DailyTech - 40GB PlayStation 3 Officially Announced by SCEE

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Gadgets 40GB PlayStation 3 Officially Announced by SCEE
Marcus Yam (Blog) - October 5, 2007 6:28 PM

102 comment(s) - last by joex444.. on Oct 9 at 3:00 PM

Front side of 40GB PlayStation 3 shows only two USB ports and no memory card reader (Source: SCEE)

The 40GB will be the cheapest PS3 yet, but no PS2 backwards compatibility will be the price to pay

Putting an end to one of the worst-kept secrets of the year, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today confirmed the existence of a lower-priced 40GB PlayStation 3 model by announcing its availability across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia starting October 10. The new model will retail for €399, or about 20 percent less than the 60GB bundle.

To help keep costs down, the new 40GB model does with only two USB ports, instead of four on all previous PS3 consoles, and no memory card reader. This falls in line with Sony’s filings with the FCC, saw only two USB ports tested with no mention of a memory card reader examination.

The now-extinct 20GB PlayStation 3 also was without a memory card reader – which on the 60GB and 80GB models read Compact Flash, Secure Digital and Memory Stick media – in the interest of cost savings. Unlike the entry-level 20GB, however, the 40GB PS3 appears to retain the same silver-trim bling of the 60GB and 80GB models.

Oddly enough, the new 40GB model is not compatible with any PlayStation 2 titles. Dedicated PlayStation 2 hardware was removed previously in a PlayStation 3 hardware revision, though machines still retained some backwards compatibility functions through software emulation. It is still unclear if the 40GB model represents a further simplified PS3 hardware specification, though that is likely the case.

Sony’s press release explained that the removal of backwards compatibility in the 40GB model reflects “both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles.”

Sony UK boss Ray Maguire elaborated in an interview that the company would be “better off” diverting the funds for backwards compatibility into either investing in new games or further reducing the PS3’s price.

Maguire admits that the removal of all PS2 backwards compatibility “was a big decision... and we know it is a very emotive subject as lots of people think that backwards compatibility is high on the agenda and yet few really use it.”

SCEE spokesman Nick Sharples further added, “We have made clear on many occasions that our priority is on developing innovative new features and services for PS3 and not on backwards compatibility. The 40GB model no longer contains any elements of the PS2 chip set which powered backwards compatibility in previous models, and is therefore only compatible with PS one titles.”

Sharples added that the 60GB bundle will be price reduced for those who are keen in playing PS2 games on the newer system. “For those who consider backwards compatibility important, the 60GB Starter Pack with extra SIXAXIS controller, two first party titles and extensive backwards compatibility remains available until stocks run out. With a 100 Euro price reduction from 10th October, this model is a real bargain,” he said.

Sony’s opinion regarding importance of backwards compatibility differs greatly from that of before the PlayStation 3’s launch. As Joystiq points out, Sony Worldwide boss Phil Harrison said in a GamePro interview from 2006, “Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3.”

The ability to serve as an excellent home theatre device, however, remains a part of the 40GB model. In addition to being one of the Blu-ray Disc players on the market, the PS3 can also make DVDs look better with the 1080p upscaling capabilities of the latest firmware.

Although PlayStation fans finally got their wish for the return of force feedback after Sony unveiled the DualShock 3 at the Tokyo Game Show, the new 40GB package will still include the SIXAXIS controller. The DualShock 3 is scheduled for availability next month in Japan, with North America and Europe releases planned for spring 2008.

SCEA has yet to confirm or deny the existence of the 40GB model for North America, despite the product already being listed in the inventory at several retailers and the UPC database for availability sometime late October.

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No BC

By Goty on 10/5/2007 10:23:37 PM , Rating: 1

The lack of backwards compatibility makes no sense to me, isn't it all done in software with all of the newer PS3s anyways? What could possibly cause Sony to exclude this feature (as crappy as it may be on the PS3s without the EE+GS chip)?

RE: No BC

By Carl B on 10/5/2007 10:35:06 PM , Rating: 5

No, it's not all done in software. I swear that DT has to step up their console reporting in a big way - it blows my mind that these facts are unknown to them. The 80GB PS3 and the Euro 60GB both use software emulation, yes, but they use it in order to emulate the Emotion Engine. Through this method they were able to remove the Emotion Engine and 32MB of legacy RDRAM.

But the PS2 Graphics Synthesizer is still resident in both of those consoles, and is impossible to emulate due to its unique bandwidth and rendering methods. By taking it out Sony will save on the silicon costs of the chip and on reduced board complexity, but as stated by SCEE, the price is backwards compatibility.

Also granted this deviates from Sony's original vision, but to me the reasons seem obvious, even if personally I lament the move. But I think it's rather insular to keep referencing back to Sony claims of old in these stories; it's obvious Sony has moved into emergency mode in terms of cost cuts and market share efforts.

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RE: No BC

By bunnyfubbles on 10/6/2007 1:16:25 AM , Rating: 2

If 3rd party enthusiasts can create a PS2 emulator for the PC by reverse engineering PS2 demos, then I'm sure Sony could produce a full PS2 emulator for the PS3 if they really so desired. The reason to use legacy hardware is to ensure maximum compatibility. Of course its always possible the PS3 might not be powerful enough to fully emulate a PS2, but I doubt it - they might not be able to render every single PS2 game @ 60fps, 1080p, and aggressive AA/AF, but they should be able to do it at less demanding setting (default PS2 output) if they so desire.

The thing is Sony simply doesn't want to support it because they want to sell their more expensive console so as to lose less money. As well as the PS2 is hanging on to life it certainly isn't going to keep Sony afloat in the gaming market, especially when the 360 and Wii start to creep down in price. Cutting out the backwards compatibility to try and sell their new platform isn't a completely terrible idea, but they need to quit talking about supercomputer BS if the system can't even emulate the now ancient PS2.

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RE: No BC

By Murst on 10/6/2007 1:27:55 AM , Rating: 5

Although I'll agree that it may be possible to fully emulate PS2 games on the PS3, I think Sony just does not think it is worth the investment. They'd have to devote considerable resources to make this happen, and probably there just wasn't enough time to implement this before launching this revision. If it turns out that consumers really want the compatibility with PS2 games, they'll probably look at it again, but I doubt there is enough demand for it.

I also doubt this will be their selling point for the higher-end PS3. Most people will probably not care. If you want a PS2, just buy one (supposed to be dropping to $100 anyways).

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RE: No BC

By MrTeal on 10/6/2007 10:11:26 AM , Rating: 2

There is a difference between an emulator from a 3rd party enthusiast and one officially sanctioned by Sony. Even today, SNES emulators don't work perfectly. Some games don't work, some have weird graphical artifacts, and the sound is never quite right. These are also on a PC, which is a very general purpose archtecture, if you look at something like the SNES Station emulator for the PS2, it doesn't work that well at all.

Not to say that a PS2 emulator for the PS3 wouldn't be great if it came from the community. When it's something you get for free from a group, you can put up with dropped frames, strange glitches, and limited compatibility. If it's from Sony and they advertise it on the box, that's a little different.

