Sony killing 80GB PS3, introducing 120GB or 160GB model with Dual Shock 3?
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted January 28th 2008 8:50AM
posted January 28th 2008 8:50AM
According to Ars Technica, Sony has some big plans for a PlayStation 3 refresh, starting with a phase-out of the 80GB model. According to an "inside source" -- which Ars claims has been consistently right on video game-related predictions -- the console-maker's new plot is starting to take shape, holding fast to a two-SKU approach on packages, upping the hard drive capacity on systems, and including the Dual Shock 3 controller. The new bundles will take the high / low road, with the source stating that the 40GB model will remain on shelves, while the 80GB, Spider-Man 3-inclusive system will disappear, only to be replaced with a 120GB or 160GB configuration. Of course, right now these are just words on a screen, though in light of Best Buy's recent stock changes, there certainly is an air of movement over at Sony.[Thanks, Khattab]
Well of course they're going to do this, it only makes sense, since I bought an 80GB yesterday afternoon. *@%@*#&@%!
releasing the Dual Shock 3, hmmm... that might make some sense, even though it's a last gen feature :)
why would I want to lay down another $60 per controller that could be used for games
MGS4 will be my penultimate decision on purchasing a PS3 (if it 9/10 or above)
You might as well buy one then, not because Metal Gear will get a 9/10, but because Sony has been paying off sites with advertisement dollars to hype them on games. MG will be the greatest game of all time when it's released, then a month later, no ps3 fan will be playing it.
I don't think you will see it come with BC out of the box. I think eventually down the line you will see BC as an add on feature that can be purchased in the PlayStation store. Doing this makes it optional feature that will allow those interested to obtain it and those that don't care about it won't have to pay for it.
That's stupid. It costs them the same to put the necessary firmware on 1 machine as it does to put it on 1,000,000. I don't want to pay for something that should've always been there.
add newer HD audio codecs, hdmi 1.3 etc sony, make it a proper media centre, not a half baked bluray player that can play games.
The PS3 has had HDMI 1.3a since the day it was introduced. It's one of the most complete Blu-ray players out there containing all the latest HT decoders that Blu-ray currently supports. To top it off the unit is upgradeable via firmware releases so it already trumps the standalone Blu-ray players. I know that it doesn't come with DTS True HD or whatever it's called, but neither do any other Blu-ray player. Once a manufacturer comes out with it on their player expect to see it on the PS3.
All this and you can play games on it. Great deal if you ask me. For less than the cost of a high end graphics card you get a top end Blu-ray/DVD upconverter player and the latest gaming system.
oh! I just ordered the 80 gig before the weekend!! bad luck i guess
I don't know that much about the PS3 as far as downloadable content as I'm mostly a 360 gamer but what do you guys use all that HDD space for? Is there some sort of PSN Marketplace?
Yes, there is downloadable content. Lots of games are available for download. Games like Warhawk and Everyday Shooter, not to mention a pile of old PS games.
And my 60GB hd is pretty full from playing Oblivion.
This is what should of been done to make a gaming machine... and not a movie player want to be computer ( specs lower than any low end machine... try a benchmark in linux... you will see )
More video and system memory!!!! ( 256? and 256?, my old 333mhz had more system memory. And 256 for the video memory? Where does the video memory get its information... from the system memory? This is terrible... what are we going to do with 30GB of memory on a disk with such horribly low amounts of ram?
If there was 512 System and 256 Video, It could be a powerful machine... But now its an extremely low end want to be computer.
Who cares about obsolete PS2games? Give me bitstream for all new audio codecs and I'm in!
I do... I just upgraded from a PS1 and now I got a PS2, shiny new on December 2007.
And... Spyro series has not yet moved on the PS3, that's why I got a PS2 right now.
PS2 is NOT obsolete until developers officially quit on producing games for it, like what happened to the PS1 as well to the SNES, NES, etc.
i work at best buy store number 531 yes the white one is going to be released.........soon yes we did pull the sku but only temporarily are warehouse is out of the 80 gigs thats why you arent going to find any in stores or online and to say that the wii has outsold the PS3 or the xbox 360 is crazy yes the wii sells because it is cheap but it is never in stock anywhere due to Nintendo's bad marketing plan if you really look at the figures the wii actually sells just as many units as the ps3. and it is a dumb idea to buy a 40 gig model and replace the hard drive due the fact it doesn't have the Emotion chip which allows it to play ps2 games id buy the 60 and do it that way. and to people thinking the xbox 360 has a xeon processor inside it doesn't it is actually a chip designed by Motorola similar to the one found inside older mac the old powerpc chip. and the xbox 360 elite doesn't have a better chip inside it, it has the same chip it also lacks an upconvert drive. all my information has come from either a representitive of sony or a represtitive of microsoft any questions feel free to comment on this post have a good day!
its a XENON chip, not a xeon. and yes its a powerpc based chip with 3 cores. the cell is also powerpc i think
Geeez... I know this is supposed to be a free flowing thread with an emphasis on content rather than grammar, but GOOD gosh man- your post was almost unreadable. Ever hear the term run-on? Sorry, don't mean to knock you- really.
