ps3 slim

Leaner, less power-hungry PS3 debuts in Japan

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan today revealed a lighter, more power-efficient PlayStation 3 set for release later this month. The updated 320GB PS3 console, CECH-3000B (34,980 yen, $436), features several improvements over its predecessor CECH-2500B.

Sony has tweaked the refreshed version of the PS3 to be a little more "green;" power consumption is now rated at 200W, which is a 30W reduction from the previous model. For reference, previous configurations of the PS3 slim used up to 80W at peak load and 67W when idle.

Nearly a pound has been shed in this hardware revision, as the CECH-3000B is 5.7 pounds compared to the 6.6 pound CECH-2500B. Some minor visual changes have also been made to the power and eject buttons, according to Joystiq. All of the standard included accessories remain the same in this new package, which includes a Dualshock 3 controller, USB cable, AV cable, and power cord. Height, width, and depth are unchanged. … Read more

The case of the missing Xbox 360 Blu-ray player

When Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox 360 at E3 on Monday, not many people were expecting the company to include a Blu-ray player, and we didn't get it. However, when you look at the specs and $299 pricing for both consoles, the most obvious omission--and the thing that seems to separate the two systems--is that Blu-ray player.

Yes, you can nitpick about things like the PS3's free online play vs. the Xbox 360's $50 yearly fee for Xbox Live Gold (360 fans like to say you get what you pay for) and which industrial design is superior (… Read more

PS3 Slim laptop, this time in blue!

A while back, we told you about modder Ben Heckendorn's unique PS3 Slim-turned-laptop. Well, now Heck is back with a bruising twist on that creation: a black-and-blue version.

The laptop has a 17-inch, wide-screen 720p HDMI display; built-in stereo speakers and a headphone jack; USB connectors; lots of air vents; and "stylish pin striping to make games run at blast processing." Granted, you'll probably need to sell your level 80 World of Warcraft characters if you want the master modder to build you one of these, so you might just consider taking a look at the … Read more

Hori's PS3 Slim dock adds LCD display

Designed to piggyback off a Sony PS3 Slim, the Hori HP3-87 dock provides a compact 11.6-inch LCD screen for playing games and watching movies. The LED-lit panel has a 1,366x768-pixel resolution complemented by built-in stereo speakers, as well as multi-AV and component-video inputs to hook up the console. As a bonus, this dock is compatible with Sony's DVR and digital TV tuner box, dubbed Torne. At the moment, Hori is releasing the HP3-87 only in Japan from May 27 for $280. We'll let you know when and if we hear of a broader release.

While this … Read more

Nyko rolls out PS3 Slim accessories

Sure, we really like the PS3 Slim's brand new-sleek design, but unfortunately some pre-existing PS3 accessories don't play nicely with the console's updated form factor. To fix this, Nyko has revamped most of the company's PS3 accessory lineup for the Slim and improved on the Media Hub in the process.

The Media Hub Slim doubles the system's amount of USB ports to four and adds an SD card reader slot as well. The unit fits snugly under the front left lip of the console and plugs into both of the Slim's existing USB ports. … Read more

PS3: No longer the next-gen console punching bag

Is Sony's PlayStation 3 at long last ready to stop being its rivals' punching bag?

With its first-place finish in September in number of units sold, Sony finally has a tangible response to persistent criticism that its PS3 can't keep up with its next-generation video game console competitors, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii.

For the month, according to video game analysts at the NPD Group, Sony sold 491,800 PS3s in the United States, while Nintendo moved 462,800 Wiis and consumers bought 352,600 of Microsoft's Xbox 360s. It was the first time … Read more

PS3 mod makes for unique laptop

The original PlayStation 3 was one huge machine, and modding it into a laptop was probably unsuitable. But when the smaller PS3 Slim came about, modder extraordinaire Ben Heckendorn decided this was the right time to change his gaming console into a portable.

Granted you'll probably need a large backpack to transport the unit, and it does not sport a battery pack. Nonetheless, it's impressive how he managed to integrate an HD-ready 17-inch display into the gaming console. Heck claims he could have made it smaller but wanted to keep the screen size usable. Check out a video … Read more

Japan gets 250GB PS3 Slim

As expected, Sony has finally unveiled a 250GB version of the new PS3 Slim, though for now it will appear in Japan only.

The upsized console, shown off at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show, will be offered as the Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Edition for 41,600 yen ($459) due in mid-December. Besides doubling the storage capacity, this model will be available in white and features a Final Fantasy character printed on the console's chassis. A copy of Final Fantasy XIII is bundled in the package, too. We'll have to wait to see whether this kit will subsequently … Read more

Get a custom PS3 Slim in fruity colors

Interested in giving your PS3 Slim a fresh coat of paint? How about a unit in fruity hues? ColorWare is offering the sleek Sony console in 46 solid, metallic, and pearl tones, as well as different color combinations--right down to the DualShock 3 controller. Users can send in their PS3 Slim consoles for a custom job starting at $249 or purchase a fully tailored set from the company at $714.

(Source: Crave Asia via Newlaunches)

Hands-on: PS3 Slim as a Blu-ray player

With its new $300 price tag, the PS3 Slim has been selling like crazy, and the fact that it's an excellent Blu-ray player is at least part of the reason.

Since Blu-ray's inception, the PS3 has been our reference Blu-ray player, only recently getting edged out of the top spot by the Oppo BDP-83. Now that the new 3.00 firmware has been released, we've had some time to put the PS3 Slim through our Blu-ray testing suite.

Editors' note: This story has been updated since publication to reflect that the PS3 Slim can now stream Netflix.

The good

Blu-ray performance

Testing the image quality of the PlayStation 3 has always been a challenge, mainly because it does not deinterlace native 1080i content to 1080p at 60 frames per second. That means test discs specifically designed to assess Blu-ray image quality--like HQV, Spears and Munsil, and Qdeo--aren't helpful; they all feature 1080i content and the PS3 just passes it along without processing. The PS3 Slim is no different in this regard. Not much Blu-ray content is available in 1080i, however, so this quirk of the PS3 isn't a huge problem in real-world scenarios.

Without the comfort of our reliable test discs, we switched to our favorite challenging passages from actual program content. The kitchen scenes during chapter 2 of "Sunshine" are often difficult for lesser players, but the PS3 Slim had no problem rendering the ridged cups or striped shirts. It also handled the end of chapter 6 on "Ghost Rider," where we sometimes see moire in the grille of the RV on players with faulty 1080i deinterlacing. A couple of select scenes from "Spider-Man 3" looked flawless as well.… Read more