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RE: No BC

By hrah20 on 10/6/2007 1:21:16 PM , Rating: 2

and at this moment comes the real question:

will sony support backward compatibility in the future for those who buy the 60gb/80gb playstation3???

people thinking of buying a 60gb/80gb playstation3 may be left in the cold

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RE: No BC

By hrah20 on 10/6/2007 2:09:26 PM , Rating: 2

and answering ( Murst) about what he said below

I concur with you about all the whining of sony being evil (exaggerated), but you are wrong about this:
(Sony, in a way, did was MS did for the 360 in terms of BC. Just like the core version isn't BC)sorry but this is not the same in any way, the xbox 360 core is capable of BC IF you add the harddrive later on, the 40gb ps3 is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles because there is no Graphics Synthesizer.

(but if people want the functionality in the first place, they wouldn't have bought the core.)
I'm taking you advice !!!

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RE: No BC

By BansheeX on 10/7/2007 3:34:11 PM , Rating: 2

Try bsnes. That emulator is written to play every non-special chip game flawlessly. That's 98% of the SNES library. You'll need a modern CPU to run it, though.

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RE: No BC

By Etsp on 10/7/2007 11:11:55 PM , Rating: 2

Well that's kinda funny... Nintendo seems to be doing a damn good job of it.

The real reason SNES emulators don't work perfectly is because a lot of the code has to be reverse engineered. The creators do not have a lot of the info that Sony would have about it's previous generation parts.

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RE: No BC

By clovell on 10/6/2007 1:50:06 PM , Rating: 3

This is a great move if you think about it. If you really want backwards compatibility, a PS2 is like $130. If Sony can drop the price on this model to about $399 or less, they will occupy a much sweeter price point, and anyone who misses the functionality of BC, will essentially just have to pay $30 more than what they would have had the price not been dropped. Plus, IIRC, the PS2 does a better job of BC for PS1 games, anyway.

Sure you have less ports, but the average user probably won't miss them, and 40 GB is actually a respectable amount of storage.

Sony needs to get in the game before their devs start getting cold feet - and that means their focus needs to be on the newer games.

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RE: No BC

By Chris Peredun on 10/6/2007 11:46:49 AM , Rating: 3

http://www.dailytech.com/More+Evidence+Surfaces+of...

quote:
No matter what other ill-planned moves they've pulled in the past with relation to the PS3, I can't see them (removing backwards compatibility entirely)

It sadly appears that I stand corrected.

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RE: No BC

By Murst on 10/6/2007 6:18:33 PM , Rating: 1

quote:
It sadly appears that I stand corrected

Nah, they didn't remove BC entirely. PS1 BC is still there.

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RE: No BC

By Samus on 10/9/2007 6:38:41 AM , Rating: 2

Umm, what? There is no PS1 compatibility with ANY PS3 console, and obviously that includes this one.

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RE: No BC

By Murst on 10/9/2007 10:10:44 AM , Rating: 2

I guess you must know something the rest of the world doesn't.

http://faq.eu.playstation.com/bc/bcGames.htm

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RE: No BC

By radioioRobert on 10/6/2007 11:55:10 AM , Rating: 3

Here's a Quote from SONY's Phil Harrison...

"Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3." - Phil Harrison, SONY, December 2006 to Gamepro

Source: http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=55108

To shut the door on nearly 115 million potential customers make no sense whatsoever ... why upgrade to a system that won't play your huge PS1 and PS2 collection? And yes ... I still have PS1 games ...

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RE: No BC

By euclidean on 10/6/2007 1:33:38 PM , Rating: 5

Just because you buy a PS3, doesn't mean your selling your PS2/PS1 are you? Most people that have a PS2, still have the PS1...plus if you read the article, it says that it still supports PS1 BC...just not PS2. So if you still have your PS2, like 99% of the gaming population that is complaining about the no BC, then you shouldn't worry. Sony is right when they say the demand isn't there, people are just wanting to complain about something, and that's the only reason there's all this talk about no BC.

I really doubt there is that many people out there that have no PS2 games and want to buy the PS3 just because they want to play both PS2 and PS3. and if that's the case, then they're not going to spend all that money on a PS3 anyways and they'll just wait until the prices come down.

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RE: No BC

By Alpha4 on 10/6/2007 10:42:28 PM , Rating: 1

Twisted Metal 3 FTW!

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RE: No BC

By zerocool84 on 10/7/2007 3:53:35 AM , Rating: 3

I for one am not happy about no BC because my PS2 is one with the infamous DRE and it doesnt play anything any more. I had to borrow my sister's PS2 while she was visiting from college to finally play Metal Gear 3. I for one am not going to buy another PS2. Why pay for old technology when I can get it in the PS3.

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RE: No BC

By Zoomer on 10/7/07, Rating: -1

RE: No BC

By Zoomer on 10/7/07, Rating: -1

RE: No BC

By cmdrdredd on 10/7/2007 7:16:36 PM , Rating: 2

WHy would you buy a PS3 to play old PS2 games anyhow. Sure it's a bonus, but don't buy a $400+ console just for that.

Your notes on Halo are stupid as well. I think you have never actually used the Xbox controller with Halo. The game is vastly different than on the PC. Gearbox did a horrible port, period. You never even gave it a chance on the native format.

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RE: No BC

By afkrotch on 10/7/2007 9:19:34 PM , Rating: 2

I played Halo both on PC and Xbox. It's not a truly awesome game. It was okay. Not even great. Just...okay.

The game is also not vastly different on PC. It's the exact same game, but with keyboard and mouse. Also some added weapons, maps, vehicle changes.

Controls are horrifically slow on PC, just like on the console. Stupid limitations of gamepads affecting PCs.

Halo is and will continue to be, bottom of the barrel FPS. It's only real plus is that it has a somewhat okay story. Course that's pretty much the same as any of FPS's out there.

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RE: No BC

By clovell on 10/8/2007 11:47:41 AM , Rating: 2

Meh - Halo's story was pretty godo for an FPS - defintely on par with HL2. Most FPS's have very underdeveloped storylines - FEAR and GoW gave me a lot of wtf moments.

I call shens, though - Halo for the PC is vastly different from Halo for the XBox. HPC has online multiplayer - without matchmaking, user-created maps and mods, dedicated servers, horrible netcode, 56k support, etc. I also have never found the controls to be slow - you might want to try turning up your sensitivity in game (although if you haven't figured that out, I should take your opinion with a can of salt).

The rest falls to opinion.

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RE: No BC

By Zoomer on 10/8/2007 11:18:14 PM , Rating: 2

I think he's referring to the character feeling "heavy". Kind of like quake (especially the earlier ones, like q1/q2) vs. Unreal Engine, where Unreal's feel is quite a bit heavier. It doesn't have anything to do with sensitivity.

I think I preferred FEAR to Halo, btw. The AI actually had some nice reactions at times. But perhaps I'm so critical of Halo because I didn't finish it; not even a third of the way, I suspect.

