PS3 Slim: Sony's PS3 Sheds Weight

All good things come in small packages. Sony has applied this philosophy on its new PS3. First question might pop up is why are we talking about the PS3 when the PS4 was unveiled last month. Well the new console will only hit the market during Christmas in USA, that means next year for India. So if you are shopping for a gaming console then check out this new compact variant as it comes a sliding disk cover, two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, an HDMI Out and a maximum 1080p output. It now comes with 250GB and 500GB hard disk drive storage, which is an increase from the previous 160GB and 320GB models. Playstation has always been considered as a niche entertainment device but now Sony has launched a budget option with just a 12GB flash memory. Have to say this entry-level option seem like a smart move by the Japanese giant.

Slim looks

Sony has not only made the new PS3 anorexic, but also replaced the hard jagged edges with curves – it is 20 per cent smaller in size and 25 per cent lighter than the previous PS3. You can open the disc drive manually by sliding the cover or just by pressing the eject button, but manually closing the cover seems like a step back from auto-loading disc trays. Being a top loading model, more space is required to remove the disc making us miss the auto-loading disc tray. On the hindsight, the built quality is a disappointment. The cost cutting plan is quite evident as there is too much use of cheap shiny black plastic.

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A force to reckon

This PS3 is still a complete media hub. While bringing in Blu-Ray, the console doubles up as your data storage for photos and plays all formats of music. There is the unique "photo album" view feature that displays almost all image formats across the screen. It comes with a basic slide-show mode where you can advance your slides forward. Then there is the Playstation Network which allows you to go online and download games or play multi-player games with friends.

Gamers delight

Bringing realism to the gaming world has always been PS

Realist graphics have been PS3 , the PS3 is still numero uno. The difference lies in the fact that Sony made the PlayStation 3's 3.2GHz Cell processor from scratch. This PS3’s cell processor is so advanced that it gives game makers options to play with the wide range of effects which redefines graphics. Currently, only a slight edge is given to PS3 over its competition in terms of visuals, but this is only so because the developers are yet to learn to take full advantage of Sony’s processing power to deliver a mindboggling effect.

Summing up

The new PS3 is for a new buyer in the gaming world rather than for a current Sony console owner who is looking for an upgrade. But we feel this one don’t have much shelf life with PS4’s India entry just round the corner. But then for those on a budget, PS3 could be the best bet.

Okay, I know you are thrilled by the all-social PlayStation 4, but there is also a new super slim version of PS 3 in the market. While the new entrant has taken some of its sheen off, this third edition is easily the most compact Sony console and features

From the April 2013 issue of FHM India.