Because Sony didn't announce a price cut at E3 this year, everyone continues to speculate. However, one must also factor in the Slim rumors we've had since earlier in the year, and that's because new evidence has come to light…
A "reliable source" told Ars Technica that Sony would not only drop the price of the PlayStation 3 this fall, they would also introduce the new Slim PS3, complete with a big 120GB hard drive. The source did not provide any information concerning exact release dates or cost, but we've heard recent news that Sony may be trying to flood retailers with the 160GB PS3 SKU, while at the same time attempting to limit the stock of the 80GB machine. The Ars Technica source says that in fact, many retailers only have about two months worth left in stock. To combat this, it appears that Microsoft will offer several Xbox 360 bundles to entice consumers, and they may also make their 120GB Elite machine their default console (as they phase out the 60GB Pro). This could accompany a price cut down to $299 for the Elite, which may fall right in line with the similar PS3 slim. Same hard drive size, same price… Of course, Sony and Microsoft would only respond with their expected, "we don't comment on rumor and speculation" replies, so we'll have to wait to see if the source in question is correct. Such moles have been right before, ya know.
Perhaps if this does happen and the competition is on a level playing field (from a retail point of view), everyone can finally stop talking about price and value. After this, all we'd have to do is compare games and features, right? …looking forward to it.
Hope it comes with the new b/c Cell chip.
There is no b/c Cell chip. The patent is a software patent and covers emulating the Emotion Engine through software using a Cell BE processor (the CPU in the PS3). Software based backwards compatibility if and when it arrives will work on all PS3 models and will not require any additional hardware.
@TheHighlander
But didn't they already use software emulation in the 80 GIG MGS Bundle? Please explain the difference.
The 80GB uses software emulation of the Emotion Engine, and partial software emulation for the GS. There is a custom chip in the 80GB units that provides the majority of the GS functionality, and the GS software emulation is more of an interface between the emulated EE and the GS 'helper' chip.
They wouldn't leave the non-b/c 80GB in the cold,its gonna be like what Highlander is saying.
Big props for that f*cking awesome avatar and cool username
MGS psp is gonna rock!
Oh and I wish they go back to how it was with the 60GB….
I want the Emotion Engine in there….
Did it also have ps1's chip? If it does than that's amazing! I play ps1 games on it, just not sure if it emulates the games like you guys ssay, or if it has the original ps1 chip.
PS1 emulation is done through software.
Both PS3 and PSP include software emulation for the PS1. The hardware in both is fast enough to provide very accurate and fast emulation of the much older PS1 hardware and so games run very well.
to add more fuel to the fire check this out
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/06/30/ps3-slim-to-ship-next-month/
Oh ok, thanks for the info
Thankfully I have a 60GB version.
I just read that the 120 GIG PS3 Slim Shady is going into production in July and will be ready to ship in August. Foxconn and Pegatron are going to build them.
www(dot)engadget(dot)com/2009/06/30/sony-placing-ps3-slim-manufacturing-orders-for-delivery-in-july/
@TheHighlander
Can you give us some back ground about you, because all of your post make it sound like you are an engineer or programmer? I find all of your post very informative.
PS – I didn't give you the thumbs down.
Last edited by psxmax on 6/30/2009 4:07:26 PM
LOL! Me? An Engineer?
No, alas I'm not an engineer, or a game designer/programmer. I spend my days rotting in a corporate cube like millions of other people.
I'll tell you this much about me. I'm degree educated, I did Computer Science degree (full honors) back when it was still a science. I'm also a hardware geek and have studied high performance architectures through university and beyond – an American might call it my 'major' at university.
I don't think I could ever be a game developer, I don't have the right mind-set for that kind of programming work. As for systems engineer or architect, there are times when I wish I had taken that path. However, it's too late now, and I have to be content with where I am.
I think that because of constantly changing idealogies about the nature of work and the conditions that employees should be granted, the reality of corporate america will soon begin to slowly fade. Take a look at the head quarters of google in Australia. People have dubbed it a "child care centre for adults". While many work places wont traverse along this extremity, I do believe most will adopt something similar (in the distant future).
I could never spend my life sitting in some huge building behind a computer. I hope to become a pure mathematcian, lecturing, researching and travelling the world to share my research.