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RE: No BC

By jskirwin on 10/8/2007 9:22:21 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
WHy would you buy a PS3 to play old PS2 games anyhow.

For the same reason people who drive Chevys buy a new Chevy (or in my case Honda buying Hondas): Brand loyalty .

As a PS2 owner, I'm locked into Sony games. As I consider which next gen console to purchase, my natural tendency was to go to the PS3 because of backwards compatibility. While many of DTs readers may not worry about how junked up a room gets with two consoles and their controllers, some of us have wives/SO's who do.

Getting rid of the backwards compatibility "unlocks" me from Sony's systems. I can now seriously consider the 360 and not worry about how I'm going to afford a next gen system - and more importantly, which games I want to play.

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RE: No BC

By Zoomer on 10/8/2007 11:25:58 PM , Rating: 2

Fortunately, I don't have a choice at this time. The xbox* doesn't offer (m)any compelling game for me.

Besides, I'm slightly afraid of how microsoft can/may screw up games, given their history.

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RE: No BC

By Zoomer on 10/8/2007 11:12:44 PM , Rating: 2

I did play it on the Xbox, for like 10 minutes. Simply gave up.

By the way, I didn't say horrible. Anyway, its on the gameplay end. What's really special about it? Seems like just another shooter. Not saying it sucks, but what is award-winning about it?

A ps3 to play ps2 games. I'll bite.
1. What happens when the ps2 EOLs and all that's left is the ps3 and presumably the ps4?
2. What's the point of buying 2 devices? It's far simpler to just have one. I'm saying this even though I already have a ps2. If you don't have a ps2 yet, and want to play ps2 games, I would imagine that the EE + GS chip is far cheaper than an entire ps2.
3. Accessories for the ps3 can be used on ps2 games. Wireless controllers. Sure, you can get 3rd party wireless controllers for the ps2, but that costs money too. I'm not sure how save games are handled on the ps3, but if it saves to the harddisk, it would be a plus, too. And remember how much that 8mb crap costs.

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RE: No BC

By Chadder007 on 10/7/2007 3:07:39 PM , Rating: 2

And with this the PS3 has become a mess. Too many different configurations of it are out now for people to know what they are getting.

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RE: No BC

By afkrotch on 10/7/2007 6:34:25 PM , Rating: 2

No there isn't. There are 2 models on the market. Sure they have old models, but they aren't for sale anymore (minus used ones).

Sony has only ever sold 2 models at one point in time. Quite different from Microsoft that currently has Core, Premium, Premium with HDMI, Premium with HDMI with new heatsink, Elite, and Halo with 65nm core. That's just the US market, they have had many other SKUs that were just bundles.

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RE: No BC

By Scrogneugneu on 10/7/2007 8:05:01 PM , Rating: 2

Wasn't the main difference between consoles and PC the fact that consoles were all the same , thus it was easy to predict that a given title would be playing the same on evey console out on the market?

Where has that gone? XBox 360 has a HDD, but some models didn't, so until the end of times, they can't assume it's there. Same for the flash card on PS3. Who's gonna make a product that only half the market can use? The strength of the consoles was it's uniformity, wasn't it?

Am I just wrong with my assumptions?

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RE: No BC

By afkrotch on 10/7/2007 8:57:35 PM , Rating: 2

That still is the main difference. Guess what? A game for a console will play the exact same between the different SKUs. Gears of War plays the same on Core, Premium, or Elite. Resistance plays the same between the 20 gig, 60 gig, or 80 gig. The only difference between the models is their feature set, which isn't a necessity for the games.

Also, just cause it's not there, doesn't mean they can't put out options. You have downloadable content for games on both Xbox 360 and PS3. They aren't needed to play the games, but it provides a little extra for those who went and got a higher version.

Even then, Xbox 360 don't all have hdds, but you can guarantee that everyone is more than likely going to have a memory card to save games. This can provide avenues for providing additional content. Extra maps for Gears of War or any other game for that matter will fit onto a memory card.

As for the memory card reader on PS3, there isn't much use for it, as you have a built-in hdd for storing downloaded contect. It just makes life easier if you want to take a saved game to a friend's house.

Either way, all games will play the same across all consoles they were built for. Just now with hdds, memory cards, internet, patches, etc, consoles are stuck with games that can never be fixed (think ET for NES).

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RE: No BC

By cubdukat on 10/8/2007 9:37:10 PM , Rating: 2

Actually it makes perfect sense. They think that they can eventually maneuver you into buying the 80GB version that can play PS2 games through emulation. Of course, that would require you not to have heard that the 40GB version doesn't have software emulation--which, if you've seen this article, obviously hasn't happened.

Yet another reason to grab the 60GB units while they're still out there.

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So much whining

By Murst on 10/6/2007 1:04:02 AM , Rating: 1

There's so much whining on the internet (not necessairly this site) about how evil Sony is to get rid of backward compatibility.

I just love reading posts about how all these people were just waiting to get a PS3 for under $400, and yet now that Sony announced no BC, they're just not interested. Yeah, right. Like that's the reason to buy a PS3.

Sony, in a way, did was MS did for the 360 in terms of BC. Just like the core version isn't BC with Xbox games, the low end PS3 will not be BC with PS2 games (however, PS1 should still be intact). Yes, you can argue that once you get a HDD for the Core, you'll be able to play Xbox games, but if people want the functionality in the first place, they wouldn't have bought the core. If the BC is so important, just don't get the base model.

I think Sony is finally on track in the US (world-wide, they're doing pretty damn good already). The $400 price should look attractive to many buyers this Xmas - although we won't really know until sometime in January if this was successful or not.

My only major concern for Sony is third party support. It seems more and more games are being delayed. I think the only recent big title that actually didn't miss the planned release date is Heavenly Sword, everything else seems to be pushed back a week or more (UT3 by a quarter? Home by HALF a year? - btw, I know this isn't 3rd party, but still). Sony needs to work with these third party developers and make sure these games get here on time. It would be a major mistake to let more games slip past the holidays.

RE: So much whining

By bgm063 on 10/6/2007 3:11:33 AM , Rating: 2

Very good points made! And if you think about it, when these new consoles make their debuts, are those people camping out in front of stores more inclined to pick up the new game for the newer system or the older game...

I only hope that Sony has finally got the two SKUs they desire with the 40GB and the 80GB and just run with it. The holidays are upon us and I don't know how much longer these delays can go on.

Gotta admit. Interesting times in the world of consoles. 2 to 3 years ago, I wouldn't have ever guessed that the console market would've turned out like this.

MS: After years of hearing about the Blue Screen of Death, the Xbox360 introduces the Red Ring of Death. Despite the problem, MS is still running things.

Sony: Creates a wonderful piece of equipment... Manufacturing... Delays. HOME... Delayed. 3rd-party Developers... trying and doing their best. PS3 price... Finally better but it hurt their pockets for this 1st year.

Nintendo: Who would've ever thought that the console which isn't praised for HiDef graphics and can't even playback a DVD movie would be the best selling console, and the driving force behind the system is so simple. Innovation and fun factor.

