Sony Playstation 3 Slim

Sony’s remodelled PlayStation 3 (120GB) dropped a couple of dress sizes and over $100 off the price of its predecessor, the original PlayStation 3. For $630, you can now have a first-class, BD-Live-capable Blu-ray player with 1080p HDMI output, integrated Bluetooth and 802.11g, an upgradable 120GB hard drive, gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 channel Dolby Digital audio support, and Sony’s monstrously powerful custom multiprocessing CPUs. Oh, and it plays PlayStation 3 games, too.

The most significant internal change is that switch from an 80GB hard drive to a 120GB unit. On its exterior, the PS3 (120GB) replaces the original version’s glossy black finish with a duller black matt finish, and it smoothes out its predecessor’s design angles. Fingerprints still show if your hands are oily, but far less than before.

The PS3 (120GB) – aka the PlayStation 3 Slim – weighs 3.2kg and measures 290 x 65 x 290mm. Those specs indicate that the new model is roughly 33% smaller and 36% lighter than the original; but because it’s a hair deeper, it will continue to occupy about as much space as a standard rack-style DVD or Blu-ray player.

Though the Slim retains most features from the original system, Sony has altered a few things. Instead of the original model’s four USB ports, the Slim settles for two – an unfortunate limitation but one solved through the addition of a powered USB hub.

The PS3 (120GB) maintains the original PS3’s backward compatibility with PlayStation 1 games, but like the original PS3 it won’t handle PlayStation 2 games (of which there are many) – a feature that Sony now says is off the table entirely. PlayStation buffs unwilling to retire their PS2 games will have to soldier on with both units occupying their A/V cabinets and taking up input space on the rear of their TVs.

Also absent is any option to install an alternative operating system like Linux. Most gamers and home theatre buffs probably weren’t aware that the original PS3 could accommodate such OSs, however.

Like the original, the PS3 (120GB) can stand horizontally or vertically, though you’ll want the optional stand ($24) if you plan to go with a vertical orientation. The new model’s rounded casing and slight main-body overhang make it even easier to tip over than the PlayStation 2. When laid out flat, it takes up less room than its predecessor, but then it won’t fit comfortably next to an LCD TV on an average-size A/V stand.

The disc drive itself is whisper-quiet in action. I popped in Metal Gear Solid 4, ran a clean install, and couldn’t hear the sound of the drive spinning at all with my head tilted down and nearly flush against the exterior.

On our test unit, the fan emitted a barely audible hum. I cued Metal Gear Solid 4’s introductory briefing – a surefire processor-cruncher – and in a silent room, the Slim was significantly quieter than my MacBook Air (with the latter’s fan spinning at moderate speeds).

Despite the drop in processor size from 65nm to 45nm and the consequent reduction in power consumption (from 110w to 73w, on average), the PS3 (120GB) feels warmer than the original PS3. For this slimmer model, Sony designed the custom plastic moulding to route air away from the heatsink; thus the entire chassis tends to feel warm (though never hot) to the touch.

As Blu-ray players go, the original PS3 was competitive at $800. At $630 with a slimmer profile and lower power consumption, the PS3 (120GB) is arguably the one to beat. Factor in games, social networking features like PlayStation Home, music and custom video playback, web surfing and picture browsing, and this may be the best-value Sony game system yet.