[B3D News]

Aggressively priced hardware and a terrific software line-up make for an unbeatable combination New 40GB PS3 at €399

London, 5 October 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced details of its exciting new PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) model that will launch throughout the SCEE territories on 10th October 2007 at the highly attractive price of €399.

Providing an incredibly appealing entry point to the world of High Definition gaming and entertainment for the holiday season, the new PS3 brings the next generation of interactive home entertainment to homes all across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia.

Along with an ever expanding line-up of PS3 titles (a total of 65 titles tracking across all genres by Christmas), the new PS3 is equipped with a 40GB HDD and includes all the features central to the High Definition entertainment experience; true next generation gameplay, stunning High Definition Blu-ray Discâ„¢ movies, SIXAXISâ„¢ wireless controller, Wi-Fi and HDMI connectivity, all powered by the Cell Broadband Engineâ„¢, the digital heart of PS3.

As with the 60GB PS3, the new PS3 features upgradeable firmware allowing new features and functionality to be added to the system as time progresses. A recent firmware update, for example, enabled PS3 to upscale DVD’s played on the system to full 1080P High Definition.

The introduction of the new PS3 has been determined following user feedback from thousands of existing PS3 owners as well as research into future potential PS3 owners. The new model features two USB 2.0 ports rather than four and no longer includes the multi memory card port.

The new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation®2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles (a total of 65 titles across all genres by Christmas).

The existing Starter Pack*, comprising a 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility, an additional SIXAXIS wireless controller and two first party titles will be reduced in price to €499. Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3.

“The introduction of the new PS3 has been the result of extensive research into the entertainment needs and preferences of the next generation of PS3 owners,� said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “It has allowed us to deliver an extremely advanced, yet incredibly affordable High Definition gaming and entertainment system, configured to the needs of the next generation of European PS3 owners. PS3 has always been the device of choice for the discerning gamer and entertainment seeker, and the new PS3 is more than ever the perfect High Definition entertainment system.

*In the UK and Ireland, the Starter Pack will be replaced by a separate in-store promotion on the 60GB PS3.

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors:

PLAYSTATION®3 40GB Specification
Product name PLAYSTATION®3
CPU Cell Broadband Engineâ„¢ Processor
GPU RSXâ„¢
Sound Dolby 5.1ch, DTS 5.1ch , LPCM 7.1ch, AAC, others *1 *2
Memory 256MB XDR Main RAM, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM
HDD 2.5� Serial ATA 40GB
I/O USB 2.0 x2
Communication Ethernet x1 (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)
IEEE 802.11 b/g Included
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR) Included
Wireless controller (Bluetooth) Included
AV Output
Screen size 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDMI OUT x1 *3
AV MULTI OUT x1
DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x1
BD/DVD/CD Drive
(Read Only) Maximum Read Speed BD 2x (BD-ROM)
DVD 8x (DVD-ROM)
CD 24x (CD-ROM)
Dimensions Approximately 325mm (W) x 98mm (H) x 274mm (D)
Weight Approximately 5 kg

*1 A device compatible with Linear PCM 7.1 Ch. is required to output 7.1 Ch. audio, supported by Dolby TrueHD or a similar format, from the HDMI OUT connector.
*2 This system does not support output from the DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. audio is output from a 5.1 or lower channel.
*3 "Deep Color" and "x.v.Color (xvYCC)" defined by HDMI ver1.3a are supported.

Read the full PR item

[Rainbow Man]

I guess they cut the graphics synthesizer out of the hardware.

Strange they reduced USB2 ports. Surely the hardware itself would support 4 just as easily as 2 without any tangible cost difference and how much can a port really cost?

USB2 hubs are almost free if you buy them separately these days. Or maybe they count on that..assuiming the PS3 firmware supprots hubs.

laystation Eye in one port and the joypad charging cable in the other.. Hw's a person going to be able to play guitar hero?

Oh well. At least they didn't kill the wifi. Or the gigabit port. Not that I use mine anyway.

Besides. People should be used to ports falling to the wayside with playstations. Original PS launch hardware had separate audio L+R ports and S-Video out, and I think composite also. All in additiont o the multi-out jack. Those got cut one by one leaving just the multi out.

PS2 lost firewire. And PCMCIA/expansion bay.

And now PS3 losing a bundle. Seems Sony hardware is leprous!

Peace.

[patsu]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Man

Playstation Eye in one port and the joypad charging cable in the other.. Hw's a person going to be able to play guitar hero?

I thought that Guitar is wireless ?

Oh well. At least they didn't kill the wifi. Or the gigabit port. Not that I use mine anyway.

Yeah, I didn't think they would drop the WiFi that easily. I allows many people to connect PS3 online in the living room (more potential upside !). Wife will b*tich if I run more cable or have an additional access point near the center piece.

[jonabbey]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Man

I guess they cut the graphics synthesizer out of the hardware.

Strange they reduced USB2 ports. Surely the hardware itself would support 4 just as easily as 2 without any tangible cost difference and how much can a port really cost?

USB2 hubs are almost free if you buy them separately these days. Or maybe they count on that..assuiming the PS3 firmware supprots hubs.

USB2 is USB2. I've got a USB2 hub at the end of a 10 foot USB cable from my PS3, it works great.

[Color me Dan]

Am i to understand that the 60gb model will be discontinued? Why the hell don't they keep it?

[Titanio]

Originally Posted by Color me Dan

Am i to understand that the 60gb model will be discontinued? Why the hell don't they keep it?

According to a BBC article, quoting Ray Maguire, they're actually losing less on the 40GB than previous models, despite the lower price. So that might be a reason why.