Regardless of which console floats your boat. You gotta admit. You gotta love this!

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RE: So much whining

By calguy on 10/6/2007 4:31:36 AM , Rating: 2

Remember Euros not USD, 400 euros is about $560. I don't expect the 40 GB model to price much lower than what the 60GB model is now, probably 450-479.

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RE: So much whining

By Carl B on 10/6/2007 10:17:10 AM , Rating: 3

The Euro price includes the ~20% VAT that Europeans pay, depending on country. Sony is not making the full 399 Euros; a good part of it goes to the government.

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RE: So much whining

By themadmilkman on 10/6/2007 4:49:34 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
I just love reading posts about how all these people were just waiting to get a PS3 for under $400, and yet now that Sony announced no BC, they're just not interested. Yeah, right. Like that's the reason to buy a PS3.

Because the lack of backward compatability affects the value of the system. I wouldn't buy one. Why? Because I didn't own a PS2 and would like to play some of the games that it had. So instead of purchasing a $400 PS3 that would also play PS2 games, I'd be forced to purchase a $400 PS3 and a $130 PS2. Not a very good value, imo.

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RE: So much whining

By abs0lut3 on 10/6/07, Rating: -1

RE: So much whining

By themadmilkman on 10/6/2007 11:19:42 PM , Rating: 3

quote:
ever think of buying PS2 used so you don't have to pay retail price? Or spend another $100 dollar to get the 60GB version instead?

I hope you do know that you are getting an emulator instead of a full blown PS2 engine which is going to play your game a lot better and won't leave you a bad taste on your mouth.

As far as the $400 bucks PS3, I have been waiting for this for the longest time and I will buy it when GT 5 comes to the market next year. I do not care about PSOne or PS2 BC; I still own both and they are still working! I do not feel sorry for the BC whiners...wait you don't even own one and now you still whine about it?

Get the picture, buddy? Shut up!

Whining? Not really. Just stating the reasons I won't buy one until a full-featured version exists at a price point I'm willing to pay. It's the same reason I don't YET own an XBox360, but do own a Wii. Price sensitivity is a reality that Sony is slowing beginning to face. Once things reach the point that I'm content with, then I'll purchase.

As for buying used? Sorry, I don't do it, and I have my reasons. As for emulated games? I'm really only concerned about the true classics, and playing them under emulation is still drastically better than not playing them at all.

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RE: So much whining

By Murst on 10/6/2007 6:26:13 PM , Rating: 2

Wait... you never owned a PS2 yet you still want to play PS2 games? A (non)buyer like you is the last thing Sony needs to be concerned about when deciding PS3 features.

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RE: So much whining

By themadmilkman on 10/6/2007 11:16:20 PM , Rating: 1

No, as a potential PS3 owner I am exactly the kind of person that Sony needs to be concerned about. I'm a price-sensitive individual who would have considered the PS3 at $400 if it had full backwards compatability because it would have offered me a next-generation system while retaining a VAST library of games.

Instead, I'm left waiting for a non-crippled system to drop into my price range.

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RE: So much whining

By michal1980 on 10/7/2007 8:20:29 AM , Rating: 1

no sony shouldn't care about you. You probably said you'd buy a ps2 at price XYZ 5 years ago, its just to expensive now. Then it dropped to XYZ, but the ps3 is coming out so you will wait to see how much that will cost.

now the ps3 is out, and you say you'll buy it when its cheaper again. but by the time it hits some magically price point in your head the ps4 will be coming out.

Sorry your a phoney cosumter that can never be pleased.

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RE: So much whining

By themadmilkman on 10/7/2007 2:14:42 PM , Rating: 2

No, I never stated that I would buy a PS2. I originally purchased a GameCube last generation, and enjoyed that until the XBox dropped low enough in price for me to pick one up. As far as I was concerned, I had the two best consoles from that generation.

But the PS3 is a helluvalot better than the PS2 was, at least from my perspective. So I want one, but I'm not going to purchase a crippled version that lacks backwards compatability. I'll simply continue to wait until the price drops to a level satisfactory to me.

And on a side note: I'm purchasing an XBox360 as a christmas present to myself. So overall price isn't the biggest concern, it is one of value.

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RE: So much whining

By BZDTemp on 10/7/07, Rating: -1

RE: So much whining

By themadmilkman on 10/7/07, Rating: 0

RE: So much whining

By Alpha4 on 10/6/2007 10:51:57 PM , Rating: 2

I'm not going to argue the value of a $400 PS3, but I will agree that the Backward Compatibility in the 60GB PS3 was definitely a strong selling point for me as well and I was looking forward to finally playing some PS2 classics. Since this is no longer an option (without bothering with Ebay) I've turned to a convenient alternative:

http://www.pcsx2.net/image.php?id=1178002370j08

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RE: So much whining

By Pezman37 on 10/7/2007 3:21:10 PM , Rating: 2

Play station 3 not a very good value? say it ain't so... It's not a very good value, Sony is trying to make it a good value.

How do they attempt to do this? They put the focus on new games, killer apps. MGS4 for example. You for one might not buy a ps3 for MGS4 ect. But there are a fair (not huge) amount of people that would. Sony is thinking, hey if I can get a gears of war or a new final fantasy out people are gonna forget about ps2 games. To a degree, I think they are right, at least to me.

Since I bought a wii I was thinking, alright awesome I can play my game cube games. I played Mario Kart once, for about an hour, with friends. I beat my sonic collection, and had my fill before the wii. I got an xbox 360, I played a few games for about 5 mins to see if they looked better, end of my backwards journey. Ps2 is a little different 'cause of the sheer number of great games. -Because- of that fact I say it's almost your own loss for not buying a ps2 in the first place, or getting rid of one, now, so far after the fact.

If you have so much trouble paying may I suggest a cheaper hobby like painting, it's only a few hundred dollars for supplies, and hundreds more for lessons. ATV's are pretty cheap too right? Maybe books, but you can't play books online with friends. Games like magic the gathering are cheap, right?

I'm in at least to a small degree who they are going after. I still have a Ps2, I don't have a Ps3, but if it was cheaper and some killer apps came out, I'd get one.

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Poor value

By George Powell on 10/6/2007 5:47:14 AM , Rating: 3

Having just looked at the price in the UK I feel that it is poor value for money.

You can have a PS3 40GB for £299 which comes with one controller only and the other hardware changes.

OR

You can have a PS3 60GB for £425 which comes with 3 games and 2 controllers. And at retail price in the UK these are worth nearly £170.

RE: Poor value

By afkrotch on 10/6/2007 6:45:07 AM , Rating: 2

Ppl don't see the value, they simply see the total amount.

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RE: Poor value

By ghost101 on 10/6/2007 11:37:27 AM , Rating: 2

Not only that. Something that isnt being reported because it doesnt affect the US market is that on the release of the 40GB console, the 60GB conaole will be discontinued and replaced by a starter pack which contains the 60GB console + 2 games for £349. This is the RRP price so expect better bundling just like we are seeing with the current £425 price.

