Lots of reasons to buy a Sony Playstation 3 (Sony Playstation 3 80 GB)

Member Name: tallpete33

Product:	Sony Playstation 3 80 GB
Date:	19/09/09 (85 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Loads !

Disadvantages: none

With my PS2 getting a bit long in the tooth, I finally took the plunge and picked up a PS3 80Gb and a couple of games in the spring. I took a while to bond with it but with the able assistance of the 17 year old boy next door (everybody should have one) , I slowly found out what this awesome piece of kit can do and it has delivered in many more ways than I first thought. Even if you don't play games, it is still a must-have IMO. Here's why :

1) DVD / Blu Ray. Excellent playback of both formats from the console. DVD's are improved by the HDMI upscaling. Blu Rays play at full 1080p and are amazing. You can use it with a CRT TV as I first did but with HD, it really shines and shows it off to it's best. You can use the PS3 controllers but it can be a bit fiddly - Sony BluRay remotes are available for around £15 from Amazon or Game. My DVD player has been moved to the bedroom now, reducing the clutter under my TV.

2) Games - it is a Playstation after all! The PS3 rocks as far as game playing is concerned and it whilst the lovely Lara is now being whored across all platforms, it still has a healthy stable of exclusives including Little Big Planet, Infamous, Killzone, Gran Turismo 5, Ratchet and Clank, God of War 3 (pending) and the excellent Uncharted (number 2 out in October).

3) Dualshock wireless controllers - no more tripping over wires or sitting six feet away from a 50 inch plasma with these beauties. Easily chargeable, they hold their charge very well and the range should be good enough for anyone who doesn't live in Buckingham Palace. Modelled on the classic PS1/2 controller they include six-axis motion sensing, rumble feature and the PS button allows more control over the console of itself (e.g. power on/off). Pretty indestructible in my experience.

4) Wireless internet - inbuilt. Just enter your WEP (older routers) or WPA key to connect to the net. Necessary for updates, PSN etc but not essential for offline activities.

5) Looks - black and shiny (the 40/60/80Gb versions) so will match your widescreen TV and stand. The first console that doesn't look like one and compliments your front room as much as your kid's bedroom.

6) Cost - recent price drops have seen good deals around, particularly the 80Gb version which has been retailing sub £200 for the first time. The newer slimline version can be picked up for under £250 with game(s) bundled.

7) Play TV - a £60 box converts your PS3 into a Freeview PVR with the ability to watch/record/pause and rewind Freeview channels. The picture quality is meant to be excellent due to the 1080p upscaling, better than any comparable digi box.

8) Playstation Store - lots of DLC (downloadable content) for existing games (e.g. costumes for LBP's Sackboy, maps for COD4) as well as mini games, themes and wallpapers. Some free, some chargeable

9) New version - the slimline version is er...slimmer (!), has a bigger hard disk (120Gb) and consumes less power.

**UPDATE - A 250Gb SLIMLINE VERSION IS OUT ON 23/10/09**

10) Updates - new firmware is released every 2-3 months which add features to the menu and often freshen up the interface e.g. the last update added the BBC iPlayer icon to the XMB. Rumours of an upgrade to allow backward compatibility with PS2 games for the 40/80/120gb models still persist.

11) BBC iPlayer - the PS3 has it's own version of this excellent program with all the functions of the Windows version so you can use it from the comfort of your armchair, but don't expect a pin-sharp picture.

12) Online gaming - make friends or alienate people with your COD4 or GT5 prowess in the free online community

13) PlayStation Network - as well as online gaming you can instant message and chat to your online friends (with a headset)

15) Media Center - copy your music, movies and photos to the internal hard disk and they are there for you to enjoy at anytime. When playing your music you can choose between three funky moving backgrounds including an excellent planetarium type display. Treat it like a big iPod or PVR. Like my DVD player, my stereo is also no longer cluttering up the lounge.

16) Playstation Home - create your own alter ego and decorate your pad (at a cost) in Sony's Second Life-lite

17) XMB (XrossMediaBar) interface - first used on the PSP this is now becoming standard on a lot of Sony AV kit including my Bravia TV and works very well

18) Vidzone - access to 1000s of music videos online but they can be quite slow to load

19) Motion controllers - Sony are to release Wii-type motion controllers in the spring of 2010. No need to have both consoles then :o)

(also posted on amazon)

Summary: More than a console - it's an an electronic decathlete