PS3 Slim sales up nearly 1000% in the UK, Noel quits Oasis (again)

It looks like Engadget editors aren't the only folk who prefer technology that's slimmer, cheaper, and better. According to an article at GamesIndustry.biz, a group that charts retail sales in the UK is saying that sales of the PS3 increased over 999 percent in the week since its British debut of the newer, slimmer form factor. And if that wasn't good news enough for Sony, the console has also outsold the DS, Wii and Xbox 360 by approximately 3:1. Although the last time it was the lead hardware format in the UK was the first week of 2008, the PS3 has never lagged as far behind the others as it has Stateside. But still -- a near 1000 percent increase? If true, that makes the States' 104 percent increase seem lackluster in comparison. Then again, maybe the Brits never realized that Disney Sing It! High School Musical 3 is available on platforms other than the PlayStation. That could explain a lot of things, actually...

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:21AM]

You are Joe Pesci funny from Goodfellas. And then you are revenge killed cause you murdered that high ranked sicilian.

[SirNoDroin Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:21AM]

seriously?

streaming video = 1-3Mbps: Bluray = 10Mbps.

10Mbps > 2Mbps.


I guess if you like low quality video, streaming is good for you, Personally I prefer to get the maximum quality possible out of the equipment I have invested in.

True, bluray has not picked up as quickly as DVDs from VHS did, but neither did CDs to Tapes/Records (took almost 10 years).

If they fix the internet backbone, maybe streaming will overtake optical media, but, for now, it just can't compete.

[SirNoDroin Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:24AM]

wait! haha i ment 10-bit per pixel video. sorry missing the coffee....here comes the downrank hahaha

[Muhammad Oli Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:29AM]

@Grammar Delinquent: I agree. And many countries don't get the same kind of bandwidth and speeds that the US gets for internet, so take-up of streaming media will be even slower in some countries.

Currently I get 10gb/month (and dial-up speeds when that runs out) and my PS3 earlier today took 20 minutes to download a 32mb update file. The PS3 is far far slower than a PC, sure, but that's an example of why streaming media won't be feasible for a while.

[Rick James Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:30AM]

Kevin, I think you're right that 'Blue-ray' is a dead format as it has never existed.

Now, the format called Blu-Ray started off slow but has been picking up steam. Also, this summer has seen a lot of great catalog releases (braveheart, need I say more?).

And no, you cannot stream Blu-Ray video and audio quality over the internet.

[Duke Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:38AM]

Kevin, if you think that streaming is better that Blu-Ray then you seriously are clueless. Streaming is hardly what I want to use when I feel like seeing a movie in rich detail. When I feel like watching a sitcom or something we use Netflix over the XBox, but I sure wouldn't substitute that video for the detail of Blu-Ray in a good film.

[keggo Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:43AM]

You make Kevins everywhere look bad.

[Pavelz Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:14AM]

Crikey

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:18AM]

no engadget, we just don't have the space on our little island for the bulky Fat PS3.

[Chefgon Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:19AM]

Seriously impressive, but it probably won't last. The PS3's redesign and price cut have been heavily rumored for so long that we're seeing a surge of people buying it now who have been planning on getting one for months. Sales increased 1000% because it's getting ten months of sales all at once.

I have no doubt that sales will continue to remain strong now that the price has come down, but you can't really make any kind of long-term prediction based on this initial flood.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 12:53PM]

It's definitely a demand correction brought on by Sony backing off their too-high price point. If anyone from earlier PS3 marketing teams was actually left at Sony, heads would be rolling.

The mismanagement of the PS3 is nearly criminal.

(Yes, I'm looking at you too, 3.0 firmware update.)

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:20AM]

I'm glad to say that I contributed to that increase. Especially because I live in Sweden, and bought mine when I was on vacation.
My main reason for buying it in the uk is simply because the ps3 costs £320/$500 over here thanks to a terrible distributor!
Compare that to the £212/350 I payed for mine at the airport and you've got yourself a happy customer.

[fLim Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:21AM]

I stopped caring for Oasis a long time ago. Couldn't get into it. Thanks for the info anyways.

