Rumor: Sony announcing 40GB PS3 this week

by Alexander Sliwinski on Sep 24th 2007 9:00AM

Sky News is reporting that a 40GB model will soon be announced by Sony. According to an "electronic manufacturing news source" of theirs, Taiwanese manufacturer FoxConn will handle production of the unit, the same company that produces the PS2. Sky News goes on to speculate that the new console might lose "USB ports or backwards compatibility" to keep the model cheap.

With no announcement made during Tokyo Games Show, Sky says the introduction could be made early this weak to "spoil" the Halo 3 launch. Well, that window seems to have passed as it's already evening in Japan. All we do know about the 40GB PS3 at this point is it's a rumor that just won't die.

[Via NextGen]

Source

Tags: 40GB, ps3, skynews, sony

Reader Comments (139)

Deja'Vu

It's 11:24am and already 87 comments.

I didn't think anyone cared about the Playstation 3.

it's only 9am dummy

and it's funny stuff. i like comedy :)

Dumbass...I'm on the east coast. And now it's 2:03pm and it's now up to 124 comments.

For a system that everyone loves to hate, you guys like talking allot of shit about it. Dumbasses.

While I'm sure this announcement is imminent, I don't understand why folks expected it at TGS. TGS is supposed to be a show for the Japanese market and is not the proper forum to announce a new $399 PS3 for the US.

Looking into my crystal ball, I'm predicting a 10/23 release for the new system.

JET

This is all but confirmed. With the Wii and 360 titles hitting this fall, I have basically decided to wait on the PS3. But it is very nice to know a $400 model will probably be waiting for me when MGS4 drops and nice cheap used copies of Ratchet and Uncharted to boot.

Great news for gamers. Bad news for Sony that they have to drop their prices faster than they probably want. But, at least we win in the deal.

I was hoping they'd announce it soon so I could buy one, but if they take out features, I'm not so sure.

Dammit.

It might lose wifi and a few usb ports like the original 20gb. Not backwards compatibility, all the new systems use software backwards compatibility anyways.

I'm starting to get confused with what size HD's and everything. I thought Sony criticized MS for the multiple SKU's, but I could be wrong. If Sony will just get their act together a little more and put out some more exclusive games, I will buy one. Until then, I'm staying out of it.

They would have more exclusive titles if they had more units sold right now. Developers are backing off due to lack of sales. It's too bad they didn't have more exclusives at launch. I wonder if it's like walking on eggshells in Sony's offices right now.

I still don't think it'll happen, but if it's true and it's deliberately timed to spoil the Halo 3 launch, then it is, as The Monarch says, a DICK MOVE!

"but if it's true and it's deliberately timed to spoil the Halo 3 launch, then it is, as The Monarch says, a DICK MOVE!"

Oh yeah, because a boat anchor with a 40 gig hard drive is REALLY going to derail Halo. LOL.

I do not think it spoiler for Halo 3 because the 40 PS3 will be lacking in features and will not hit the States for a month or so; and Halo 3 would have sold over 2 million copies by then.

As other have said, Sony needs MORE GAMES that are fun. I got a PS3 at launch and I like the fact that my system is not watered-down so to speak. I am playing Heavely Sword now and will be it today and then I will roll over to my X360 and play Halo 3 tonight.

Sony may be screwed this Christmas as well because, games sell consoles which they are lacking.

Sony has to pay them back for what MS did at the European launch. It should be fun to watch.

Even if it IS a dick move: good for them.

It's nice to see Sony finally using their dickery in ways that help the customer instead of hurt.

"...if it's true and it's deliberately timed to spoil the Halo 3 launch, then it is, as The Monarch says, a DICK MOVE!"

Welcome to the business world.

http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2007/03/24/recap-xbox-360-crashes-ps3-launch-fun/

I agree that I don't think it will happen, but I don't think it's going to have any effect on what Halo will do. A $400 crippled console with no games isn't going to put a dent in the Halo machine. I think the move is bad for them right now period. At this point the market knows what the PS3 is. It's a potentially good system with very little software and a very very confused marketing plan. I think at this point most people are going to wait for the big franchises, if they wait for it at all.

How are you going to charge the controller with no USB ports? This is good news and will boost sales.
I have to wonder If the Elite will get a price drop too.

i'm pretty sure my ps3 has at least 4 usb ports (in the front), and maybe more in the back (i dont normally look back there though). i use one for my blutooth headset charge cable and the other for a controller charge cable--i have no use for the others. and honestly, i wouldn't be too inconvenienced if there was only one.

if they dropped 2 usbs it might save some dough

First, if the ps3 had a steady stream of good games then price would be less of an issue, IMO. Second, granted the future may be a little brighter as far as certain exclusive titles but as of right now, its pretty hard to justify a gimped version for $400, they should release it at $350 tops.

"First, if the ps3 had a steady stream of good games then price would be less of an issue, IMO."

Not an opinion...a fact.

