Playstation 3 PS3 Base Unit... WHY?!

Just so no one thinks Sony is selling a $600 console, they are offering a $500 version that has...

No MemoryStick/SD/CompactFlash I/O port, no 802.11 b/g, no HDMI port, and 40 GB smaller HDD.

Wait... no HDMI!? A Blue-Ray player without HDMI, whats the point?

$600 console or bust.


(p.s. Hopefuly this post doesn't duplicate, I thought I posted this last night but I think I forgot to submit it after an edit.)

 

You did submit it but I believe it was deleted due to the fact that it's been/being covered in several other threads already.

 

So you're telling me for only 100 bucks more, I get Memory Stick/SD/Compact Flash read/write functions, wireless, HDMI, and 40 gigs of more HDD space?

How ****ing lame.

 

Seems a bit pointless to me, a ps3 with No MemoryStick/SD/CompactFlash I/O port, no 802.11 b/g, no HDMI port, and 40 GB smaller HDD is not even worth looking at and Sony know that, which is why there offering the upgraded version at the same time, just wanting to get more money out if the consumer which is the whole point of business but is it worth the money???? i doubt it but ill end up buying one as my son will badger the heck out of me for one

 

not really, not everyone wants the expense of the bits they wouldnt use.
i wouldnt use the wireless feature, HDMI port and as long as the hard drive is big enough for saves then thats fine with me for a gaming machine.

 

I think it's interesting that this has followed the marketing gaff committed by Microsoft with the 360 and the two packages they offered. In the case of the 360, more money bought you items that the Core didn't offer - however all of those components (the HDD, headset, wireless controllers) were all available to buy seperately.

What Sony are doing is even worse as they are offering a cheaper PS3 without some of the luxury features and addons... but are not (correct me if I'm wrong) providing the ability for the user to then 'add' them later. The console will be missing items of hardware altogether rather than merely missing out addons that could be purchased later. Imagine if a year down the line, someone releases a game that makes proper use of say the mediastick/memory slot? Those people who have opted for the cheaper model will be completely excluded from those features unless they swap for the more expensive console model. Same goes for the HDMI. It's one thing to save some dosh on items you might not want right now, but to then be prevented from 'upgrading' the future is just bonkers.

I thought Microsoft were insane for the two packs they were offering, but this is even worse imho.

 

I would very much doubt that.
Sony are in the business of making money, the periferals wil be available for sale at some point.

 

While I'd agree Yoda, something tells me that it's not that simple to just make a USB HDMI port. And yes, a blu-ray player without HDMI is absolutely pointless, especially seeing that AFAIK that and DVI are the only plugs that support the hdcp protocol, which is a rather integral part of the HD formats' failures.

 

I think you misunderstand. The cheaper unit, is without the ports or hardware altogether. It won't (on the face of it) be as simple as buying the extra bits you're missing, a la the 360 HDD. The unit appears to be missing the right bits to allow you to simply slot in a Smart Media reader and 'upgrade' to the console you didn't buy in the first place. Same with the HDMI capabilities. If the console is missing the components altogether, and doesn't offer the chance of putting them in later on, I don't quite see how this can help the end user.

N.B This is based on what I have read about the difference between the two models Sony are touting right now - I could be misinterpreting the information I've been looking at but that's my impression.