[xValentine Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:52AM]

I've stopped crying my heart out long time ago when someone stood by me. I guess all I need is love, and need to stop using Cigarettes and Alcohol behind my Wonderwall.

D'You Know What I Mean?"

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:30AM]

I have to say that when I first saw the pictures of the slim I was pretty disappointed, but a buddy of mine got one, and it is steadily growing on me.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:35AM]

Slimmer? Yes. Cheaper? Yes.

Better? Not even close. Unless you have a real hard on about power consumption.

The PS3 Slim looks cheap, and it's a detuned model of the early PS3's in every way that matters. Engadget's review was way off the mark.

[keggo Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:48AM]

Define detuned... If you're speaking of the lack of backwards compatibility, no memory card reader, or having only two USB ports, then it's not solely the fault of it being a slim version. From what I've read it's main processing power has had a nominal clock increase. So, I hardly think it's detuned. It's just a reiteration, albeit smaller, of the most current fat models with a slight performance increase and as you said, lower power consumption.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:51AM]

+1

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 12:18PM]

That clock speed increase hasn't been confirmed by anyone, and until I see framerate comparisons of the two systems, I'm inclined to believe there's no difference in gameplay.

Also, I'd be very interested to see a comparison of Slim's Blu-ray video processing versus the older gen PS3's. Many of their early CD and DVD products had features and performance stripped from them to reduce cost--buying the newer model was usually a downgrade. It's the Sony nerf.

Of course Engadget won't even bother to look at that when how much power the PS3 sips is so monumentally important.

[Charles Knight Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:44AM]

1000% means nothing without actual sales numbers - what if the original sales numbers were very low?

[Jordan Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:49AM]

NEWSFLASH - Sales of the original PS3 went up 1000% as well when it was released

[LuchoV Posted Sep 8th 2009 11:50AM]

Not again Noel !!!!!

[Hitman Posted Sep 8th 2009 12:23PM]

Brits are smart for buying PS3. We're the ones here in the States that care too much about Disney. Being honest...

[ijyt Posted Sep 8th 2009 12:33PM]

"maybe the Brits never realized that Disney Sing It! High School Musical 3 is available on platforms other than the PlayStation. That could explain a lot of things, actually..."

Die in a fire, redneck.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 8th 2009 12:33PM]

3 albums too late

[Galley Posted Sep 8th 2009 6:15PM]

It makes you wonder how many people like myself would be willing to pay an additional $100 for hardware-based backwards compatibility and SACD support? It probably wouldn't cost Sony more than $20-30 to implement.

[Robbie Hottie Posted Sep 9th 2009 2:26AM]

"maybe the Brits never realized that Disney Sing It! High School Musical 3 is available on platforms other than the PlayStation. That could explain a lot of things, actually..."

hilarious. FTW.

[seanGadget Posted Sep 8th 2009 1:32PM]

@crecent david
You don't get the point at all. Lets not get too technical. How about lets just put it like this for people of your type, the system is selling well.

[Maikeru28xx Posted Sep 8th 2009 1:46PM]

I can't wait to get one of these babies, probably next week when I get my check. People who bought the fat ps3 80GB for $400 must be feeling real stupid right now, I know my friend is.

[Wiizer Posted Sep 8th 2009 2:01PM]

YOU and your friend should both feel stupid.

Compare the specs, dummy.

[ShotgunKlaus Posted Sep 9th 2009 2:36AM]

I like my fat one and I'm having fun using it for over a year now. I'm glad you can finally afford it.

[Maikeru28xx Posted Sep 8th 2009 2:10PM]

Yeah azz hole I compare the specs, so what if it's not Linux compatible... You get what you pay for ok... Now stop hating and go buy ur self one too

[tann Posted Sep 8th 2009 6:57PM]

it only dropped by about 40£ at most places as well..
and it's still 50£ more expensive than an elite!
This is IMPRESSIVE stuff sony!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 10th 2009 6:16AM]

Nobody here upset about the noise the new PS3 generates? The Brits are:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/ps3/1070345-ps3-slim-system-fan-blu-ray-drive-noise-issues.html

A bit of Oasis in the background would soon drown it out, though.