PlayStation 3 80GB Reviews

• Great Configuration, Great Console

  
  By A3SX5MZTCZRQLF on 2008-08-22
  A lot of people have written about the pros and cons of the PS3 vs. XBOX 360 vs. Wii. I'm not bothering with that, and assume you can find that information at elsewhere. I'm also assuming you can read all about why the PS3 would or would not fit your needs.
  
  Instead, I'd like this review to explain what exactly this configuration is (there's a lot of confusion about that,) and why I think it hits the sweet spot. Basically, there are currently 2 versions of the PS3 on the market now. Ignoring the size of the drive for a second (because you can always swap the drive anyway, and it has no real bearing on the rest of the specs) think of them as Version A (currently available - or not as the case may be - in the PlayStation 3 80 GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Pack) and Version B (this one.)
  
  The first thing that you need to understand is that there are three relevant differences between these two versions besides the included bundle and the price (the MGS one is $499 from amazon, more from third parties.)
  
  Difference #1: Version A (MGS pack) is backward compatible with PS2 games while this one is NOT (they are both backward compatible with PS1 games however.)
  
  Difference #2: Version A has 4 USB ports as well as memory card slots, while this version has only 2 USB ports and NO memory card slots.
  
  Difference #3: AND THIS FOR ME IS BIG: Version A has the older and larger 90nm Cell processor, while this one has the smaller (and some say more reliable) 65nm Cell processor. Power consumption on this unit is lower as well, dropping from 200 Watts to 135 watts. The end result is a machine that runs cooler and, according to all reports as well as my personal experience, much quieter. An extremely relevant factor if you watch movies with it.
  
  For those that have been looking for a while, this is basically the 40GB machine that was offered recently, with a larger hard drive and an upgraded controller - they replaced the basic sixaxis controller with the Dualshock 3 controller (which means it has rumble.)
  
  Now Version A is packaged with Metal Gear Solid. It has an 80GB drive like this one, and the same controller. The big differences are listed above. Until this configuration was released, the larger hard drive and Dualshock controller were 2 of the 4 reasons many people felt the MGS pack was worth the additional $100. Those two factors are now eliminated. The remaining differences are the backward compatibility with PS2 games and the MGS game itself, which can of course be bought separately.
  
  So to sum it up, if you NEED PS2 compatibility, you might want to grab the MGS pack if you can get one - that or keep your old PS2. For new buyers though, and for all of the people that are going to just play PS3 games, as well as avid movie watchers, this particular configuration is fantastic. You get the big drive, the good controller, PLUS the cooler running chip, a quieter machine and a system that uses about 33% less power.
  
  And ok - just to satisfy the basic requirements of a review, I'll list some other nice stuff: It includes a Blu-ray DVD player (one of those runs almost as much as, or more than, this entire box), the online play is FREE, wireless connectivity is built in (you don't have to buy an additional piece as with some others), reliability has been quite good (much better than some others), there are some great PS3-only titles, and you can stream media to it from your PC. There's more, but there are plenty of people outlining it.
  
  As always, do your research and see what's best for you. Maybe the 360-only titles are must haves for you, or maybe your family fits a Wii. We have a Wii and I love it. But I also love my PS3, and in my opinion this configuration is the one to get (this month anyway.)
  
  

• How to make it near-complete

  
  By ADLVFFE4VBT8 on 2008-08-24
  Necessary disclosure: I do not own this model. I have what used to be a 60GB model, recently upgraded to 320GB - the gold standard.
  
  As compared to the 60GB model:
  ______________________________________________
  + less expensive (I paid $599 for my 60GB PS3)
  + 33% more storage
  + needs less power
  + dual shock controller (rumble)
  - no memory card interfaces
  - 2 USB ports vs. 4 USB ports on the 60GB
  - no PS2 compatibility
  ______________________________________________
  
  This model comes with an 80GB drive. This is nice because, most would agree, 80GB is more than 60GB. If you feel that the extra 20GB is a big deal, maybe you should think again. I upgraded my 60GB to 320GB because I was about to run out of space, with only 10GB or so left. One month or so later, I'm using more than 80GB already - just downloaded the Ratchet and Clank minigame from PSN and it alone needs about 3GB. My advice is to buy this model and upgrade it yourself. It's (relatively) easy and you can find a lot of advice if you Google for it. If you are thinking about waiting and getting the 160GB model for an extra $100, don't. $100 would buy you the 320GB drive. I used the Western Digital WD3200BEVT 320 GB Scorpio Sata 5400 Rpm 8MB 2.5 inch myself. The nice thing about upgrading your disk is that you are also going to be left with a perfectly good 80GB drive which you can place into a cheap enclosure, and the StarTech SAT2510U2 InfoSafe 2.5-Inch USB/SATA Hard Drive Enclosure worked for me. I am using the free (in my case) 60GB drive as a backup device for family photos. Digital, of course.
  
  The lack of memory card interfaces is annoying but you can get around it. Copy your stuff to a USB drive or flash drive and... problem solved. You can then upload your things through the USB. It's somewhat inconvenient but it's no big deal.
  
  My old (10 months) 60GB model has 4 USB slots and I am using all of them. One for the PS3 Eye (camera), a second has a wireless keyboard dongle, the third is where the racing wheel plugs in and the last one I use to charge controllers. Can you live with 2 slots? I suppose you can but there's going to be some plugging/unplugging if you begin adding peripherals. I suppose you could get one of those USB ports multiplexers. They're ugly but... it's doable.
  
  PS2 compatibility... can't get it. Sorry. I don't play PS2 games but my kids do. In fact, they just bought some Sonic game a couple of days ago. I was surprised but... de gustibus. They're also playing Kingdom Hearts and Destroy All Humans.
  
  This model comes with a couple of improvements over the gold standard. It burns less electricity, which is a good thing for the rain forests, keeping them cool and maybe you save a few dollars on your electric bill. And, of course you get the advanced controller.
  
  To summarize: buy it, upgrade the drive to 320GB or larger for $100, use the 80GB disk as a backup device, get yourself a USB port multiplexer if you need more than 2, transfer your photos to flash drives to get around the missing memory card interfaces, sell your PS2 games to finance the above, enjoy your PS3.
  
  

• Best Blue Ray Player on the Market! (AWESOME UNIQUE FEATURES)

  
  By A113EXY3MASTGG on 2008-09-12
  The Playstation 3 is an incredible Blue Ray Player, that has features NOT available in any other Blue Ray Player. I am not a game player - and simply bought this unit as a Blue Ray and DVD player. However - on comparison, there are so many benefits compared to other Blue Ray players.
  
