Sony PlayStation 3 (80GB)

• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 142 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 9 stars

  Great multipurpose gaming and media device

  by Scott Gardener on December 8, 2007

  Pros: Media capabilities make it great even for people who don't play games, killer tech specs, standardized rather than proprietary components, sturdy and reliable track record

  Cons: Contributions to global warming are felt within minutes of use, would have been nice to have included an HDMI cable

  Summary: I have really great friends; one of them gave me this console on the day after Thanksgiving. Not even Christmas, mind you, but Black Friday. Just gave me one... Wow....

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  Summary: I have really great friends; one of them gave me this console on the day after Thanksgiving. Not even Christmas, mind you, but Black Friday. Just gave me one... Wow.
  
  The first thing I noticed upon unboxing it was familiar desktop and laptop computer parts; the SIXAXIS controller had not some weird Sony proprietary parts, but an ordinary USB cord, with a standard small end and big end. My research beforehand also showed that even the hard drive is a standard laptop SATA drive; if I wanted to, I could swap it out for a 250 Gig Western Digital drive, just like the one I put in the laptop I'm using to write this review. Sony did a complete 180 degree on this, as their historic use of proprietary parts instead of interchangable components is legendary. (The PS3's sibling PSP's reliance on UMD and Memory Stick instead of regular SD cards, as well as limited support for common video formats, was a deal breaker.) I'm really glad to see Sony changing its ways here. The USB ports have great plug-and-play capabilities, too; I plugged in a standard USB keyboard and without any additional buttons to push could type entries on registration forms and name blanks.
  
  My console came with the game "Motorstorm," which is a fun racing game, but I got a better taste of the true capabilities of this console when my already nice friend also threw in "Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction." Playing the first level showed off both the rendering capabilities of the cell processor itself and some of the fun gadgetry capabilities of the console, such as the motion-sensing controller. I know, it's not the same as the Wii's tennis and bowling prowess, but it's still cool to control a character through motion wirelessly with a handheld controller.
  
  The menu-driven interface is convenient and simple, making this device, as powerful as it is, accessible to novices as well as experts. However, the former might have a hard time getting used to PlayStation controller conventions. Since I'm not myself a heavy gamer, aside from the visual shock of going into a seventh generation console, I did have to get used to using a game controller to navigate system settings such as wireless networking or to browse an online store.
  
  But, even people who never play a video game may want this console for its remarkable media capabilities. Aside from being one of the cheaper and yet one of the better Blu-Ray consoles, a firmware update recently also made it one of the best 1080p upscaling DVD players. Coupled with a user-replacable hard drive and USB expansion ports, one could use it as a digital media hub. (Granted, the remote control is sold seperately and is bluetooth-based, meaning adapting a universal remote means going with third party infrared work-arounds). User replacability of the hard drive aside, I still recommend this console over the 40 Gig for media purposes because of both the extra two USB ports and the memory card readers--both Memory Stick and SD, and even CF are included. (For gamers, I would absolutely insist on this in lieu of the 40 Gig model because of the lack of PS2 reverse compatability in the latter. My wanting to play "Okami" was a reason for rejecting the 40 Gig Spidy 3 version in my research even before my friend got wind of my interest in this console.)
  
  Another selling point for the PlayStation 3 is that its hardware is durable and sturdy. Early models of the XBox 360 are having enough problems with permanant failure that they have their own special name for it. (Not a good thing for Microsoft, which is still recovering from a reputation created by the legacy of Windows 98.) The internal power rather than an extra transformer brick is nice. That said, one should note that the console tends to warm up the room pretty quickly when it's on. The high end inards also tend to need more wattage, making this the most power-hungry of the new gaming consoles, or for that matter any gaming console short of a Falcon Northwest Mach V with rediculously unneccessary extra GeForce 8850 graphics cards stuffed in for bragging rights. But, you have the console itself to remind you to plant a tree to offset its carbon footprint, by raising the temperature of your own environment a few degrees.
  