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RE: Poor value

By ghost101 on 10/6/2007 11:40:27 AM , Rating: 2

Also, the argument you have made is wrong since you arent comparing like for like. Who says retailers cant bundle in a game and a controller for the 40GB version and keep the same price?

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RE: Poor value

By colonelclaw on 10/7/07, Rating: 0

RE: Poor value

By kyp275 on 10/7/2007 7:56:36 AM , Rating: 2

it's not exactly fair comparing the price of a system that's not even an year old against something that was released over 7 years ago, esp. when taken into account of the increasing inflation in those years. (and complain to your govt for the extra cost, Sony didn't invent the VAT).

I'd rather not get into the whole whether the PS3's feature and built quality justifies its price, that horse has been beaten down to a pile of sub-atomic particles.

However, I don't really get why you're so apprehensive about keeping the PS2 along with a PS3 'cause it looks "ropey". Personally I couldn't care less what the consoles look like.

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RE: Poor value

By BZDTemp on 10/7/2007 11:19:17 AM , Rating: 1

quote:
all you americans must look at us here and laugh - we earn less that you do and everything costs us much more

What on Earth makes you think they earn more in the US? Go do some research and stop getting your knowledge from soaps.

I don't get it!

This place is full of whiners where instead everybody should be happy there is now a cheaper way to get a PS3. Sure it still cost money but when considering what you get it is a good deal. If you find to expensive then go buy something else or save up some cash and get it in a little while - it is not like anyone is forcing you to buy the PS3.

Heck I bought the PS3 at it's European release and you don't see me bitch about how much I could have saved waiting. I piled almost $930 on the counter just for the PS3, and a further $110 for every game, but it was my choice and I have been having a great time with the PS3 so it was money well spend.

Still I don't like there big price diff. between the US and Europe but that is a different matter and actually not something that is special for Sony. Let's face it we actually make good money here in the EU so international companies take advantage of that - heck even a company like Lego (which is a Danish company with all their production located in Europe) charge more for their stuff when selling in the EU than when selling in the US.

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RE: Poor value

By afkrotch on 10/7/2007 6:54:24 PM , Rating: 2

I lived in Burwell, Cambridgeshire, England for 3 years. Guess what? You make more money than we do. At the same time, your own damn ppl screw everyone with their prices. Council tax, road tax, tv tax, value added tax, etc. It's no wonder Americans had a revolution (rebellion).

Also it's not like you need to bother putting your PS2 on display. Man has created entertainment units that have shelves with doors on them.

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RE: Poor value

By colonelclaw on 10/8/2007 1:07:56 PM , Rating: 2

i just read that the same 40gb ps3 will cost 400 bucks in the us

so that's 300 pounds in uk and 400 dollars in usa. what's wrong with this picture?

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RE: Poor value

By Murst on 10/8/2007 2:45:40 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
so that's 300 pounds in uk and 400 dollars in usa. what's wrong with this picture?

Taxes in the UK. Although a better question would be "what's right with this picture", and the answer would be few taxes in the USA.

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heh

By omnicronx on 10/6/2007 6:55:51 PM , Rating: 2

How many ps3 owners are there out there that still own and play ps2 games but dont have a ps2? And for those with just a ps3, how many ps2 games do you actually buy?

just a thought.

RE: heh

By SirLucius on 10/6/2007 8:19:08 PM , Rating: 2

I still have around 12-15 PS2 games (can't remember the exact number) and only have a PS3. I also own 6 PS3 games. I got rid of my PS2 once I picked up the 60GB PS3 with full backwards compatibility. I just recently bought Persona 3 and there are a few other PS2 releases that I plan on picking up soon. These are mostly RPG's and fighters, a few of which are older RPG's. I still actively play PS2 games, and there are several games I own that I have yet to beat. While I can't play the Guitar Hero series due to the lack of PS2 ports, once Guitar Hero 3 comes out that problem will be solved.

For me, having backwards compatibility was a must since I've been trying to downsize and consolidate my electronics setup recently. I have a limited amount of space being in college, so having multi-functional devices is a priority. Being able to play PS2 games on the PS3 saves me both space and wire clutter.

I don't know how many PS3 owners are in a situation similar to mine. In fact, I'm the only person I know that owns a PS3 (as opposed to several of my friends who own 360's). But

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RE: heh

By SirLucius on 10/6/2007 8:21:13 PM , Rating: 2

Ugh, I don't know what happened to the last sentence. It should read:

But the PS3 suits my needs perfectly right now.

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RE: heh

By afkrotch on 10/7/2007 7:12:29 PM , Rating: 2

*raises hand*

I was also living in a dorm, but I didn't bother consolidating anything. US PS2, Japanese PS2, Japanese Sega Saturn, Japanese PS3, Japanese Xbox 360, US PSP, three PCs (4 total monitors), dvd home theater, vcr, 20" TV, two mini-component stereos, and some other stuff. I could careless about wire clutter. It's all stuffed behind a piece of furniture anyways. Also saving space? Seriously, what am I going to put into the location of a PS2? A book? Both my PS2s are the old style and about the only thing that will fit in the area is like....8 dvds and an apple to sit on top of them.

Now I don't have to worry, as I live in a 2 bedroom apt.

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RE: heh

By SirLucius on 10/8/2007 12:28:46 AM , Rating: 2

I live with 3 other musician's so between multiple guitars, amps, and a drum kit, every extra bit of space we can get is key. All the next-gen systems, multiple computers, monitors, TV's, DVD players, a massive DVD collection, recording equipment, as well as other random junk all add up. We also have people over a lot so we like to keep the place nice and neat.

Hopefully we'll be able to find a loft/apartment somewhere next year with a lot more space.

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RE: heh

By afkrotch on 10/8/2007 3:32:45 AM , Rating: 2

My room was roughly about 20'x20'. With everything in my room, I had a small 6'x6' square that was open in the middle of my room. Luckily enough, I didn't have a drum kit in my room.

Back in high school I had a drum kit in my room (my dad's) and ya, that literally sucked having it wasting valuable space. Course a single PS2 not in my room wouldn't have made a big difference.

My dorm room had a computer table with my server, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. My dining table had my gaming rig, lan party box, three monitors, two keyboards and mice, my Xbox 360, and computer chair. Throughout the room I had a small entertainment center for my tv, vcr, dvd home theater, ps2s, ps3, and so on. I also had a bookshelf, drawers, computer chair, double bed, and A/C floor unit (gets hot with all those electronics). There was also a fridge, microwave, and nightstand.

I say just rent a warehouse. It's cheaper, then shower at a YMCA.

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RE: heh

By sweetsauce on 10/8/2007 6:35:58 PM , Rating: 2

You own 6 ps3 games? WOW, just wow. Probably a dumb reaction, but I was seriously taken back by that.

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RE: heh

By SirLucius on 10/8/2007 9:19:23 PM , Rating: 2

Haha, well I actually have seven (forgot The Darkness). Unlike a lot of people, I prefer the PS3 controller to the 360 controller, so games that are released on both systems I pick up on the PS3. I've found the games look and play pretty much the same on both systems, so it really just comes down to personal preference. Right now I've got 3 PS3 exclusives and 4 multi-system games.

