I've wanted a PlayStation 3 since forever. It plays Blu-ray movies, it has some great exclusive titles, and it looks like it could beat somebody up without breaking a sweat across its glossy matte brow. But it's always seemed out of reach price-wise. As my desire grew stronger over recent months, I found myself unable to pull the trigger: I just didn't want to pay $400 for a video game console that came out in 2006. The fact that I could get a lot more for my $400 than $500 would've gotten me at launch was hardly consolation, given that the PS3's main competition, the Xbox 360, has been available in a "full fledged" edition for $300 for a while. Luckily, the PS3 Slim has come at last to save me from all this heartache. Follow along, as I journey from the mire of indecision to the glories of console love... but really, it's all about the price drop.
Minimum price for a "usable" SKU.
A good deal or not, most of my price hesitation has been based on the fact that the PS3 has always seemed "overdue" for a price cut (as demonstrated on the chart above). That's why, despite Sony's incessant claims of "bang for buck," it's never seemed the right time to buy: I didn't want to be sucker and waste a hundie with a pre-drop purchase.
My price gripes actually had very little to do with what you get for the money, all other factors removed. I currently have a PC-based solution for playing Blu-ray movies, but I'd love the convenience of using my PS3 to view my slowly expanding Blu-ray collection. The networked media features of the PS3 are quite alluring, I like the idea of using the PS3's browser over an HD plug rather than my Wii's low-res browser when showing a must-see YouTube video to guests (something my 360 can't do), and I could even see myself spending a few minutes now and then arranging furniture and watching my avatar get molested on PlayStation Home. Unfortunately for Sony, I've owned a 360 since 2005, and a Wii since a few months after the launch, so I've been pretty much covered in the games department for a long while now.
Still, there's a growing stable of PS3 exclusive titles that I've been eying jealously from behind my big white Xbox 360 controller. Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted, Killzone 2, Valkyria Chronicles, Wipeout HD and LittleBigPlanet all quickly spring to mind, with games like EyePet and The Last Guardian (pictured) hopefully not too terribly far off. PSN titles (Wipeout HD included) are also a major draw, with Sony seeming to attract the "right sort" of indie titles into its fold. It probably won't be enough to pull me away from the Xbox 360 on a constant basis -- between my Live Arcade investments, 360 exclusives and existing Live buddies, there's plenty of reason to stick around -- but it's going to be nice to have the option to fire up the PS3 for a little bit of Fat Princess now and then.
In truth, I'm feeling a little smug now for waiting so long. The PS3 Slim's quieter operation, lower power draw and size advantages are a major perk in my eyes. It's taken a few years, but the hardware, services, library and (finally) price have all matured considerably. I'm one of those weird people who waited for the PlayStation 2 slimline before jumping into Sony waters, and consider it one of my best gaming investments ever -- my friend's PS2s were dying as my slim new unit was just beginning to live. Even more exciting is the forthcoming launch of the PlayStation Motion Controller next year, which really "spoke" to me on a personal level a lot more than the gimmicky Natal demo and the been-there-done-that MotionPlus display. For all I know I could be jumping on board right in time for a renaissance of the PS3 -- or perhaps another crushing defeat at the hands of Nintendo and Microsoft, but at least I'll have my Blu-ray discs.
What's been keeping me up at nights in the run-up to the PS3 Slim launch was Sony's heavy handed treatment of the PSPgo. In as many words (trust me, I've asked), Sony basically realized the PSPgo was desirable due to its improved form factor and lighter weight, and decided to overcharge accordingly -- pegging it at $50 more than the basic PSP 3000, though it lacks the UMD drive of its progenitor. Meanwhile Nintendo has continually drilled down its DS pricetag, while simultaneously introducing substantial improvements to the form factor in the DS Lite and functionality in the DSi. It's pretty crazy that now I can get a PS3 Slim (which plays Blu-ray movies in case you didn't know) for only $50 more than a PSPgo.
Of course, it's not all roses for me: the PS3 Slim kicks out the ability to install an alternative OS onto the system, something I was sort of looking forward to tinkering with, and there's also no hint of backwards compatibility: it would sure be a joy to see my copies of Persona 4 and Shadow of the Colossus upscaled to glorious 1080p, and I've certainly considered springing for an old backwards-compat system to stretch my legs on. My fellow Engadget writer and dear friend Nilay Patel just scored a $275 60GB backwards compatible system on Craigslist, and I've thought about hunting down something similar, but in the end I like the lower fan noise and reduced power draw of a PS3 Slim more than I care for upscaled PS2 titles.
