PlayStation 3 120GB System
by Sony
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Our Price: $464.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $199.95 (click here) Category: Video Games See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of PlayStation 3 120GB System
Customer Review: For me, a new experience!
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me start out by saying that I'm currently 56 years old and everything I know about video game consoles can fit on a fingernail clipping. A couple of years ago, my companion bought me a PS2, because she had recalled my mentioning in passing (after seeing advertisements for some pretty interesting sci-fi-themed games) that I was curious about what's going on in that medium. The game technology seemed to have progressed light years since I last paid attention, sometime in the late 80s, early 90s, which went something like this: you start out with some objective, and then the game play steadily quickens until you eventually lose against the computer. It was very dull. After she bought me the PS2, the only game I bought was Grand Tourismo 4 (she had given me with the console itself Superman Returns, but I didn't like it), with which I relaxed by racing the realistically rendered cars around some impressively detailed tracks, but never getting into the more sophisticated levels of the game. Then about four months ago, my son lent me Resident Evil 4. Of course, you gamers know this was a benchmark in game development, and can understand why I became completely immersed in it. It was truly a creepy experience. You weren't just WATCHING a horror movie; you were IN it. Here I was, at my age, suddenly finding myself lost for literally hours a day -- one weekend, twenty hours straight; my body ached -- then thinking about the game when I wasn't playing it, looking forward to the moment I could resume the story. After I beat it, I went through it three more times. Then I bought God of War II, quite by accident (I selected it for the price, a mere $20), unaware that this, too, was a hit game, and another benchmark. The graphics were so good, so stunning, so grand and sweeping, I played it six times. Again, hours seemed like minutes; I'd simply lose time. I was now addicted, and taking into account how good a PS2 was, I figured that the PS3 -- with its Blu-ray technology -- had to be out-of-this-world incredible. Four weeks ago, I bought this PS3 slim, and it has given me enjoyment that made it worth every penny, and then some.
I can't speak to the technical specifications of the PS3, or how it compares to other consoles. I'm writing instead to other middle-aged customers who might have stumbled on this page, perhaps shopping for some young relative -- son or daughter; niece or nephew; or grandchild -- to suggest that you should consider buying one of these babies for yourself. This is one powerful piece of entertainment technology. Not only does it exceed my expectations as a game console, it's also a BD player, and using the WiFi connection, it permits access to the PlayStation Store, for free demos and exclusive content; plus BD live material, and downloading movies and TV episodes; and you can import your CDs to the PS3's hard drive, to create playlists or just randomize the tracks for playback. It's become a virtual media center for me.
And the game play? Oh, man. The PS3 advances even further the features that make gaming so addictive. To those of you who snuff that it's a juvenile waste of time, I suggest you ask yourself, is it any different from watching sitcoms or reality TV? A video game requires you to REACT, to THINK, to ANALYZE. That is NOT overstating the stimulative benefits. While they are in fact merely games, game-play itself is a complete immersion in an experience, while requiring good hand-eye coordination and some mental agility. All the games I've played so far included puzzles as part of the story, and it's a very satisfying feeling when you finally solve a particularly challenging one.
If the middle-aged shopper I'm imagining I'm writing to is inclined to wonder if all that tapping on those buttons in specific patterns is difficult to learn, this is my honest answer: At first, yes, it is. But eventually your fingers learn what button is where, and it becomes second nature, like typing. To those even older, it's recommended by doctors that as you age, you need new stimuli to keep your acuity. You won't find a more fun way to do so than this. Ignore your previous misconception that video games are for teenagers. An article in USA TODAY from 2004 stated that ". . . the average age of game players was 29 and the average age of buyers was 36, with men making up 59% of the playing audience." So you can add about five years to those figures, making the average age of video game BUYERS about 40. I have spent untold hours on my PS3, and connected to my 47" HDTV, it's the ultimate entertainment. The graphics are sharp and clear, movement of characters is realistic, making it even easier to get totally engaged in the environments. I just finished Batman: Arkham Asylum, a great game with easily mastered moves, some tough puzzles, and a very dark, decayed ambiance.
True gamers who are reading this are probably chuckling right now, because this is all pretty much a no-duh to them. Well, let me offer a hardy THANK YOU for supporting the industry with enough of your dollars to permit it to advance as an entertainment medium in such awesome bounds. This is the next step toward the future of the ultimate video game experience. Oh, what will the technology deliver? A virtual reality, perhaps?
Review of PS3 SLIM & PS3 SLIM VS PS3 FAT
Summary: 5 Stars I'll try to keep this as short as possible, I'll list the facts First about the ps3 slim, then I'll tell you what can you do with a PS3 and at the end I'll post my impressions about the PS3 Slim, so skip to the part you need if you do not want to read specs or impressions and only want to know what's the PS3 is capable of.