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Comment

By Necaradan666 on 10/5/07, Rating: 0

RE: Comment

By daBKLYNdoorman on 10/5/2007 11:00:31 PM , Rating: 4

Then maybe they should get a PS2?

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RE: Comment

By fifolo on 10/5/2007 11:09:56 PM , Rating: 3

"poor ass people" worry about whether their children will have go without food again tomorrow, they don't fret about whether last year's video games will play on this year's console. This would be surreal to them.

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RE: Comment

By Necaradan666 on 10/5/2007 11:31:43 PM , Rating: 1

I guess that might be the case for some families on benefits, I was thinking more about dole bludgers who are more interested in getting their PS3 and a hit instead of whether their kids make it to school that day or not.

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RE: Comment

By FITCamaro on 10/6/2007 9:34:59 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
was thinking more about dole bludgers who are more interested in getting their PS3 and a hit instead of whether their kids make it to school that day or not.

Yes because I'm sure Sony cares about those people. As far as I'm concerned those people need to be shot.

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RE: Comment

By mdogs444 on 10/6/2007 1:06:37 PM , Rating: 1

Your are an absolute idiot.

Low income families on benefits wouldnt even buy a PS3 to begin with - much less to worry about playing PS2 games on it. In fact, if they are on benefits, they wouldn't and shouldn't even be thinking about PS2 console or games anyway.

What makes no sense to me is how you were even allowed out of the 5th grade.

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RE: Comment

By afkrotch on 10/7/2007 9:32:55 PM , Rating: 2

Someone doesn't know the world. Low income families on benefits probably would buy a game console, as the tax payers are there to supplement their income.

Use them food stamps for food and the real greenbacks for games. It happens all the time. Food stamps for fooe and the greenbacks for (insert random crap they want). I find the majority of what they want is booze.

Seriously, if I'm poor, I sure as hell am not going to be buying beer, but it always happens anyways. Go to a low income housing area and look around. There will be all kinds of useless junk around that they shouldn't have bought, but do. Course sometimes the stuff is stolen too.

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I wounder...

By Locutus465 on 10/6/2007 12:12:11 AM , Rating: 2

What affect this will have in the gemeral market... Well, Nintendo will be unaffected obviously, but as far as MS goes... Now there is a PS3 with in the price range of the x-box (upper range packages yes, but still)... On the upside for sony it has built in BR for the home theater, on the plus side for MS it doesn't even have the level of backwards compatibility that the 360 has...

I wonder perhaps if this might drive MS to integrate HD-DVD into just the Elite SKU? If they did that that *may* cool some of the hype this console will (I'm sure) get. You know, I think this is a very interesting time in the console market... For the first time since Nintendo and Sega were going at it there's real competition.

RE: I wounder...

By Murst on 10/6/2007 1:10:40 AM , Rating: 2

What would be the point of adding an HDDVD drive to the 360? It would only raise costs, and games would not be coming out on HDDVD discs anyways, as the other models wouldn't support it. Costs of shipping two different formats would probably be prohibitive.

I guess it would add value to the elite version, but I just don't think that's a game that MS wants to get in right now. MS needs to focus on beating Sony with their game library (they're already ahead, but MS needs to keep it that way) and not worry too much about the format. So far, the format choice hasn't really proven to be a huge hit for Sony anyways.

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RE: I wounder...

By afkrotch on 10/6/2007 3:36:57 AM , Rating: 2

The point of an Elite model was simply to provide additional options and it also raised the costs anyways. Now that HD-DVD and Blu-ray movies are available and even the drives a little more affordable (for early adopters), it's quite possible to create an Xbox 360 Ultimate Elite model or some crap like that.

Sure it'd raise the costs, but you wouldn't have an external HD-DVD drive. It may sound pointless to you, but there would be ppl who would purchase it. If they wanted to, they can even throw in wireless so you aren't stuck wasting a USB port for it.

Also, who said to put games onto the format? HD-DVD drives can also read regular dvds. Keep games on DVD, while simply integrating the HD-DVD into the console.

If an HD-DVD drive were integrated and also wireless, users have the potential of saving space,saving 2 USB ports, and lowering power requirements.

Blu-ray hasn't proven for storing games, but once the PS3 hit the market, Blu-ray movie sales have surpassed that of HD-DVD. By including an HD-DVD drive into the upper echelon of Xbox 360s, it's possible to put more HD-DVD enabled devices into more homes. This could, and probably would, increase sales of HD-DVD movies.

In the future, you can start including HD-DVD drives into every SKU of the console, lower the price point, and slowly start releasing games on HD-DVD.

These are just my opinions, but I think it'd be a solid roadmap for the 360.

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RE: I wounder...

By Locutus465 on 10/7/2007 6:38:50 PM , Rating: 2

Totally agreed... Additionally, while there would be no need to force a switch to HD-DVD format games (this would be a bad idea anyway since only an Elite SKU would have the support built in!) it would allow microsoft the oppertunity to update X-BOX OS to *ALLOW* for games to be released on HD-DVD if the publisher so chooses adding flexability.

While doing this might limit the potential market for these games (though not as much as the FF game for PS2 which was the only game to support the PS2 harddrive), it would still probably be worth it for some studios/titles. I'm still not convinced that HD-DVD is requried for any modern game yet, but then again Epic has already cited blueray v. dvd as one reason to release one of their titles for PS3 first and make x-box a secondary consideration... I'm not sure how legit that is, but if it is allowing games to run off of the HD-DVD drive would nullify this in the future.

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backwards

By 5c8wc4 on 10/8/2007 12:38:40 PM , Rating: 2

The real challenge will be to explain why your ps3(80gb) can run previous games and your friend(40gb) can not.

RE: backwards

By Murst on 10/8/2007 2:49:50 PM , Rating: 2

Why is it a challenge? Seems like a pretty easy explanation.

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RE: backwards

By 5c8wc4 on 10/8/2007 3:54:33 PM , Rating: 2

maybe nerd to nerd but not to a normal person. Hell i had trouble beating in to a friend why a processor can be faster then another processor at the same clockspeed.

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RE: backwards

By Murst on 10/8/2007 4:53:37 PM , Rating: 2

To a non-techie, isn't it simple enough to say that it doesn't support PS2 game playback? I don't see why a non-techie would want a detailed explanation.

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I miss the old days.

By Domicinator on 10/6/2007 10:28:41 AM , Rating: 3

Back when I used to buy consoles (before I discovered the wonders of PC gaming) every company would put out one model of their system. Sometime toward the end of a system's life they would usually shrink its size with a redesign, but that was about it. The different system options and price points you had were dependent on accessories. Maybe one system had a controller and a gun, another system had two controllers and a game, another system might have two controllers a gun and a game. But you got the same core system no matter which sku you bought.