If I had to look at it objectively, and I was coming at this generation fresh with zero investment in any of the systems, I'd probably still pick the 360 over the PS3 -- Microsoft just seems to want it a bit more than the other guys. Its stable of hard-won exclusives, timed exclusives and extensive Live functionality (and Netflix!) make the system easily worth the price. Still, for the moment Sony is selling a console with a 120GB HDD and a Blu-ray drive up against Microsoft's DVD-playing Xbox Pro with a 60GB HDD for the same price. Microsoft will probably be rectifying the HDD discrepancy before the Slim even hits the market, but will have to hope that online movie titles will make up for the Blu-ray gap -- and let's not forget a history of hardware faults that might have informed consumers a little wary to begin with.
Overall, I think the PS3 Slim fits me quite nicely at this point in time, finally fulfilling my "three pillar strategy" of console ownership without making me feel like a sucker in the process. I'm looking forward to meeting all the nice folks on the (free) PlayStation Network who've never had the pleasure of virtually shooting me in the face, and the DLNA-friendly console should be able to manage my 360's Windows 7-powered media streaming duties just nicely. I'll never again find myself plastered to any side of a console fanboy fight (until the next next gen, of course), and I can stop humming loudly to ignore all those peskily glowing reviews for the occasional PS3 exclusive. Sony has finally converted an old-fashioned "Wii60" man like me, and suddenly the world is a happier, gentler place.
I fail to see the draw with this thing. Aesthetically i really prefer the original, it goes far better with hi end equitment. Also the price reduction is not quite enough, evidence being that im still not going to buy one new.
But does it have a hyperspace generator that'll allow me to travel through wormholes to distant parts of the galaxy? If not I'll stick with my original PS3 and the 320 GB hard drive I strapped into it.
Honestly, I think $300 is really the sweet spot for this thing. If my roommate didn't already have one, I'd seriously be considering buying one. I'd probably wait for some of the new games first though, God of War III and Uncharted II mainly.
It's interesting now that the PS3 cost the same as the 360. If you look at it at a glorified PC point of view, one has a Blu-Ray player, and the other, just your good 'ol DVD player. Back then, systems were bought due to exclusive game line-ups. Now, pretty much each system has a game strikingly similar to its competitor's. So you probably won't be missing much of the cool looking games if you buy one or the other. To me, it now boils down to the bang for my buck, and it looks like the PS3 is clearly ahead
*Note to self* avoid personal opinions on aesthetics or admitting cider drinking foibles on geek blog central. Expect an unpleasant return. This world... blimey.
I'm still not convinced on the whole console thing - games in particular are pretty expensive compared to PC versions. Then they're also closed systems which aren't particularly easy to modify, plus a PC can be easily upgraded/fixed and can perform other tasks - including running PS1/PS2 emulators. Coupled with Xbox 360 controller compatibility, I think I'll still stick to my PC.
console gaming isn't for everyone, and it's great if you can get your gaming fix from just the pc.
as for people like me, i can't really remember my life before console gaming. pc gaming only reminds me of starcraft and baldur's gate. ahh good times, but what about metal gear and little big planet?
Teddy: I have both 360 and PS3, and would still buy the 360 ahead of the PS3 even with the new sexy model and price drop.
Why? Two reasons:
1 - Vastly superior online experience. Yeah, it's not free, but PSN is so bad it'd be a crime to charge for it. On the Xbox a friend can invite me to a game, I can hit a single button to accept his request and BOOM, I'm on my way into the game.
On the PS3 the whole thing is done so poorly that it takes several MINUTES to even begin setting up a match with a friend. First, there no concept of a game invite outside of the game itself - everything is sent as IM messages. So you get the IM message, read it (which takes 6-7 button presses, seriously), then you have to quit the chat window, surf over to the game you want to play, start the game, and once it's started you must MANUALLY then go and RE-DO the invite to get into the game. Ughhhhh.
The online experience doesn't end there, but suffice it to say that, having played with both (and still do) extensively, I would be okay with not having a PS3, but if I had to have a console (and just one) it would still be the 360.
2 - Media center. Yeah, you would think Sony would be better at the media center thing - but nope. I stream Divx movies to my Xbox all the time, it all works beautifully - easy to set up, fast load times, and everything works as expected.
Tried the same thing on the PS3. Nope. I can see the file list (after waiting 30 seconds for it to load, if it decides to load), and when I try to play anything, it works okay for the first little bit, and then starts lagging (imagine youtube video on a bad connection). Worst part: if I try to rewind/fast forward, the whole thing dies.
It's really a shame. The *hardware* of the PS3 is so far ahead of the 360 (in terms of quality and reliability and features), but the software (which in the end is really what matters most) is in the stone ages in comparison.
I must say I agree, I had seen some of the leaked PS3S photo's and saw that it looked very ugly and unappealing. I had been waiting for the slim for some time, but once I saw that they even took the chrome and the buttons where replaced with these G1 button look alikes, I went out and bought a 80Gb for $400.00. Looks clean and don't regret it.