*32 percent smaller,36 percent lighter, and has 34 percent less power consumption than latest models
*it can stream bitstream Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD audio (older models can only decode them to uncompressed PCM),
*it's identical to the PS3 fat feature wise expect the removal of install OS option (Only 2 guys on earth used it)
*it WONT play PS2 Games at all but it can play PS1 games (latest PS3 fat models also does not play PS2 games)
*Needs a $20~ stand to be stable in the vertical position (don't place it vertical without the stand, not safe)
*Got BRAVIA Sync unlike the Old PS3 (lets you control your PS3 via your TV remote control,if your TV support it)
1-Play Next generation HD games and have access to the exclusive games (I highly recommend Valkyria Chronicles/Killzone2/MGS4/uncharted/GT5p as the top 5 exclusives in my opinion)
2-One of the best BluRay players at the market + One of the best DVD upscalers on the market with HDMI 1080p
3-120GB storage,you can download Demos/Videos/etc from Playstation network and play online FREE with your friends.
4-299$ Hardware that's built like a tank from a company that will support you for at least 10 years (Look at PS2)
5-Built in browser/wifi with Flash support (Youtube will work) with Internal Power supply in one package.
6-One of the best media players you can also stream media from your pc via wireless or ethernet.
7-It plays all PS1 games also you can also download PS1 games from playstation network many games are already available like Final Fantasy VII/Metal gear Solid/Resident evil/Tomb raider/etc.
8-Play pictures/Videos from your cameras easily, if your PC is not strong enough to play those 1080p videos the PS3 can do it easily.
9-Remember after all it's a game console in the first place and the games are really good on it, if you want to invest on a console and buy games over the years make sure the hardware does not fail on you and the PS3 hardware is as good as it gets when it comes to console reliability.
Note: The PS3 have no hidden fees ,it does not require 50$ a year for online play like some others , it does not require 100$~ wireless add on, it have BluRay built it and the hard drive is easily upgradeable (It use 2.5SATA laptops hard drive)
*size* if you think PS3 slim is so slim and tiny you will be disappointment the console is still big so ps3 slim is not so slim really but compared to the BEAST old ps3 was i say PS3 slim is a step on the right direction it's about half the height of the PS3 FAT and it's lighter by like 2 kilo/4pounds.
*Temperature/Heat different :
PS3 Slim DVD Playback Temperature 42C Power Consumption 75W
PS3 Fat DVD Playback, Temperature 45C Power Consumption 153W
PS3 Slim BD Playback, Temperature 38C Power Consumption 86W
PS3 Fat BD Playback, Temperature 47C Power Consumption 160W
(As you can see the PS3 slim is much better in here and it use much less power as what Sony claim plus the air coming out of the console is warm while PS3 fat air was HOT.
*Fan noise check :
Slim is quieter that's for sure it's so quite that i can actually hear the optical disc spinning sound, it was not possible with the old PS3 because the fan noise was so high(not xbox high but still high for my taste) that i can not hear the optical disc.(Compared to the 60GB PS3, i heard the 80GB PS3 were quieter though)
After playing with the PS3 slim for like 2 days i can honestly tell that if you do not care about PS2 playback you must get a PS3 slim it's much better than the old PS3 (Quieter/Smaller/as good as PS3 fat/etc), when i bought my old PS3 i thought i will need PS2 playback but honestly after like 2-3 years i have only used it like 5 times. and PS2 cost like 90$ New and 50$ Used in case you needed one.
For importers : If you want to import the PS3 slim i can confirm that the POWER SUPPLY is universal it says 100-240V and 50/60Hz under the PSU package.
Get the PS3 slim if you are a gamer or you will miss out a lot of all those great games people will talk about for generations after this one! and I hope this Review was helpful for you guys !
Customer Review: Great system but still overhyped.
Summary: 5 Stars
I still haven't gotten a 'next gen' system.I've wanted one for a while but they're still way too expensive a price to be paying for a video game system in our country's current economic state. People around me are losing jobs consistently w/o any notice, not worth the risk to give away [...] on entertainment. My roomate just got the PS3 though and while it is very fun & the visuals are great,its definitely overhyped(the Xbox 360 is also). The jump from PS2 to PS3 is still not as huge as the jump from PS1 to PS2 so I guess you can say I'm spoiled & expected too much...
Rating on setup: Easy unless you're like my roomate & won't read instructions. W/o reading instructions, it took her hours while I was at work to come to the conclusion that the system was broken and that the audio & controllers were broken. When I got home, it was in its box about to be returned. So I opened the instruction book after talking her into trying again & it works fine. So, PLEASE read the instructions if you get one of these, before thinking its a broken system. In short, the set up is harder than it was for the PS1 & PS2 but still relatively easy as long as you read the instructions.
