Playstation $299 PS3 Slim unveiled, existing console price drops 'immediately'

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

Edit: Can a mod change the title to "$299 PS3 Slim unveiled, existing console price drops 'immediately'<!-- google_ad_section_end -->", copy and paste fail D;

The worst-kept secret in gaming is official: the PS3 slim is real. During its Gamescom press conference today in Germany, Sony announced the new system, which will retail for $299 US (or 299 Euros and 29,980 yen) and will hit shelves September 1, 2009.

The new design has all of the same features of the current system, including WiFi, Bluetooth and whatnot. Our guys at the show say that it looks pretty much exactly the same as the current model, only smaller. It's 34 percent lighter, draws 34 percent less power and, most importantly, comes with a 120GB hard drive.

Oh, and as a bonus, the current system is dropping to $299 as of tomorrow (so don't buy one today). The system measures 290 mm by 65 mm by 290 mm in terms of width, height and length, respectively, and includes a couple of new features. If you connect the unit to a Bravia TV via an HDMI cable, you'll be able to operate the XMB via your TV remote control. This feature is called Bravia Sync, and it also means that when you turn your TV off, the PS3 will automatically turn off as well. The PS3 also eliminated the "Install Other OS" feature that was on the previous run of PS3s.

Therefore, as all PS3 models will be sold at $299 price arguments of PS3 v. 360 are no longer valid as the 360 Pro is going to be discontinued with the X360 Elite coming down to $299 also.

 

[Rey]

WOW This is what you call a Fucking waste of money. This shit is exactly the same and besides ps3 is good as it is. Wjy the fuck did they make this shit? *is dissapointed*

 

[OnionKing]

I'll get whichever one is cheater once XIII comes out.
Better stop saving now... Better yet, better get a high-paying job first. xD

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

WOW This is what you call a Fucking waste of money. This shit is exactly the same and besides ps3 is good as it is. Wjy the fuck did they make this shit? *is dissapointed*

It depends how you look at it, as we're both PS3 owners it's alright to say it's a bit pointless, but you also have to look at that this is as good as it gets for Sony, the main reason their figures are around 8 million less that the 360 in America is because of the price but now the prices will be the same you'll see the PS3 sale figures slowly catching up. I'd put money on that come Xmas the PS3 figures will have pretty much caught up with the 360 if not passed them in Europe because of the slim and price cut.

 

[Ilyena]

It's uglier than hell but it's in my price range now.

I may just pick one up. I have a 360 but I did see a few PS3 exclusive (for now anyway) games in Game Informer that looked pretty good.

 

[AddleBoy]

I definitely getting one of these now. Now seems like the best time to get one.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

It's uglier than hell but it's in my price range now.

I may just pick one up. I have a 360 but I did see a few PS3 exclusive (for now anyway) games in Game Informer that looked pretty good.

You could always look on the bright side, the current model will be dropping down to the same price as the slim PS3 so you could choose either.

 

[Zerokku]

No BC, no sale. Cmon sony. You don't have nearly enough exclusives I'm interested in to warrant me purchasing a second HD system without BC.

 

[Ilyena]

You could always look on the bright side, the current model will be dropping down to the same price as the slim PS3 so you could choose either.

Then I will probably get the large one since it looks better.

No BC, no sale. Cmon sony. You don't have nearly enough exclusives I'm interested in to warrant me purchasing a second HD system without BC.

I really don't see no backwards compatibility as a huge problem. Yes, it's convenient but I still have both my PS2s and my PSX so I'm not all that bothered. It's really just a matter of plugging in another console.

 

[Dionysos]

My god that is ugly.

I'm glad I have the one I have, although I envy the 120 GB.



But I agree, it might spell good things for PS3 in the future with the price drop.

 

[Zerokku]

I really don't see no backwards compatibility as a huge problem. Yes, it's convenient but I still have both my PS2s and my PSX so I'm not all that bothered. It's really just a matter of plugging in another console.