It's absolutely cheap enough - if you need a (or a second) Blu-ray player. And this, my friends, if the double-edged sword that Sony has been dealing with since launch. Sure it's a great advancement over the Wii & XBOX, but the price you pay for it is prohibitive. And now that it's almost 2010 and most target consumers already own Blu-ray, the price drop seems insufficient (even though it's not).
This whole saga is all about bad decision making at the top of the Playstation food chain. I assure you Sony (and others) will learn from this whole debacle the next time around.
Yup, ugly. The glossy piano black with the capacitive buttons on the front were beautiful. The new model looks cheap. Matte finish (to hide finish flaws?), and regular buttons on the front (to get the price down).
you have got to be kidding. Not cheap enough??? Most blu-ray players are still on the high 200s, and this thing is price at 300 and have wayyy more capabilities. You'll have to wait 2 or 3 more years until the drop the it lower than this...but for now, you won't find a better bang for the buck.
Who really cares how a system LOOKS? It's cheaper, and that's what's important. As long as it works and does the job of blu ray player and console game platform, it's a winner. If you want the giant 80 gig radiator like I got for $500, go out and get it now cause it's ALSO $299 now. But to me it doesn't matter one way or the other.
You guys have to wait until you see it in person. There are tons of high-end home electronics components that look great with matte finishes. The PS3 Slim is over a third smaller, is quieter, and is more efficient. Those sound like high-end features to me. This isn't like the PS2 which went from having a tray-loading drive to a much-cheaper-feeling top loading drive. It still has the slot loading drive. It still has a user-replaceable industry standard hard drive, integrated wifi, etc.
I am a little puzzled as to the true motivations behind removing the Other OS feature. Maybe hackers are getting too close to unlocking the hypervisor restrictions?
The PS3 Slim is plenty cheap enough. Awesome Blu-ray + media extender + games = 300? Nice. Sure, the Xbox 360 and several Blu-ray players have Netflix streaming and most readers of this blog have an Xbox already. For a newcomer to the current gen gaming scene, though, the $300 PS3 Slim is a bargain.
The price for a 360, the wireless adapter for it, a year subscription to XBLA, and the cheapest standalone retail bluray player: $540 The price of the PS3 that includes all of these things: $300
I hate it when people include the cost of a stand alone Blu-ray player when comparing the price of the 360 to the PS3. Yes the PS3 has Blu-ray, but I don't really care about Blu-ray. Yes I have a HDTV (although it won't do 1080p), but Blu-ray still hasn't won the next gen format war, even if Toshiba has given up and is making Blu-ray drives now. When the whole Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD debate was going on every article said it would be the porn companies who determine what the next generation format would be. Well last time I checked they had determined that a decade ago. It's called the internet. Streaming media is where it's at, and the 360 has Netflix, which does have some HD content, and for less than the price of one Blu-ray disk I get 3 DVDs at a time and all the streaming I want (and I watch far more on the streaming than I do on the DVDs). DVD quality video is still quite watchable and for most things I watch I don't really care if I see it in SD vs HD.
Now am I saying I won't get a PS3, probably not. It has finally gotten down to a reasonable price and there are some exclusives that I would definitely like to play.
i agree w/ charlie. even though i already have a ps3 (60gb - best 'fatty' model IMO), i think it's really the inside (hardware) that counts. my ps3 puts out tons of heat so quieter, cooler is definitely a big plus, lucky for those who are gonna get it.
I hope this things starts selling like the Wii, then maybe there will be enough of an installed customer base to FORCE Netflix to join the PS3 party. I won't be buying one - not until they bring back the Emotion Engine. Until then, me and my fatty 60GB will be playing together, loudly.
My only issue with PlayOn is that I don't like to leave my computer on all the time, or go turn it on while I watch Netflix. I think I'll just get a Roku for $100 and be happy that I'm using less electricity. If Netflix was native to PS3, I would lose my mind. Maybe MS and Sony can work out a deal, they put BRD on 360, PS3 gets Netflix. Everybody wins! Right??
@mbrennan191 No kidding. I can not understand the big hype for netflix streaming in the first place. Why on earth do so many people care about streaming 5-10+ year old movies with the majority of which went straight to VHS... If you are one of the few that actually like watching the horrible selection netflix offers you can use PlayOn...
I can see the appeal of the Netflix streaming but I don't consider it a deciding factor. I wouldn't be suprised if it did make it to the PS3 down the road (even though microsoft is claiming exlusivity) considering it is being implemented into many Blu-Ray players, set-top boxes and TVs. For now there are alternatives. I myself am actually considering getting a Roku player now that it includes out of market MLB streaming in HD.