  All in all, its a superb piece of hardware. It's a killer game console that, while lacking very many of its own titles, can play a lot of PS2 titles (if you make sure to get the right one; for you die-hards, you might want to backtrack and look for the 60 Gig model that achieves PS2 backwards compatibility by having rather than hardware emulation a tiny, shrunken down little PS2 physically stuffed inside) until the gaming industry catches up. It doubles as a Blu-Ray player, and its Cell processor's multithreaded nature makes it one of the best 1080p DVD upscaling systems out there. It triples as a hard drive media player that, with minimal work and a trip to Best Buy, could hold over 200 Gigs worth of mp3s, videos, and pictures. And, appearantly soon it will quadruple as an online social networking tool that, unlike the XBox 360, doesn't require a monthly fee. (I'll have to see whether or not that works out.) If you're building a bleeding edge home theater system, it's almost a must--if you're going to spend $500 on a Blu-Ray player, why not get the one that also has a built-in hard drive and just happens to play games like there's no tomorrow?

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  14 out of 20 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  This thing has replaced my computer and is good as one... but it sin't the best game system yet

  by chillax68 on January 3, 2008

  Pros: exactly like a computer you can add a printer keyboard mouse and even an av or hdmi monitor

  Cons: not many good games you will find yourself constantly playing ps2 games

  Summary: this thing is great but I feel as if it should have been released as a computer or an entertainment hub... or even a ps4 it's just to advanced ...

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  Summary: this thing is great but I feel as if it should have been released as a computer or an entertainment hub... or even a ps4 it's just to advanced it takes alot of power to replace my hp, and it did it is better than most pc's out their and i have mine working on the Linux yellow dog platform made exclusively for the ps3. I even have programs such as lime wire, a windows emulator and even a word processor of which i have used already to turn in an assignment. Now I also own a wii which has a more advanced web browser and better games but does not come close to the ps3's power. The ps3 even has the ability to burn cd's, rip off of memory cards in its media bay and than even import videos photos and music to another memory stick.
  
  curaintly i am using orb on my pc and it can even stream from that automatically which is kind of creepy if you don't know about that when you first sign into your wifi network it kind of just hacks your computer... without me pressing a button it had my pics music and videos ready to view... which i must say is slightly dangerous.
  
  I would have given it a ten if it didn't have all of these computer like features i gave it a 9 cause it tries to hard it does everything except cook and tuck you in at night. It is just not the awesome game system my brawling wii and bioshock360 are.
  
  now i don't want to say that its terrible but it is good because of its graphics but without the graphics it is just another game system which it kind of isn't. If your looking for innovation get a freaking wii along with galaxy and brawl if your looking for shooters with good graphics look for 360 if your looking for an entertainment hub that is sure to replace almost every thing but your surround sound system and hdtv get a ps3.
  
  It's pros are it's cons it is too advanced to be a game system and the fact that you can connect a keyboard, mouse, printer, internal and external hard drive, Linux yellow dog, windows emulators, blue tooth technology and the promise of keeping up to date via firmware upgrades aka service packs. The ps3 should have been sold as a mac and pc killer not a game system.
  
  p.s if you plan to use it as your new pc here are some tips on what you might need a hard drive isn't really needed if you have the 80gig.
  
  ps3 logitech bluetooth media board $80
  (this thing is in all in one mouse and keyboard it's wireless so it's great for travel and having a laptop pad mouse in place of the number pad usually found on normal keyboards is genius and works excellent)
  
  120gig hard drive $100
  (this is very optional if you have an 80gig ps3 but once you connect to psn and start downloading videos photos and music online you are going to start taking up all that space)
  
  sony bluray dvd remote $25.00
  (only sony brand and because of the controllers odd control of video playback this is super useful)
  
