Why You Can Trust CNET Get a PlayStation 3 with 2 controllers for $249.99
You have to jump through a hoop or two to get this deal, but it's still by far the best price you'll find on Sony's award-winning, Blu-ray-playing game console.
So Amazon's Gold Box deal of the day is an 80GB Sony PlayStation 3 for $349.99. That's not bad, considering how rare it is to see the console selling below the $399.99 list price.
Then I got to wondering if Sony was still offering that credit-card deal, the one that nets you a $150 credit with a purchase of $299 or more. Sure enough, they just kicked off another promotion (this one ending June 20), which means you can get an 80GB PlayStation 3 for $249.99.
First, apply for the Sony Visa Card. You can do this online, get instant approval, and make a purchase (though just one) straight away.
Then head over to the PlayStation 3 product page and add one to your cart. (Bonus! Sony's offering an extra controller free of charge.) Pay for it with the new credit card.
Now for the "bad" news: You're not actually getting $150 off. Instead, you'll get a $150 credit on your card in 8-12 weeks. It's still money, of course, just not the kind you can put in your savings account. You'll have to spend it on food or gas or whatever.
The actual bad news here is that you have to pay shipping and probably sales tax, which for me added about $40 to the total (grrrr). Amazon's deal gets you out the door with no shipping or sales tax--but only one controller.
So, over to you: Which is the better deal? (Yes, you can vote "neither," but only if you back it up.) Given that the extra controller normally costs $55, I'm inclined to choose SonyStyle.
Either way, remember that you're also getting a top-tier Blu-ray player. If you want to learn about that and the PS3 in general, read CNET's review.