Not Just A Games Console; A Feature Packed Family Entertainment Thingy! (Sony Playstation 3 40 GB)

Member Name: cfcfan

Product:	Sony Playstation 3 40 GB
Date:	28/04/09 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good looking, Entertaining, Easy to use, lots of features.

Disadvantages: on the expensive side, not as many 'exclusive' games as other consoles.

Almost two years ago Sony brought out two more versions of the PS3 because simply they weren't selling enough of the 80GB version, so out came the 40GB and 60GB; two consoles cheaper than the first model with lots of useless features removed. Some time later and this has done Sony no good at all, the PS3 is still the worst selling console.


And I have no idea why....

Gaming -


If you have a HD TV I would suggest you buy a HDMI cable because the console is not supplied with one and having one just takes the gaming experience to a whole new level.

The Games collection may not be as big as that of the Xbox 360 but it has all the major titles and some okay exclusives like 'Metal Gear Solid 4'.


Most games are easy to just pick up and play and with the very light wireless controllers (so you don't have to sit to close to the TV) you can just relax in a nice comfy seat.

Popping in a game disc is a cool thing in it's self, it has a slot load drive which just sucks in the disc and starts the game(depending on your settings) which is pretty quiet. The machine it's self runs silently unless it overheats, it rarely does but it has a good cooling system where the fans run at a higher speed the hotter it gets. When it overheats and when all is silent are the only times you can hear it.


The only disappointing thing with gaming is the fact that the 40GB can't play PS2 Games unlike the 60- and 80GB on the bright side all three versions play PS1 games, so you can relive those childhood memories!

Multi-Media -


Other than being a capable gaming machine it is fully stocked up on multi-media features:

Web browser;
If you have broadband (ADSL/WiFi) it is very easy to set up a internet connection, The browser runs smoothly on most sites and can even run youtube videos, but on other high security sites like digital banking sites don't work, even hotmail doesn't run properly. This won't replace your PC but if you have it running you may as well use the browser. Because of the PS3's bluetooth capability you can hook up a wireless keyboard and mouse to make browsing more easy.


Once you have created a Playstation Network ID(Needed to play games on-line) you can make full use of the Playstation Network Shop; here you can buy or download free; games, demos, videos, pictures and new themes for the PS3.

Music/Video/Photos
Not only can you play and store your music/videos/photos on this machine you can also stream them from your pc if you have a media server. If you have lots of films on your PC this is worth having, instead of burning your films you can either stream, transfer them or just leave them on a memory stick and enjoy them on your big screen. The quality is amazing.


Blu-Ray / DVD
The PS3 has been out a while and is still one of the best Blu-ray players around, the picture & sound are just so much clearer than with DVDs thanks to the 5x more storage capacity than a DVD. Blu-Ray discs are also set to replace DVDs so that's something to keep in mind.


-Price-
The 40GB can be found for as little as £220, for a bit more you can get some nice bundle deals; to start of your Blu-Ray/Games collection.

-My Personal Opinion-

I Love my PS3, It's great for keeping me busy if I have nothing to do. Not only for me but also the rest of the family, we have even stopped using the DVD player because the picture is so much clearer on the PS3.
This is a very good piece of kit, sure to entertain the whole family.

Summary: Not Just A Games Console; A Feature Packed Family Entertainment Thingy!