as a premier brand and charge a premium price. I see nothing wrong with that as long as they don't simply engage in brand engineering like GM. If they truely have features that distinguish themselves from others in the console/desktop/laptop marketplace then the strategy will succeed. And from what I've read of the PS3 and UX I think they are on the right track.

[Vman @ May 17th 2006 11:19PM]

"I want more gaming value in the console not a Blue Ray."

You ARE getting HUGE gaming value out of the BLU-RAY!! Don't ever watch a Blu-Ray movie and you will still be justified to buy it.

CONTENT!! Think of HUGE games with AWESOME graphics and mini-storyies and side games!

This is a NEXT-GEN console! It's going to be expensive. THIS THING WAS MADE FOR GAMES, IT JUST ALSO PLAYS GAMES! Think back very recently in history to the PS2. What would it be if it didn't store it's content on DVDs?

Sorry again, KD started it...

[Vman @ May 17th 2006 11:22PM]

Steve, the hard drive will be replaced by using clips on the bottom of the system is what has been reported. This would make me believe that it is easy and will not void a warranty.

[anonymous @ May 17th 2006 11:38PM]

To me it seems that SONY purposely made the PS3 situation seem worse... This way when they came up with new ideas it would seem all so great and make people want to buy it.

[Jake @ May 18th 2006 12:03AM]

Sony's screwed the pooch on this one.

1) Blu-Ray will not result in better graphics. Why? The drive won't be fast enough to take advantage of the larger textures that the storage space affords.

2) $600 is too high for the average gamer. The PS2 came out at $300, so the $400 Xbox 360 was reluctantly accepted. There's no justification for having a system be twice as expensive as the last generation's, and the loss-leader strategy only works when the item actually sells.

3) The market doesn't give a damn about high definition right now. HDTV is only in 1 of every 10 homes right now and even HDTV owners aren't exactly eager to replace their DVD collections. VHS was long overdue for a replacement; DVD has barely even peaked.

People will buy PS3s, but the Wii and the 360 are going to find far more success this generation. Sony's overconfidence (just look at Ken's comments) will be their downfall. It's a shame, too; I loved my PS2.

[Alcoholic Zombie @ May 18th 2006 12:14AM]

Also, If you remembered in the Betamax(sp?) vs VHS war, Betamax has better qualities to it's format but ultimately people sided with VHS because it cost less to manufacture thus resulting in lower prices for VHS tapes & movies. The quality was marginally lower than the Betamax. So if you think about it, it's the same situation with the HD-DVD/BluRay war. And if history repeats itself, people are going to side with HD-DVD just because it will be cheaper in the long run & only be barely any to no difference in quality.

[ipodfanboy @ May 18th 2006 12:39AM]

upgradable baseline ps3 that features bluetooth controllers is a good news for the cheap hardcore gamers who are not willing to spend 600 dollars on the premium ps3. However 500 dollar ps3 is still bad for sony's two intial demographics the casual gamer and the soccermom, two groups who were responsible for ps1 and ps2 to do extrmeley well in America. Casual gamers and soccermoms still wont be able to afford a 500 dollar ps3 anyway, this still is bad news, even bad news for hardcore sony fanboys who want the ps3 to be number1 again. Upgradble ps3 is going to attract casual gamers to buy a ps3 it wont work.

[Camperton @ May 18th 2006 12:41AM]

can't they release an HDMI cable for the AV MULTI OUT like the 360 likey will?

[APerson @ May 18th 2006 12:51AM]

27. I think of Blu-Ray as a breaking of the shackles for creativity. With all that space, developers can put their best feet forward graphics- and content-wise.

Sony's plan proves that they kind of get it with gamers. "Don't have an HDTV? Okay, then here's the $500 version. Forked over the cash for that HDTV? 600 bones gets you HDMI." Really, everyone's gonna be saving their stuff on the HDD anyways. The card reader's for those who want to get out of the house and play with other gamers outside of the 'net.

Posted at 9:39PM on May 17th 2006 by Brian 0 stars

You make it seem all nifty Brian but in reality things are quite different. Blue-Ray and HD-DVD now (or soon) is only going to benefit the earliest of adopters and not the mainstream. The mainstream WON'T upgrade to HDTV for another 4-5 years. Your beloved PS3 and the Xbox 360 will have a 4-5 year console life. We can conclude that mainstream consumers won't be buying next generation media players in droves until the next generation of game consoles. This is why Microsoft was smart and Sony was stupid in insisting that the console have a Blue-Ray player in the first place and then charging an arm an a leg for it. In otherwords they want to get their players out at any cost to win the format war and they are using the PS3 as sort of a trojan horse to do it. Unfortunately this is going to backfire for them, as the other 90% of mainstream console buyers want a console gaming machine and not a Blue-Ray or HD-DVD player. If this is the case your still talking about a $200 and maybe more discrepancy between low end PS3 and Xbox 360. For you this may not be a lot of money but then again most these people (like others have stated over and over and over and over again) don't have a $3000 HDTV yet nor do they plan on buying one anytime soon. If both consoles are going to support a majority of titles then it makes absolutely NO sense whatsoever to buy a more expensive machine like the PS3 for console gaming (unless you are a diehard sony fan and or if you have lots of money to blow). Remember its mainstream consumerism that will drive console sales, not people like yourself where a few hundred dollars doesn't make a damn bit of difference. Economics NOT magic will bring hold down the PS3 and Blueray...simple as that.

[dLeet @ May 18th 2006 1:00AM]

Re: 42 (Jake)
With that much data compressed onto a disc the same size as a DVD, throughput of data access will naturally increase. And still possibly true, it might not be able to handle larger textures right off the disc, but oh, what is this, an upgradable 60 gb hard drive that hmm.. perhaps can have textures installed on them? (and don't even try to counter that unless you're saying PC's are doomed as gaming rigs as well) That's a novel thought that i'm sure Sony game development or 3rd party developers never thought of.
To the greater general responding public pissed at sony's price. Sony's console is friggen expensive, I agree 100%, but there's value there that the xbox 360 doesn't offer. Aside from all the back and forth blitchin' people are saying about specific hardware, specs, lost in the jumble, I feel, is the fact that sony's online service will be free. To fully experience the 360, one would be inclined to sign up for a year of Xbox Live. The 1 year subscription to fill the gap of the two console's release dates is about 50-60 bucks. Full 360 now looks more like 460 or so dollars. (oh wait, then you have to renew after that year -- that is a bummer now isn't it? And to someone else's point earlier -- it's market forces -- the prices will drop, fast. With so many companies backing blu-ray and increasing the overall supply of the drive exponentially over the next couple of years, the ps3 price will drop. Just hold out and get the ps3 for the holidays in 2007, or 8 (oops, there's another 60-120 dollars in Live subscription fees).
Back to (Jake) #42 -- yeah... the market doesn't give a damn about High Definition -- that's why in 2009, it is becoming mandatory that all television signals be digital. "We don't give a damn, thats why we're making you have it!" - US & European Governments.

[Ripped a New One @ May 18th 2006 1:01AM]

People need to shutup about HDMI and HDCP. You know what's going to happen when BluRay, or HD DVD comes out.

Some hacker in Denmark is going to rip that HDCP a new one, and then we'll be making copies of that shit daily via bittorrent and blockbuster unlimited rentals.

And when you can make a BluRay or HDDVD copy through your BluRay/HDDVD combo burner, you won't need HDCP. You can enjoy all 1080P goodness through normal component wires.

The HDCP thing was the same thing people were saying about DVD's when they took over for VHS. They said, VHS is too easy to copy, you just put a little paper in the lock slot, DVD will have much better protection.