More Info
Sony announces a slimmer PlayStation 3, 250GB bundle launches September 25th for $269
Sony PlayStation 3 (2012) up close and personal (eyes-on)
Sony explains missing PlayStation 3 price drop on old models, EU exclusivity of Flash memory version .
What else can be said about the PlayStation 3 at this point that hasn't already been said? Since launching in 2006, there have been approximately 400 different permutations of the console: variations on hard drive sizes, functionality, physical shape and, of course, price. The latest model, the PlayStation 3 Superslim, is no different. It comes in just two permutations: 250GB ($270) and 500GB ($300). With the latter launching at the end of October, we've spent the last week with the already available 250GB model. Is it time to finally jump in to the PlayStation 3 party, or upgrade that aging 2006 model? Head below to find out.
Gallery: PlayStation 3 Slim review (late 2012)
Hardware
Weighing in at just over 4.5 pounds, the PlayStation 3 Superslim lives up to its name, shedding nearly three pounds from the Slim and 6.5 from the original (monstrous) 11-pound console. Sadly, the clean, classy matte finish of the Slim model has been replaced with the glossy, fingerprint-prone plastic that Vita, PSP and first-gen PS3 owners have come to know and loathe. You may not notice the glossy facade at first, however, as the biggest hardware change in the new PS3 is where you insert disc-based media: a top-loading slider gets moved to the left, revealing a space for your brand new copy of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Game of the Year Edition (bundled with the 250GB console).
Aside from being the most notable change to the new PS3, it's ... well, it looks and feels terrible, to put it plainly. Not only is the new design unfriendly to home entertainment centers (where most PS3s reside, we'd argue), but it feels cheap and unstable -- a distinct step down from the previous two models' front-loading tray design.
That statement can be applied to the entire redesign; despite Sony touting a 20 percent decrease in size and a 25 percent reduction in weight, nothing about the redesign feels like an improvement over the last model. The lightness only serves to accentuate the console's feeling of cheapness and the build quality drives that point home. An audible hollow rattle can be heard when you place the console on a hard surface -- that's the flimsy disc bay cover up top, reminding you that your brand new, nearly $300 console looks and feels like a piece of electronics from the 1970s.
Internally, the same RSX GPU drives the newest model PS3, and the 45nm Cell processor from the Slim returns. The only difference we've seen in teardowns is a smaller Blu-ray drive (which still spins at 2x for BD, 8x for DVD and 24x for CD) and a rearrangement of internals -- both of which make way for the volume and size reduction. The 250GB HDD can be swapped like with previous models, and all it takes is a small Phillips head screwdriver, your hands, some confidence and about two minutes. Sure, that 250GB drive adds some value to your purchase, but it ends up feeling more like a ploy to charge more for the same old console, but not made as well, with a slightly larger HDD. In terms of rear-facing ports, the new, even slimmer model is identical to the Slim, offering Ethernet, HDMI, Optical out, RCA and a spot for the AC adapter. Unfortunately, the sad tradition of not including an HDMI cable with high-definition, HDMI-enabled consoles continues here, with only a (standard def) RCA cable included in the box. Remember, folks: Amazon is your friend.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق