Review: Sony PS3 Slim
Stay up to Date!
Sony regularly publishes firmware updates for the PS3. For the uninitiated, the firmware is the software that’s built into the console. Updating the PS3 can correct crashes or add new functions, including compatibility for things like Blu-ray 2.0.
Updating the firmware is easy on the PS3: All you need to do is hit the System Update button under the Settings menu on the consoles’ XrossMediaBar.
The long-awaited PS3 Slim is finally out, and has been on sale since late August. It has the same characteristics as the original PlayStation 3, but in a smaller and sleeker form factor. That’s a real advantage if you want the PS3 to fit in smaller spaces. But as a console and Blu-ray player, what real improvements does it have compared to the original PS3?
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Compatible formats (write) | None |
| Compatible formats (read) | DivX (except 3.1), DVD, Blu-ray, WMV, VC-1, H264, Photo, SACD, CD Audio |
| Built-in decoders | DD, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, DTS-HD MA via HDMI, HDMI and optical digital audio outputs |
| Hard Drive | 120 GB or 250 GB |
| Connectivity | HDMI 1.3, composite video, component video, optical digital audio out |
| Dimensions | 11.4" W x 2.6" H x 11.4" D |
| Weight | 7 pounds |
To give you the short-and-quick answer, the PS3 Slim is an almost perfect copy of the older PS3 – which some have seen fit to call the “PS3 Fat.” Here’s what’s different about the PS3 Slim, in five points:
- Its case is now slimmer and more elegant; it measures 11.4-inches wide 2.6-inches tall and 11.4-inches deep.
- Its power consumption has been reduced, to 0.3 W in standby and 77 W to 81 W while in operation – whether a disk is being read or just with the start menu displayed. The original PS3 design consumes 1.6 W in standby and 112 to 115W in operation. A standalone Blu-ray player typically uses less than 0.5 W in standby and 13 to 20 W in operation.
- Noise is under constant control, and the fan seems to kick in less than on the older model; that last point is a subjective assessment. Our noise measurement, taken from one meter (39-inches) away from the front of the PS3 Slim read 37.2 dBA (compared to 34.3 dBA with the console turned off). That’s not noisy, but it is more audible than a dedicated Blu-ray player.
- The PS3 Slim comes with a 120 GB hard drive, but a 250 GB option will be available soon.
- Finally, the HDMI audio output now supports bitstream mode for HD audio formats. That’s good news for some Home Cinema HD amplifier owners! PCM mode, of course, is still available too.
For the rest, as we said, the graphical interface, the display quality, the upscaling of SD sources, and the handling of the joystick are strictly identical on the two consoles. Read our test of the first-generation Sony PS3 to find out more.
| Archos 5 IT (32 GB) | |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
As a Blu-ray player, the PS3 Slim isn’t a revolutionary change from the PS3, but it does offer a few new features that may appeal to some users.
That all folks, not much of a review. I could have done that myself. I got the PS3 Phat version 06, still working.
It took over a month for this? And no mention of the price cut?
In other recent news, Ben Franklin discovered electricity! Hear more at your local town crier!
Archos 5 IT (32 GB) in the feature table?
going to get one of these on this boxing day
I'll agree it was short, but atleast it was to the point. Then again, I don't know how far you can actually go "in-depth" with a product that was essentially the same, save a few minor tweaks. The review overall was good then.
actually the slim doesn't not have the linux option anymore nor the touch senstive power and eject button, just real buttons. I read this on other review site.
Sorry, bit once. My PS-3 is in a closet, since it stopped working due to a failed Sony firmware update, and Sony want's lots'o'money to fix their error. Never again. Besides, I never felt comfortable with the console style game controller. I guess I'm just a PC gamer.
Hint for console designers: If I can't reset the machine to original architecture and try again, and you want half the price of the machine to fix your failure, I'm not going to ever buy one of your products again. There should be core logic in these machines that lets it boot in a basic failsafe mode so you can delete all updates and retart the upgrade process. That's just basic engineering, and not having that is downright criminal.
People if we are talking about comparing with bluray standalone why not talk about PS3 old issue with the bluray lazer?? Does it have the same blueray component reader that keep breaking? Or did they use the cool new one that used half the space?? Do they buffer more the movie now or do they keep spinning that disc all the time?? Well that one must be a firmware issue anyway.
As a blu-ray player the Slim isn't not bad, but its a trade off between load times and background noise...
Personally if I didn't own the Slim already I'd go with a standalone player if all you want is to play blu-ray movies, those 30 seconds you save from the initial load time of the disc isn't worth the annoying fan noise which is more than noticeable.
Granted its less noisy than the 'fat' PS3, but its not actually 'quiet' by my standards.
You need to fix the link to the old review. If you are coming from Tom's Guide in the US, it just redirects you to the main site since Digital Versus must be the UK version.
Well were you guys just trying to hit the five point lesson and leave things out unnoticed, because I think that the lack of a power switch( back of old PS3 and PS2) is a big difference for some people.
# Noisier than standalone Blu-ray players
# Consumes more power than standalone Blu-ray players
Those aren't cons...it isn't a standalone blu-ray player...
Err, why are the pro's and con's of the Archos 5 posted in the PS3 Slim review?
wtf is up with this guy and power consumption. i dont know where you come from, but even in africa we dont generate our electricity by hand. how can you mark down an item due to its consumption, which coincidentally is infantismal to begin with. i cant imagine you reviewing an oven or a kettle, jesus, i dont know if you even use lights in your house
Ps3 slim dts bitstream audio drops out when skipping chapters and when u pause/resume movie when used with pioneer receivers (firmware 3.0 & 3.1). Hopefully sony addresses this problem soon for people with pioneer home theater receivers. note: when ps3 slim has LPCM output enabled it works fine. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/sho [...] ?t=1176517 heres a link to a post showing others with similar trouble
does version 3.1 (on a 60gb "Fattie") update affect my sacd playback in multi-channel...bought it more for sacd & blu-ray than gaming...am I OK?