Sony Playstation3 320GB Slim Console [Unknown format] [PlayStation 3]

First, I'll summarise my views of the newest PS3 console, then I'll list pros and cons to help you decide. I've also got a tips.

I bought my PS3 320GB mainly because I want to watch Blu-Rays, and it's not much more expensive than a Blu-Ray player, if you take into account it's also a games console, a media renderer (which means it "plays stuff" from media servers), and many other things.

I bought the 320GB model the day it came out (thanks, as always, Amazon) because I thought a big hard drive would be better. (I may have been wrong...)

To put my review into perspective, I also have a much-loved PS2 slim, a Wii, and a DS.

Pros:
- it's very quiet, almost silent in operation
- it comes with a proper vibrating SixAxis controller, not the old non-vibrating ones that the first versions came with
- it's a games console, media renderer, video player (you can hire films in SD and HD online) and web-browser
- (update Jan 2011): LoveFilm has been added to the film hire providers, although you can only hire a part of their catalogue of films at the moment
- connect a USB keyboard, and you could use it for most email and web browsing, all on your TV
- there's a host of great games (although I don't want to list my favourites, as everyone will have different opinions)
- the PS3 iPlayer is better than the Wii's, and it has subtitles (the Wii's doesn't)
- (update Jan 2011): Channel 4 On Demand and ITV Player have now been added too, and both work very well

Cons:
- the fantastic "Play TV" digital TV receiver/recorder add-on won't work with UK HDTV (but that's the UK's fault - it chose a different standard to the rest of Europe), and it's not really the fault of the PS3 console
- the console doesn't charge connected controllers while it's in standby mode
- the web browser doesn't work well with all websites (although maybe future firmware updates'll cure that)
- because I serve my media (music, videos, photos) from a media server, I don't need lots of disk space! I might have been silly to buy the biggest possible and pay more: time will tell if I manage to fill the disk.
(Update Jan 2011): the disk space *IS* useful - save files, demo downloads, PS3 software downloads all need space. My new tip is to buy the biggest disk possible.

Media renderer note: the PS3 doesn't support several quite common formats, such as Ogg Vorbis and Theora (audio and video), .MOV (Quicktime), and .MKV (DivX). However, there are ways to get them to work with it - see my tip below.

As you can tell, the "Pros" are very big, and the "Cons" are pretty small and niggly. Overall, I think this is a great piece of engineering, a brilliant project to bring together many forms of visual and audio entertainment in one place, and it's VERY CHEAP for what you get!

5 stars for this.

(Tip: for my media server, I use "Media Tomb" for Linux. Version 0.12 has just been released pre-built. With a little configuration, you can get all these formats to stream to and be recognised by the PS3: Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Theora, .MKV, .MOV and plenty of others, by the use of transcoding. I'm afraid I can't tell you how to do this with Windows though).

This is my second console, the other one being a Nintendo Wii which I love, but it can't play movies.

We decided that rather than a standard Blu-ray player a Play Station would be better as it gives more than just a games console or a blu-ray player, it is also an i-player (BBC, ITV and 4-on-demand so far), and LoveFilm, it can play music and photo slide shows, the Play Station shop and these are the main ones I have found so far. The PS3 seems to update on average every couple of weeks adding something new.

So, after several months of consideration, looking around and asking a lot of questions we decided that the PS3 was probably our best option. Having, also, experienced the sudden shock of filling a hard drive really decided us on the 320 Gb memory over then 160 Gb hard drive and having seen the rate of update from Sony it was definitely the right choice.

A slim-line PS3 320 Gb was purchased, in the main, to watch blu-rays rather than to play games on ... well that was the initial idea.

Once we got it home it was a case of plugging it in, and this is where my sister comes in. I'm really not that good at connecting electrical items - I can do it but I spend hours reading the instruction booklets so I get it right. I still have nightmares over the connection of our very first video recorder. So my sister connected everything up. This was where the first problem arose.

The PS3 makes a big deal out of its High Definition capability so it is a great disappointment that (especially considering the price, even when sold as a bundle) they haven't included even a short HDMI cable. Fortunately we had one we could use - AmazonBasics 3M Dual-Shielded High Speed HDMI Cable.

The controller has a rumble facility which can be quite powerful, and the cabling which attaches it to the console is long enough to reach from the position under the table to the chair comfortably, meaning that you don't have to sit (or stand) up close to the TV in order to play the games.

If you want to play Blu-ray movies you can navigate with the dual controller provided but it is a lot simpler with the Bluetooth remote for Play Station - this is another add-on item which is not included in the box - Sony Blu-Ray Disc Remote Control (PS3).