  Here are the surprise benefits you get from this INCREDIBLE technology vs. a regular Blue Ray Player:
  
  1. Picture Quality - SUPERB (Easily compares to most expensive Blue Ray Players)
  2. REGULAR DVD's PLAY IN A HIGHER RESOLUTION - Incredible difference to a regular DVD player.
  3. Wireless INTERNET Connection - Surf web on your TV. (NO WIRES REQUIRED)
  4. Automatic BLUE RAY format Updates (FREE and AUTOMATIC) - Upgrades as technology changes.
  5. HARD Drive (80 GB) - Store movies, music, etc.
  6. Beautiful Black Console - Doesn't look like a game player on shelf.
  7. EASY to set-up (Ready in a few minutes)
  8. LOWER PRICED - All these unique features, at a lower price than the other Blue Ray players
  
  I have no idea why anyone would ever consider a standard BLUE RAY or DVD player once you have had a chance to try out the features of the PS3. Having the internet on our TV allows us full access to news, weather, radio, music video's, etc.
  
  I was told that low price BLUE RAY players cannot play many movies and DVD's because the BLUE RAY format is constantly changing - and the Playstation 3 is the ONLY BLUE RAY unit to have automatic updates that will correct for new Blue Ray formats in the future.
  
  NO COMPARISON - Hands down BEST BLUE RAY Player with the most features on the market!
  
  HIGEST POSSIBLE RATING.........
  
  

• Perfect Price - Some features no longer available

  
  By A21XBS5VZ3AD5 on 2008-08-22
  I've given 3 stars overall for this version of the PS3 because the lack of backward compatibility. The worst part of this is that there are no other versions of PS3 being produced anymore.
  
  So you are forced to buy a dumbed down version of the console if you didn't buy the earlier versions (I got a 60GB when they were still available).
  
  So what are you missing in this new 80GB version?
  
  - No PS2 backward compatibility
  - Only 2 USB ports (instead of 4)
  - No memory card reader (you still can use a USB Card Reader instead)
  
  What benefits does this version deliver?
  
  - Awesome Price (even with some features removed)
  - Less Power Consuption
  - Less Noise from the fans
  - 80GB hard drive
  
  Anyways I still recommend the old 80GB version if you have the extra money and can find one. This is basically the same old 40GB PS3 with a bigger Hard Drive for the same price.
  
  
  
  

• Disposable console

  
  By A3D53QYM6P7GA6 on 2008-08-26
  I received brand-new Sony Playstation 3 at the end of October, 2007.
  
  The unit worked perfectly, it still is in perfect condition, there was no damage done and the usage was very light. On Friday, August 22 the playback suddenly froze and the unit asked me to install an update to a system firmware. It was impossible to continue using the system without performing requested upgrade - I had no choice but to let the system download and install the upgrade from Sony website.
  
  Immediately after that the unit froze and afterward it refused to play any blue-ray movies or any PS3 games. Nothings helped and it is impossible to uninstall an update once you are forced to install it. This is most definitely another case of Sony badly implemented DRM-protecting software ruining their customer's hardware. The unit still operates well with demos and trailers downloaded into the hard drive, but blue-ray drive does not work making the unit almost useless.
  
  Sony CS representatives do know that their software is capable of destroying their customer's hardware and this is the scary part, since once one-year warranty is over they can release another upgrade which will destroy hardware and you will be charged $[...] for fixing the problem. This applies to all Sony PS3 models, basically they are capable to remotely shut down your unit for good.
  
  So here you go, if you think they undercharge for such amazing technology think again - they certainly know their marketing strategy creating gaming systems disposable to trash after less than 1 year.
  
  upd. After many calls Sony honored the warranty and fixed the firmware caused problem.
  Again, this problem is widespread, all systems currently on the market are affected by it and there is no guarantee it won't happen again later when warranty expires. I am not used to pay $500 for consumer product which gets into trash due to the next software release.
  
  
• NOT BACKWARD COMPATABLE!!!!!
  By A2SDEE2RNRY58Q on 2008-09-17
  THIS UNIT WILL NOT PLAY PLAYSTATION 2 GAMES! Model # is CECHK01 and you need model # CECHE01 to be able to play playstation 2 games! Please check out www.us.playstation.com/support before buying this system!
  
  
• An Honest Review
  By A3FJUJ8PJPUXXO on 2008-08-22
  The reason why all of the sudden everyone criticize this SKU for not having backward compability it's simply because there's nothing else left to criticize.
  
  Only reason why it would be very important would be if you have an extended ps2 library and your ps2 broke, then it is worth it for you to spend the extra $100 on BC.
  
  This is my second ps3, i had a launch 60gb ps3 and i sold it 3 weeks ago cause i needed the money, and no lie here, i played a total of 3 ps2 games in the almost 2 years that i had it... and i played them in the first 6 months that i had bought the ps3... that's right back then there wasn't that many ps3 games, so i played mgs2, god of war and lotr battle for middle earth.
  
  As of now, i barely had time to even watch movies since i was always playing cod4, mgs4, and yes still play resistance, i have played uncharted about 4 times along with guitar hero and singstar in my parties, ratchet and clank, and warhawk..
  
  The Truth is that, with the great line up that the ps3 has for the rest of the year and the years to come, i would find it extremely hard to play ps2 games at all.. i want to play new games, HD games, great multiplayer, experience new things, if someone truly is so concerned to play a lot of ps2 games, well then buy a ps2.
  
  There is a lot of comparison between the 360 and ps3, and bottom line is that you have to inform yourself VERY WELL on what games you think you'll enjoy more, imo there seems to be a wider variety for the ps3, that's why i chose it. If i eventually buy a 360 will be to play the new games, not to play the xbox1 games.
  
  I really think that this bundle including a dualshock3 is a great deal, but i will have to install a bigger hdd, i already ordered a 320gb hdd from newegg for $99, since i have a lot of movies to install.
  
  Something else that more people should take advantage of is Linux on ps3, it's free so there is no setback on that.. i had it installed in my ps3 and when i had family over and they wouldn't let me on my own computer i just restart my ps3 in Ubuntu and with my bluetooth keyboard and mouse i would browse in my big screen tv.
  
  There is a lot of value to this console, free online play it's great as well, ps2 addition would be nice to some, but since i know i didn't use it, or will use it, it doesn't affect me at all and that is why this sku for that price is as good as it gets.
  
  
  
  
• Love it! But, heads up...
  By A27KX1ZP3D7IVY on 2008-08-21
  just a heads up that this new 80GB system is not backwards compatible with PS2 games... Otherwise, this is a great deal on an awesome system -- worth it for the Blu-ray alone.
  
  
• Great Value
  By A1RHHLACFY1N2Q on 2008-08-22
  This 80GB PS3 for $399 is a awesome value for the price.
  
  The main downside to this newer 80GB PS3 is that it's not backwards compatible with PS2 games, but for some that's not a big issue because the majority of people that are interested in a PS3 purchase already have a PS2.
  
  But with this 80GB PS3 you get Free Online Play, Built in Wifi, Bluetooth Dualshock 3 Wireless Controller, Web Browser, Blu-ray, and the most advanced gaming console avaliable.
  