PS3 online store & system configurations: Very cool. The set up & online store has a screen saver/wallpaper that looks like the Northern Lights. The menu options are easy to understand & find. The online store is pretty cool & you can download demos at no charge (seems like it takes too long to download them though... I don't know enough about this stuff but my roomate does, she says the time it takes is ok so I'll agree with her). PS1 games are anywhere from [...] to [...] (higher prices seem to be the Final Fantasy games).
Netflix: Doesn't work out of the box. My roomate had to wait a week to get a disc from Netflix that will make it work & you have to have the disc in the machine whenever you want to use Netflix. She has a Roku box (I think its the standard Netflix streaming box but am not sure)also. Comparing the Roku & the PS3, she says the Roku is far superior. The PS3 works sufficiently but its slow and a lot more frustrating to use than her Roku so, its recommended to not buy the PS3 for Netflix. Get a Roku instead. You can stream movies through the PS3 store also but they're expensive so she'll never be doing that. In short, get the Roku for Netflix for around [...] instead of the PS3.
Games: She got GTA IV, Modern Warfare II, Uncharted I, Ghostbusters and the Gods of War. The games are all fun but they're just as fun as PS2 games & the visual differences aren't enough to upgrade to a [...] system. Don't get me wrong though.If the system dropped to the [...] range,I'd definitely get it but the only thing I see different between PS2 & PS3 games at this time are graphics/visuals & while the PS3 visuals are jawdropping,the PS2 was sufficient in my opinion so I personally am not willing to deal out [...] for an upgrade that wasn't needed in the first place.
Durability: My roomate has only had it for a week. The system runs very quiet. It puts off a lot of heat, but I compared it to my PS2 & found that my PS2 runs way louder and its loading times are definitely longer and I think it actually gives off more heat. 15 to 20 coworkers have all had their playstation3s for at least two years & they've never had a problem (half of them are the gamer types that stay up all night playing games resulting in work absences or zombie trances the next day).Most the coworkers only bought their PS3's b/c they gave up on the Xbox 360s after two system purchases. So based on the quietness of its running state & the durability of my coworkers systems, I'm confident to rate this highly.
Overall: The system is great, however, I'm glad I'm not the one that purchased it. Since my roomate purchased this system, I no longer want a next gen system (I only used it a couple times & don't feel the urge to use it any more than that). The system is overhyped (so is the Xbox 360. I don't know about the Wii though, I've never played it).If you want this system based on the hype its getting, I recommend passing on it b/c you'd be disappointed(unless [...] for videogames is in your budget). If you've played it already & you know what you'd be getting, definitely buy it. I wouldn't worry about durability issues. Based on the people around me that have them (lots) I've never heard of a problem. So, if there really are any, they're isolated issues.
Customer Review: Bought it for the top-notch blu-ray but am also amazed by the dvd, cd and gaming quality
Summary: 5 Stars
5.1 stars
I used the old ps3 before this one for a bit and returned it. Not only did it freeze on occasion and not play some dvds, but it was too big, the fan was too loud, it got too hot, etc etc. I bought this new ps3 for a test drive six months ago and expected to return it too, but the return date came and went and I'm still happily regarding this machine as one of the best entertainment values I've seen since I could go to a weekday afternoon MLB doubleheader for six bucks (yes, I'm that old).
I got it mainly for blu-rays, as Sony invented them and I expected their player to be the best. I compared it to other bd players and indeed it was far crisper, and at half the price. The other players have lowered in price since, but this still seems like a bargain to me even if just for the blu-rays. I really don't mind not having a dedicated remote; the axis controller works fine for me. While some blu-rays are a ripoff and barely better than their dvd counterparts (see my list), many are truly an improvement, and some, like Up, are incredible, a whole new level of visual quality when seen through this on our 42 inch Samsung lcd. It's pretty much movie-theatre quality. Finally! Been waiting for that for 40 years.
But what really blew me away was how much finer the games play on this thing than on earlier ps's I've played at friends' places. I didn't know how insanely great this ps3 could be until I played Uncharted 2. People always talk about getting hooked on a game and not being able to sleep, but every thing I played on this until U2 left me not very impressed, about 20 games in all. U2 changed that!
If you buy one of these, make sure to get Uncharted 2 as well. The graphics will take your breath away. You really do feel like you're in a movie, but in charge of the action, and the colors and art are stunning. It's also not very violent, focusing instead on problem solving and incredible eye candy scenery, from mountains to jungles to Arabian palaces, etc. It looks better than many new movies at some points, and is quite an artistic achievement. I was a doubter until I played it. Now I'm still a doubter...all the other games seem so weak in comparison. Which is likely for the best; it gives me more time to watch movies!