  Play station eye $70.00
  (If you are a mac user this will serve as your new photo booth with much more advanced features way better quality than the mac photbooth and even makes games more intuitive while it isn't a wii it is pretty cool and the camera effects will keep you entertained for a bit)
  
  bluetooth headset
  (super optional at this point because at the moment only a handful of games use headsets to communicate but as of later this year a little known thing called home is coming out were it is exactly like real life in the way of communication although you can use voice emotes and a keyboard you can use your headset to speak also.)
  
  and last but definetly not least it's the cheapest most monitor like 1080p screen you will ever lay your eyes on it's gotten wonderful reviews and almost no major complaints
  
  The scepter x20wg-1080p black 20.1 $190.00
  
  (this thing is awesome it has better quality than alot of tv's i have seen it is low priced and not only does it look like a monitor but it is one with the functionality of being used as a normal computer monitor also and man when i tell you windows in 1080p it is impossible not to have a geekgasm their have been some complaints of led bleeding when the screen is all black like in a movie transition or blackout but I have not seen anything as of now another con is the monitor is only available from newegg.com and takes 3 days to arrive but it is worth the wait)
  
  i hope this review is helpful in your purchase.
  
  innovation and fun: wii
  shooters good graphics:360
  Media hub and pc replacements3

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  7 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 10 stars

  PS3 is the best gaming console and Blu-ray player

  by lionel-leon on April 17, 2009

  Pros: PS3 plays every game in full high definition. I highly recommend this console for gaming and Blu-ray movie watching. I recommend you to check out http://www.squidoo.com/best-blu-ray-player for information on what is the best Blu-ray player this year.

  Cons: I can't think of one.

  Summary: I recommend it for gaming and Blu-ray movie watching at full high definition.

  Summary: I recommend it for gaming and Blu-ray movie watching at full high definition.

  4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Does Everything Well

  by dkmi on December 25, 2007

  Pros: Lots of Hardware for the Money

  Cons: Missing Some Basic Necessities

  Summary: Never been much of a gamer. My last system was a Sega Genesis 16 that was bought to play EA's NHL games.
  
  What drove me to this purchase? My
  
  ...

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  Summary: Never been much of a gamer. My last system was a Sega Genesis 16 that was bought to play EA's NHL games.
  
  What drove me to this purchase? My wife. She got hooked on Guitar Hero at a party. Now, I know that Guitar Hero is available on cheaper systems, but I didn't want to invest in yesterday's technology. Still, it took some research before I finally settled on the PS3. I'm glad that I did.
  
  Out of the box, the system was fairly easy to setup. What puzzled me though was the lack of connectors for HD. Whether you want to connect using HDMI or Component cables, you are going to have to purchase these separately. The component cables will be proprietary for the PS3 while the HDMI cable it uses is standard. Everything about this console is high-end graphics and Blu-ray, yet the supplied connectors won't get you any better than 480p. HDMI cables aren't expensive. Contrary to what sales people at big-box stores will tell you, a $5 HDMI cable will perform just as well as a $100 one. The problem is that you'll have to go online to find the $5 cable.
  
  Once I got my system connected properly, setting it up was fairly straight forward. We purchased the 80GB model because we felt that it was worth $100 to get twice the disk space, WiFi, the card readers, and compatibility with most PS2 games. The WiFi was as easy to get connected as any laptop. Once connected, the system downloaded an update, and within a few moments we were in business.
  
  The system came with MotorStorm (an off-road racing game) and it blew me away. It's amazing the power you get for $500. A $500 PC would never be able to run a game like this. I can't wait to check out other titles.
  
  From what I've seen, an Xbox 360 has similar games that look equally as stunning. So, why get the PS3? The Blu-ray player is what got me. I've been waiting for the HD video disk format war to end before investing in a player. Now my investment is somewhat protected because if Blu-ray loses the format war, I still have a terrific game console. If you own an HD television and have been limited to the HD experience via cable and satellite, you need to take a look at a Blu-ray demo. It's night and day better than the compressed HD you'll get from broadcasters. And the Blu-ray player can upconvert your standard DVD's to make them look pretty close to HD. I've seen other upconverting DVD players, and they don't perform as well as this one. You'll need to shell out $25 for a remote for playing Blu-ray movies. There is no infrared port on the unit, so the remote must be Bluetooth. You can use the Sixaxis controller, but you'll tire of it's limitations quickly.
  
