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Gadgets Report: Sony's PS3 to Get 80GB HDD
Brandon Hill (Blog) - March 29, 2007 1:54 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 74 comment(s) - last by Spivonious.. on Apr 2 at 1:12 PM
Sony files paperwork with the FCC for an 80GB PS3

With the announcement of Microsoft's 120GB Xbox 360 Elite, the $479 console doubles the storage capacity of Sony's range topping 60GB PlayStation 3. According to paperwork filed with the FCC earlier this month (PDF), Sony will introduce an 80GB PS3 for users looking for a smidge more disk space.

Although the FCC cover letter doesn't go into detail, it's plausible that the 80GB PS3 model would replace the existing $599 60GB PS3. For all the flak that Sony has gotten over pricing with the PS3, it seems unlikely that the company would introduce an even higher priced SKU to differentiate between the 60GB and 80GB models.

The 80GB revelation comes a day after a SCEA’s Peter Dille downplayed the introduction of the Xbox 360 Elite.  “Microsoft is trying to catch up to us at this point. Beyond the benefits of HDMI and a hard drive offered on every PS3 we make, we also provide game developers and consumers the huge capacity of Blu-ray disc, Wi-Fi, free online gameplay, wireless motion sensing controller and the power of Cell,” said Dille. “Our strategy has always been to offer all our consumers a future-proof experience when they first purchase any PS3, rather than continually asking users to upgrade with expensive new add-ons and entire new SKUs.”

Although the 80GB HDD may be a welcome addition for gamers looking to buy a PS3 in the future, Sony has already made provisions within the console to allow users to easily upgrade their drives. Whereas Microsoft forces users to buy a proprietary hard drive to upgrade the storage on their Xbox 360s, Sony allows owners to upgrade their 2.5” HDD at any time without restrictions or any fear of voiding the console’s warranty.

For its part in the recent reveal of the FCC documentation, a Sony spokesperson had this to say, "As mentioned when we made the product announcement for PS3, the system will have different configurations (thus, 60GB HDD with memory card slots and Wi-Fi and 20GB HDD without memory card slots or Wi-Fi both exist). Application to the FCC has been made with various possibilities in mind, however, it does not lead to a new product announcement at this time."

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Sony?
By scrapsma54 on 3/29/2007 2:30:28 PM , Rating: 2
Didn't sony say something about Microsoft trying to catch up to them? Anyway, I think 120GB is more than enough to supply a decent supply of demos and trailers for 360.




RE: Sony?
By Snuffalufagus on 3/29/2007 2:45:29 PM , Rating: 2
Yep, and the funny thing is this doesn't even 'catch Sony up with MS' as far as an off the shelf unit goes, they're short 40 GBs. I think they had to keep it smaller so they didn't have to jack up the already highest console price out there.


RE: Sony?
By Goty on 3/29/2007 3:50:35 PM , Rating: 1
They may be "short" 40GBs, but let's see here:

Microsoft:
120GB HDD add-on - $180
360 Elite - $480 (i.e. an $80 premium on a NEW for nothing more than HDD space)

Sony:
120GB 2.5" HDD from Newegg - $77.99
80GB PS3 - $599 (i.e. absolutely no price premium for added storage)

Well, darn, looks like I can get 240GB of storage space on my PS3 for less than what MS is charging for 120GB if I already have a PS3. Also, if I'm looking to buy a new console, I'm not getting duped into buying a console with no added functionality for a higher price.

Sure, you may say you can store more on that 120GB HDD than the 20GB, but since your games will never utilize the HDD (since programmers must assume that the end user might have a core system), what are you going to put on it? Movies? Trailers? I thought that the 360 was a gaming machine first and foremost? Isn't all of this media player functionality merely an afterthought to the gaming capabilities of the machine?

You might also try and say that HDMI adds functionality to the machine, but... wait..., wasn't it before the release of the Elite that everyone was saying component out was just fine for HD and nobody really needed HDMI?


RE: Sony?
By Scorpion on 3/29/2007 5:15:28 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I thought that the 360 was a gaming machine first and foremost? Isn't all of this media player functionality merely an afterthought to the gaming capabilities of the machine?


I'm not sure I understand the source, or point of this statement. I would like to remind you however that the original Xbox modding and homebrew scene is arguably the biggest reason that every one of these "next gen" consoles includes this functionality. So no I would not call it an afterthought. It was a direct influence of the hobbyist market around the original XBox.


RE: Sony?
By jtyson on 3/30/2007 4:18:52 PM , Rating: 2
Wasn't it Microsoft who stated, on SO many occasions, that the Xbox 360 didn't need a bigger hard drive? (...Um, yeah. What's your point?...)

And wasn't it Microsoft that claimed there was no need for an HDMI port to achieve true HD visuals? (...Well, yeah, I guess so...)

And wasn't it Microsoft that opted for the blatantly metrosexual combination of off-white and lime-green for there original console? (...What's wrong with lime-green? I love that color! So does my boyfriend...)

What's the word I'm looking for here?... It's like... y'know, when you criticize your competitors for doing something a certain way, then later on you do the exact same thing you were criticizing your competitors for doing, because you're afraid of your competitor's success?... It's not hypocrisy...
(...OH! You mean BACK-PEDDLING! )

Exactly. So who's really playing catch-up here?