  For anyone that may be discouraged about spending $399 for a gaming console, I assure you that a PS3 purchase is a long term investment. Sony even said themselves that the Playstation 3 will have a 10 year lifecycle and the PS3 has a long road ahead and plenty to offer. Sony is still supporting the PS2 after 8+ years of being on the market and the Playstation 1 was on the market for nearly 10 years as well, so as you can see, Sony has a good track record of supporting it's gaming consoles for the long run, and this PS3 will get the same treatment. The Blu-ray alone in the PS3 is worth the purchase price.
  
  I have a 60GB PS3 and have enjoyed it ever since I first got it in December 2006 and I know that anyone who picks up this 80GB PS3 will enjoy it as well. I invite anyone that's intersted in a PS3 purchase to just pick one up and "Play Beyond".
  
  
• Why PS3 was by far the best value for us, and arguably the best choice now available
  By A3LWC833HQIG7J on 2008-11-09
  I had sat on the sidelines of the next gen video games up until a couple of weeks ago. I had tried Wii almost as soon as it came out and was captivated by the motion sensors but the limited availability and sameness to the games as well as limited graphics was frustrating.
  
  Xbox 360 the $50 a year subscription and more importantly it lost the Blu-ray/HD battle were big no points for me. I enjoy games, my wife does not. She does enjoy movies and the internet. When I pointed out that PS3 was a Blu-ray player (with excellent reviews) and could let us surf the internet, she was all for it.
  
  I have an 'old' HDTV (3 years old). It has a maximum resolution of 1080i and a DVI input but no HDMI. I did some research before buying this so I bought an HDMI to DVI cable at the same time. I was worried about hooking it up and getting it to look right and also getting sound. I should not have been. It took literally a few minutes. Plugged the HDMI end into the PS3 and the DVI end into the HDTV. Received a picture (great picture) right away. It detected that 1080i was the highest resolution and I choose that.
  
  Sound I simply choose the option to put sound out correctly and received gorgeous sound. I only use the speakers that came with the HDTV but it sounds fantastic on Blu-Ray. I can only imagine what people with surround sound systems will get.
  
  The Blu-Ray discs are stunning. Even with 'just' 1080i. Truly beautiful. And it also up-converts very well. My favorite movies are the LOTR expanded editions. I have seen LOTR on TNT HD broadcasts. With the PS3 they look almost as good perhaps even better than the HD broadcasts. Also one of the coolest things and I have no idea if this for all Blu-Rays are just PS3 is that it remembers where you were on discs (Blu-ray and DVD discs)even if the disc was last played 8 discs ago. So say for instance you a third of the way through Fellowship. You then put a few game discs in, some other movie discs, then go back to Fellowship. It actually remembers where you left off that disc. Love it.
  
  The internet browsing has been very cool. At first it was ok but it did not fill up the screen and the lettering was too small. But then I discovered zoom in and zoom out. And now it is really fun to browse. As an aside when I started browsing if someone was on our lap-top we would get a connection conflict and would not be able to surf on the lap-top. I called Linksys and they were able to change a bunch of settings on the router and it works just fine now, no problems on using both at the same time.
  
  As for games I have Assassin's Creed and Oblivion now. Both look amazing. I have also downloaded demos for Mirror's Edge (stunning) and Motorstorm (fun and also amazing graphics). Even as a gamer truly I only really have time for a half dozen games every year or two or even three. A lot of these games last a long time. So in reality the 360s edge on variety is for all intents moot. I am planning to get Little Big Planet and maybe the new Spidey game when it comes down in price. That will more than hold me over to God of War and which ever other few games I will get in 2009. Having a handful of great games, to me, is more important than 50 titles coming out a year.
  
  Bottomline is if you have an HDTV (particularly if you have a home theater set up) and no Blu-ray and enjoy gaming the PS3 is truly awesome. You get a great Blu-ray player, an 80gig hard drive, incredible gaming capabilities (just downloading the demos would be cool), internet browsing and video watching on your TV. You can also download the LIFE utility that has an incredibly cool visual globe where you can get live weather and news headlines around the world. And you can help cure diseases by linking to a Stanford project that looks at how proteins work and fold. If you allow it your processor can be added to the processing power being used for the Stanford project (when you are not gamin and such).
  
  Sony has succeeded in making a truly great heart of your home media experience. This is so much more than Wii it isn't even close. And with Blu-ray and free Sony playstation network, it really is a much better value than any of the 360 choices you have. Right now heading into the 2008 holiday season, PS3 stands alone as clearly the best system and the best value. Not only for gamers but for the entire family.
  
  
• Best Console/Blu-Ray Player on the Market
  By AMVGWNFEWC7XG on 2008-08-21
  I decided on the PS3 for myself because I like more variety in my gaming experience and because of the built-in Blu-Ray player. Movies REALLY do look better in Blu-Ray, and the PS3 even upconverts my current dvds to look practically HD, which means I don't need to re-purchase movies that I already have!
  
  For me, this is a PERFECT system and just what I was waiting for. It was worth it just for the Blu-Ray player alone, or for the game system alone, but to have both in one package for under $400 is a sweet deal. Even my wife has been having fun playing it, and she's not a gamer at all. Plus 6 free Blu-Ray movies thrown in...how could I refuse? I'm really loving it so far and can't believe I worried so much about whether and when to buy one. There are so many great PS3 games out and coming soon that the library / availability isn't an issue at all for me.
  
  I sat out the last console generation, and have 0 PS2 games. So for me, backwards compatibility wasn't an issue, and frankly I'd rather not pay for stuff I won't use anyway. 2 USB ports is all I need, since the controllers can be powered in any USB port (computer, etc). The 40GB hard drive is fine for me now since I don't use too many of the media features accept demo downloads. I can see needing to upgrade to a larger hd in the future, but then they'll be cheaper anyway. All of the supposed "cons" of this cheaper system didn't apply to me, so it was a great buy.
  
  
• Not backwards compatible, No Games
  By A1YZRZOZXYS1PS on 2008-09-21
  I'll make it short and sweet.. theres no fun games, no backwards compatibility, laggy online, most people don't have a mic and don't speak, Sony's customer service sucks, most of the games lack visually compared to another console (x**x), I experienced a YLOD (or yellow light of death, which is hardware failure) and Sony tried to get me to pay almost $200 because they said it was plugged into a surge protector (I guess it should be plugged directly into the wall or you void your warranty), Sony's team of customer service reps are anti-consumer scam artist or con artist whichever you wanna say, developers have been having delopmental issues with this system which is why games are extensively delayed or flatout canceled. Sony has lost allot of exclusive developer support that it had with the PS2 days and it's really showing with the lack of games for this console. Best bet is to keep your money in you pocket or invest in a competitors console that I won't name that has amazing online, fun games and people that acutally talk online!! Pass the PS3 up and DONT LOOK BACK!!!
  
