well yes its getting to that time of the year, and my young lad has been dropping some major hints for a PS3 from some bloke in a red suit. So what is the difference and advantages of the different PS3's?

Right Irish, I will try.

First ps3 (GB)
60gb hd had an extra usb (4 in total) port and was backward compatible with earlier Sony PS2 games (software emulator). Used to sell on ebay for silly money?

2nd version (GB)

40gb 80gb 160gb versions, emulator dropped, not backward compatible with ps2 games, 2 usb ports

3rd release – latest (GB)

Slim version 120gb 250gb, Bravia Sync, quieter fan when watching Blu ray (not that mine is noisy? 80gb version)

There is nothing to stop you upping the HD size at a later date anyway & is easy to do.

Go for a slim, 120Gb is more than enough storage space, PS2 compatibility is pointless and external USB port extension can be used if you ever need to.

ps2 compatibility is not pointless, just not on the table according to sony.

get the slim with the smallest memory and a cage plus a 500 gb sata2 hd, d/l tversity and grin for the next 3 years… oh and the tvplay doodah

ps2 compatibility is not pointless, just not on the table according to sony

Why would you want to play out of date games on the state of an art machine?

Drac – Member
ps2 compatibility is not pointless, just not on the table according to sony

Why would you want to play out of date games on the state of an art machine?

Because you like them?
Just a thought but sometimes people like doing things because they are fun and not just 'cos they are the latest and best (been playing Oolite a little recently, although it is more sophisticated that Elite was it is still a bit primitive but fun and good memories).

Why would you want to play out of date games on the state of an art machine?

I got one of the last available 3s with the backward compatibility and I have played, in total, 0h0m of PS2 games on it as I quickly realised that the newer games were better in every way.

To be honest, for a console for a young 'un to play games on, the smallest HD will be fine – you only need a big one if using it for home entertainment (keeping pictures/music/recording from TV etc). If it is in his bedroom it would, I assume, be used almost exclusively for games and even downloading games from the PS Store couldn't fill it up.

I got one of the last available 3s with the backward compatibility and I have played, in total, 0h0m of PS2 games on it as I quickly realised that the newer games were better in every way

/me looks for the better Final Fantasy X on the PS3…

I could go on, GT prologue is too short so i stick GT4 in, Paddington bear is only in PS2 format etc etc.

Now then Mr Al.

Can't really add to what's been already said, but the advice to get the 120Gb Slim is good advice.

Because you like them?
Just a thought but sometimes people like doing things because they are fun

Hmm! I get bored of most games after awhile, I still have my PS2 and not played it since I had to unplug it the last time we decorated the living room, which was 5 years ago.

There was some good games but much better ones now and not just because they look nicer, the AI has improved, game engines have come on a long way and they've improved on game formats.

Isn't the new slim PS3 slightly faster due to the cpu?

Not sure if you will notice with games though?

No idea and some games will run better if it is.

Don't bother. Convince your son that what he actually needs is an Xbox 360. Sony have let all their loyal fans down with the PS3, they won't pay for exclusive games or downloadable content and few software companies want to program for it due to the difficulty. They break, I'm on my third in 12 months and none of them has had a lot of use. Sony is currently making a mint out of bluray so seem happy to let PS3 fall by the wayside.

What a 360 and pay monthly to play online, no blu-ray and a more unreliable machine, not that my PS3 or 360 have broken down.

My PS3 is about 18months old is one of the older ones, and is superb, never had a problem with it, just really beginning to use it as a media centre too, very impressive, also if you consider what you get, blue ray, etc, they are a bargain…

The new set up uses a third of the power of the old one, the cpu is smaller and slimmer requiring less juice and cooling, so it should be more reliable than the older version too. You won't notice any difference between the 2 except the newer version will load faster due to the faster speed the HD can work at and because it needs less cooling the fan is even less obtrusive then the already quiet "old" ps3.

As for exclusives, off the top of my head.

warhawk
Uncharted
Rachett and clank
Final Fantasy
Gran Tourismo

Originally, most games were ported over from the Xbox to the PS3 and it showed, software houses are now getting to grips with the hardware and more and more games are now coded specifically. As an added bonus the bluray's massive capacity means that it can hold much, much larger games than the Xbox's disc, Uncharted 2 could not have been released on a single disc for the Xbox (but's it's ps3 only).

At the end of the day, get the console that most of your son's mates have so he can play on-line against them, if you want something to use as an impressive media centre/bluray player then get the ps3, oh – rememebr to get a HDMI cable too if getting the ps3, but get a cheap one, because they are all the same quality.

HDMI cables are certainly not all the same quality. I work in audio and can vouch for this. If you have a decent TV, it's worth spending a few more quid on a decent one. QED make some of the best at all price levels.

Hmm! I wonder why a guy who sells audio gear for living tells you to buy expensive ones when consumer test show there all pretty much the same.

I use a cheap gold plated hdmi cable for £5 ebuyer and it's been ace.

Just watching some blu – ray movies on my 80GB one. Fantastic all round machine. 80GB is ample IMHO. Its advantage over the X-Box is definitely the blu-ray capabilities. So if you've got a HD TV get a HDMI cable at the same time. Then it can be a family toy (movies, picture + video storage) as well as a games machine! It also 'upscales' (although I can't quantify this) standard DVDs.

Oh and there is also internet browsing as well as free online gameing.

HDMI cables are certainly not all the same quality. I work in audio and can vouch for this. If you have a decent TV, it's worth spending a few more quid on a decent one. QED make some of the best at all price levels.

Like 'Bifidus Digestivum' in yogurts this is pure pseudo-science. 😉

Like 'Bifidus Digestivum' in yogurts this is pure pseudo-science

if its been published in peer reviewed journals then it equals science

if its been published in peer reviewed journals then it equals science

Depends on who the 'peers' are.

My missus's peers (and TV ads)! tell her she'll have better digestive transit! (ironically its all sh1t)!

So you know the Physics of why one cable is better than the other do you?… impressive 😉