PS3 Slim Comparison

Before you go running out to the local electronics store to buy a new game system, it would perhaps be prudent to read this PS3 Slim comparison. Is the skinnier version of the PlayStation 3 just as good as the original or are there certain sacrifices that must be made?

While the original Sony PlayStation 3 started out as being the most expensive next-generation video game console when it launched in 2006, it also offered the most horsepower and the largest hard drive at the time. It was, by far, the most powerful of the three competing video game systems and it is still the only one that is capable of playing high-definition Blu-ray movies.

Over the course of the last several years, the PS3 has gone through several minor revisions. Each of these different iterations has slightly different specs and features, though most of these go unnoticed by the average consumer. The number of USB ports has changed, as has the method of PS2 backwards compatibility and the size of the internal hard drive.

However, the outward appearance of the "regular" PlayStation 3 remained largely unchanged until the unveiling of the Slim model in 2009. Aside from the differences in technical specifications, as described below, a PS3 Slim comparison would not be complete without mentioning the obvious aesthetic differences.

In North America, nearly all versions of the PlayStation 3 have come in a glossy Piano Black finish. This has changed with the PS3 Slim, since it now has a charcoal black paint job with a matte finish. The new system is also considerably smaller in every dimension, looking more like a square from overhead than the landscape-oriented rectangle of the past. As its name implies, the Sony PS3 Slim is also skinnier than its predecessor.

While earlier versions of the PlayStation 3 offered some form of PS2 emulation, either hardware-based or software-based, there does not appear to be any PS3 Slim backwards compatibility to run legacy PlayStation 2 games. This is the first point of contention for anyone looking to get the PS3 Slim over the regular PS3.

It is also quite noteworthy that the price of the PS3 Slim is essentially the same as its counterparts with smaller hard drives. The 80GB PlayStation 3 currently carries approximately the same retail price as the 120GB PS3 Slim. This is quite a difference in storage capacity, giving players the ability to save more multimedia content and downloadable games through the PlayStation Network (PSN).

While a PS3 Slim comparison will reveal that the new version still provides a pair of USB ports and full 802.11b/g Wi-Fi wireless connectivity, it is missing the ability to install a third-party operating system (OS). Previous versions allowed for the installation of Linux on the PS3, which opened up the ability to run custom software and mini-games.

Moreover, the differences in specifications have not been provided by Sony, but some users have noticed that the PS3 Slim is slower than the regular PlayStation 3. The startup time is slower, DVD movies take longer to load, and the loading of stages within games seems to take longer as well. As always, your mileage may vary.

If having the ability to install a third-party operating system is important to you, the PS3 Slim may not be for you. Instead, inquire about available PS3 bundles that have the older "phat" version of the PlayStation 3. However, if you are only interested in Blu-ray movies and PS3 games, the PS3 Slim may be a good option.

This assumes, of course, that you have already decided to buy a PlayStation 3 instead of an Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii. Before going through a full PS3 Slim comparison, it would make more sense to choose the overall platform first.

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