Which PS3?

Mark Hamill

I'm tempted to get a PS3 and I think I'll be buying from America seeing as the 40gb version from Amazon uk is €365 while the same console from Amazon USA is €255 (might not actually get it from Amazon, just using site as comparison). However I'm at a loss as to which console I should get.

Theres the 40gb which is the cheapest, but has no backwards compatibility
The 60gb, which I think has been discontinued
The 80gb, which is what I was considering getting, but then I heard rumours that this is being discontinued and that there might be a 120/160gb version instead (with a dualshock controller instead of a sixaxis controller apparently)

What do people think I should do? Does anyone with the 40gb regret the loss of bc? Does anyone have the 80gb model? Is it worth it or should I wait to see if a new model comes out near the end of the year?

RedXIV

for the price difference between a 40gb one and the other models, you could also buy a PS2 if you wanted to play PS2 games and below.

Works out about the same. just so ya know

IronWolf

I was wondering the same thing recently, recieved some good help in this thread.

To summarise, the US PS3's BC is region coded, so you can only play US PS2 games. Also the majority BR discs will also be region locked, so you'll have to import any blueray films you want to watch (may not be a bad thing with exchange rates these days).

Personally I also really want to buy a PS3, but Sony are really making it difficult for me, and many others to justify getting one (insufficient HD space, lack of BC, no DS3 included, etc.). I'm holding out in hope of an announcement of a higher specc'd model at this years E3...

projectmayhem

IronWolf wrote: »

Personally I also really want to buy a PS3, but Sony are really making it difficult for me, and many others to justify getting one (insufficient HD space, lack of BC, no DS3 included, etc.). I'm holding out in hope of an announcement of a higher specc'd model at this years E3...

there's more HD space then a 360 out of the box, and the ps3's HD is upgradable, so I don't see where your argument comes from there. it's a console, where the primary format for playing games is disc media, so the HD shouldn't actually be that much of a concern.

BC is a joke. everyone worries about it. sure, it's nice to have, but i've yet to put a PS2 game into my PS3.

either way, it's likely we'll see a more expensive 80GB model by the years end for us denizens of fortress europa. whether or not sony care enough to stick BC in is another thing.

The guy

RedXIV wrote: »

for the price difference between a 40gb one and the other models, you could also buy a PS2 if you wanted to play PS2 games and below.

Works out about the same. just so ya know

Also chipping the PS2 is a possibility to play downloaded games.

To be honest OP I'd go with the 40gig edition, I have the 60 gig and it's features are almost useless.

IronWolf

there's more HD space then a 360 out of the box, and the ps3's HD is upgradable, so I don't see where your argument comes from there.

Thats all well and good, but what if one was hoping to use it as a media hub like myself? With all of the downloadable content available, the ability to play music and .avi files and the eventual arrival of PlayTV (enabling the recording of HDTV programs). I don't think its too unreasonable to hope that Sony release an SKU with a larger hard-drive installed (as they have done at PS3's release).

They didn't release the 40 gig version because people didn't need the space offered by the 60/80 gig versions, it was simply a cost cutting measure to make their console more competitively priced.

BC is a joke. everyone worries about it. sure, it's nice to have, but i've yet to put a PS2 game into my PS3.

Again, my needs from the console are different from yours (I've never owned a playstation console before, and thus have a vast backlog of exclusives that I'd love to play). Hence why I would like to see it included in a new SKU, or at least the capability to download older games through their on-line store for a fee (like Nintendo have done with great success).

I really hope this doesn't get any PS3 owners on the defensive, and don't get me wrong I really think the console is an amazing bit of tech. I'm just explaining my reasons on why I'm holding out on buying one

Mossy Monk

That would make a cheap Region A Bluray player. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

savemejebus

IronWolf wrote: »

Thats all well and good, but what if one was hoping to use it as a media hub like myself? ...I don't think its too unreasonable to hope that Sony release an SKU with a larger hard-drive installed (as they have done at PS3's release).

sony gave the ps3 a user upgradeable hdd so that people like yourself, and many others can use it as a media hub by installing a nice big hdd at oem prices while people who don't need a huge hdd don't have to pay extra for it. Here is a PS3 compatible 250gb hdd for €70. Now how much do you think sony would charge for a proprietary ps3 hdd. MS charge €179 for a 120gb hdd.

