Italian website names 40GB PS3 price Sony's 40GB PlayStation 3 will cost €400 ($566/£277) in Europe, if a product page posted on an Italian retail chain's website is to be believed. It's expected to cost $400 (€283/£196) in the US. The website, Se-Dici Film, claims the console is available to buy immediately, which seems unlikely given the anticipated US release …
It does make some sense for the rumor about PS2 compatibility actually.
Although it is true that most emulation is done with software, the graphics chip of the PS2 is still on board the euro PS3s. However.. seeing the price of a PS2 at the moment, it is doubtful this will save much (a motherboard redesign also isn't free), but is it impossible to emulate the PS2 graphics chip (just a bit harder then the MIPS) seeing quite some PC's manage just fine.
Actually, it's not a no-brainer. The PS3's PS2/PSone emulation is now part of the system software. Sony might well want to leave it out because (a) relatively few consumers actually use it, and (b) it creates a differentiator beyond a mere 20GB of hard drive space with the more expensive console.
Hardcore gamers like the idea of backwards compatibility, but consumers generally don't. Yes, it shouldn't make much if any financial difference if Sony includes PS2 support in the 40GB PS3, but it clearly establishes the more expensive model as 'the one to have' if you're a serious gamer.
Crazy, yes, but understandable.
@Backwards comp: PS3 backwards compatibility is going to be software only even on previous models that had the EmotionEngine PS2/PS1 chip onboard, which practically is a PS2+PS1 on a single chip.
By using software emulation Cell the fact of the EE chip on a PS3 it's a moot point, it's not used at all.
@Mark: The EU is a burocrats paradise, indeed but this doesn't mean that multinationals increasing their products prices on purpose is a good thing to do.
You should consider the real production cost and not the final end-user cost. In UK the situation gets even worse than in other European countries since they always convert $1=£1... go figure.. The $399 PS3 40GB should be priced €299 to be fair.. but since no other manufacturer is doing that, obviously Sony won't be the first to do it..
I still dont get this myself really, didn't Sony have a low end model that cost less, that they then didn't launch in the EU, namely the 20gb model.
Also I dont understand how they can remove the USB connections as has been rumoured, as how the hell would you then charge the controllers!
In fact if you look at the PS3 the only things the can conceivably get away with removing are the memory card readers and the wi-fi connection, which was what was removed from the 20gb base model... So if this does come about its basically going to be the 20gb base model with an increased 40gb harddrive and using the new PS3 reference design without the hardware emulation for PS1/PS2 games.
This one is claiming to have the PS3 40GB available for shipping on October 10th for 399Euros :
http://www.cipcipstore.it/php/catalogo.php?art_code=1083
And this one is selling the PS3 60GB at just 399Euros:
http://www.yammo.it/product.php?productid=366
Yes, the current PS3s in the US are without the EE now as well. Only the 60Gb model had it, and nearly all of those have gone from the shelves now, leaving just the $599 80Gb one that is like European machines.
If/when I ever get a PS3, I'll just go for a US model. They're multi-voltage and multi-region for PS3 games, so it's no problem as long as I keep my UK-spec PS2.
... the 40Gb model will cost £299, with the 'regular' PS3 being reduced to £349. The link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7030164.stm
Best snippet from the article was this:
"Mr Maguire said the release of the 40GB PS3 was a "strategic decision" and not the result of lower-than-expected sales of the PlayStation 3."
Mmmm .... right. Dry that one out and you could fertilise the Sinai desert.
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