@Mack211 I don't know if you've ever used netflix streaming but it offers a lot more than that. Yea it has a large selection of old movies but it has fairly recent ones, tv series, The office UK which people that don't have bbc don't get and a lot of gems i wouldn't think of watching if it wasn't for netflix.
playon streams more than just Netflix. It'll stream Hulu, CNN, ESPN, Food Network, Adult Swim, Gametrailers TV, HGTV, Crackle, Spike, and some adult content sites like Redtube.
It works on both 360 and PS3, so its a win for everyone.
playon streams more than just Netflix. It'll stream Hulu, CNN, ESPN, Food Network, Adult Swim, Gametrailers TV, HGTV, Crackle, Spike, and some adult content sites.
It works on both 360 and PS3, so its a win for everyone.
Speaking of price they need to fix that graph. If you're gonna use the $400 price point of the launch 360 premium you should use the $600 price of the original 60 Gb PS3. Granted when the elite came out it was $479 but it was released almost 2 years later and was marketed for enthusiasts, don't really know if that should be a part of the curve though
Actually I sit corrected the graph is the minimum price of a usual sku in that case the 360 curve is totally fucked up it should start at $300 and go down to $200.
By "usable" they mean it has a HDD and can more or less do what it's supposed to. The reason they consider the 20GB PS3 as a "usable" model is because it can still do everything the 60GB model could, minus Wi-Fi and the SD/MS-PRO/CompactFlash slots.
Why didn't they use the HDD-less 360 for this graph at launch? Well, there's a reason it's called the "tard model"...
they were using comparable systems. due to the 360's "core" models usually being next to unusable, amd the PS3's only real difference (besides launch models) being HDD space, thats why different price points in the SKUs were used.
How is the Standard/Arcade 360 unusable? It's a console that can play games, which is what consoles are supposed to do. Sure it won't do everything that a 360 with a HDD can do, but it is still completely usable. Would I buy a 360 without a HDD? No, well I did actually because the person in front of me in line bought the last Premium version, but I wouldn't now. But that doesn't change the fact that it is still usable for it's primary purpose.
Price drops are awesome, don't get me wrong, but it's funny how $100 makes a difference on a system that has $60 games. For that price drop, you can't even get 2 games. I'm just saying, the software is going to quickly add up to more than the hardware, if you buy at full retail that is. Sam's = $27 LBP FTW!!
Actually, the PS3 is widely regarded as one of the better upscaling DVD players on the market. I can attest to the fact that the PS3 makes DVDs look almost as good as Blurays.
@FNG Wouldn't it mean that Mike's combination of PS3 and HDTV is better than yours since he says DVDs look like BluRay, and you say they look like shit?
No it must mean that the TV is shite bringing the quality of the image down so much that no matter what you put through it it looks the same. Even on my crappy 1080p Westy 42" their is a pronounced difference between Blu-Ray and upscaled DVDs on the PS3. It could just be that his HDTV is 720p which would make quite a difference when comparing the two.
My wife bought me a PS3 for Father's Day two years ago and we got a $100 Wal-Mart gift card with it (which, let's face it, is as good as cash). The PS3 price stayed the same ever since then, so I think we "pulled the trigger" at the right time, really.
+1 for that deal - that's when I jumped on the PS3 bandwagon too. It's a good thing Father's Day comes right around the same time as my Birthday - the wife couldn't refuse!
Prices will always drop, technology will always get better. Be glad you didn't pay $8,000 for a plasma TV, unless you did, then I feel very sorry for you.
* Nintendo Wii Game Console * one (1) Wii Remote controller with Wii Remote Jacket * one (1) Nunchuk controller * Wii Sports * sensor bar * power cord * standard composite cable * stand
Umm, the $250 Wii is usable right out of the box. It comes with the Wiimote, nunchuk and Wii Sports, so you don't have to buy anything else to play a game. How is that not usable?
Mine hasn't been played in over a year, but that's another issue.
Any final word on the sound level of this thing? Engadget said the slim is slightly quieter, Giz said it's slightly louder (neither were very scientific). Not that it would warrant a purchase, but the one and only issue I have the my fat PS3 is the noise level, especially while upconverting DVDs or playing BRD. I need to try that fan-swap I've heard works..
Last we heard when the Arcade went down in price, $200 was the supposed sweet spot for consoles; then again, I guess 299 is good enough in this world full of compromises.
It'll be interesting to see how sales turn out this holiday season versus the competition -- just like holdovers from previous months gave the illusion of boosted sales with Cash for Clunkers, we're pretty much guaranteed to see nice Sept sales (if it doesn't, Sony is truly in trouble).
I cannot wait to see what has been changed internally in order to make cheap. I'm sure one of the biggest changes will be the BD drive since it's one of the driving factors in the price.