I think sony did a good job with their hdd choices.

IronWolf wrote: »

Again, my needs from the console are different from yours (I've never owned a playstation console before, and thus have a vast backlog of exclusives that I'd love to play). Hence why I would like to see it included in a new SKU, or at least the capability to download older games through their on-line store for a fee (like Nintendo have done with great success).

Seriously, to get the most out of PS2 exclusives it's really best to play them on a PS2. PS3 emulation is far from perfect and the games will always run better on the machine they were designed for.

Mark Hamill

Hey thanks for all the answers and links so far.

RedXIV wrote: »

for the price difference between a 40gb one and the other models, you could also buy a PS2 if you wanted to play PS2 games and below.

Works out about the same. just so ya know

Actually that reminds me, I have a ps2 which I haven't used in ages, so bc is probably not an issue.
Also the actual size of the hd isn't an issue either (i don't download stuff for my console) but I thought that there where other differences to the SKUs, like the number of ports etc. Are these not really important?

And the last thing: does any one have any suggestions of where to get one in America?

projectmayhem

Mark Hamill wrote: »

(i don't download stuff for my console) but I thought that there where other differences to the SKUs, like the number of ports etc. Are these not really important?

you will download stuff to the console (games, videos, etc.) but you'll find it hard to fill the HDD unless you're keeping all the videos and demo's on your machine... for some reason.

as for the differences, there's no card reader and less USB slots on the 40GB sku compared to the 60GB one... it doesn't make a huge difference to you really. i only ever used the memory card twice on the ps3 (once to check out the picture viewing thing, and the other to back-up saves when i was installing linux)...

Mark Hamill wrote: »

And the last thing: does any one have any suggestions of where to get one in America?

best buy are usually a good bet for some bargains and good packages. you might be able to squeeze out some extra savings if you pressure staff

robbieastewart

I've been thinking of getting a PS3 soon too but just have been waiting because I really want to get it with Dual Shock. does anyone know when it is suppose to be coming out here? Would realy like to get one with Dual Shock and maybe BC like the 80GB version in the US. But BC isn't that big a dal for me.

Also how much are they going for now with MGS bundled in?

And one final question do the HDD have to be FAT32 like the 360??

savemejebus

about the HDD, do you mean for reading or installing?

If you install a new hdd the ps3 will format it for you, if reading from an external hdd then it shuld be FAT32.

robbieastewart

savemejebus wrote: »

about the HDD, do you mean for reading or installing?

If you install a new hdd the ps3 will format it for you, if reading from an external hdd then it shuld be FAT32.

I mean for reading. So FAT32 it is then, don't know why the 360 and the PS3 don't use NTFS!!

Thanks for the reply.

tman

robbieastewart wrote: »

I mean for reading. So FAT32 it is then, don't know why the 360 and the PS3 don't use NTFS!!

That always baffled me as well. I mean the PS3 is almost understandable, but why the hell doesn't Microsoft's console support their own file system???

Mark Hamill

projectmayhem wrote: »

as for the differences, there's no card reader and less USB slots on the 40GB sku compared to the 60GB one... it doesn't make a huge difference to you really. i only ever used the memory card twice on the ps3 (once to check out the picture viewing thing, and the other to back-up saves when i was installing linux)...

Can you save games (or copy game save files) onto usb memory sticks through the usb port on the ps3?

projectmayhem wrote: »

best buy are usually a good bet for some bargains and good packages. you might be able to squeeze out some extra savings if you pressure staff

Cool I've give them a look.
Edit: They don't seem to deliver outside Canada/America......

savemejebus

Videogamesplus.ca deliver outside canada. However if you're importing be prepared to pay about 25% extra for customs and vat

robbieastewart

So I just took the plunge; €440 for the PS3 with GT5p and MSG4, not too bad i suppose, tried to get a student discount, using my girlfriend, but they said not on consoles.Ah well now I have a PSwii60!