[Diamond.G]

2 This system does not support output from the DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. audio is output from a 5.1 or lower channel.

Exactly what does this mean?

[sir doris]

Without BC will this new 40GB PS3 be able to play the PS1 games on PSN or will they be emulated by Cell?

[Shifty Geezer]

PS1 games should be playable. That should be completely emulated on Cell, and certainly shouldn't be reliant on GS.

[one]

Originally Posted by Color me Dan

Am i to understand that the 60gb model will be discontinued? Why the hell don't they keep it?

Probably they are preparing PS3 with 80GB or bigger HDD.

[Arun]

FWIW, from the BBC article Titanio mentioned...
Read: At least one of the chips is 65nm and I win my bet, kthxbye

Originally Posted by http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7030164.stm

There is no confirmation on the launch of the 40GB PS3 in North America and Japan, which have their own divergent models and price points.

Mr Maguire said: "The people who want to get into new technology early are prepared to pay a premium.

"We want to get the console to the next level; we have re-engineered the machine to bring the price down."

He added: "We have invested a lot of money in reaching this price point."

Sony is still losing money on each console sold, said Mr Maguire, but would lose less money on the 40GB machine.

"We are in an investment phase," he said.

Sony was criticised last year when it unveiled its £425 price point for the PlayStation 3 with many analysts saying the firm would struggle to win over gamers.

"It has taken us that long to get the cost down, it's as simple as that," said Mr Maguire.

[Dr Evil]

Originally Posted by Titanio

According to a BBC article, quoting Ray Maguire, they're actually losing less on the 40GB than previous models, despite the lower price. So that might be a reason why.

Not after they pass these cost reductions to the more expensive unit also, but like one said they are probaly bringing the 80Gb model to replace the 60GB one.

[BoardBonobo]

Originally Posted by Diamond.G

Exactly what does this mean?

Only that 7.1 sound is available as linear PCM and not DTS. It gets downmixed to 5.1 if it is.

[jonabbey]

Originally Posted by BoardBonobo

Only that 7.1 sound is available as linear PCM and not DTS. It gets downmixed to 5.1 if it is.

Sony doesn't yet support output of DTS-HD MA sound tracks from Blu-Ray discs. It can decode Dolby True HD, and uncompressed 7.1 linear PCM.

Everyone's hoping that a future firmware rev will introduce DTS-HD MA decode on the PS3, but no one has seen it yet.

[Nesh]

Are they going to stop producing Backwards compatible with PS2 games PS3s?

[patsu]

There is still the 80Gb

[mech]

Not in Australia there isn't. No BC for us apparently.

[patsu]

Hmm... may be after the 40Gb announcement, 80Gb will be available there too.

[Carl B]

Originally Posted by Nesh

Are they going to stop producing Backwards compatible with PS2 games PS3s?

That definitely could have been phrased more cleanly.

But I'm wondering the same thing. We'll see when we see I guess...

[Zaphod]

Originally Posted by Carl B

But I'm wondering the same thing. We'll see when we see I guess...

Well, they've probably got quite a bit of inventory to burn through while contemplating such a move, but some of their quotes [...]

we feel now that there's sufficient choice in the marketplace and that we're still better off using that money that we'd put into backwards compatibility in either investing in new games or using that money to help support bringing the price down so that people can get into the franchise,"

[...] certainly give that impression. However, I kinda' think it would be premature for them to make the decision before assessing how the cheaper SKU is received in the marketplace. I'd venture to guess that if there's demand, they'll bring in something resembling the NA 80GB model in lieu of the European Starter Pack at €499, but that they're trying to avoid any such announcement to bolster the 60GB while stocks last.

[Kfyh]

Cutting PS2 bc does sound like a fairly big move. I'd be very interested to see the production cost breakdown of the new ps3 compared to the one at launch. I wouldn't think the GS chip, memory card reader, hdd change and 2 usb ports make the 200 euro drop in price.

[Color me Dan]

Ok, now that i've gotten over the initial shock: I do see this new SKU as a good thing, it will open the PS3 up for a new market who can afford it, and this is always a good thing. However, the 4 usb and card reader version is now the only way for us europeans to get BC. It sort of forces consumers who want BC to buy the remaining stock, i'd be all for the idea, but i have yet to afford the PS3 and might miss out...

[Arwin]

I think they should probably keep the two SKUs. BC is a good thing for people with kids, as it allows you to play a lot of the simpler, cheaper and older PS2 games. That said, two days ago I had my cousin and his 3 year old daughter over and super rub-a-dub was enough fun right now (though she also had a great time with the dancemat downstairs, even if they only really was interested in the lights that go on if you step on one of the pads). That's also another thing, most families can probably relegate the PS2 to one of the childrens rooms, playroom, or whatever.

I don't use it too often anymore myself, only at the rare party and mostly with Buzz and a little Singstar. Singstar will soon be replaced with its PS3 version, but Buzz may take a while longer, so I'll miss that. But once the new version comes out, that'll be another must buy for me.

[Arun]

They invested significant money into emulating the EE, I'm sure - they'd be crazy not to keep SKUs with the GS. It would be quite interesting to see a new 120GB SKU with BC in Spring 2008...

[Shifty Geezer]

The other benefit of BC is reselling PS2 games as downloads. That ought to be well worth the cost of the engineers creating software BC. For me, the only reason not to do software BC is because they just can't, and rather than admit that their hardware that's 10,000x more powerful than PS2 can't run PS2 games, they fob us of with talk of redirecting funds to new game development.