Even with the price drop, and new slim-line look, it isn't enough for me to get one. While the PS3 does have exclusive titles, they aren't "must-haves" in my library. I would have been sold if they brought back the PS2 backward compatibility along with this update. Why don't they do a software emulation thing for PS2 games? It's done on PC's, so why not the PS3?
Agreed, PS2 emulation is nice. Find yourself an original 60GB, it's the Caddy of PS3s, IMHO. I would argue that MGS4 is a must have, but exclusive PS3 titles are admittedly thin on the ground. If you add in PS2, now you are talking. Listen up, Sony!
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted Aug 19th 2009 3:48PM
I fail to see the draw with this thing. Aesthetically i really prefer the original, it goes far better with hi end equitment. Also the price reduction is not quite enough, evidence being that im still not going to buy one new.
*equipment (damn cider)
can we RINSE anymore PS3 news out of yesterdays unveiling?
Great article, I am looking forward to purchasing my first Playstaion 3, just you likewise!
Oh, and I though Microsoft were quoted saying they were the only console making advancements this year? :)
just buy one, you know u want to
Rinsing? More like ringing out.
welcome aboard Paul, Look forward to shooting you in the face.. lol
Be sure to write a review on the psn and how it compares to xbox live if you don't mind.. Enjoy the slim..
But does it have a hyperspace generator that'll allow me to travel through wormholes to distant parts of the galaxy? If not I'll stick with my original PS3 and the 320 GB hard drive I strapped into it.
Honestly, I think $300 is really the sweet spot for this thing. If my roommate didn't already have one, I'd seriously be considering buying one. I'd probably wait for some of the new games first though, God of War III and Uncharted II mainly.
It's interesting now that the PS3 cost the same as the 360. If you look at it at a glorified PC point of view, one has a Blu-Ray player, and the other, just your good 'ol DVD player. Back then, systems were bought due to exclusive game line-ups. Now, pretty much each system has a game strikingly similar to its competitor's. So you probably won't be missing much of the cool looking games if you buy one or the other. To me, it now boils down to the bang for my buck, and it looks like the PS3 is clearly ahead
*Note to self* avoid personal opinions on aesthetics or admitting cider drinking foibles on geek blog central. Expect an unpleasant return. This world... blimey.
Addendum:
Even if 360 has that HD Netflix, I think it'd be just a matter time before the company or others to cater to the PS3 crowd.
note: even the "full fledged" $300 xbox does not have all the features of the pared down ps3
I'm still not convinced on the whole console thing - games in particular are pretty expensive compared to PC versions. Then they're also closed systems which aren't particularly easy to modify, plus a PC can be easily upgraded/fixed and can perform other tasks - including running PS1/PS2 emulators. Coupled with Xbox 360 controller compatibility, I think I'll still stick to my PC.
@r3loaded:
console gaming isn't for everyone, and it's great if you can get your gaming fix from just the pc.
as for people like me, i can't really remember my life before console gaming. pc gaming only reminds me of starcraft and baldur's gate. ahh good times, but what about metal gear and little big planet?
Teddy: I have both 360 and PS3, and would still buy the 360 ahead of the PS3 even with the new sexy model and price drop.
Why? Two reasons:
1 - Vastly superior online experience. Yeah, it's not free, but PSN is so bad it'd be a crime to charge for it. On the Xbox a friend can invite me to a game, I can hit a single button to accept his request and BOOM, I'm on my way into the game.
On the PS3 the whole thing is done so poorly that it takes several MINUTES to even begin setting up a match with a friend. First, there no concept of a game invite outside of the game itself - everything is sent as IM messages. So you get the IM message, read it (which takes 6-7 button presses, seriously), then you have to quit the chat window, surf over to the game you want to play, start the game, and once it's started you must MANUALLY then go and RE-DO the invite to get into the game. Ughhhhh.
The online experience doesn't end there, but suffice it to say that, having played with both (and still do) extensively, I would be okay with not having a PS3, but if I had to have a console (and just one) it would still be the 360.
2 - Media center. Yeah, you would think Sony would be better at the media center thing - but nope. I stream Divx movies to my Xbox all the time, it all works beautifully - easy to set up, fast load times, and everything works as expected.
Tried the same thing on the PS3. Nope. I can see the file list (after waiting 30 seconds for it to load, if it decides to load), and when I try to play anything, it works okay for the first little bit, and then starts lagging (imagine youtube video on a bad connection). Worst part: if I try to rewind/fast forward, the whole thing dies.
It's really a shame. The *hardware* of the PS3 is so far ahead of the 360 (in terms of quality and reliability and features), but the software (which in the end is really what matters most) is in the stone ages in comparison.
Interesting, I use PS3 media center to stream to my PS3, and I can't remember having a problem with anything I threw at it.
