PS3 Slim 250GB Already Planned

You have to wonder what it would take for Sony to be able to keep some forthcoming hardware a secret. Mere hours after Sony revealed the 120GB PS3 Slim at Gamescom someone had already dug up information on a 250GB model.

PS3News have found details of the 120GB Slim and three of its siblings on the FCC’s website.  For those who do not know the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the American agency which regulates the use of the radio frequencies in the US.  Electronic devices to be sold in the US have to be submitted for testing by the FCC to ensure that they will not cause interference with other devices.  The FCC test reports are often scoured for news on unannounced electronic electronic.

Listed alongside the 120GB model (CECH-2001A) are a PS3 Slim which is identical aside from being fitted with a 250GB HDD (CECH-2001B) and two debug models.  The difference between the two debug models is that the one designated “For exhibition” does not have debug markings on it and is the one intended for developers to use when showing pre-release code at exhibitions (obviously enough) as it will look like a normal consumer PS3 Slim.

With the FCC being an American regulator we can assume that the US will sooner or later see the 250GB but there is no guarantee we will see it here in Europe.  Remember the US got the 160GB version of the PS3 Phat whilst the 80GB model was the largest HDD we saw.  Perhaps with the European rollout of the PSN Video Store we might get the larger model too but that is pure speculation.

For dedicated hardware watchers like myself one other point of interest in the table pictured below is that the debug models will only be made in Sony’s own factory in Japan, designated by a ‘1’ in the Manufacture column.  The two production models will also be manufactured at two Chinese factories, Maintek Computer and Hongfujin Precision Electrons, designated ‘2’ and ‘3’ respectively.

Slim250GB

Sony had tried to hide the FCC filing as best as they could.  They did not submit it themselves so it was not listed under their own FCC ID (AK8).  It was instead filed by a company called Sand Dollar Enterprise Inc., FCC ID XCE, which is represented by SCEA’s General Council, Riley Russell.

Not a bad attempt at concealment but obviously unsuccessful.  With FCC filings being searchable on the web these days it was surely only a matter of time.  Sony were likely hoping to keep it under wraps for more than a few hours though.

Tip: theotheo