Sony PS3 Slim: The new PlayStation game console from Sony
Sony PS3 Slim, the new PlayStation game console from Sony has been announced. The new Sony PS3 Slim will phase out the existing models of PlayStation, Sony said. The new Sony PS3 Slim comes at a lower price: $299 in North America and 299 euros in Europe. Sony announced the launch of the new gaming console PS3 Slim at a gaming conference in Germany. The company believes that the launch of the new PS3 Slim will be a game-changing moment for Sony.
Photo: Sony PS3 Slim
See photos of the new 120 GB PS3 Slim elsewhere in this story. Along with the new launch, Sony has also tweaked its logo – from PLAYSTATION 3 to PlayStation 3. The new Sony PS3 Slim looks much better than the current models of
PlayStation. The new slimmer models is cheaper than the current models too. The PS Slim will have a hard disk drive of 120 GB, which is in between the existing PlayStation models, which have 80 GB and 160 GB size. The new Sony game console also has a Blu-Ray player.
The Sony PS3 Slim looks cleaner and more casual (see pictures) than the existing PlayStation models. It comes in black color with a matte finish. Unlike the previous PlayStation models which could “stand up” or “lay flat”, the Sony PS3 Slim is a horizontal model, which has to be placed flat. Of course, Sony will sell you a stand to keep it upright if you want, but then be ready to shell out another $30 for it.
Along with the new Sony PS3 Slim, Sony also announced a change in the firmware of the game sole to Firmware 3.0. The Sony PS3 Slim will weigh less – 36% lighter – and look smaller by 32%. Sony also said that the Sony PS3 Slim will have less power consumption: The unit is expected to draw 35% less power.
The new PS3 Slim, like the earlier versions, also come with WiFi connectivity and 2 USB ports. But sadly, there’s no backward compatibility for earlier PS2 games.
Sony has radically changed the internal architecture of the PlayStation. This means the hard disk is placed towards the front side, and it can be pulled out easily by loosening two screws in the front. The components from power supply to the fan to the processor – everything is more tightly packed. The less power consumption means that the internal fan has to work less – which means less noise too.
Sony hopes that the new Sony PS3 Slim – with its better price, new design and better specs – will help it regain its market share. In the game console market, domestic rival Nintendo leads the race with 52 million game consoles sold, followed by Microsoft with 32 million units of Xbox Live. Sony has sold about 20 million units of the PlayStation so far.
Price-wise too, Sony has not been able to match its rivals. While Nintendo sells at a price of $200, Xbox sells at $250 and PlayStation at $300. The game console has taken the heat of the global economic slowdown. Even market leader Nintendo which sells the popular Wii game consoles has seen falling sales, and Sony’s unit which makes the PlayStation has seen a huge loss.
Along with the launch of the Sony PS3 Slim, the company also announced a cut in the price of the previous models of PlayStation: The 80GB model will now come at a price of $299 ($100 less) and the 160 GB model will come a price of $399 (again $100 less). Still, its doubtful who will buy the 80 GB model for $299, when they can get a newer model for $120 GB.
Sony has set September 1 as the launch release date of the new PS3 Slim. The PS3 Slim is already available for pre-order at several online retailers like Kmart, Sears and Amazon. The launch of the new PlayStation has been a highly-anticipated one.
In the last one year, there have been leaks, spy photos and rumours galore about the upcoming PlayStation. Even the name PS3 Slim has been out in the media for some time now.
Like many other consumer electronics majors, Sony too has been struggling in a bad market. Just yesterday, Sony decided to delay the commercial launch of its OLED TVs. The company hopes to return to decent market share with the lower priced PS3 Slim, with more features. This may also prompt rivals Nintendo and Microsoft to lower the price of their own game consoles Wii and Xbox.