They probably didnt mention anything about a price drop at E3 because they didnt want people holding off buying one til the price drop happened.
And if the rumours are true about GT5 being released this christams, along with a price drop, PS3s will be flying off the shelves.
But with a 360 price drop also looming people will still be complaining that the PS3 is too expensive.
Those people who complain now will never stop even if the ps3 was free. They worship at the alter of M$ and will regurgitate the same talking points as long as their master and Aaron "the toad" Greenburg tells them too. Who cares. Let them whine like the little narcisists that they are.
That's great if true, but I've already decided not to let myself get excited until something is officially announced.
Imagine a $199 PS3! Wow!!! I mean that would simply kill the competition but I guess PS3 will reach $199 after 2 price cuts at least. Although, a price drop doesn't really mean anything to me but it'd be gr8 to see a $299 PS3 and to see Sony expand even further.
IF they go to $299 this year, they may drop to $249 the year after, but I think that will be the last price movement for a long time. I don't think you'll see a $199 PS3 until 2013/2014. Of course inflation may spike and we may never see a $199 PS3, who knows, it's such a long ways off still.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 6/30/2009 11:10:54 AM
Inflation. The Feds doing their part to destroy America.
I work for the FEDS.
Can we have our money back?
If everything goes down as suggested buyers will have a choice of;
a 120GB PS3 with BluRay (BD, DVD, and CD playback), wireless controllers, wireless networking, PS1 compatibility and web browsing built in
vs
a 120GB Xbxo360 Elite with a 120GB HDD, standard DVD player (DVD and CD playback), and wireless controllers.
All for $299…which is a better deal? Honestly, which is a better deal right now at the $399 price mark? Come on, we all know the answer, and so do Xbox 360 fans.
The EIite should have been $399. It's a scam. When I was trying to decide which console to get 1st I gladly went with the 60gb PS3 over the 360. Then decided to get the xbox in 2008. Big mistake! Went through 3 xbox's in 2008 Alone before I gave up, sold all my games and tossed the 360 in the trash. PS3 was still running strong until this week. Turned out the blue Ray drive is dead. Thanks highlander for your advice. Sony is sending me a box. When this slim comes out the 60giger is going in the bedroom.
Good list, but you should have included for PS3; "Rechargeable Controllers". This is very important to me and possibly many others.
To get a rechargeable setup on 360, you are looking to spend an extra $30-40. If not, you'll be buying a lot of AA batteries unless you hardly ever play your 360 (like me).
Here's a question to ponder:
If the PS3 Slim rumors never surfaced, would Microsoft be prepping a counter price-strategy? I do firmly believe that all these leaks about price cuts and such only hurt Sony in the long run.
Last thing you ever want as a competitive company, is to have details leaked about an upcoming product or service to your competitor prior to being ready for the consumer market.
Last edited by Nynja on 6/30/2009 11:45:17 AM
Maybe I should call my spy drones off.
I wouldn't be suprised if M$ was the one leaking the info whether it's accurate or not. Especially the price drop rumors. It only benefits M$ for the public to keep puttng off buying a ps3 in hopes of a price drop. The longer people hold out on a ps3 the better the chance of them growing impatient and flocking to Microsluts.
Sony confirmation at Tokyo Game Show?
sounds likely
This I can look forward too, even if it is just rumor and speculation.
Hope is reliable…
Pressure on Sony from guys like Kotick & co could force Sony to release the PS3 Slim prematurely.
SONY:
"Oh yea our fellow rivals MS didn't pay the price for releasing a faulty console, they're ahead of us now, isn't it logical to do the same….We wasted time trying to get a reliable system out and we paid the price.
Our loyal fans are the early adopters who bought it at $600, lets release this sub-par slim for the anti-loyalists who probably opted for the 360 and forced Square,ActiVison & co to back-stab us."