  
• Excellent Console
  By A3FX20YVL8V29 on 2008-10-19
  I am an owner of a Wii, one XBOX 360, one XBOX 360 Elite and now the PS3. As a machine the PS3 is a very capable machine. I play it on a Panasonic 50" Plasma and it's also connected to an Onkyo 7.1 with Polk Speakers.
  
  The PS3 graphics & sound are on par with the 360 and much better than the Wii. My console never heats up and I have left it on for over 40 hours and it is super quiet. I don't even hear it. On the other hand the 360 heats up and it is LOUD! I play games a lot at least 3 hours a day and on weekends even more. If I were to play the PS3 then the 360 it will take me a while to get use to how loud the 360 is.
  
  As a console the PS3 is nearly perfect, but it has it's drawbacks. I find the operating system of the 360 to be more user friendly than the PS3 or the Wii. I would have preferred that the remote would have batteries like the 360, so I wouldn't be limited to the USB charging cord. I did solve this problem by buying another controller and a charger, thus my controllers would always be charged. The other problem is the lack of good games. The 360 seems to have all the good games(there is a reason I have 2 360). After having the PS3 I only have Metal Gear Solid 4 and I couldn't really find any good games worth buying. Actually, I bought the PS3 just for that game. While on the 360 I have already pre-ordered Gears of War 2, Fable 2 & End of War which happens to be exclusibly for the XBOX. While the Square Enix(Final Fantasy RPG Series) will be going to XBOX now.
  
  The Wii is a nice system to play as a family, but it's not for the hardcore gamer. It is something that I play once in a while when I have friends over, but I can't play those games for more than 2 hours, but on the other 2 consoles I can play forever. The Wii doesn't have a hardrive neither(it has 512MB of memory). It may be cheaper, but to take advantadge of it you need to get 4 controllers including the one that comes with it. That cost me an extra $180, so it is not really that cheap. The pointer on the Wii is not accurate at all which a find very annoying.
  
  The PS3 is a very good and capable console that may last a while without any problems. I never had a crash and it is VERY QUIET, but it lacks good games. It has very good graphics as long as your TV is able to produce them and it has great sound as long as they are connected to a decent system. I sometimes feel that the sound is a little better than the 360. It has a 80GB HD for memory.
  
  The 360 is loud and heats up and they tend to break more often. I had to send one of my 360 for repairs after 1 year of extensive use, but it makes up with a very large selection of games that are fun to play. It has either a 20GB, 60GB or 120GB HD for memory. I have the 20GB & the 120GB one.
  
  As a console I give the PS3 5 stars, but if I were rating the selection of games I would only give it 2.5 stars. If I could only choose a console, I would choose the 360 because it has more game selection.
  
  
  
• PS3/360 Objective Comparison
  By A2KXDZMAKH11UJ on 2008-10-30
  Reliability:
  I own a video game store. One of the services that we provide is various repairs on most game consoles. In the last year, I have performed around 60 individual XBOX 360 repairs compared to 0 (zero) PS3 repairs. PS3 Wins Hands Down
  
  Compatability:
  The 60GB version of the PS3 is FULLY backwards compatible with PS2 and most PS 1 games. The new 80GB version has some limited backwards compatability. The 40GB version has no backwards compatability. All versions of the 360 (Arcade, Pro and Elite) have the same limited backwards compatability. At least PS3 has a version that is fully backwards compatable. PS3 WINS
  
  Value:
  The new 80GB version of the PS3 retails for $399.00. This includes an 80GB hard drive (obviously), built in Bluetooth, and built in WIFI. Oh and lets not forget that the DVD player in the PS3 will play all of your regular AND Blu-Ray DVDs. The lowest cost 360 is the Arcade version that retails for around $199. This version does not come with a hard drive which will cost you around $100 for 60GB, nor does it have built in WIFI. The WIFI adapter retails for around $100 also. So for $399 you essentially get 20GB less storage...oh and NO BLU RAY!!! PS3 WINS
  
  Game Selection:
  Let's say that most games nowadays are released on both PS3 and 360, but there are some titles that are exclusive to each. Some of the hotest exclusive titles are:
  
  PS3 - Metal Gear Solid, SOCOM, Little Big Planet, Resistance 2
  360 - Fable II, Gears of War 2 and of course Halo 3
  
  Overall, since the 360 has been around for a few more years, there are more titles available, but some of the most popular like BioShock have been ported over now to the PS3...most of the others will follow suit (except Halo which will probably always be a 360 only title). 360 WINS (but not for very much longer)
  
  So of the 3 main decision points as to which console to purchase. PS3 scored 3 out of 4 to the 360's score of 1 out of 4.
  
  Let me also say that I make more money selling the 360 because of all of the periphery that you have to buy along with it (more margin in accessories) so I hope people continue to go in that direction. However, when viewed objectively, the PS3 is clearly the way to go.
  
  
• Far Better Value than Xbox 360, maybe also the Nintendo Wii
  By AUTDY38RJE7HW on 2008-10-09
  I was debating which game console to get, the Wii, Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3(PS3). As a male with family of two kids, overall the PS3 was the best value for the money. Since PS3 and Xbox 360 are aiming for the same market, I was comparing the PS3 more to the 360:
  
  Pros:
  -Most powerful system among 3 consoles.
  -Blu Ray player included, also it can be upgraded via the internet. It is full functioning Blu Ray player, not watered down, the picture quality if awesome.
  -Solid hardware, Xbox 360 hardware has many problems.
  -Includes wireless Wi-Fi, but with Xbox 360 you have to buy it separately.
  -Free online gaming, unlike Xbox's which you have to pay each month.
  -Internet web browser, which Xbox doesn't have.
  -Better menus for navigation than 360.
  -Controllers have not only rumble, but also motion sensor like Wii.
  -Hard drive is easily upgradable and inexpensive, unlike 360 which is expensive and very hard to upgrade if you want to put your own hard drive.
  -Latest movies and TV shows can purchased online, 360's Netflix has more titles but are old titles.
  -Playstation Eye(motion sensing camera) accessory allows for motion games like Wii.
  
  Cons:
  -Need more latest titles of movies(but same or better than 360 or Apple TV)
  -Not all movies can be rented in the first few weeks of release, but have to be purchased.
  -Need more variety of games, actually true for all 3 systems.
  
  
  
  Overall compared to Wii: Kids will want the Wii no matter what anyone says as long as their friends have it. The quality of Wii games are decreasing, game developers are not integrating the motion functionality well with the games. It feels like developers made the games and then added the motion feature as an afterthought. PS3's included controller has motion sensors like the Wii, also Playstation Eye camera has motion sensoring also. There are PS3 accessories for Guitar Hero and Rock Band which allows physical games on the PS3 like the Wii. So you can do play physical games like the Wii on the PS3.
  
  Overall compared to Xbox 360: Even though Xbox 360 is less expensive initially, if you add everything that PS3 has, the Xbox 360 is much more expensive. People forgot this. 360 has more games than PS3 because it was introduced a year earlier, but starting in 2008 PS3 is coming out with many high quality exclusive games now that introduction period is over(PS3 has Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet, Socom Confrontation, Resistance 2, Gran Turismo 4, etc). Unless you will play Halo or Gears of War, get the PS3, it is a much better value.
  
