The European Playstation site don´t have that, since we only have one SKU with "EE" emulation. You may be right in the assumption that the size of the hard drive is a very convenient way to identify the different versions and that may be the reason why we haven´t seen the 80 GB version in Europe yet.
Here are some more contributions to the conspiracy theories:
I think Sony saved a lot of money by not releasing a PAL version of the PS3 with the "EE+GS" chip not only from BOM point of view but also from the cost of SW point of view. They didn´t have to verify all PAL titles for backwards compatibility, instead they only needed to verify the NTSC versions and right after the release last fall those resources were reassigned to verify the PAL PS3 version with "EE" emulation and after the PAL release they were re-assigned once more the new NTSC version.
Another benefit is that it will give Sony one less PAL SKU to maintain firmware updates for.
Here´s a question to the devs with insight into PS2 development. Could it possibly be more work getting the "EE" emulation up to snuff on the NTSC version compared to the PAL version because they usually run at a higher frame rate of 60 Hz compare to 50 Hz? Could that also be one of the reason why the PAL countries got "EE" emulation first?
Some more conspiracy theories.
I think it would make sense if the RSX and the "GS" chip got merged some time in the future at a smaller process. I think that is also likely to happen to the Xenos mother and daughter dice. We will never see the Cell and RSX merged like the "EE+GS" chip because they run at very different speeds and the Cell may end up to be a mass produced and used in other consumer products as well.
Merging chips is a very efficient mean to cost reduction when possible. The die size of the GS at 90 nm can be estimated to about 40 mm2 from the available die shots of the "EE+GS". The RSX at 90 nm is about 240 mm2. As they are running at pretty similar speeds they seem to be likely candidates to be merged maybe at the 45 nm process perhaps earlier.
I might add that I find it unlikely that they could emulate the GS purely in software and I would certainly be truelly shocked if Sony presented such a solution later this fall after they have gone through all the hassle to achieve and verify the current level of backward compatibility.
, you shouldn't be "forced" to buy the low end model because that's the only one available. Thinking Elite sku here. It's a strategy to increase average selling price. While not theoretically, hurting yourself in any way, as the price conscious are still nabbed by that low sku. You are essentially catering to what different people want.