Woops, PS3 Media *Server* I mean
*puts down the banana peels*
Was what so hard? 360 has been out a year longer and they dont have a slim or rrod-free model
damn right i feel like getting one too! the only thing that sets me back is the price so far.
I like that it's thinner but it's still not cheap enough. Epically with the materials change, it has definitely lost that luxury item look.
I must say I agree, I had seen some of the leaked PS3S photo's and saw that it looked very ugly and unappealing. I had been waiting for the slim for some time, but once I saw that they even took the chrome and the buttons where replaced with these G1 button look alikes, I went out and bought a 80Gb for $400.00. Looks clean and don't regret it.
It's absolutely cheap enough - if you need a (or a second) Blu-ray player. And this, my friends, if the double-edged sword that Sony has been dealing with since launch. Sure it's a great advancement over the Wii & XBOX, but the price you pay for it is prohibitive. And now that it's almost 2010 and most target consumers already own Blu-ray, the price drop seems insufficient (even though it's not).
This whole saga is all about bad decision making at the top of the Playstation food chain. I assure you Sony (and others) will learn from this whole debacle the next time around.
Yup, ugly. The glossy piano black with the capacitive buttons on the front were beautiful. The new model looks cheap. Matte finish (to hide finish flaws?), and regular buttons on the front (to get the price down).
you have got to be kidding. Not cheap enough??? Most blu-ray players are still on the high 200s, and this thing is price at 300 and have wayyy more capabilities. You'll have to wait 2 or 3 more years until the drop the it lower than this...but for now, you won't find a better bang for the buck.
Who really cares how a system LOOKS? It's cheaper, and that's what's important. As long as it works and does the job of blu ray player and console game platform, it's a winner. If you want the giant 80 gig radiator like I got for $500, go out and get it now cause it's ALSO $299 now. But to me it doesn't matter one way or the other.
You guys have to wait until you see it in person. There are tons of high-end home electronics components that look great with matte finishes. The PS3 Slim is over a third smaller, is quieter, and is more efficient. Those sound like high-end features to me. This isn't like the PS2 which went from having a tray-loading drive to a much-cheaper-feeling top loading drive. It still has the slot loading drive. It still has a user-replaceable industry standard hard drive, integrated wifi, etc.
I am a little puzzled as to the true motivations behind removing the Other OS feature. Maybe hackers are getting too close to unlocking the hypervisor restrictions?
The PS3 Slim is plenty cheap enough. Awesome Blu-ray + media extender + games = 300? Nice. Sure, the Xbox 360 and several Blu-ray players have Netflix streaming and most readers of this blog have an Xbox already. For a newcomer to the current gen gaming scene, though, the $300 PS3 Slim is a bargain.
The price for a 360, the wireless adapter for it, a year subscription to XBLA, and the cheapest standalone retail bluray player: $540
The price of the PS3 that includes all of these things: $300
I hate it when people include the cost of a stand alone Blu-ray player when comparing the price of the 360 to the PS3. Yes the PS3 has Blu-ray, but I don't really care about Blu-ray. Yes I have a HDTV (although it won't do 1080p), but Blu-ray still hasn't won the next gen format war, even if Toshiba has given up and is making Blu-ray drives now. When the whole Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD debate was going on every article said it would be the porn companies who determine what the next generation format would be. Well last time I checked they had determined that a decade ago. It's called the internet. Streaming media is where it's at, and the 360 has Netflix, which does have some HD content, and for less than the price of one Blu-ray disk I get 3 DVDs at a time and all the streaming I want (and I watch far more on the streaming than I do on the DVDs). DVD quality video is still quite watchable and for most things I watch I don't really care if I see it in SD vs HD.
Now am I saying I won't get a PS3, probably not. It has finally gotten down to a reasonable price and there are some exclusives that I would definitely like to play.
i agree w/ charlie. even though i already have a ps3 (60gb - best 'fatty' model IMO), i think it's really the inside (hardware) that counts. my ps3 puts out tons of heat so quieter, cooler is definitely a big plus, lucky for those who are gonna get it.
@bandigolo -
"I assure you Sony (and others) will learn from this whole debacle the next time around."
No They Won't!
The price structure for the next gen will start at ±$400 for the cheapest system and upto ±$1000 for the high end.
Otherwise today's console would be in the same price range as the original NES or at least the N64.
They won't do anything but continue to increase.
Games used to run for $15-20 new and now they're upto $60. Next Gen (after this) will have them at $100 easy.
I hope this things starts selling like the Wii, then maybe there will be enough of an installed customer base to FORCE Netflix to join the PS3 party. I won't be buying one - not until they bring back the Emotion Engine. Until then, me and my fatty 60GB will be playing together, loudly.