  
• Half perfect BD player with limited capability to handle the latest lossless music formats
  By A2HW8E265889IZ on 2008-08-22
  PS3 does not output lossless bitstreams of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-MA. Sounds like a small thing, but I believe these new music formats are one of the most important and the most impressive add value to blue-ray disks. Bit rate of these formats are way above those of DVD and CD. You can search their details on the net. I feel that even the highest-end CD audio systems that cost more than 40k cannot compete with the latest BD with good quality contents. Unfortunately PS3 only outputs these formats after decoding lossless to PCM internally. If you have any future possibility to upgrade your AV amp that can handle these bit streams, PS3 is not the one you need to get.
  
  PS3 can be recommended for those who are interested in playing video games. People who are looking mainly for a good BD player should think about if you will get interested in listening to the fantastic power of the most advanced lossless music formats in the future.
  
  
• Best Console on the Market!
  By ANHZDQKRGHFGH on 2008-08-23
  I love this thing, get's used for everthing
  games
  movies
  blu-ray
  music
  online
  And at the new price it's an even better deal!
  
  
• Don't care about BC or flash cards, then this sku is for you
  By A3H146FAWZZSB3 on 2008-08-25
  I am going to make this short and simple, this is a great system. Although it does not have backwards compatability or flash card readers, i really don't mind. I do not play any ps2 games anymore and you can always load video and pictures through other devices. 80gb is a lot of storage and not to mention it comes with Dualshock 3. A great system for a great price. Oh yeah, did i mention it is an awesome blu ray player. :)
  
  
• Read the really small print
  By AHP2R0ZZYMBNT on 2008-08-27
  This system is truly "caveat emptor" as the ground rules have changed. Unfortunately for me, I should have done more research on this 80GB PS3. As many of the other folks have noted, this machine is NOT backward compatible with the PS2. I had been led to believe, in talking with the people that sold video games, etc., that all I needed to be backward compatible with the PS2 was the 80GB machine.
  
  If you look at the box the machine comes in the Feature "80GB" is in huge type, whereas the non compatibility statement is in about 6-8 point type. It was only after my favorite PS2 games wouldn't load that I started looking into why the game wouldn't load that I discovered my assumptions were wrong.
  
  The PS3 has great graphics and other features, but be sure compatibility with the PS2 is not a requirement as this machine can't deliver.
  
  
  
  
• Amazing
  By A1PW1J51EVAGJV on 2008-09-09
  Now think of me as a gamer from the nintendo era, Ive owned nintendo, super nes, n64, playstation, gameboy, ds psp, dreamcast, playstation 2, xbox, gamecube, xbox 360, wii, and ps3. Right now i only own ps3, let me explain why and i own the 40 gb pack with an upgraded 320 gb drive perfect to put all seasons of always sunny, boondocks, the office, entourage, with enough room for all my games and everything, plus the capability to stream all my movies from my pc. I owned the 360 in 2005 and after 2 rrod I said no more!, I owned all those systems i mentioned not one failed and twice once during gears of war then second during mass effect, thats enough to switch me forever. This pack is amazing lets compare the ps3 to the 60gb xbox 360
  Ps3
  $400
  blu-ray drive
  80gb
  cell 7cores
  free psn forever
  sixaxis play warhawk and see
  with dualshock 3 support
  new trophy support
  built in wifi
  updates each month future proof
  the first blu-ray player on market to have 2.0 profile with java games in pip
  exclusives this year til next march socom, siren,littlebigplanet, wipeout hd,
  motorstorm 2, singstar, resistance 2, afrika, aquanauts holiday
  siren, metal gear solid 4, gran turismo5, home, nba 09 early 2009 infamous, god of war 3, killzone 2, late 2009 mag, eight days, getaway 3, and eyepet
  
  
  now 360
  $300
  60gb
  xbox live ($50 a year est. 4 years til xbox 3 =$200)
  3 cores
  all games have achievements
  to get wifi ( $100 )
  exclusives fable 2, infinite undiscovery, gears 2, tales of vesperia,too human
  early 2009 alan wake, halo wars
  
  So for $500 dollars you would get 4 years of xbox live, a wifi adapter and 20 less gbs in storage, no hd upconversion of dvds, and no hd playback of blu-ray and with ironman blu-ray coming out im sure youll want that version. So thats 100 dollars more for a lot less. I will admit achievements in every game is good, xbox live usually has better support, and their netflix deal and avatar system looks good, but in place of reliability, no hd movies, paying for online, non replaceable harddrives, buying the 20 dollar battery pack, and how quickly ps3 has caught up and EA publicly mentioning how there games sell better on ps3 even with less of an install base, as they developed burnout first on ps3 and has exclusive dlc for mirrors edge. You quickly see Ps3 may not beat the wii it will definitely beat the 360.
  
  Even at the reduced price point you get 1/3 the exclusive games and ill admit im more pumped for resistance 2, home, littlebigplanet, wipeout hd, mgs4 and siren were awesome and infamous, gow3, and killzone 2 are going to kill anything next year its like a triple threat. Sony has the largest amount of internal studios in the world and it shows even more than nintendo. And really the only thing i see in xboxs lineup is Gears 2 which will be great im sure, but in retrospect even compared to resistance2 i think it shows the power, gears 2 multiplayer is 10 people, Resistance 2 is 64 players yet PS3 is supposed to have the weaker online environment and that online is free.
  
  And comparing the wii ill admit wii sports, zelda, re4, mario kart, metroid 3 and smash were all good, but that whole list is almost completely gamecube games redone almost literally. Then you go to the 3rd parties and you have very weak games, and their 2 exclusives this xmas wii music and animal crossing are not even real games a rhythm game and free ware game to me dont quite match an experience like gears or resistance. And that lineup compared to littlebigplanet, infamous, afrika, siren or gears 2,alan wake, all those in 1080i resolution just make the wii look like what it is an enhanced gamecube with the same old games.
  
  Im not a biased im just speaking objectively the $200 xbox is a great deal especially thinking of playing gears 2 for only 200 makes me consider, but the reliability makes me question, when they finally say the problem is fixed, offer live for free like they just did on the pc, offer cheap harddrives and wifi, not 20gbs or wifi adapters for 100 each, built in batteries, then they have a deal i would get, at least theyre going to cache games onto hdd and avatar system soon in fall update. That 60gb drive isnt going to go far when cloverfield hd rental is over 5 gbs thats 11 movies and your done. Also xbox1 was supported 2001 to 2005y so xbox 360 prolly be supported 2005 to 2009 with that same timeline, in comparison ps1 was supported 1995 to 2004, ps2 2000 to 2009, ps3 2006 to 2015 with those same timelines.
  
