Sony Playstation 3: A truly Next-Gen Console (Sony Playstation 3 80 GB)

Member Name: Escorcio

Product:	Sony Playstation 3 80 GB
Date:	13/09/09 (10 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant design, awesome games and a cheap blu-ray player

Disadvantages: Heat issues and can be occasionally noisy

Since the PlayStation 3's launch back in 2006 (2007 for Europe), the system has leaped from strength to strength providing continual support and enhancements to its users. In the midst of the "next generation console war" the PS3 has fought long and hard to gain the upper hand on its competitors, whether through new system updates, software, peripherals or the general user interface, having such a strong position in the gaming market is not an easy thing to do, yet Sony have managed to continually improve and keep the momentum of their system going.

During the first months of the product's lifecycle many criticised the lack of online features (compared to Xbox live) and the lack of high definition first party exclusives. In certain circumstances these complaints were true, however looking at the potential of the console, it being the most powerful, and the fact that developers needed time to get to know the SDKs, it's understandable that at launch there are going to be a couple of issues.

Skipping ahead to the present, almost 2 years after launch, the PS3 has tackled the majority of problems, to become one of the best games consoles and multi-media systems of this generation, and managed to change the opinions of haters and fan-boys alike.

So, what does the PS3 have to offer?

Well, first and foremost, games. Refreshing the line of PlayStation branded products (the biggest name in household gaming) is not an easy task. In this day and age "PlayStation" has become synonymous with household gaming, so naturally Sony had some major expectations to live up to. Delivering full HD (1080p) on some of the latest games such as Grand Theft Auto IV along with a library of over 300 games released, Sony has defiantly surpassed these expectations. Games suited for casual gamers and hardcore gamers are both available on the system, providing a range of games suitable for everyone. Whether you're a fan of action, adventure or even puzzles there is always a game out there for you. Not only are there tonnes of games for you to choose from but they are all high quality, natively high definition (or up scaled to high definition for older games) and most importantly entertaining games for you to play, so you know that you will never be bored with your system.

But what about multi-media, can I watch movies or play music?

Of course you can, the PS3 isn't just a games console, it's a home entertainment system showing off all its multimedia capabilities. Photos can be displayed in an array of slideshows and sequences to make viewing even more enjoyable, or if you prefer plain scrolling then you can use your remote or controller to navigate through pictures. Music can also be played on the system, whether stored internally or externally music can be played and controlled on your TV. And if that's not enough you can also play your own music in certain games by accessing the in-game XMB. Finally, there are videos. The PS3 can play a whole host of video formats from .avi to .divx. And if your file format is not supported you can use a third party program such as TVersity to stream your content from a computer to your PS3, which will automatically convert as you go along. Movies can be on a hard drive or to harness the full high definition capabilities of the system you can use Blu-ray. Yes, that's right Blu-ray, the PS3 is the only gaming console to have Blu-ray, and this means that there can be up to 25 GB (even more in the future) of data stored on one single disc!

So, what's the connectivity like?

When connecting to a TV you can use SCART, Composite or HDMI cables, making the console compatible with most televisions. Now depending on which model you buy, connectivity varies. Early and the latest adopters of the system will have most of the features with flash card readers (supporting CF, SD, Mini SD and Memory stick pro), getting content onto the system has never been easier. But that's not all, these models also have 4 USB ports so you'll be able to connect external hard drives or peripherals quickly and easily.

Peripherals? What kind of add-ons can I get then?

Sony (and third party manufacturers) offers a variety of accessories for the system. Two main controllers are available, SixAxis the standard PS3 controller with motion sensing and DualShock 3 which is the same as SixAxis but with added rumble. Although older users will have to pay for the new DualShock 3 controllers, newer system models will all come with DualShock and after this period the SixAxis controllers will be discontinued. You can also get a Blu-ray remote control to make controlling movies (and Play TV) even easier, or why not try the PlayStation Eye to make your online and gaming experience even better! But one of the best features is the system's Bluetooth meaning you can connect numerous accessories such as keyboards, mice and Bluetooth headsets, great for communicating during online battles.

So, what's the online like?

The PS3 gives you access to all the PlayStation Network features including the PlayStation Store for downloading games, demos, themes etc., The Video Store (SCEA territories only at the moment) where you can download the latest movies and videos. You also get access to smaller features such as the information bar for updates of the latest news and Folding@Home the project that harnesses your PS3's power to help with medical discoveries! Now who said computer games aren't helpful! The main feature however is online play and the ability to communicate with friends online. Voice and text chat are both available making online experiences great. Now it's clear that the PSN isn't quite Xbox live yet, however, with Home (the "second life" like online community for the PS3) on the horizon, this year could be the year the PS3 surpasses the 360's online play. Not only that but with the amazing game M.A.G (Massive Action Game) due 2009 the PS3's online capabilities are set to explode! Did I mention that M.A.G is going to feature 256 players online in one match! No, that wasn't a typo, 256 players will be able to play each other online on PS3's around the world. Mind blowing stuff eh?

Okay, all these features sound great, but is the PS3 worth the money?

While I'm unable to comment for all countries, the pricing strategies are roughly the same. You can expect to pay £300 (about $600) for the 80Gb model in the U.K the fact that it can be used as a Blu-ray player which cost around £200-£600 (about $400-$1200) depending on the brand and model, you can see that your getting a whole entertainment system for less than the price of a movie player alone! Along with the great content and continual firmware updates from Sony which can add completely new features to older models (such as in-game XMB in the 2.4 system update) means that even if the console itself gets old there will always be support out there for loyal users, and that Sony are always trying to improve on an already great system.

The PS3 is without a doubt the most powerful console out there, and in my opinion the best out of the 3 main "next gen consoles" due to its high definition capabilities, stunning visuals and its general ease of use.

If you're looking to buy a new console this is defiantly the best option and I would highly recommend it to all types of gamers, it's a great system that you will be proud you bought, and the potential of the system through technological breakthroughs and firmware updates means that it is a worthy investment.

Summary: Great console for all the family and well worth the investment. Would highly recommend.