Installed user base isn't the issue, it's that fat cheque from Microsoft.
Yup, Sony did the same thing to get Blue Ray to be dominant.
Gotta love big corps and their big wallets.
I don't think so, Xbox has it on lockdown =)
http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/11/xbox-officially-the-only-console-able-to-stream-netflix-sorry/
Have you looked into PlayOn?
http://www.themediamall.com/playon
Netflix, Hulu, and others are already accessible on PS3 via PlayOn: http://www.themediamall.com/playon
@ Puggs
'blue ray' ............... $*@!?
My only issue with PlayOn is that I don't like to leave my computer on all the time, or go turn it on while I watch Netflix. I think I'll just get a Roku for $100 and be happy that I'm using less electricity. If Netflix was native to PS3, I would lose my mind. Maybe MS and Sony can work out a deal, they put BRD on 360, PS3 gets Netflix. Everybody wins! Right??
Wow, I'd freak, but it ain't gonna happen.
@mbrennan191
No kidding. I can not understand the big hype for netflix streaming in the first place. Why on earth do so many people care about streaming 5-10+ year old movies with the majority of which went straight to VHS...
If you are one of the few that actually like watching the horrible selection netflix offers you can use PlayOn...
@Dr. Blue
Huh? Not sure if you are complaining about my capitalization or what.
@Puggs
It's spelled "Blu-Ray", not "Blue-Ray". Considering how long it's been out it's hard to believe that people are still misspelling it.
I can see the appeal of the Netflix streaming but I don't consider it a deciding factor. I wouldn't be suprised if it did make it to the PS3 down the road (even though microsoft is claiming exlusivity) considering it is being implemented into many Blu-Ray players, set-top boxes and TVs. For now there are alternatives. I myself am actually considering getting a Roku player now that it includes out of market MLB streaming in HD.
Its not my fault Sony can't spell!
In all seriousness, I know its Blu-Ray but when I'm typing, working and reading... my fingers tend to get carried away!
@Mack211
I don't know if you've ever used netflix streaming but it offers a lot more than that. Yea it has a large selection of old movies but it has fairly recent ones, tv series, The office UK which people that don't have bbc don't get and a lot of gems i wouldn't think of watching if it wasn't for netflix.
The PS3 can play the Blu Ray movies you rent off of netflix though, the 360 can't.
Is it worth the tradeoff? Only if @#$% netflix adds HD On demand for PCs.
playon streams more than just Netflix. It'll stream Hulu, CNN, ESPN, Food Network, Adult Swim, Gametrailers TV, HGTV, Crackle, Spike, and some adult content sites like Redtube.
It works on both 360 and PS3, so its a win for everyone.
playon streams more than just Netflix. It'll stream Hulu, CNN, ESPN,
Food Network, Adult Swim, Gametrailers TV, HGTV, Crackle, Spike, and
some adult content sites.
It works on both 360 and PS3, so its a win for everyone.
(also this is from a UK pricing standpoint)
Speaking of price they need to fix that graph. If you're gonna use the $400 price point of the launch 360 premium you should use the $600 price of the original 60 Gb PS3. Granted when the elite came out it was $479 but it was released almost 2 years later and was marketed for enthusiasts, don't really know if that should be a part of the curve though
Actually I sit corrected the graph is the minimum price of a usual sku in that case the 360 curve is totally fucked up it should start at $300 and go down to $200.
By "usable" they mean it has a HDD and can more or less do what it's supposed to. The reason they consider the 20GB PS3 as a "usable" model is because it can still do everything the 60GB model could, minus Wi-Fi and the SD/MS-PRO/CompactFlash slots.
Why didn't they use the HDD-less 360 for this graph at launch? Well, there's a reason it's called the "tard model"...
they were using comparable systems. due to the 360's "core" models usually being next to unusable, amd the PS3's only real difference (besides launch models) being HDD space, thats why different price points in the SKUs were used.
How is the Standard/Arcade 360 unusable? It's a console that can play games, which is what consoles are supposed to do. Sure it won't do everything that a 360 with a HDD can do, but it is still completely usable. Would I buy a 360 without a HDD? No, well I did actually because the person in front of me in line bought the last Premium version, but I wouldn't now. But that doesn't change the fact that it is still usable for it's primary purpose.
*this thing*
No backwards compatibility = no way. Definitely not cheap enough.
All this PS3 bashing makes me love my 500GB CECHA01...
it'd be a lot easier for me to lug around in a backpack now...
AMEN
The PS3 slim is everything i'm looking for,
i've been waiting for the price drop and the mat finish is a VERY welcome.
Come Christmas I'm buying one.
for anyone bitching about the price drop not being steep enough-
STFU!!!
its $100 off
if you are complaining over the mat finish get over it, it doesn't constitute a great price drop.