Navigation of the on-screen menus is very easy, and symbolism (movie frame for movies, controller image for game section, etc) is very easy to understand.

One other benefit which I discovered when at a Game shop is the 320 Gb PS3 can play original Play Station games (but not PS2 games). This means that all my sisters old Play Station games won't have to sit on the shelf gathering dust anymore.

Not being an avid gamer I can only state what I have experienced myself with this console.

The graphics are superb, blu-ray discs play without any noticeable pause half way (even DVDs play with what seems to be a significantly reduced middle blip - but that could just be a trick of the mind).

This is more than a one trick wonder, it is a multi-entertainment station - not just for playing games.

I've been playing consoles from the era of Nintendo and Sega Master System. I've gone from a hardcore gamer to a casual gamer over the years, but habit still makes me get the latest one out.
I have both the first and second versions of the xbox 360 (not the new shiny 3rd generation one) and the PS3 early version and now the new one. So I am no fan boy.

The new PS3 is a solid build with a smaller form factor over its older brother. The now shiny piano black replaced with the matt finish. I have to say I liked the shiny black but the machine picks up dust and finger prints alot. So the matt black is a relief in some ways. The lost of a few ports and backwards PS2 capabilities is replaced by a larger hard drive. I don't find the trade off a big deal. I never really use the backwards capabilities anyway.

For me the important thing is the games. Of course the blu-ray capabilities is impressive as is the support for the latest updates for it. For example the internet connection meant since the early days support was added for the sound codecs when used in conjuction with a AV receiver. Sony really supports this product, with 3D capabilities been added and updated as well.

Since around 2009 I feel the PS3 has really taken off with their exclusives and really got there act together. There have been such exclusives as Little Big Planet 2, Kill Zone 3, Infamous 2, SODCOM 4, Yakuza 4, Resistance 3, Uncharted 3 and Starhawk just to name a few. Also the gap between games graphics that are released on dual platforms has been reduced.
I still find if its a dual platform game I tend to purchase the Xbox 360 one and I hope game producers narrow the gap so I can happily purchase games on PS3 if needed.(Some games on PS3 are not upscaled to 1080p unlike xbox 360 which is disappointing. Battlefield 3 is an example of this)

Despite the Xbox 360 advantage on dual platform games when it comes to 3rd party accessories PS3 is the clear winner. The ability to use 3rd party bluetooth keyboards and headsets is something I wish Microsoft would do. Logitech is one of the biggest producers of accessories (particulary keyboards)and I can't use them for my Xbox 360. Its really annoying.

Another advantage for Sony is the 3rd party driving wheels with the PS3 been able to use the Logitech G27 wheel and the Thrustmaster T500 RS Force Wheel with Feedback (PS3). So if your a driving simulator fan PS3 is the one for you.(I love Forza 3. However,I wish i could use the PS3 steering wheels though, only good choice is Fantec for xbox 360 that is not too expensive. (update 271011: The wheels to be released for the upcoming Forza 4 from Fantec are fairly expensive if you go with decent pedals, but work cross platform for ps3, pc and xbox. The problem is they are only really available direct from Fantec, so I'll stick with the view that PS3 has the edge on driving sims as they have the cheaper dfg and Logitech wheels)

On the other hand the tradeoff is that the PS3 online community is not as good as the Xbox 360, but at least its free. (PS3 has a paying portion for upgraded features but it is up to you)

In terms of motion control. I find the Xbox 360 Kinnect at the moment more original in concept and with better games, but this will probably change as Sony gets it act together in 2011 with the Move. I also find the 360 control Pad better for 3rd person shooters. but, the Sony PS3 pad better for fighting games. (update 150911. I would not recommend either of the motion controls there still seems to be a lack of support and both have been disappointing)

A real problem for a casual gamer like me is the constant updates the Sony PS3 has. If I have not played for a week or so I find I'm facing an update for the game I want to play and the machine update. it can be very annoying. For Xbox 360 I find the updates are more subtle and less annoying. (update 150911 Sony seems to have alot of maintenance and down time for their online service especially since the security breach of their online service)

For me the plus points of the Sony PS3 has been its reliablility. I've had no faults since I purchased my PS3's or XBOX's, but have more friends who have had failures with the XBOX (RLOD).
This may be resolved in the 3rd generation xbox machines.
Another positive is the blu-ray drive for films and also games, A blu-ray disc has higher capacity so you don't need to install multiple discs (XBOX off sets this out with higher drive speed (quicker install) and the ability to do a full installation to machine.

In conclusion the new Sony PS3 is a worthwhile purchase if you can only afford one console, but as you can see from my review XBOX 360 is a good alternative. you just need to weigh up the pros and cons of each to decide which one to get.