Now Sony and MS are telling you that you have to pay different amounts for the system itself to have certain features. I'm sad that it has gone this direction even though I no longer spend my money on consoles. Since so many PS2 games are still very popular, people are going to want to still be able to play them. I know that if I had a PS3 I'd still want to be able to play the God of War games on it or my old Guitar Hero titles.

Sony is very obviously grabbing at straws here. For the last year or so with the PS3, they've basically been throwing a bunch of s$*# against the wall just to see what sticks. Eventually consumers are going to get tired of this.

RE: I miss the old days.

By Murst on 10/6/2007 6:35:32 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Now Sony and MS are telling you that you have to pay different amounts for the system itself to have certain features.

Sure, features that have absolutely nothing to do with playing the current gen games on the console. Every single game you buy for the 360 can be played on all versions of the Xbox 360, just like every single PS3 game can be played on all versions of the PS3.

Providing a system that has more features only benefits the consumer. Its great that you can buy a 360 with the hard drive, because it opens up access to other stuff like downloadable games, etc. In the same way, its great that the PS3 offers card readers on the higher end model.

The core features of each console have been provided before each console launched. They are available on each revision of the consoles, and they will not change.

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RE: I miss the old days.

By afkrotch on 10/7/2007 8:47:57 PM , Rating: 2

You mean the old consoles that could only play games and had zero backwards compatability? Ya, I'm glad we no longer live in that crappy era.

But hey, no matter what SKU you buy from Sony or Microsoft, you essentially get the same core system. Sony has a Cell processor, some type of hard drive, Nvidia graphics, blu-ray drive, and some type of network. Microsoft has an IBM processor, ATI graphics, and dvd-rom. Each and every single one of their systems has those basic parts.

Guess what also? Old consoles like the NES, SNES, N64, and pretty much anything Nintendo, has always had an upgrade port. Nintendo provided a core unit and provided the ability to add more features. They never actually did this though in the states, but did in Japan. NES had a floppy disk expansion, SNES had a satellite expansion, N64 had a zip disk type drive, Gamecube had networking,hdd, etc. Course every attempt (minus 4meg expansion pack for N64) was a complete failure.

There was also the Sega Genesis, then the Sega CD expansion to it.

Oh, these expansions were actually necessary for certain games too. Unlike what Microsoft is doing or even what Sony did with their hdd expansion on PS2.

Microsoft's solution is better than Sony's, in the fact that you can select what options you'd like to have. At the same time though, they overcharge a whole lot for those options.

In this day and age, more is always better. I'd hate to have a console that did absolutely nothing but play a game.

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this is getting complicated

By Gul Westfale on 10/5/2007 11:12:56 PM , Rating: 2

does anyone else have the feeling that maybe sony rushed the PS3 to stores and now they are trying to turn it into what they originally wanted it to be? first we get 3 different ahrdware versions and firmware updates that really just add basic functionality that should have been in there from the start, and now they remove the backwards compatibility?
and how much money will they really save by deleting 2 USB ports? 5 cents?

i still don't see the point in buying a PS3. when i can get one for 300 bucks (including WiFi) and when there are good games then maybe i'll change my mind, but until then i'm sticking with my PC.

RE: this is getting complicated

By afkrotch on 10/6/2007 2:20:08 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
does anyone else have the feeling that maybe sony rushed the PS3 to stores and now they are trying to turn it into what they originally wanted it to be? first we get 3 different ahrdware versions and firmware updates that really just add basic functionality that should have been in there from the start, and now they remove the backwards compatibility?
and how much money will they really save by deleting 2 USB ports? 5 cents?

How much will they be saving? Try millions of dollars. You really think they only create a single console? No, they ship millions of these out and saving $20 here, 5 cents there, so on and so forth adds up.

Less USB ports equates a cheaper USB controller, lesser material to have the ports, less board complexity, and so on.

Also ever firmware update that comes out adds a whole lot more than basic functionality. Remote play (updates to remote play for more features), RSS feeds, Edy (Japan), PC connectivity, upscaling, printer support, IPTV (Korea), DVR (New Zealand - yet to be released), downloaded PS1 gameplay on PS3, and god knows what else they may add.

I bought a Japanese PS3 in Jan. It had all the regular basic functionality in there, they just decided to give me a lot more features with firmware updates.

Better than Microsoft taking away my ability to download TV shows and movies (also have three Japanese Xbox 360s - 2 RROD).

quote:
i still don't see the point in buying a PS3. when i can get one for 300 bucks (including WiFi) and when there are good games then maybe i'll change my mind, but until then i'm sticking with my PC

Not exactly sure what you meant on this. Me, I enjoy games and limiting myself to one platform simply limits myself on the amount of games available.

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RE: this is getting complicated

By Gul Westfale on 10/6/2007 7:58:53 AM , Rating: 2

um, no. i don't really believe that they only make one system. they need to make at least two, maybe even three.

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Nothing Wrong With this PS3

By mmntech on 10/8/2007 10:55:04 AM , Rating: 2

I think it's a good buy, for the PS3 of course. I'm probably going to just repeat what a lot of others have said but anyway...

Lack of BC is no big deal. A lot of the more junior gamers won't remember a time there was no such thing as BC. I couldn't play SNES games in my N64. I believe that most PS3 buyers likely already own a PS2. If not, a new one is only $120 and used ones can be bought for half that. Besides, the PS3 is capable of running Linux so software emulators may appear for PS1 and PS2. The only question from there will be how well they perform.

As for the other stuff, the flash reader does make things easier if you don't have a home network but it's not necessary since all PS3 models have a built in HDD for storage. I'm not exactly sure what the USB ports are for (since I haven't spent any quality time with the console), but since the controllers are wireless, I don't think dropping two ports is an issue. The smaller drive too isn't even an issue since 40gb is probably enough for most people. 40gb can store a lot of media, especially in MP4 AAC/AVC format.

Lets stack it up. The Xbox 360 Premium originally sold at $399 but only has a 20gb HDD, a regular DVD drive, and no WiFi. The 40gb PS3 at that price has a 40gb HDD, Wifi, and Bluray. Of course the Xbox can be upgraded to all that but it costs extra. So the 40gb PS3 is not a bad deal after all.

RE: Nothing Wrong With this PS3

By Nfarce on 10/8/2007 2:28:53 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
I'm not exactly sure what the USB ports are for (since I haven't spent any quality time with the console), but since the controllers are wireless, I don't think dropping two ports is an issue.

First, the wireless controller is charged via USB. Sometimes I'll forget to charge it and have to play with it plugged in. Also, I use a USB flash drive to upload pictures, back up games, and whatnot. I also use a USB keyboard instead of a wireless one. So at any given time, I've got up to three of those things in use. That said, I could live with two USB ports if I had to. One can always buy a $20 4-port USB hub.

quote:
The smaller drive too isn't even an issue since 40gb is probably enough for most people. 40gb can store a lot of media,

True, but I've only had my 60GB version for three months (jumped on it when Amazon had a free BR movie and free BR remote control promotion on top of Sony's five free BR movies :p ) and I've already got ~15GB of movie and pic data on the thing. I've downloaded several demos and demo trailers too. So I can see within a year easily I'll be upgrading that HDD to a 120GB or more laptop drive. That reminds me, I wonder how much better (if) this thing would perform with a 7200rpm drive. The load times on some of the games, especially Motorstorm, are brutal.

