Why are PS3's still so damn expensive?

[MrDuma]

I bought a PS3, didnt play a game on it, used it sparingly as a blu ray player. Sold it.

you are a strange man my friend

 

[yinan]

I bought a launch one that never got turned on, there were never any good games for it that weren't also on 360. until it got stolen from me.

I dont miss it in the least.

 

[showb1z]

on a side not, the Cell chip was one of the awesomest processors ever. It's still more than capable these days, but it seems programmers had issues from day one.

[hard to code] -> [less games rollling out] -> [Sony needs money] -> [OP does his thing]

Cell had an enormous amount of hype going. To the point that 6 years later people still think it's awesome.
But really, it was never even good when it came out.

Anand article on PS3 and X360 CPU's:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.g...6ea78ea9?hl=en

"The Cell processor doesn't get off the hook just because it only uses a
single one of these horribly slow cores; the SPE array ends up being fairly
useless in the majority of situations, making it little more than a waste of
die space."

Cell had some nice theoretical numbers going for it, but in the real world it never came close to the hype. (Same for x360 cpu.)

 

[Todd33]

SPE array ends up being fairly
useless in the majority of situations, making it little more than a waste of
die space.

Which of course was short sighted and wrong. The SPUs are used by every major engine and play an integral part in why so many PS3 games look and sound as good as they do.

I find it funny that people pop into this thead to brag that they had a PS3, had no games to play and sold it. Funny, that is why I sold my 360. The PS3 just has so much more variety and quality games and the 360 turned into a COD/Kinect box, neither of which I was interested in.

 

[alent1234]

how long did it take to figure out how to use it properly though? developers work on a budget and spending months learning a new architecture when Sony should have done it for them means less money coming in to pay the bills

 

[Todd33]

how long did it take to figure out how to use it properly though? developers work on a budget and spending months learning a new architecture when Sony should have done it for them means less money coming in to pay the bills

It is not 2007 anymore, move into the present and use some valid material. The devs and tools have had years to mature, the development time and results are in parity now.

 

[happyboy]

PC World FTW!!!

 

[alent1234]

It is not 2007 anymore, move into the present and use some valid material. The devs and tools have had years to mature, the development time and results are in parity now.

and in the meantime Sony lost some exclusive studios and titles and a lot of games are mostly 360 ports with slightly better graphics

you have to wonder WTF was sony management thinking selling a console at $599 or whatever the initial price was

 

[Todd33]

and in the meantime Sony lost some exclusive studios and titles and a lot of games are mostly 360 ports with slightly better graphics

Care to give some examples? 3rd parties simply cannot afford to be exclusive without huge moneyhats, MS has lost as many or more "exclusives" than anyone this gen. At some point in time all of these franchises were 360 exclusives: Bioshock, Mass Effect, Elder Scrolls, Ghost Recon, Alan Wake, Saints Row, etc.

360 ports? That's not how MP game development works. They have three target typically, PC, PS3 and 360. sometimes they have a lead platform, often they don't.

 

[PowerYoga]

and in the meantime Sony lost some exclusive studios and titles and a lot of games are mostly 360 ports with slightly better graphics

lolwut.

 

[Aikouka]

I find it funny that people pop into this thead to brag that they had a PS3, had no games to play and sold it. Funny, that is why I sold my 360. The PS3 just has so much more variety and quality games and the 360 turned into a COD/Kinect box, neither of which I was interested in.

I'm not even sure which console I prefer anymore. I find that both of them have annoying restrictions in regard to downloaded content and/or account management that just make things more of a hassle than they need to be.

I have three PS3s and three 360s. The two newer ones (of each) are on my TVs and I moved my old one of each into my computer room where they're hooked up to my main monitor. Both of my old consoles have been repaired in the past, and the PS3 has been showing signs of laser failure again. But anyway... here's what I've noticed:

360) Requires you to put your profile on a memory card/unit and physically transfer it between consoles. If I feel like playing a game upstairs, I have to walk downstairs to get my thumb drive. It might not be the worst thing, because I have to go down to get the game anyway.

PS3) Only allows up to two PS3 consoles to be registered for downloaded content on a single PSN account. You can see how this becomes a problem when I own three. It seems that a console can only be unregistered from the console itself.

It's all such a pain to deal with!

 

[American Gunner]

I'm not even sure which console I prefer anymore. I find that both of them have annoying restrictions in regard to downloaded content and/or account management that just make things more of a hassle than they need to be.

I have three PS3s and three 360s. The two newer ones (of each) are on my TVs and I moved my old one of each into my computer room where they're hooked up to my main monitor. Both of my old consoles have been repaired in the past, and the PS3 has been showing signs of laser failure again. But anyway... here's what I've noticed:

360) Requires you to put your profile on a memory card/unit and physically transfer it between consoles. If I feel like playing a game upstairs, I have to walk downstairs to get my thumb drive. It might not be the worst thing, because I have to go down to get the game anyway.

PS3) Only allows up to two PS3 consoles to be registered for downloaded content on a single PSN account. You can see how this becomes a problem when I own three. It seems that a console can only be unregistered from the console itself.

It's all such a pain to deal with!

You forgot to put /firstworldproblem

 

[heymrdj]

I'm not even sure which console I prefer anymore. I find that both of them have annoying restrictions in regard to downloaded content and/or account management that just make things more of a hassle than they need to be.

