PlayStation 3 (Slim)

To the casual observer, there’s nothing particularly slim about the new Sony PlayStation 3’s ($299.99USD direct) sleek black housing—it’s only when you compare it with its nearly three-year-old counterpart, the previous-gen PS3, that you see how much smaller it is. The bigger news here, however, is the $100USD price drop; the original PS3 retailed for $600 when it launched in 2006, and up until last week, the least-expensive PS3 you could buy was $400—and that was for a console with an 80GB hard drive. A more-reasonable $300USD now buys you an incredible gaming device that’s more compact, sports a roomier 120GB hard drive, and is one of the best Blu-ray players you can find.

In general, the new PlayStation 3 offers a near-identical experience to the previous-generation console, which, incidentally, is still available, but for $100 less. It’s also $299.99, but with the larger case and a smaller hard drive (80GB), it’s hard to see why anyone would opt for it over the PS3 slim. (At $399.99USD, the existing 160GB version is also $100 cheaper.) Major features haven’t changed much, and if your PS3 is hidden behind a cabinet door, you probably won’t be able to tell the difference.

Much of the hardware is unchanged—the device still features a 3.2-GHz cell processor (though sized down from 65nm to 45nm), 550-GHz nVidia graphics, and the RSX Reality Synthesizer GPU—but Sony completely redesigned the power supply unit and cooling mechanism, resulting in a more efficient PS3 that runs cooler. With the original PS3, Sony found the right combination of hardware for outstanding gameplay, so it makes more sense to refine the current technology than to start from scratch with entirely new components. Although there’s more to the new PS3 than just a slimmer design and a lower price, there is little reason for current PS3 owners to upgrade.

Size, Connectivity, and Energy Efficiency
The previous-gen PS3 is a glossy black behemoth, weighing 9.5 pounds, measuring 3.9 by 10.7 by 12.7 inches (HWD), and taking up more than its fair share of space in the entertainment center. Sony trimmed the new console down to a much more palatable 2.5 by 11.4 by 11.4 inches and 6.7 pounds, so it’s easier to stash in smaller spaces. The new PS3 also includes a 120GB 2.5-inch (notebook-size) hard drive. Like with the previous model, swapping in a new drive takes minutes, thanks to its easy accessibility beneath the slot-loaded Blu-ray drive.

As far as connectivity, the new console includes the same ports and options. Both PlayStations include a pair of front-mounted USB ports (for charging the included DualShock 3 controller), and Ethernet, HDMI, optical digital audio output (SPDIF), and a proprietary AV port on the back of the unit. Like the original model, the new PS3 offers an HDMI port with support for 1080p, but Sony leaves out the HDMI cable, with out-of-the-box connectivity limited to composite video and audio out. There’s also integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and in my tests, connecting to wireless networks was a breeze. Like the previous model, the Slim lacks the memory card slots found on the original PS3, though there are other ways to share content with the console. You can stream from other devices on the same network, for example (more on this later).

Sony not only shrunk the PS3’s internal components to fit into the slimmer housing, but energy efficiency is also improved. Using a Kill-A-Watt meter to measure power consumption, the new PS3 used 71 watts during Blu-ray movie playback, while the older model consumed 104 watts, making the newer model 32 percent more efficient. To compare, a 42-inch LG LED HDTV consumed about 140 watts while playing back the same scene. It’s not clear exactly what Sony did to increase efficiency, though both models took roughly 17 seconds to boot, and performance felt identical.

Media Features
The 3.00 firmware for the PS3 was not available at review time (all PS3 models will be eligible for a free update to 3.00 early next month), but Sony told us that the update is not a complete overhaul, unlike the New Xbox Experience was for Microsoft. The company says the update will include advanced personalization options and enhancements to the XMB (Xross Media Bar). The firmware update will not include Netflix streaming support, a feature that could help the PS3 compete as an all-inclusive media center device. Of course, you can still download high-def TV shows and movies directly from the Sony Store.

While the Microsoft Xbox 360 integrates Netflix streaming, it lacks a Blu-ray player, which is one of the PS3’s best features. The Slim includes the same Blu-ray functionality as previous models. Since it was introduced, we’ve considered the PlayStation 3 to be one of the best Blu-ray players around, thanks to its excellent performance and its ability to easily connect to the Web via Wi-Fi or Ethernet for frequent firmware updates. (See our review of the previous-gen PS3 for more on Blu-ray performance.) A minor gripe: The Slim (like all PS3s) lacks a dedicated Blu-ray remote control. If you’re planning on using the console as your dedicated Blu-ray player, you’ll want a remote; controlling media playback using the DualShock 3 controller is tricky. But you can get one for as little as $20 online.

One very cool feature that’s new to the PS3 Slim is support for HDMI Consumer Electronic Control (CEC), which lets you control the PS3 using an HDMI CEC-enabled HDTV’s remote. This feature, which Sony calls “Bravia Sync,” is disabled by default, but digging through the System Menu reveals a “Control for HDMI” menu, which includes the option to turn on CEC. In my tests, I was able to control system menu navigation and Blu-ray playback using the remote from a Samsung LCD HDTV. If you have a compliant HDTV, this is a nice feature if you don’t want to shell out for a Blu-ray remote, or you wish to use a universal remote to control the console.

The PS3 also supports Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), for streaming content from a variety of networked media sources directly to the console. This technology works with a variety of devices including digital cameras, such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3, a point-and-shoot camera with built-in Wi-Fi. Microsoft Windows 7 will include native DLNA support, so you’ll be able to stream content directly from any folder on a networked PC. (Windows Vista only supports DLNA in Windows Media Player.)

Unfortunately for some advanced users, the new PS3 removes support for installing a second operating system, such as Linux. Also, like the most recent PS3 console, the Slim is not compatible with PS2 games, though there are plenty of higher-quality PS3 games to choose from.

The previous-gen PS3 is a superb gaming device, and the latest iteration is even more attractive given its lower price, and slimmer, more energy-efficient design. Throw in new features, like HDMI CEC and you’ve got a true winner. The Sony PlayStation 3 Slim is the best console for gamers and home entertainment buffs who want a versatile media center with Blu-ray, but don’t mind missing out on a few select features, like Netflix streaming, which is only offered with Microsoft’s Xbox 360.