  Another cool thing is the media reader. We had the family over for Christmas. Everyone was taking pictures with their digital cameras. We used the PS3 to view pictures as a group. I saved the good ones that I wanted to have right to my PS3's hard drive.
  
  I can't tell you that a PS3 is superior to an Xbox or a Wii. There are too many variables. As a full featured entertainment system, the PS3 gets the nod in my book.

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  4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 8 stars

  Wanted An Xbox Glad I got a Playstation

  by Hallsie11 on February 15, 2008

  Pros: Excellent Graphics, Easy to Connect

  Cons: No USB in back, Navigation of Options can be difficult

  Summary: I did all the research and was planning on buying a XBox 360 but ended up with a Playstation 3 due to my decision that Blu - Ray will win. ...

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  Summary: I did all the research and was planning on buying a XBox 360 but ended up with a Playstation 3 due to my decision that Blu - Ray will win. I am now glad that I did that. It upconverts well and even my home copied DVD's look better. The games are catching on, but I now dedicate less time to gaming due to graduating from college. The only thing that bothers my very OCD self is that I hate to stick a memory stick in the front and leave the top sticking up. Looks tacky and just bothers me. Other than that, No problems whatsoever and have been pleasantly surprised.

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  2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Better than the Wii and the Xbox 360!

  by MrMurder on January 29, 2009

  Pros: Plays Blu-ray Disc media, very good graphics with HDMI cables. Upscales DVDs from 480i to 1080p. Large HDD and it can surf the web and stream Youtube video. Very good games. Nice design. Speedy internet. Has bluetooth conectivety.

  Cons: No media card readers and Software emulator so it can't play PS2 games and it's only got two USB 2.0 ports. Firmware updates can mess up the console if not careful.

  Summary: I got the PS3 as a birthday gift from my dad. I 've had my PS3 for four months and it has been running smoothly. My friend who HATES the ...

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  Summary: I got the PS3 as a birthday gift from my dad. I 've had my PS3 for four months and it has been running smoothly. My friend who HATES the PS3 says that it gets so hot you can cook saussages on it. I play Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction for up to five hours and the outside does get warm, but not hot. sometimes it even feels cold. The only problem I've had so far is getting The Pink Panther BD to play after I updated my firmware to v. 2.60. But I got it to play. I don't really need the media card readers because I already have a PS2. PS: DON"T HOOK THE PS2 UP TO AN HDTV, IT"S MENT BE PLAYED ON A CRT TV!!!! Anyways I think the PS3 makes a great birthday gift because it supports 1080p unlike the Wii and dosen't get the Red Ring of Death like the Xbox 360!

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 10 stars

  So call Author is clue less. I have a ps3 & lUV IT

  by Drako_NY on December 4, 2008

  Pros: i love the ps3 cause it is an all in one media center from gameing to full internet controll,BluRay,flash,sd & pro memory card reader memory card thing is kool cause u can put anything on it an upload it to your ps3 you name it the ps3 can do it

  Cons: on cons ps3 is awsome

  Summary: THIS EDITOR Jeff Bakalar IS A LIAR R STUIP...For starters I have a ps3 and love it for all it can do he said that the ps3 is not ...

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  Summary: THIS EDITOR Jeff Bakalar IS A LIAR R STUIP...For starters I have a ps3 and love it for all it can do he said that the ps3 is not backwards compatible at less with my ps2 games lol. And it does not have just 2 usb ports IT HAS 4 all in front for a key bored ,Mouse, wired controllers , flash drive so u can upload anything u want no your ps3 ,and it comes w/ a game moto storm to me that a bundle , and it has ports for your Memory Stick , SD Memory Card , CompactFlash Card AND FULL ONLINE FROM AOL TO UTUBE GOOGLE WATCH MOVIES ONLINE JUST LIKE A COMP AND HAVE FULL SUSPORT LIKE EVERY 2MONTHS U GET AN UPDATE AND TO PLAY ONLINE GAMES AND TO GO ONLINE IS TOTAL FREE !!!!!?. SO I CALL THIS EDITOR Jeff Bakalar A LIAR R STUIP NEXT TIME U REIGHT A REVIEW UES THE PRODUCT OH YA STOP SUCKING ON BILL GATES $!%& ..