  Either way I see why many groups like each all ages like wii for instant accessiblity that girls and elders would enjoy like i would.
  
  Xbox has the hardcore with halo 3, gears, command and conquers, fable, too human
  
  Ps3 has hardcore and all ages as resistance 2, socom, gran turismo5 will bring hardcore, while littlebigplanet, afrika, singstar, and eyepet will bring all the other ages, and has motion sensors like wii, and the online play of xbox live yet free, so it truly is the best of both worlds
  
  
• PS3 - the Ultimate System
  By A3CECJIQJPCNCE on 2008-09-11
  Review for Playstation 3 80GB
  
  The PS3 is a system has everything I could want, a great media server, fully updateable Blu-Ray playback (considered the best Blu-Ray player out there at the moment), wireless access to the Playstation Network (Free) that easily rivals subscription services (I believe Xbox LIVE costs 50USD/year), a plethora of once sought-after features such as in-game XMB and trophies, and of course a collection of games from in-house and third-party developers that is ever growing, and contains many AAA titles.
  
  The PS3 has so many things on the horizon to look forward to its not difficult to see where most of your hard-earned cash will be spent, with exclusive AAA titles such as Resistance 2, Little Big Planet, Motorstorm 2, SOCOM: Confrontation and Killzone 2 all set for the next 6 months, SONY will be having a killer Christmas. Not to mention the FREE exclusive content that every Playstation owner would give their left spud to get their hands on such as HOME, Life with Playstation, and those ever enticing firmware updates.
  
  PS3 game remote play with PSP, Live recording of activity direct to the HDD, more games in full 1080p, a Folding@Home breakthrough, a firmware update that vastly improves CELL performance in ALL games past and present, and a chunk of features, games, and PSN downloads that we just can't wait to be added to the Playstation experience.
  
  In addition, the PS3 itself has proven to be extremely reliable, Blu-Ray discs are coated with scratch-resistant layer, console runs with minimal (next to un-noticeable) noise and heat. From what I have heard, the Xbox360 is the polar opposite: Having a failure rate of ~33% (something called the Red Ring of Death, RROD), over heats often and makes quite a bit of noise.
  
  
  
  
• Rating it as a media player, not as a game console or exclusively a Blu-ray player.
  By A1JRUSI8U5B88I on 2008-10-27
  This is not a review about the PS3 as a console, or as just a Blu-Ray player. Rather, let's look at the premise of it as a multimedia AND web machine.
  
  Brilliant Blu-Ray player. Fast boots, not a single disk it has refused to play to date, great picture. Good DVD player, except that I don't think I'll try hacking off its region code protection ;-) I guess it's good at upsampling, but I've never cared much for upsampling myself.
  
  Do get the remote, watching movies with a console controller is a pain. Slight misgivings about the remote - the Stop button is badly located (between Play and Pause???) and bookmarking was much easier on my 3 yr old LG player.
  
  Still, 5/5, easy, for movies. The price is very competitive with standalone BluRay players and firmware upgrades make it much more evolutionary in nature.
  
  Now, for the rest... The PS3 is supposed to a great multimedia player, almost a computer. My original idea was to use as a Blu Ray, but also to surf the net, listen to Radio Paradise, and store MP3s on it.
  
  Web surfing is seriously broken on it. Every single Flash triggers a nagware prompt asking you whether you want to run the plugin. Worse, the browser systematically throws "out of memory" errors on medium complexity websites like YouTube or Delicious. Apparently, the PS3 currently allocates a max of 2MB (out of 256) of memory to the browser. Once you have that memory error, you have to close and restart the browser (not the PS3 itself, luckily). I have a 1080p TV, but the web pages are rendered in 640x480 or 800x600 in the middle of the screen and the fonts are way too small. I thought web browsers were all about resizing...
  
  Radio Paradise? Heck no, the PS3 won't accept any of their multiple available formats. Same with LastFm and Pandora, though I haven't tried them myself.
  
  Browser rating: 1/5. My iPhone is more capable, not least on text entry, and that's why I use my iPhone to look at YouTube on my TV or stream Radio Paradise, rather than my PS3. I've given up doing anything more than cursory reading of the no-graphics version of the BBC News on the PS3. Look around the browser reviews carefully if you plan to do any surfing on this thing.
  
  MP3s? Good enough, but not great. The process of importing MP3s locally (energy conscious => I didn't want to stream) is counter-intuitive and, once loaded, the interface is years behind iTunes or an iPod. 3/5, somewhat saved by the Planet Earth music visualizer program which is the best visualizer I've ever seen. Videos? capable enough on DIVX and other codecs.
  
  Last, it seems to run fairly hot, so it is guzzling electricity, even when I am not stressing it much.
  
  Most of these flaws could be fixed, if Sony decided to work on the browser and music capability and provided a firmware update. Up to us to voice our concerns.
  
  I have Fallout 3 and the PS3 is a good home for it. Still, other people know way more about consoles so look at their reviews instead.
  
  Overall, 3.5/5, but not quite 4/5. Very good choice for a Blu-Ray though and still one I would highly recommend, you get a good console for free. Just... don't believe the web browser & media hype.
  
  
• worst $[...] EVER SPENT
  By A6VKBSCVPT8CD on 2008-09-14
  THE PS3 IS PRETTY GOOD.....WHEN IT WORKS PROPERLY.
  
  I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT HASSLE WITH THIS MACHINE. WHENEVER I PUT A DISK IN, EITHER A PS3 GAME OR A BLU-RAY MOVIE DISK, IT IS ABOUT A 70-30 PERCENT CHANCE IT WILL WORK (70% THAT IT WILL NOT OPERATE, 30% IT WILL) EVEN IF IT DOES WORK INITIALLY, IT HAS NEVER MADE IT THROUGH A COMLETE MOVIE WITHOUT STOPPING AND GETTING AN ERROR, AND ITS THE SAME WITH GAMES........TOO MANY PROBLEMS/ERRORS TO WRITE HERE. IT DOES PLAY REGULAR NON-BLURAY DVD'S WITH NO PROBLEMS....BUT I HAVE A DVD PLAYER THAT DOES THAT AND ONLY COST ME $[...] ALSO, IS THAT THE SAME CONTROLLER AS CAME WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAYSTATION????
  
  I DECIDED TO PURCHASE AN XBOX-360 AND HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH IT AND ZERO PROBLEMS.
  
  THE PS3 IS A GREAT PAPERWEIGHT AND HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE CLOSET TO DO WHAT IT DOES BEST....GATHER DUST. I WOULDN'T THINK OF TRYING TO UNLOAD THIS PIECE OF CRAP ON SOMEBODY ELSE.
  
  
• Brilliant and Flawed
  By AHL35XZ3OND2Z on 2008-10-20
  You really can't ever hope for perfection, no matter how many polygons these things can pump out, it takes a lot more work to turn those pixels into something fun. This is something most of the "next-gen" consoles aren't always living up to.
  