I have three PS3s and three 360s. The two newer ones (of each) are on my TVs and I moved my old one of each into my computer room where they're hooked up to my main monitor. Both of my old consoles have been repaired in the past, and the PS3 has been showing signs of laser failure again. But anyway... here's what I've noticed:

360) Requires you to put your profile on a memory card/unit and physically transfer it between consoles. If I feel like playing a game upstairs, I have to walk downstairs to get my thumb drive. It might not be the worst thing, because I have to go down to get the game anyway.

PS3) Only allows up to two PS3 consoles to be registered for downloaded content on a single PSN account. You can see how this becomes a problem when I own three. It seems that a console can only be unregistered from the console itself.

It's all such a pain to deal with!

Not anymore, update your 360's to latest, then use recover gamer tag just once. The tag will now be loaded and synchronized any time you log in with it. You also have 512MB of cloud space for game saves as well that logs in automatically when you log into your synced account. It's pretty sweet. The other night me and the fiance and her little sister were playing monopoly out in the living room. I was getting tired so we all went to the bedroom where I could lay down. We just logged into my account on that box, loaded monopoly, and it pulled the cloud save down and we continued right where we left off in a matter of minutes.

 

[Aikouka]

You forgot to put /firstworldproblem

Pretty sure that's inherent when my complaint arises from having three of each console.

Not anymore, update your 360's to latest, then use recover gamer tag just once. The tag will now be loaded and synchronized any time you log in with it. You also have 512MB of cloud space for game saves as well that logs in automatically when you log into your synced account. It's pretty sweet. The other night me and the fiance and her little sister were playing monopoly out in the living room. I was getting tired so we all went to the bedroom where I could lay down. We just logged into my account on that box, loaded monopoly, and it pulled the cloud save down and we continued right where we left off in a matter of minutes.

Pretty sure cloud saves are only active if you're a gold member. Given that I never play online, I've never paid for gold.

 

[exdeath]

I'm with the OP. $200.00 is a lot of money for most people, me included, and I think at this point in the ball game one should be able to find an old, first gen PS3 for around $100-$150 tops with worn controller.

Nope. First gens with the real EE for PS2 are worth more than a new slim.

 

[jpiniero]

Nope. First gens with the real EE for PS2 are worth more than a new slim.

That would be dumb if true. It's not like a PS2 is hard to find.

 

[zerocool84]

That would be dumb if true. It's not like a PS2 is hard to find.

They are more expensive because the people that want it are willing to pay more for it.

 

[Todd33]

Nope. First gens with the real EE for PS2 are worth more than a new slim.

No they are not, look on eBay. Maybe new, but that is only because so few remains from five years ago. People with brains know a new slim PS3 and new slim PS2 are much more reliable than a five year old PS3.

 

[JackBurton]

No they are not, look on eBay. Maybe new, but that is only because so few remains from five years ago. People with brains know a new slim PS3 and new slim PS2 are much more reliable than a five year old PS3.

I'd rather have 1 console instead of 2. Also take into consideration the original PS3 will upscale PS2 games.

 

[Dacalo]

I sold my launch PS3 a couple of days ago for like $250, barely used.

Bye bye console gaming.

 

[Todd33]

I'd rather have 1 console instead of 2. Also take into consideration the original PS3 will upscale PS2 games.

Take into consideration:

1. Wear and tare on one console versus two.
2. Two new consoles have warranties.
3. New units are both the latest revision, hence less heat and noise.
4. The older units are 90nm chips and die more than the others.

I don't think you meant up-scaling, your TV will do that anyhow. Did you mean texture smoothing? I used to have one, but can't recall what it did to help IQ.

 

[DaveSimmons]

With the PS3 launch you can connect to the TV with HDMI and send a 1080i or p signal. With the PS2 you need to hunt down a component cable ($15-20) just to send 480p.

I've used both setups, and If you do use component instead of composite for the PS2 they look about the same, at least on my Samsung 1080p DLP.

Using the hard drive for virtual memory cards is nice too.

Still, after 5 years I'd tell most people to get the new, separate consoles instead of a used, out-of-warranty launch PS3.

 

[JackBurton]

Take into consideration:

1. Wear and tare on one console versus two.
2. Two new consoles have warranties.
3. New units are both the latest revision, hence less heat and noise.
4. The older units are 90nm chips and die more than the others.

I don't think you meant up-scaling, your TV will do that anyhow. Did you mean texture smoothing? I used to have one, but can't recall what it did to help IQ.

1. I already replaced the laser on my launch system and it works perfectly now. Pretty easy fix too.

2. It's only a year warranty.

3. True, but the launch PS3's noise really doesn't bother me. The game's audio normally drowns out any little background noise.

4. My launch PS3 is running like a champ.


And I did mean upscaling. With the launch PS3, you can have the PS3 upscale PS/PS2 games. You can turn it off and let your TV scale it for you, but I prefer the PS3 to do it for me. It also has the option for PS/PS2 game smoothing.


That being said, I wouldn't recommend buying a used PS3 (of any sort, much less a launch system). I bought mine new and wouldn't trade it for any other PS3. The media card reader and 2 extra USB ports really come in handy, plus the other features it offers.

 

[rayfieldclement]

The console's almost 5 years old, yet it's still hard to find one under 200 bucks. Am I missing something? I'm trying to find one under $100. Am I crazy, or is this realistic?

Maybe Sony did not make enough of a profit to recoupe costs when the machine cost between 400-600 dollars. When they priced it cheaper and added a bigger harddrive with more cost efficient internals they were worried about losing more money so they priced it the way it is priced. They ARE losing money now...

 

[rayfieldclement]

One last thing. Sony's machines have a long life between models and the PS3 may still be in the middle of its lifespan. Maybe that is why it did not come down in price they way some people would like!