US get PS3 price cut and new model

Mike Bantick
Friday, 19 October 2007 02:19

Your IT - Entertainment

The inevitable PlayStation 3 price cut and new model announcement has been made by Sony as the game console war intensifies for the all important holiday season.

The cut down option of a 40GB PS3 will hit the North American market on November 2 at a retail price point of US$399..

More immediately the current 80GB PS3 on offer in that region has had a US$100 price cut effective now. 

At US$499, this full feature PS3 is still the most expensive gaming console, with the Xbox 360 Elite (the most feature packed Microsoft offering) weighing in just under at US$479 and the Nintendo Wii still packing the aisles at US$249.

The new 40GB PS3 does not sport the PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility, third and fourth USB 2.0 port or memory card reader of its bigger brother.  But importantly for Sony, still contains the Blu-ray drive.

At this price point, in the all important U.S. there should be a whole new demographic watching High Definition movies over the holidays. 

In the Australian market the lack of PS2 backwards compatibility bites harder, consumers now only have the one option of the 40GB cheaper PS3.  Having the two SKU’s for the more lucrative U.S location allows to make a choice based on their individual needs.