The PlayStation 3’s been on a rigorous diet. Cast your mind back to little over a week ago, and you’ll recall us posting about an American FCC listing which appeared to hint at a super slim iteration of Sony’s premium home console. Well, surprise: here it is.
Bizarrely, the images popped up on the website of Anatel (the Brazilian Agency of Telecommunications). They show a smaller, PS3 shaped device with a sliding panel. Prior to the images leaking, speculation suggested that the refreshed system would adopt a cheaper, top-loading disc drive.
The images were accompanied by a document from Sony Brasil, which references three new PS3 hardware SKUs. According to Tecnoblog, the manufacturer is preparing to ship the console in 16GB, 250GB and 500GB variants. There’s nothing particularly exciting about the latter hard drive sizes – but the 16GB system is likely to be especially cheap.
Of course, there’s always a chance that these images could be fake, so take everything with a pinch of salt for now. It all looks pretty legit to us, though. Let us know what you think in the comments.
[source tecnoblog.net]
Comments 15
Makes a lot of sense if its going to be cheaper for Sony to produce, not sure the design is anything special though... isn't this a record, first time a console has had a 3rd design?
@antdickens I don't like the design either, but I'm going to guess the finished thing will look less... unfinished?
@get2sammyb it doesn't appear to be a slot loader either, looks like the top has an open/flap, which is unusual considering the current design. Could be fake, or an old prototype... wouldn't actually surprise me if it was the finished article though.
If they leave it where you can install your own capacity hardrive the 16 GB would likely be a steal.
well the current ps3 is still too big
After weighing things up I made some trading tomfoolery today and snagged myself a Red Slim 320GB to replace my old 60GB workhorse. I must say, I'm very impressed with it. The noise comparison between the two is astonishing!
But the best thing is the much improved wireless reception. The best reported download speed I've ever had on the 60GB (via the internet connection test menu) is 4.8 Mbs, first test with the slim had it at 9.8 Mbs.
The new slimmer PS3 will no doubt be a little wonder itself, I'm still impressed with my red slim PS2.
Why are they making it smaller? What! Am I going to carry it around?
This ain't a Vita! If you wanna make a cheaper model, keep the same and add a 16Gb version without changing the design!
@Marcus09
As with the PS2, the design will be to reduce production costs, as technology advances components that do the same job can be cheaper to produce/buy. Also, if it is a top loader, losing the slot mechanism is a good example of cutting costs.
I'd rather see a new design controller. This one is getting ridiculously old and ugly.
@Marcus09 Who cares if they change the design
Huh, I wonder when Sony will announce this ( If it's actually real). Comic Con is over so it might just be revealed at PAX 2012 or just an out of the blue announcement.
@PS_Trooper
If it aint broke . . .
The DS deisgn is the best controller there is for me, I've never really liked the 360 design or any of it's copycats.
I don't really think there's anywhere left to go with controller design.
I've already bought two ps3's in my life time, that is more than enough, does it come at a cheaper price?
@odd69 I think that's the whole point.
Sony will want to extend the lifespan of the PS3 now that it's profitable.
With no definite plans in place for a PS4 release and the state of the company's finances, it makes sense to replicate the salad days of the PS2.
Gamers should welcome the entrance of cheaper hardware. The current generation of PlayStation is pretty much at its pinnacle- Beyond Two Souls and The Last Of Us will no doubt be as far as the PS3 can go graphically, and it's going to take a massive effort to sell the next generation of consoles.
Wii U will aim for the middle ground again and no doubt port over the bext that the 360 and PS3 had to offer before Microsoft and Sony enter their new machines to the market for probably near double the cost of a Wii U.
I'm happy with my PS3, yet have increasingly less time to game- it's likely that for me it will be my last console.
PS3 is considerably more relevant as a console now than before, I think as you see Wii U and such being out, people will look towards PS3 being a great deal for what you get, and there is already tons of games out for the system.
I like my PS3 slim I have now, I don't really like this design
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