Sony unveils new, slimmer PlayStation 3 console, cuts prices

Wednesday 19th August, 01:16 PM JST

TOKYO —

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc on Wednesday unveiled a new PlayStation 3 game console that is slimmer and lighter than the current model and will hit the global markets in September at significantly lower prices. The new PS3, available in Japan and other Asian regions from Sept 3, will be priced at 29,980 yen, down 10,000 yen from the current model, and will house a 120-gigabyte hard drive, up from the current 80 GB.

Through the price cuts, Sony Corp hopes to counter rivals with cheaper game consoles such as Nintendo Co’s Wii, priced at 25,000 yen, and Microsoft Corp’s Xbox 360, starting at 19,800 yen, ahead of the crucial holiday season.

The new console will be available in the United States and Europe on Sept 1 for $299 and 299 euros, down $100 and 100 euros, respectively, from the current model.

SCE also cut the prices for the current PS3 model in North America and Europe by $100 and 100 euros, respectively, but kept intact the prices in Japanese and other Asian markets, citing market developments.

The company has already ended production of the current model so it hopes to replace it with the new model as soon as possible.

The updated PS3 is 33 millimeters slimmer at 65 mm and about 1.2 kilograms lighter at 3.2 kg.

In addition to playing games, users of the new PS3 can download more songs, images and moving pictures due to the larger storage room of the hard drive. By connecting the console to Sony liquid crystal display televisions, it can be operated with the TV remote control.

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 20 Total Comments Show All

norinrad21 at 01:57 PM JST - 19th August

I'm sticking with my original PS3 until it breaks down someday. This new model doesn't even look classy at all. A poor mans 3D0 is more like it
lostrune2 at 04:18 PM JST - 19th August

New low competitive price is a good move. Still, it's all about the games you like to play. Lots of people like to play online where there are lots of other people play too.
IchyaWarFare at 04:18 PM JST - 19th August

thepro-not really worried about blu-ray. HD is fine and as long as you have the proper cables for your system, you will be fine. I am not worried about looking at hairs flowing from my characters head. Game play and story will suffice. Besides, blu-ray players are really cheap, on base anyway.
sicklittlemonkey at 05:25 PM JST - 19th August

moving pictures

Stone the crows, haven't heard that one in a while.
mushroomcloud at 10:25 PM JST - 19th August

Not bad. I bought my PS3 80GB almost a year ago from a deal at Walmart; $399 plus a $100 gift card issued at the register. One of the better deals at the time.
NeilWarnock at 10:37 PM JST - 19th August

Bloody waste of money. Buy your kid some football boots and send them down the park with their pals. In 10 yearsthey may even be playing for Crystal Palace. I have banned all videogames from my kids and no price cut from Sony will make me change me mind ,thank you. I am a responsible father.
thepro at 12:12 AM JST - 20th August

lol, get off your high horse, Neil
IchyaWarFare at 07:24 AM JST - 20th August

haha Neil. They will just play somewhere else.
darkaura at 07:48 AM JST - 20th August

Neil there can alway be a balance. Will people buy this yes, especially if they don't have a blu-ray player. Yes it is more expensive than one, but you can play games. Will you have people not buying this yes because people are happy with what they have and don't need it. Me personally I won't buy it just yet, I will eventually.
ThonTaddeo at 09:52 PM JST - 20th August

Great to see them finally cut the price and make a smaller unit -- essential for people living in cramped Japanese apartments!

Even if an original PS2 processor was too expensive, I wish software-based backward compatibility had been brought back. It was in some early 80 GB units in the US, but not in Japan at all. There's still an amazing library of PS2 games out there and we're going to be wanting to play them for years, long after the PS2 stops being produced. I'd gladly pay a little more for PS2 compatibility in my PS3.
The758 at 08:33 AM JST - 21st August

When I saw it, the shape reminded me of the Atari 2600.
randomenigma at 01:13 PM JST - 21st August

Now they just need to drop the price on the PSP Go, which is what .. a whole $50 cheaper than the PS3 Slim?
helloklitty at 07:04 AM JST - 22nd August

Bloody waste of money. Buy your kid some football boots and send them down the park with their pals. In 10 yearsthey may even be playing for Crystal Palace. I have banned all videogames from my kids and no price cut from Sony will make me change me mind ,thank you. I am a responsible father.

I was tempted to buy a PSP slim, but this comment brought me to my senses. Best day I had all summer was climbing a series of nets in a five-story building with my boys. We can't wait to go back. Video games are a curse. All the great leaders of the future will be quoted saying, "I never played any video games as a child."
IchyaWarFare at 03:24 PM JST - 22nd August

I was tempted to buy a PSP slim, but this comment brought me to my senses. Best day I had all summer was climbing a series of nets in a five-story building with my boys. We can't wait to go back. Video games are a curse. All the great leaders of the future will be quoted saying, "I never played any video games as a child."

lol. If that is all it takes to be a great leader for you, we are on our way to great New World. I guess hate is all that takes to bring you to your senses, have fun with that.
lostrune2 at 05:21 PM JST - 22nd August

Many of the best upcoming astronauts have great eye-hand coordination. ;-)