Sony slims the Playstation 3 down in more ways than one with the newly announced, cheaper Sony PS3 Slim.
Sony today took the wraps off their newest version of the Sony Playstation 3 gaming console. The Sony PS3 Slim had been a favorite rumor among fan blogs and technology pundits alike, and today the company finally made the device official. The Sony Playstation 3 Slim will trim down the original Playstation 3 in a few key ways, answering almost all of gamers' requests for changes in the original system without adding any new functionalisty. Most importantly, the new Sony PS3 Slim will see a price cut over the original model. The new console will be available in the first week of September for $300. That's a $100 cut from yesterday's price of the 80GB Playstation 3. The PS3 Slim will fit neatly between the two current configurations with a 120GB hard disk drive.
In addition to the price cut that analysts and industry insiders had been calling for, the Sony PS3 Slim will also get a physical reduction, thus its new "Slim" name. The console comes it about 33 percent smaller, and cuts about 36 percent of its weight from the original model. The Sony PS3 Slim will also consume 34 percent less power than previous generations.
While the gaming world seems more focused on motion sensing cameras and other physically active games, the new Sony Playstation 3 Slim will not launch with any new capabilities, though so-called augmented reality games and motion sensing apps for the PS3's available camera, the EyeToy, are slowly finding their way to market. In fact, the new Sony PS3 Slim will launch with the capabilities of the current lineup of Playstation 3 consoles, so backwards compatible gaming, which allowed early buyers of the Playstation 3 to play their older Playstation 2 games, will not be an option on the new PS3 Slim.
Whether the new system size and the oft-requested price drop spur new interest in the Playstation 3 system remains to be seen. As the Sony Playstation 3 lags behind the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft's Xbox 360, a price cut would be a nice trick to help Sony pull ahead, but this current cut only brings the PS3 Slim in line with the most expensive Xbox Pro retail package. A cheaper Xbox Arcade edition comes without a hard drive, but includes a free game, for only $200. Even the popular Nintendo Wii costs only $250 to start, and rumors suggest a price cut for Nintendo's offering could be imminent.
In any case, we're sure the price cut will stir some positive sentiment in the gaming community. Hopefully, increased traffic in the Sony PS3 Slim will also spur development in high-def movies, as the Sony Playstation 3 remains one of the best ways to play DVD movies on your home theater system. The PS3 Slim will be available for $300 in September, and hopefully Sony will keep plenty in stock to get through the holiday season.
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