And that's the other genius feature of the ps3. My dvd collection got instantly upgraded when I bought this unit, as it upconverts their picture to a level of crispness and color depth that I could not believe. Some look almost as good as blu-rays. It's like having a brand new movie library! I can't stress enough how much better some of my dvds look on this compared to the previous ps3 I used. That alone is worth the three bills, in my estimation.
But add in the incredible gaming quality, and after that the best blu-ray player out there for less than a grand, and the ps3 becomes maybe the best home a/v entertainment value available right now. And I don't even use the online multiplayer capabilities. And oh yeah, it plays cds with excellent sound quality. It doesn't make me breakfast, but that's about all it can't do.
Couldn't be happier with this unit, and not one technical screwup to date of any sort. Sony builds quality stuff (love their latest walkman, and my 1986 Trinitron still works like new), and the word is they lose money on these ps3's, selling them as loss leaders to get folks to buy the games and blu-ray discs. If so, it was a great business decision, because they got me hook line and sinker. (Though I just get a monthly pass at the local vid spot and get all the new games and blu-rays I want for 20 bucks, another incredible value; it's then clear which games and bds are worth buying. A small list, actually.)
This new ps3 is absolutely and highly recommended to all movie fans, gaming fans, music fans, and fans of well-built equipment designed to last in general. Rarely does one unit do anything almost perfectly, let alone almost everything perfectly. Blu-rays, dvds, cds, games...this is the only player you need. I think the real worth is more like twice the price, at least.
Well done, Sony.
Customer Review: PS3 The Remix
Summary: 5 Stars
I previously had a PlayStation 3 40GB. However, it was on its last leg. Therefore, I decided to take advantage of GameStop's PS3 trade-in offer for this newer version. There are a few new features when comparing both systems.
Size comparison:
The slim is a lot smaller (7.05lbs.) than the fat PS3, which is 11lbs. Overall, the slim is 33% lighter than the fat PS3.
Console design comparison:
I actually like the new design of the slim. The body is not shiny or as fancy as the fat PS3. The texture would be similar to the finish of a counter top. The finish seems scratch resistant, as well. At least, it is not a dust magnetic and scratch haven as the fat PS3. The slim still has some shiny parts on the console, where the buttons are located. This part has a mirror-like finish, which is slightly different than the fat PS3's finish. Your reflection can be seen. That is the best way to describe it. In addition, both sides of the console has the same shiny finish ala the PS3 fat.
Speaking of the buttons, some people do not like them because they are physical buttons, unlike the touch-sensitive buttons of the PS3 fat. I believe the slim's buttons are better because I do not have to worry about fingerprints, while pressing the buttons. In addition, the buttons no longer have to be held down to turn the system on or off. Just press the button, and the console turns on. The same happens when powering the console off. The power and eject buttons illuminate, as well. Therefore, players do not have to try finding the buttons, if they decide to turn it off in the dark. Of course, the controller can be used, as well.
One of the most important new features is the quietness of the slim's fan. It is a lot more quiet than the fat PS3's fan. In fact, I have to get up close to the machine to hear it. That is a great thing. I can now play and not have to worry about that loud fan, which used to annoy me, while I used to play my fat PS3. The slim is more energy efficient and uses less power than the fat PS3. This could reduce the strain on this system, which could lead to issues from long term use, such as the YLOD. The HDD is easily accessible, now. It is directly underneath the power and eject buttons. Now, players can upgrade the HDD, without voiding the warranty. Of course, if players had a 40GB PS3, they can probably live with the 120GB HDD, which comes with the slim. That is a 80GB upgrade.
Console set-up:
Setting up the system could not be more easier. In fact, if you already have a router, just flash through the options, which ask about your internet set up. Of course, I have a wired router. Therefore, it might be a little different for wireless router owners. During set-up, players will be prompted to create a new PSN ID or use the previous one. If players are worried about transferring data, such as games saves, music or pictures from one PS3 to another, no problem. If you still have your old PS3, plug the ethernet cable to each console. For those, who have data saved to a flash drive, just plug it into the slim, and copy the data. It is that easy.
In case of a possible YLOD or other issue, I would recommend having a flash drive, and saving your data. Who wants to lose game saves, pictures, and music? If you have downloading demos, add-ons, and full games, do not worry! For players with an existing PSN ID, just re-download the demos, add-ons or full games. Of course, you will not be re-charged for the re-downloading of your add-ons or full game purchases because they were already purchased via PSN account.
The verdict:
Outside of what was mentioned, there are no other new features. However, if gamers are thinking about switching to PS3, the slim is a good way to start. For those looking to just switch from a fat PS3, I would not recommend it, unless you feel like it is necessary. Either way, this system is worth owning.