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RE: Nothing Wrong With this PS3

By Murst on 10/8/2007 4:46:52 PM , Rating: 2

I've only used up like 8GB/60GB on the drive, and the only things I store on the drive are demos/trailers from the store and some game data that automatically gets installed. I also don't use it all that much, so I can see space becoming an issue for a lot of people.

Hopefully by the time I'll need to upgrade, SSDs will be at a price I'm comfortable with.

Here is a nice summary of 7200 rpm drive performance: http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2007/10/02/7200-rpm-hdd-m...

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Does it have HDMI port?

By Roy2001 on 10/8/2007 1:07:49 PM , Rating: 2

Does it have HDMI port?

RE: Does it have HDMI port?

By Nfarce on 10/8/2007 2:10:21 PM , Rating: 2

Yes.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8106658...

Interestingly nobody brought that issue up here. I don't believe the 20GB had one, but I own a 60GB and never even looked at those, so I could be wrong. Those that buy a system like this and don't have an HDMI LCD or plasma are really missing out anyway.

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RE: Does it have HDMI port?

By Murst on 10/8/2007 2:48:42 PM , Rating: 2

Initially, Sony was only going to include a HDMI port only on the 60GB version, but a couple months prior to launch, Sony announced HDMI v1.3 on all versions of the PS3. Every revision since launch has had the HDMI port standard.

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WIFI?

By Rockjock51 on 10/5/2007 9:55:44 PM , Rating: 2

Does it have WiFi?
Would think not but, does it?

RE: WIFI?

By SunAngel on 10/5/2007 10:11:17 PM , Rating: 2

yes, and bluetooth also.

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Yawn not enough

By ChipDude on 10/6/2007 12:17:27 PM , Rating: 1

Sony doesn't seem to get it. Simply reducing a HDD density and taking out PS2 hardware and cutting a few other corners and still leaving it signficantlly above the xbox360 and wii simply won't work

Few are buying it for BR as BR vs HD-DVD isn't a finished race. By end of year a 299 and less HD-DVD will be available at widely.

They need to at least match the price of the entry xbox360. Does sony understand the market and competiton? Your competion has a cheaper and equally capable graphics experience, BUT with MORE compelling games.

Your other competitor the WII blows you away on price and fun factory. Most familes are more then willing to spring for 250bucks and another 100 bucks for games the whole family will have fun. Only a few are going to spring in excessive of 500 bucks for game plus a few high frame shooter / drivers. Those that will can choose between SONY's more expensive and PSdog vs the xbox360.

Sony still doesn't get it you need to match $50 of wii price before you get people to factor in the other benfits..

All execpt the sony fanbois of course

RE: Yawn not enough

By kyp275 on 10/7/2007 8:19:33 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
Sony still doesn't get it you need to match $50 of wii price before you get people to factor in the other benfits..

a $299 PS3? you're gonna be waiting for a LONG time for that. I don't see why it has to go that low either, the x360 is selling just fine @ $349, which is $100 over the cost of Wii.

I wouldn't say few are buying it for BR either, since there are no real credible survey (that I'm aware of) that shows what people are buying their PS3 for.

quote:
Your other competitor the WII blows you away on price and fun factory. Most familes are more then willing to spring for 250bucks and another 100 bucks for games the whole family will have fun.

While there are overlaps, the Wii and PS3's target demographic are obviously very different. There are few PS3 games that are designed for "family fun" (well, there are few PS3 games period, but that's another issue alltogether), while it's the opposite on the Wii. Save for a few exceptions, most of the time I've logged on my Wii are those "family fun" games.

oh, and if you're actually planning on enjoying the "family fun" games on the Wii, it's hardly $250 for system and $100 for a couple games.
It's more like $250 + $100 + ($40 x number of extra controller) + ($20 x number of attachments needed).

so if you're planning on some 4-player fun on the Wii, you're looking at $430 for the hardwares, assuming you're getting 3 extra controllers and attachments.

What Sony really needs is good games. Games are what ultimately drives console sales, and no amount of extra features built into the system can replace that.

Parent

Additions

By crystal clear on 10/6/2007 3:25:15 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
Sony UK boss Ray Maguire elaborated in an interview that the company would be “better off” diverting the funds for backwards compatibility into either investing in new games or further reducing the PS3’s price.

For those interested on a follow up on this-

A full interview with Ray Maguire, where he discusses the new price points in detail, dismisses any comparisons with Microsoft's Xbox 360 pricing, and the problems of early adoption, can be read on GamesIndustry.biz on Monday.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=...

According to a trade media outlet in Italy, several retailers in the territory have confirmed details of the rumoured new PlayStation 3 SKU.
The new product will allegedly be released on October 10 in Italy, with a retail price of EUR 399 (GBP 276, USD 563).

Just a hint

By crystal clear on 10/6/2007 4:04:25 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
40GB will be the cheapest PS3 yet, but no PS2 backwards compatibility will be the price to pay

Just a point to add in-

I bought the PS3 purely for experimental purposes rather than gaming.

In this context,for those who like experimenting with their machines-Add in a MOD CHIP.........

I personally am very satisfied with this addition.

Great move by Sony

By Chaser on 10/6/2007 10:49:49 AM , Rating: 2

What a great way to enter the holiday season. And $399 for a Blue Ray player? Blue Ray sales are going to be red hot too!

no BC?

By solgae1784 on 10/6/2007 8:09:39 PM , Rating: 2

Remember Sony used to boast about great software support? Now they went ahead and cut off support of possibly millions of PS2 softwares available now. Given how small the PS3 game library is, and how small the library of the games that are actually any fun, I'm not sure if that was a smart move.

Reaching a $399 price point, though, is still a pretty commendable move by Sony, given how they got repeatedly fired down by their entry price point. Now just include the Dualshock 3, and include the damn HD cable! MS is doing it, so why can't Sony? Just how much would it cost additionally to include?

Do that and I may just give PS3 one more look at it. As of now, I'm happy with my XBOX 360, which is still going strong after 2 years with no hardware failure at all. The only possible gripe about it would be that it's more restrictive when it comes to hard drive upgrades.

Getting better

By psychobriggsy on 10/7/2007 12:49:44 PM , Rating: 2

This is nearly compelling... another £50 off and I'd capitulate. That, or having a decent bundle. Annoyed that it is E399 / £299, so we're paying more again, gah!

I don't care about the number of USB ports nor the lack of memory card ports (because I have those on my PC). 40GB should be enough, and that's a feature that can be upgraded manually. PS2 compatibility is an issue, I have quite a few PS2 games, and the PS2 isn't going to last much longer. Maybe it will last until the PS2's next price drop.

Wish we had the 5 Blu-Ray movies offer over here though. That would make the deal a lot sweeter.