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  First and best gaming console

  by vcleniuk on October 10, 2008

  Pros: Plays Profile 2.0 Blu-ray discs, can dual boot into Linux with relative ease, up-converts DVDs and other media, easy networking, easy to buy or rent HD movies from Sony online. Frequent and useful OS updates. User replaceable internal hard disk.

  Cons: DLNA / PS3 can only open a few video, music and picture file formats. Only 2 USB ports.

  Summary: I have been an occasional PC / Mac gamer in the past, so not having PS2 backward compatibility is not a big deal. I bought the PS3 to play Blu-ray movies, ...

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  Summary: I have been an occasional PC / Mac gamer in the past, so not having PS2 backward compatibility is not a big deal. I bought the PS3 to play Blu-ray movies, primarily -- and play a few games. I was surprised and impressed with the ability to download movies directly from the PS3. Very happy with this purchase.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 4 stars

  Not Quite What I Hoped For (Especially For $500)

  by sidewinder_33 on August 20, 2008

  Pros: Wireless Everything, Blu-ray

  Cons: Bad Network (PSN), Slow, Account System, A Lot More

  Summary: I was so excited to get it, but I returned it after only 3 days after coming across so many things I didn't like. First, the PSN (Playstation Network) ...

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  Summary: I was so excited to get it, but I returned it after only 3 days after coming across so many things I didn't like. First, the PSN (Playstation Network) was terrible. I hated how you make a user name and then it is permenant and you CANNOT change it. They should have at least emphasized more that you need to pick one that you like, and not just make one quick to try out the online play. Second, the account system was no good. I hated how each account could only use THAT accounts save games, music, etc. This became an issue when I wanted to make a new PSN user name and I had to delete my account and make a new one, which also ended up erasing my save games and everything else. Another issue was simply the speed of the system. Hours of updates (5 hours for MGS4), game installations, and just the speed of everything else. When trying to select music or simply navigate through the music, it would freeze up and load and **** me off. Also, I hated that it was limited to only mp3 format songs. I tried to put my iTunes library on it, and ended up only getting half the songs because all the .aac format songs and all other formats were skipped. Plus, it was VERY complicated even finding the mp3's on my portable hard drive and it took FOREVER to copy them to the system. OH OH OH AND DON'T FORGET the ps3 is not yet capable of playing your music during gameplay. This was the last straw in my ownership of the system, and I took it back the day I realized this on top of all the other issues I had.
  
  If I had any suggestions to make, I would say wait on getting the system. Let Sony at least try to work out all the issues that currently exist on the ps3. It had the potential to be a good system, but they released it with way too many problems at a much too high price. The decision is yours, but all I know is I used to be a die-hard fan of the Sony Playstation over all other consoles, and now I am seriously considering an Xbox.

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  3 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  just shy of perfection

  by wonky01 on November 18, 2007

  Pros: stellar graphics, elegant design, great functionality, great interphase

  Cons: games, games, games

  Summary: The only thing preventing me from giving this a perfect 10 is the lack of games and functionality that's oh-so-close. I tried and loved the xbox 360, but for ...

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  Summary: The only thing preventing me from giving this a perfect 10 is the lack of games and functionality that's oh-so-close. I tried and loved the xbox 360, but for the $$$ you have to go with the PS3. I love the Blu-ray disks and the games that are out look spectacular.
  Updates are timely and the online content will only get better. I could envision downloadable movies in the near future. Great experience so far.

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  2 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.

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