If you dont have enough money to buy one for $299 get over it and give up now because you'll never afford one.
Price drops are awesome, don't get me wrong, but it's funny how $100 makes a difference on a system that has $60 games. For that price drop, you can't even get 2 games. I'm just saying, the software is going to quickly add up to more than the hardware, if you buy at full retail that is. Sam's = $27 LBP FTW!!
Go and do your homework bitch.
Meh... I don't like SONY consumer products...
Then don't buy them.
I don't!
Any suggestions where I can find out the full media center capabilities of this new beasty? Sony's own site is pretty lame.
Also, will it play (and upconvert) normal DVD's?
Actually, the PS3 is widely regarded as one of the better upscaling DVD players on the market. I can attest to the fact that the PS3 makes DVDs look almost as good as Blurays.
@ mike
You need your eyes checked, or you have a shit HDTV. this upscaling shit looking just as good is just that. shit.
@FNG
Wouldn't it mean that Mike's combination of PS3 and HDTV is better than yours since he says DVDs look like BluRay, and you say they look like shit?
No it must mean that the TV is shite bringing the quality of the image down so much that no matter what you put through it it looks the same. Even on my crappy 1080p Westy 42" their is a pronounced difference between Blu-Ray and upscaled DVDs on the PS3. It could just be that his HDTV is 720p which would make quite a difference when comparing the two.
My wife bought me a PS3 for Father's Day two years ago and we got a $100 Wal-Mart gift card with it (which, let's face it, is as good as cash). The PS3 price stayed the same ever since then, so I think we "pulled the trigger" at the right time, really.
"as good as cash" - only if you sell it on eBay. I wouldn't shop at WalMart for water if I was dying of thirst.
+1 for that deal - that's when I jumped on the PS3 bandwagon too. It's a good thing Father's Day comes right around the same time as my Birthday - the wife couldn't refuse!
I feel like the worlds biggest douch bag!!!
I got a ps3 in April for about $470 with tax :(((((
That's exactly what Sony wanted you to feel like.
Prices will always drop, technology will always get better. Be glad you didn't pay $8,000 for a plasma TV, unless you did, then I feel very sorry for you.
Well I got a Elite 360 for $400 back in April....looks like they bout to drop the price on those too....I know how ya feel...lol
How does $250 give you a "usable" Wii? You don't even get a full controller for $250. SHENANIGANS.
What are you talking about? You get a remote and a nunchuk when you buy a Wii. Those are the controls for almost every game on the system.
No you don't, dildo. And you also don't get the newly necessary Motion Plus.
From Aazon's Wii listing:
What's in the Box:
* Nintendo Wii Game Console
* one (1) Wii Remote controller with Wii Remote Jacket
* one (1) Nunchuk controller
* Wii Sports
* sensor bar
* power cord
* standard composite cable
* stand
Motion Plus is not necessary. It only works on like 4 games!
Umm, the $250 Wii is usable right out of the box. It comes with the Wiimote, nunchuk and Wii Sports, so you don't have to buy anything else to play a game. How is that not usable?
Mine hasn't been played in over a year, but that's another issue.
Any final word on the sound level of this thing? Engadget said the slim is slightly quieter, Giz said it's slightly louder (neither were very scientific). Not that it would warrant a purchase, but the one and only issue I have the my fat PS3 is the noise level, especially while upconverting DVDs or playing BRD. I need to try that fan-swap I've heard works..
Last we heard when the Arcade went down in price, $200 was the supposed sweet spot for consoles; then again, I guess 299 is good enough in this world full of compromises.
It'll be interesting to see how sales turn out this holiday season versus the competition -- just like holdovers from previous months gave the illusion of boosted sales with Cash for Clunkers, we're pretty much guaranteed to see nice Sept sales (if it doesn't, Sony is truly in trouble).
do we have an official uk price yet?
Yeah, £249.99
249 pounds
ie over $400
*sucker*
I cannot wait to see what has been changed internally in order to make cheap. I'm sure one of the biggest changes will be the BD drive since it's one of the driving factors in the price.
I dont care how cheap in price it is, the system looks cheaply made and ugly, they should call it the PSCheap!
eat my shorts
Even with the price drop, and new slim-line look, it isn't enough for me to get one. While the PS3 does have exclusive titles, they aren't "must-haves" in my library. I would have been sold if they brought back the PS2 backward compatibility along with this update. Why don't they do a software emulation thing for PS2 games? It's done on PC's, so why not the PS3?
Agreed, PS2 emulation is nice. Find yourself an original 60GB, it's the Caddy of PS3s, IMHO. I would argue that MGS4 is a must have, but exclusive PS3 titles are admittedly thin on the ground. If you add in PS2, now you are talking. Listen up, Sony!