  That being said, I think the PS3 is the best piece of home electronics money can buy. You get a great HD gaming console. A reasonably affordable Blu-Ray player that will last as long as the firmware updates say it can. You get a free online experience and decent downloadable content store. You also get a console that handles your .avi and divx movies. I used to have a hacked Xbox and there is no need for hacking here. Sony has left a nice open platform for people looking to store home media. The price isn't a heartache like the first ones, which is why I finally upped and got one. So how do you review this thing?
  
  After all the price cuts, revisions and updates, the PS3 in many ways is finally getting to be the machine as Sony always intended to be. A wonderful core piece of home electronics. Because of the gaming, connectivity and Blu-Ray inclusion, the PS3 is, in many ways, beyond its Xbox and Nintendo competitors.
  
  That isn't to say it is perfect. The Wii for my money is a lot more fun and has more enjoyable games than either the PS3 or the 360. But the Wii is also very limited. The Xbox has a much broader library of games, and I think the controller is more comfortable the old Dual Shock design for the PS3. But neither the Xbox or the Wii has a Blu-Ray drive.
  
  Online experience is pretty good with the Playstation Store. There are more options for purchase than the Wii has, though lacking the endless Nintendo store catalogue of titles. I also am pleased there is no subscription model. Because of Xbox Live, Microsoft will not get my money. I don't see why I should pay every month to use something I already paid hundreds of dollars for. Kudos to Sony for staying free.
  
  Despite its media strengths, the main problem with the PS3 is with games, mainly the lack thereof. But similarly, the Xbox 360 suffers from this too. Perhaps because neither the PS2 or the original Xbox were really ready to give up the ghost when their successors came out.
  
  I think the PS3, and even the Xbox 360 are inundated by endless FPS and "Stealth" style shooting gallery games. I'm kind of over GTA, its just not very interesting, and frankly overrated. Gears of War, UT 3, Halo 3, all of these games are good but not really that new, they are not very lasting and simply aren't as fun as the marketing leads us to believe. These consoles lack games that aren't just "cool" like Gears of War or Metal Gear Solid 4. They don't have games that are just plain fun like Super Mario Galaxy, Smash Bros. or the great refreshed Resident Evil 4 on the Wii.
  
  All of this considered. I think the PS3 is a great addition to my living room. The games I have bought, I love. The Blu-Ray and media features are second to none in the category. I think the PS3 is still a console that will be around and useful for some time to come. I just wish there more innovative games out there to add to its luster. HD is cool for about ten minutes, and sure it's brilliant, but where is the fun?
  
  
• Pretty Decent Buy
  By A2XGJ1XYRZL92D on 2008-10-13
  It may seem like a hefty purchase at first, but it's features are balanced out well, as far as gaming and blu ray movies are concerned. For the most part, the blu ray movies look fantastic on HD screens. The game choices are somewhat slim, but there's enough to keep you happy for a little while. It does NOT play PS2 games, DESPITE what the AMAZON.com summary may tell you.
  
  ***NOTE***
  Notice how I gave the game overall rating only 3 stars? It's because for such a highly technical device, it has a low tolerance for error.
  Ex: After playing a game, I turned the game off and flipped the switch in the back to power the console completely off. Since I wasn't used to "safe or best practices" regarding the handling of PS3's - (I had only owned the console for 3 days at the time) - I didn't notice the notification on the screen that read: "Performing HDD Update, do not turn off device." I wasn't looking at the screen, when it displayed the notification, so when I turned it off I wasn't aware of the HUGE mistake that turned out to be.
  The next morning I tried to watch a movie on the PS3 and I received the following error message:
  "The file subsystem is corrupt and will need to be restored"
  Hit OK.
  I must have gone through that error 12 times and it did not fix the problem. I had to mail the PS3 to a Sony Department and get it fixed, which they did at no cost to me.
  
  So be careful and extra attentive at any notification the PS3 displays.
  
  
• Starting to reach its prime.
  By A2NOJVQUPKPTEI on 2008-10-16
  If you're reading this review, you've probably read plenty of others so I'll just cut to the chase. The major reason I waited so long to get the PS3, as opposed to getting the 360 and Wii shortly after their launch, was due to the lack of first party software support. Basically the PS3 was getting all the same games as the 360 but not nearly as many exclusive titles.
  
  Recently though there's been an increase in quality software. Check out Little Big Planet and Folklore to name a couple. Most of the Xbox exclusives are making there way to the PS3 as well. Not only that, but I too have been burned by the red ring. My faith in the reliability of the 360 has faltered. Finally, with the upcoming addition of Home and various firmware updates, the appeal of the social networking/online play of the PS3 has greatly increased to the point of being competitive with Live.
  
  The issue I have is Sony's "Consumer Confusion" strategy. There are 6 different consoles out there that all have varying capabilities and have only been available for certain amounts of time. Let's break them down:
  
  The original 80gig: 4 USB ports and hardware-based PS2 emulation, No DualShock 3, WiFi. (No longer in production.)
  
  The MGS4 80gig edition: Comes with the original 80gig and MGS4 game. (No longer in production.)
  
  
  The new 80gig: 2 USB ports, NO PS2 emulation, DualShock 3, WiFi (Currently in Production.)
  
  1 60gig console: 4 USB ports, PS2 software-based emulation, WiFi, No DualShock 3. (No longer in production.)
  
  
  1 20gig console: 4 USB ports, NO PS2 emulation, No WiFi, No DualShock 3. (No longer in production.)
  
  
  1 40gig console: 4 USB ports, NO PS2 emulation, WiFi, No DualShock 3. (No longer in production.)
  
  1 160gig console: 2 USB ports, No PS2 emulation, WiFi, DualShock 3. (Coming out soon.)
  
  So consumers have no idea what they're buying without doing a decent amount of research, especially if they're taking refurbished ones on Ebay into consideration. Furthermore, consumers have to make the decision to buy one now, or what to see what they'll release in 3 months. Make up your mind Sony.
  
  I ordered the new 80gig thinking it was the same 80gig as the MGS4 pack that was on the shelves only a few months ago. I figured they just weren't including the game anymore. To my surprise, it has 2 less USB ports than I thought and no PS2 compatibility. This is irritating because I have PS2 games that I enjoy playing from time to time, but my PS2 barely works anymore. (I was one of the unfortunate that bought one on launch day.) I really can't justify buying a new PS2. I can only hope that they release some software emulation in a future firmware update.
  
  All in all, it's a good system that's starting to get its act together. I would have given it five stars but the lack of backwards compatibility irks me.
  
  
• Playstation has lots of operating problems
  By A11BPUBS8EIPMI on 2008-11-26
  I bought a PS3 and after all was said and done I had spent about 600 dollars. The console worked for about 8 months. The console started freezing up and the just stopped reading games and Blu rays all together. I called playstation and they offered to replace it with a refurbished one which I was totally happy with. I recieved the new console fairly quickly. That console broke about a week after we had it, so the sent me another refurbished one .... then that one didnt work .... so after about 3 hours in hold time on the phone with sony and 3 days off work so I could be there to sign for UPS .... I still dont have a working playstation. Sonys customer service is awful! VERY DISSAPOINTED!!
  