So tell me 'well connected one' with Sony / MS contacts, what will be the size of the new PS console and will there be any add'l functionality beyond larger HDD and dual shock? More importantly, what is the MS rep telling you in terms of their response? Any new version of the Xbox about to be released- when and with what specs?
Pls try and keep a thought or two per sentence so I can understand what you're saying- me being a numbskull and all...
Well for andy i just woke up so i could care less about grammar. the white ps3 is the same size as its predecessor except with a better cooling system. and obviously dual-shock 3. there also will be a new update and newer features coming to the ps3 such as playstation home dropping next month which will be a free service except for movie streaming from netflix and what not. For the 360 there isnt going to be any new stuff anytime soon theres been talk on a supposed (red) xbox 360 but don't get your hopes up. The Microsoft rep also has said that the newer chips are supposed to be coming soon but only when Microsoft finds a way to make the chip cheaper and more "cost effective". As for blu-ray for xbox 360 it isnt happening anytime in the near future due to Microsofts stupidity. I have also heard of some xbox-zune wireless sync feature but i dont have much information on that. for all who read sorry about the all lower-case or grammar f-up's but im tired so deal with it and read it.
again if you guys have any comments or questions feel free to do so and ask away
You seem to have lost your commas, you can have some of mine:
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Let me know if you need more :p
Dave, he was correct. Xenon is your automotive headlamp. Xeon is Intel's high end workstation processor.
And there you have it. News from a TRUE insider; The dude who sells media at Best Buy.
When you want the *real* inside scoop, ask the person at the very bottom of the supply chain!
I already have a red Xbox. Well, the light around the power button is red. They're going to sell them that way now?
yeah hahaha wow microsoft makes so many friggin mistakes lol
I'm glad I'm not one of those chumps that bought a 40 or 80gb PS3 cos I'd sure be annoyed!
I will get a PS3 when it includes a blu-ray drive that can play the new hi-def audio codecs.
wow thats all i can say is wow
Oh? You seemed to say alot in your earlier comment rambling on about crap that you obviously don't know what your talking about.
I don't see myself replacing the 60gb PS3 I own.
I wish I had more games for the damn thing though. Nice Blu-Ray player though.
Probably games for several hundred hours on my Xbox 360 this year and maybe 40 on my PS3 (Resistance and Uncharted)
Dear Sony,
Put back the Emotion Engine in the PS3, just use the 40Gb HDD and show some damn commitment to having one fair and honest retail point with wireless, SD card reader (and that pesky little duo stick if you must) and DualShock3 and you've got yourself a deal. Its the only major console from the last 23 years I dont own and the reason really isn't a lack of storage!
Otherwise you can keep bumping up the gigabytes and adding your markup to a 2.5" HDD I can buy myself, slicing off the pennies yet charging the consumer more for less USB ports, card readers and wired versions etc. and I'l continue to ignore it. The problem doesn't lie in how many movies, MP3s and demos people can fit on their drives...
Also, you don't seem to get that your "bread and butter" customers are confused. The PS2 was accessable and required no thought processes at all for the single mothers to buy their flea ridden offspring with their benefit money (or at least that was the case in the UK). Now you're bamboozling them with gigabytes and teraflop and making false promises that all their PS2 titles will still work. I deal with these scroats everyday, so trust me when I say it's too much for them to handle!
Bring together all the best bits you've tried thus far and make The Real Playstation 3TM that can be upgraded at the end users ease should they deem it necessary. I'll even let you have the tag line "why be confused with models - The Real Playstation 3TM" if you send me one for free (signed by Ken too though, kthnx!)
Love and Hugs,
Delmorpha
p.s Pricepoint does matter... :P
/rant
You make perfect points.
PS2 BC is Vital to me. My 60 gb will last me throughout the ps3s lifespan. They should of never cancelled the 60..
sony style's offering a $100 credit if you make a purchase of $300 or more with their sony style credit card. which means........
Don't hold your breath on the backward compatibility. From what I have been reading online this move is based in part on eliminating that feature since the PS3 attachment rate (games per console) is so low. In other words, they want future buyers of PS3s to have to buy PS3 games. There are no doubt a lot of folks that a have PS3 mostly watching blu ray movies and they have just a few games.
How does one buy more games for a console which has so few games?
man, i hope that they give a price rebate to the people who went and bought a ps3 (like w/ the iphone) b/c i just went this christmas and bought an 80 gig ps3, and i do not want my money to go down the drain... :(
Wheres your link to Ars Technica... Come on guys
i would be sold if it had backwards capatability. i dont care about the capacity of the hard drive. I had my 360 about a month after launch and i still havent used all my 20GB left.
i guess 120 or 160 would awesome for people who uses them more for movies
So no one can say for sure if the new ps3's will have backwards compatibility
Backwards compatibility will completely disappear on PS3, and XBOX360 will likely quit updating the backwards-compatible list. The problem is: people are willing to buy complete games for download through whichever service -- Sony Marketplace, XBOX Live, and Wii. These companies don't make money when you play an old disc in a new system -- but if you have to pay to download that game, it's simply another sale. It's great business for them - but stinks for anyone who's looking to consolidate their consoles so they don't have 3 versions of PS or XBOX on their shelves.