Having less systems clogging up the entertainment area is always a plus, no worry about memory cards or cords, rechargable wireless controller ect. But with a 95% overlap between games on the consoles, I need a bit more to sell me on it.

 

[Fusionist]

Why are people calling the system design ugly? It looks pretty nice to me >_>

I do wish I could get a backward capable model of the PS3, but it's no longer in production, and I don't want to pay extra to some random retailer on ebay or whatever.

But yeah, a price drop in this system is definitely a good thing. I'll probably buy one before the end of the year now; hopefully I can get an extra deal on boxing day ^^

 

[Dionysos]

Why are people calling the system design ugly? It looks pretty nice to me >_>

It would probably look better to me if it was smooth like the normal PS3 is instead of having a rough surface.

I dunno, I just don't like those surfaces on things like consoles. Looks too bricky and like an old 90's computer or console. Just like the Xbox 360 looks to me (it remind me of those old chunky printers schools used to own).

I love the appearance of the original PS3, despite its size, and I think its smoothness did it for me. It looked fresh and futuristic.

Not a fan of the texture they used on this design. If they'd have kept it smooth it might have looked nicer to me.

 

[Sir Kenneth]

Goodness, they managed to make it look even more like a press toaster than the original PS3! One should have thought that they'd atleast try and improve the design a little when they were making the revision anyway

 

[SaShman]

Well I have no reason to get one. I already have a (backwards compatible) PS3 which I am quite happy with. I think that they should have made the slim one backwards compatible but what can you do. As for the design, I don't think it looks that bad, I agree that the rough surface is bad. But at the end of the day I don't buy my consoles based on looks anyway, so go figure..

 

[Sir Kenneth]

The rough surface is actually the one thing I do really like about it. The shiny surface of the original PS3 gets covered in greasy fingerprints as fast as you can clean it, and it looks horrible to be honest. Rough surfaces all the way.

 

[GanjaKat]

Wow, what a frikin' ugly machine.. Thats it probably the worst console design i have seen since the 80's xD

 

[Zerokku]

From Sony press release -

Sony is hoping that the the newly-announced slim PlayStation 3, launching in the U.S. on September 1 for $299, will be "a game-changing" moment for PlayStation, John Koller, Sony Computer Entertainment of America director of hardware marketing, told Kotaku today. "We think it's the sign of a substantial market increase in the sales base of PlayStation 3."

Going farewell are the bulkier PS3s. Which have carried Sony so far only into third place of the three-way console race this generation. Those heftier PS3s aren't being manufactured any more, Koller said. Sony expects the 80GB PS3 to be out of the sales channel in September. The 160GB supply may last a little longer, Koller said.
Koller identified three key tech changes in the new slim: the system's Cell processor has decreased from 65 nanometers to 45. A new cooling system is in place. And there's a new power draw. The result is something that Koller said is more cost-efficient for Sony to produce. He would not say whether Sony is making money or losing money selling the new unit. Often, console manufacturers lose money on gaming hardware, with the intent of recouping revenue through software sales.

The Slim has no on-off switch on the back, using only the standby functionality on the front of the unit.

The launch units will not include Sony's 3.0 firmware, though that will be added to later units.

Koller said that Sony is not considering adding backwards compatibility support to the PS3, a feature stripped from the line a while ago but sometimes requested by some fans. "Backwards compatibility is off the table," he said.

 

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

I can't see them stopping the production of the older models anytime soon regardless of what he says, otherwise they wouldn't have dropped the prices on them. As for BC, mine has it but I've never used it, it's a completely pointless feature imo. I don't buy a £400 (at the time) next gen console to play PS1 games, most of the decent ones will end up being shifted to the PSN store anyway.

And I'm presuming the v3.00 firmware will be available when the slim PS3s come out, even if they don't automatically have it installed.

 

[Zerokku]

Dropping the prices on them is to help clear stock.