  
• A great value
  By AWNQ4PW495XMH on 2008-08-28
  This has to be one of the best valued systems on the market today, you get a full gaming console, blu ray player and amazing storage and networking capabilities. all for just 399. I also own a 20 GB xbox360, and while the ps3 library is smaller because it came out to the market one year later, the ps3 has more all round value. Most of you are interested in gaming, and comparing to rivals, it had the best piece of hardware and in time its software will be as good as any other console.
  Now that halo4 is not coming out for the 360 and only out in 2011 or 2012, i will be mostly playing games on the ps3 with improved graphics and physics game. i also noticed games like gear of wars are so small on xbox because it uses dvd . where as on ps3 it uses blu ray so games are 5 times on average longer. This is another plus point and shows that investment in ps3 is totally future proof.
  
  
• Great System; Lacks Featuers that Gamers Need
  By AZ7ZXDRHWKGLI on 2008-09-11
  The system is a strong platform with great processors and some intuitive features, however, it does lack some features. The recharging cable for the six axis controller is too short. It should be somewhere closer to a ten foot cable, as opposed to the little three foot cable it comes with. As insignificant as this seems, when you're playing and your controller dies, you want to be able to play comfortably while still charging the controller. I have to sit leaning forward when I charge.
  
  When you're playing online, you can't invite friends and have them just join your game, they have to go into the game, and try and join from there. The system does not come with a headset. For a platform that prides itself on online gaming, there is no headset included. As of to-day, the bluetooth headsets are having major issues on the platform, which means you have to use a USB headset.
  
  The good things about the system, and there are many, are things like a 100/1000 speed card enabling gigabit ethernet. Xbox 360 is only 10/100. This system comes with wireless connectivity out of the box, which is something the xbox does not. The fact that it's the best blu ray player on the market is also a plus. The interface is very easy to navigate and I really do not look forward to the 'home' interface they are planning on rolling out. The picture viewer is really nice, it renders the images in unique ways. All the accessories are blue tooth, which is nice, but now I need a separate remote just for my ps3. The HDMI interface allows you to use digital audio, unlike the Xbox 360.
  
  If they could just tweek the os a little bit, this would be a better console for online playing, as it is now, the xbox is the better online gaming unit. I still prefer the ps3, though :P
  
  
• From my perspective a five-star product
  By A16QODENBJVUI1 on 2008-10-26
  I've been a tad perplexed that some people find the Sony PS3 a bit of a disappointment. As a gaming platform I'm not blown away simply because there are so very, very few games made for the PS3 that I'm even the slightest bit tempted to play. Next week Fallout 3 comes out (I was a huge, huge fan of the original Fallout and its sequel on PC), which doubles the number of games that I am interested in playing on a PS3. I am almost exclusively interested in RPGs, and so far PCs (with an Internet connection) remains the platform of choice. Even the one game I have been playing on the PS3 I originally played on PC, Oblivion. I would rather scrub a floor than play a 3D shooter or a sports sim, so if it had been only a gaming platform, a PS3 would have been a pretty tawdry purchase.
  
  Luckily there is a great deal more to the PS3 than its capacity to run games. From the menu I can see that there is a great deal more than I have not yet discovered. For instance, I'm not quite certain why it has built in wi-fi. Maybe one day I'll find out; more likely I won't. But there are several uses to which I've put my PS3 that has made it well worth the purchase price.
  
  My main reason for getting a PS3 was to play Blu-ray discs. Like a huge number of people, I held off going high def until the format wars were resolved. Once Blu-ray won, however, it was time for me to get off the sideline. I waited until I moved in August to get my first high def television and in September I got my PS3. There was no great rush because I had no Blu-ray discs. But I ordered the PS3, Seasons One of both TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES and PUSHING DAISIES, IRON MAN, and the PS3 version of Oblivion all at the same time. I got TSCC and the PS3 on the same day. I came home, set up the Sony, popped in a disc, figured out how to use the remote (with some trouble -- the PS3 remote is not very intuitive for someone who has never played a console game), and was instantly happy that I had a Blu-ray player. The picture was if anything better than what I was expecting, and I was expecting a lot. I still don't have many Blu-rays, but with movies like WALL-E and THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS coming out soon, and switching from DVD to Blu-ray on some of the shows I watch (LOST will now be purchased on Blu-ray), my small collection will grow.
  
  My rationale for getting a PS3 rather than a unit that could only play Blu-ray discs was that the $80 difference in price would be justified by being able to play games, even if I never found anything to play other than Oblivion, would be a safe gamble. Especially with Fallout 3 coming out, I think I would that gamble. I have really enjoyed playing on a large screen. At first I had a lot of trouble adjusting to the controls after years of playing on a computer and using a keyboard, but I've really come to enjoy it. My only caveat is that sometimes I get slightly nauseous because of the movement on the larger screen. I've talked to a few other people and they've had similar problems. It isn't anything that I can't cope with, but it does cut into how much I enjoy playing.
  
  There are two other uses I've been able to put the PS3 to use that make me even happier with it. First, like with my Philips Up-Conversion DVD player, the PS3 will play my older DVDs at a near 1080 resolution. Actually, some DVDs look absolutely as good as Blu-ray discs do. Battlestar Galactica, for instance, looks spectacular on my PS3. Sadly, Buffy, my other all time favorite show, doesn't look very good at all. I'm hoping that there will be a release of Buffy at some point on Blu-ray with a much higher resolution (though this should NOT be letterboxed -- though it was filmed with a wider angle camera so that you can actually show wider shots than what you got on TV, the shots were planned for 4:3 perspective, so that it is the more canonical frame). There is talk of bringing BSG out on Blu-ray, but I'm so happy with the resolution of my current discs, I'm not 100% sure I'll upgrade. I'll probably buy Season One on Blu-ray just to see.
  
  The second thing I enjoy is the ability to play DIVX encoded .avi files using a flash drive. I can do this on my Philips Up-Conversion player as well, but with a major difference. The Philips gives a highly cropped menu. The PS3 gives a very large amount of info about each file. In other words, while neither really beats the other in terms of quality in playing the .avi files, the Sony makes it much easier to figure out what file you want to play.
  
  So all in all I've been very happy with my PS3. Yes, I wish there were more games that interested me on this platform. But since I primarily got this for use as a Blu-ray player, any gameplay is just a nice bonus. If someone knows for dead certain that they would never play a game on it, they should probably consider getting a Blu-ray player only unit. But I enjoy the versatility of the PS3.
  
  

• 3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $201-$500 - Repair
• Playstation 3 USB Keyboard

• Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote
• PlayStation 3 Dualshock 3 Wireless Controller
• Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
• LittleBigPlanet
• PS3 HDMI Cable