RE: Sony?
By Eurasianman on 3/29/07, Rating: 0
RE: Sony?
By Zandros on 3/29/2007 3:17:15 PM , Rating: 5
So, how does the Wii with DVD playback and the beta of the Opera browser fit with your logic here?


RE: Sony?
By Spivonious on 3/29/2007 3:37:34 PM , Rating: 2
The DVD playback Wii is only confirmed in the Japanese market. The Opera browser was and is a free download. Hence, no "optional" purchases needed for the complete Wii experience. It's complete out of the box.


RE: Sony?
By Zandros on 3/29/2007 4:05:19 PM , Rating: 2
The Opera browser will apparently cost money for everyone who downloads it after June, the Wii will be extended with GameSpy* (doesn't seems to cost anything though), and Nintendo is positive to hardware revisions**.

The fact that the DVD-Wii only will be available in Japan doesn't change anything, except that the rest of the world won't even be able to get a "complete" experience.

Virtual console can't be used without additional accessories as far as I've gathered either. Granted, it is a controller extension, but still.

It seems to me that the Wii certainly isn't complete out of the box. Why else the need to add anything other than games?

* http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6460
** http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6203


RE: Sony?
By giantpandaman2 on 3/30/2007 1:59:19 AM , Rating: 2
I agree with you that a Wii certainly isn't complete, but just to clear up some stuff.

A)Some Virtual Console games can be played with the standard Wiimote. (Any of the NES ones)

B)A $20 Gamecube controller allows you to play GCube, VC, as well as some Wii games. (I really don't understand peoples fascination with the Classic controller. Just buy a damn Wavebird!)

C)Opera will cost money if the downloaded later. But, hey, it's software, what system doesn't make you pay for software?

D)Who cares about DVD on the Wii anyway? Why does anyone ever bring this up?

E)But you do have to buy a stupid-but cheap-gamecube memory card to get anywhere on gamecube games.

To go with your point, though, I don't think the Wii is truly complete until you have at least two wiimotes and two nunchucks. I've spent a decent amount of money extracting the party functionality out of my Wii. But this isn't to say that's it's any worse than other consoles. I still think it comes more "complete" than either the PS3 or the 360. No worries about hard drives; one SD card and you're set. Wireless is more ubiquitous than wired home networks. Non-proprietary bluetooth. Of course, that's easier when you're built to be purely a game system rather than a "convergence" device.


RE: Sony?
By slacker57 on 3/30/2007 1:43:22 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
B)A $20 Gamecube controller allows you to play GCube, VC, as well as some Wii games. (I really don't understand peoples fascination with the Classic controller. Just buy a damn Wavebird!)


The fact that you can't reconfigure the buttons is very annoying. Trying to play Super Mario World, for example, is extremely cumbersome because of the placement of the X and Y buttons on a GC controller.

But more to the point, I think the Original Wii Poster (OWP) was saying the Wii was complete at launch not complete out of the box. Even though DVD-capable versions, etc. proves him wrong, having to buy extra controllers and memory cards and downloading software does not.


RE: Sony?
By Zandros on 3/30/2007 2:28:39 PM , Rating: 2
I think the software is important, but I acknowledge that others might think different. For example, I wouldn't consider the PS3 experience complete without the PS Home or whatever it is called, but others might.

In any case, neither the PS3 nor the Xbox360 has had any addons required to play certain games as far as I'm aware. The only consoles which did is the N64 (ram) and the Sega MegaDrive 2 with its optical unit (I think).


RE: Sony?
By cochy on 3/29/2007 3:21:39 PM , Rating: 1
Except when they had to issue a massive recall on just about every controller/whrist band they manufactured.


RE: Sony?
By Spivonious on 3/29/2007 3:35:47 PM , Rating: 2
They never had a recall. If your strap breaks, they send you a new one. For the record, I have four remotes, and have not had a strap break.


RE: Sony?
By cochy on 3/29/2007 3:46:31 PM , Rating: 1
You're right, according to some checking Nintendo denied they ever issued a recall. I just remember walking into Best Buy asking why they didn't have any controllers in stock ever and they told me they had to ship them all back to Nintendo.


RE: Sony?
By BMFPitt on 3/29/2007 4:08:34 PM , Rating: 2
I've seen controllers in stock 3 times since the release of the Wii. That includes 6 weeks of stopping into BB, CC, and Target every day at lunch until I finally got mine. I'm pretty sure current shortages have nothing to do with wrist straps, which shouldn't even be needed if you posses any common sense.


RE: Sony?
By darkpaw on 3/29/2007 3:23:20 PM , Rating: 3
I definately support the Wii, but Nintendo practically invented console/hand held midcycle updates.

Not saying thats a bad thing either. Every update has been significantly better then the original. I actually wish my DS was a Lite instead of the grey brick type.


RE: Sony?
By scrapsma54 on 3/29/2007 4:41:06 PM , Rating: 2
I think it is quite ripe to say that current console devs are having a hard time connecting with the right majority of people, so they have to keep adding more technologies even after presenting a final product.


RE: Sony?
By jconan on 3/31/2007 2:37:23 AM , Rating: 2
same with Apple for iPods?


Yay
By Url on 3/29/2007 2:24:27 PM , Rating: 5
i like the fact that sony keeps on trying to outdo microsoft. its very entertaining....