Great PS3 Moments: The PS3 Slim

nofi 41 Comments
[drop2]Yesterday I talked about PS3 Trophies, and how their introduction made a massive difference to PlayStation gamers. That addictive ping sound and smart RPG-like levelling system both smart moves from Sony who were playing considerable catch-up at the time against Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Today though, let’s discuss the PS3 Slim.  33% smaller than the launch model, 36% lighter and consuming around 40% less power, the slimmed down version of the console released way back in 2009.

It wasn’t a great surprise when it was announced by Sony – various rumours and spy shots had spoiled the effect a little and the PS1 and PS2 both had similar face lifts – but the new model still impressed with its distinctive lines.

Sadly, various features were removed. Linux for one, PS2 playback for another, and the number of USB ports dropped to two compared with the four on the launch machines. Such reductions were seen in later models of the first version, of course, but the Slim marked a distinctly cut-down PS3 even though it came with a few benefits of its own.

HDMI TV control was one, a big fat hard drive another, and of course the new model ran quieter and is generally considered to be more reliable than the so-called ‘phat’. I personally think that the fancy slick touch controls and more ample mid section of the original PS3 – in that lovely piano black – were great ideas, but I do like the smaller form factor of the Slim too.

TSA’s fancy TEST PS3 is a Slim model, it’s lovely, but when my Phat PS3 died a few months back and I swapped it for a regular Slim I couldn’t have been happier – even though I’d lost all my save games and about 100GB of downloads!

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41 Comments

  1. I like my console like I like my women, curvy, shiney and making lots of noise. PHAT PS3 wins.

    • Ha! Best comment I’ve read all week.

  2. I do miss my Phat. (That reminds me, I need to finish its story; maybe this weekend.)

    I also miss when I had time to write articles like this one describing how the Phat’s motherboard evolved:
    http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/08/01/putting-ps3-on-a-diet/
    (Shame the motherboard images are missing. I’ve still got them here so could re-upload them.)

    And this one that looked in detail at the changes in the Slim:
    http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/08/31/ps3-slim-disembowelled/

  3. I had mixed feelings about selling my beloved launch phatty, but I couldn’t afford a new one if it decided to die on me. The stories were coming thick and fast so in the run up to Christmas 2009 I got a slim for £199 in Sainsburys and ebayed the phatty, breaking almost exactly even. The slim is still going strong and the quietness and Bravia Sync features are a real blessing, but its now being punished by the GT5 b-spec endurance events, fingers crossed it lives through the experience.

  4. I changed to a Slim when my launch phatty died and I’ve been very happy with it, although I have had to fit a bigger HDD as the 120gb it came with just wasn’t big enough!

  5. I had a 60gb Fat, and bought a Slim when it got YLOD. The increased reliability is better, but there’s still so many things I miss.
    The extra USB ports, the on/off/eject buttons, the memory card slots with the flap and PS2 playback.

    • Aye, the PS2 playback was good, I’ve noticed the difference between the upscaled and smoothed PS3 effort compared to the original PS2 when you plug it into the back of an HDTV.

  6. Couldn’t bring myself to get rid of my old PS3 when I replaced it with a slim. Sadly, it made financial sense to stop paying out for continuous play when I could buy a slim with a 3 year warranty for less than another 3 years CP was going to cost. So I have 2 PS3s sitting under my telly – really should get round to setting one up in the bedroom or something

  7. My 80GB phat is still going, bless her. Many times I was been tempted at buying a slim to replace it, but somehow I still think the phat version is better at expelling the heat it generate, both from playing and folding. If history is any indication, I’ll never have a slim one (both my ps1 and ps2 are phat and alive, just like me) :)

  8. Personally I still think the PS3 60GB is the sexiest console ever followed by the PS2 Slimline silver.

    It’s 2012 and if my PS3 60GB gets YLOD again, I’ll get it repaired from a laptop repair shop by taking in the motherboard and get the CPU and GPU properly soldered.

  9. They took out the option to use Linux? Blimey, kept that quiet. You’d think someone would’ve said something.

  10. The slim is/was a great hardware revision, improved in every way. I owned two phatties (still have one) but the slim is my primary console in the lounge room.

    Smaller, quieter and more efficient. Win.
    Matt finish means no need to wipe of dust or fingerprints. Win.
    Tactile buttons are much easier to find and press in low light. Win.

    The only thing I wish the slim had was more (and/or rear) USB ports. My launch phatty with 4 was awesome. Mind you I just found a neat USB hub this week ($15) that docks on the front of the slim and converts two ports into five, so I’m happy :)

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