Hope Sony aren't talking like this…
Last edited by www on 6/30/2009 12:08:22 PM
It doesn't need a redesign
agreed, but a redesign cuts costs, thus allowing 4 a price drop…
its all tactics… and this one (if true) is clever in the fact that they lose less money, and sell more units…
remember, as is, the 360 is only 6 million units ahead… a price drop will further level off the playing field… coupled with the yearly growth of an avg 10 mil consoles/year for ps3, and a 7.5 mil consoles/year growth for 360… it would take less than 3 years for the ps3 to gain a lead on the 360 (granted that consumer patterns continue as is)
Breaking news rumor on ps3 slim on the forum
Ben I hope you do not mind another item and I include it since it dovetails with the present story.
http://www.gametab.com/news/3034328/
Another possibly "frustrating" leak for Sony, word comes from our buddies at Joystiq Japan and Engadget Chinese that two Taiwanese manufacturing companies have been awarded contracts to build Sony's new streamlined PS3, affectionately known as the PS3 Slim. According to UDN.com, half of the orders have gone to Taiwanese group Foxconn, while the other half has gone to Pegatron. The units are expected to start shipping in early July "to cope with expected summer vacation demands."
The news has a ring of truth to it, given that the two firms have manufactured the original PS3. The timing also makes sense, as Japan actually buys most of its game consoles during the summer vacation period (as opposed to the winter holidays in the west). Still, all of this info comes from anonymous sources, so take it with a very hearty helping of salt.
Assuming the news is true, it would mesh well with the PS3 Slim rumors we've heard so far, most notably that Ars Technica expected the units to hit the market in August or September. Add this to the string of rumors and leaks — even some purported images of the unit itself — and the PS3 Slim looks like it could be hitting the ground sooner rather than later.
I wonder what's gonna happen when the two systems are dead-even in sales? Will people shut up or will the flaming get worse?
At any rate, some fanboys are going to have to get a PS3 to play the best upcoming games. The blind MS defenders will just hug their broken 360s and rock back and forth mumbling "Gears…Halo…Gears…Halo…"
Lol!
Hehehehe so true!
Why didn't sony release the 160gb playstation 3 as the "elite" model along with the 80gb playstation 3 as the pro model? Like they did before with the 60gb and 20gb models.
Sorry to go off topic…my ps3 keep getting hot n blowing hot air out tha back of it…n tha fan is getting really noisy..what can i do to sort it out??….and if i send my ps3 to sony what appens 2 my hard drive..Trophys n that?? get back to me soon as please!!!!
Make sure your vents are clean and dust free. Use s small vacuum on low to clean the dust. If you have to send it to Sony you will have to back up your data on a external hard drive or SD memory card. To save your Trophies go to them on the xmb menu, press triangle and select Sync Trophies with server. Before sending it back you will need to do a Full reformat or else personal info will be at risk. If you need more help email me. My blue Ray drive just died. I'm sending my ps3 back this week.
[email protected]
Last edited by Jawknee on 6/30/2009 2:21:52 PM
@DGo8
What Jawknee said.
Just wanted to add this WARNING,
If you format, make sure you format it to FAT32 format, cause that's the only format that the PS3 will read.
BTW, here's a good YouTube video about upgrading the hard drive, & and has some info on backing up your stuff too.
How to upgrade a PS3 with a bigger drive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNSytaL9hnI
Now thats a seller!
Although hard disk space aint that dear so they could have made the slim ps3's HDD bigger just to win over even more potential 360 buyers.
man..
I just wanted to buy one (350 euros, 80 gig, UK)
but hearing about a price cut and slim model with 120 gig i think i should wait
You could be waiting for anything up to 6 months, perhaps longer.
It's like anything in tech, there's always a newer system or a lower price within a couple of months no matter what you buy or when. Just go buy your system and start enjoying it.
Yeah how can you wait that long? 120gb is nothing. If you use it for a media center, you'll probably want to upgrade to a 320+gb hdd.
I can't wait for the PS3 Slim. I want a PS3 for my bedroom but now after reading this, I'll wait till the slim comes out and then upgrade. As long as its not more then $399 for the PS3 slim.
I paid $700 for my launch 60gb, but it's been well worth it.
Cheers Jawknee tha vents seem pretty clean but i'll hoover it out and let you kno what happens 🙂
and i'l e-mail you if i need any more advice…like wise to you or anyone else… [email protected]
Word
In a perfect world Sony would sell a PS3 without a hard drive so I can simply buy another one cheaper and swap in a 500gig HD.