BUT, this $399 model should help also. Breaking the $399 price barrier was an absolute sin. Personally, I think they should drop a bomb and price this at $349.00. All Sony should be worrying about is their market share...that's it. Sell consoles to start easing developers fear...or you'll continue to lose exclusives and other quality titles.

I agree, but I wonder if this is just the new '$499' model to replace the 60gig that was lowered to that $499 to make way for the $599 80gig. That would be a disappointment.

Sony: Do yourself a favor and roll out the $399 PS3.

Rumor: Sony to loose more bookus of money this year, due to the PS3...
oh wait... that's true.

Rumor 2: Analysts, in mid-08', speculate that Sony will begin to not shun the PS3 as a game console and finally embrace it as one instead of a standalone BD player, which it isn't.
This move, finally showing Sony's support of their own console instead of a movie disc format, will finally help drive game console sales and help with their dismal game sales as well, because both you and I know the games suck.

Remember when Phil Harrison attacked the Xbox 360 for having 2 SKUs (Core, Premium), saying it would be "too confusing for the consumer"?

http://palgn.com.au/article.php?title=Sony+top+brass+slams+Microsoft+over+two+versions+of+Xbox+360&id=2986

Yeah well, remember when EVERYONE attacked the 360 for its limited backward compatibilty? What'll happen if they end up removing it from this particular PS3 altogether? Talk about SKUs with confusing bullet points!

MS has about 5 different SKU's now.

It has three. Core, Premium, and Elite, and they're all functionally the same (save for teh HDMI port on the Elite. Big whoop).

And the backwards compat on the Xbox 360 has increased five-fold. You know - UPDATES.

But even the first two PS3s were *functionally* different.

you mentioned 4. plus theres they halo version.

math is fun!

Wow that's some rampant fanboyism there man. You think the 40 GB difference and some cosmetic differences are "functionally" different but think NOT having a hard drive at all is no big deal. Got things backwards there chief.

He Mentioned
1 Core
2 Premium
3 Elite

Wow counting is fun, you should master that before trying to tackle math.

MS has 5 Sku's for the 360:
Core
Premium
Premium W HDMI
Halo 3
Elite

Not true, the HDMI premium is the same sku, do you understand what a sku is?

@

Which only makes it even more confusing.

@ Synner,

Yes I know what a Stock Keeping Unit is and look the systems have different have different SKU numbers:
Xbox Core-Model: B4K-00001 SKU: 7457744
Xbox Premium with HDMI-Model: B4J-00107 SKU: 8492838
Xbox Premium-Model: B4J-00001 SKU: 7457637
Xbox Halo-Model: 52T-00013 SKU: 8514324
Xbox Elite-Model: B4J122 SKU: 8301492

WOW...sony fanboys are pretty desperate these days if they're REALLY SERIOUS about the Halo 360 and the 360 with HDMI being "new skus"

The 360 has 3 skus...core, premium, and elite.

And it looks like all the premiums are going to have HDMI in them and that they're phasing out the non-HDMI premiums.

So really I think the Premium just got an "upgrade" rather than having HDMI as a whole new sku.

But hey whatever to justify sonys bs right?

Nice comeback Karen!

Does anyone notice the "weak" pun very subtle joystiq that`s not flamebait all

Oh, I noticed it. You're just too quick on the commenting. =P

It's called a typo. Easy there, Tonto.

haha, oh wow, how many different PS3s are there NOW?!

I thought the point of the ps3 hard drive was that you could take it out and replace it with one of your choosing? why are they re-releasing the thing with a million different hard drive sizes? :s

It's a mixture between "consumer accessibility" and cheating their customers. ;P

2.

- 60gb (Being phased out)

- 80gb

And a rumor, which, in today's market, isn't a SKU.

How would losing backwards compatibility make it cheaper? Don't the new PS3s already do this with software anyway? If the software is already written, seems like it wouldn't cost extra to put it on there. Unless there is still a hardware component.

I think right now its just the EE thats been removed and emulated with software. The other PS2 chip is still in it.

Sony is catching up to MS in number of SKUs.

MS - 4 major versions (Core, Premium, Elite, Halo special edition), at least one with variants (with/without HDMI)

Sony - 4 major versions (20GB, 40GB, 60GB, 80GB), at least one with variants come 2008 (with/without rumble controller included)

Except that SOny does not have all these SKU's on the same market.

(cough) The Halo 360 is NOT A NEW SKU, any more than the Pac-Man painted 360 given away was a new sku. It's just a paint job - it's still just a Premium.

And ALL of the 360's are exactly the same hardware (save the HDMI port on the Elite). If you stick a 20GB hard drive on a Core, you have an Premium. You can't do that - COULDN'T do that - even with the first two PS3 SKU's. There were FUNCTIONALLY DIFFERENT.

If we are gonna include the Halo Edition, let's not forget the PS3 Starter Pack in Europe

Just an FYI - The Halo unit is a new sku as its a premium with HDMI.

But thats not really the issue - the issue is that Sony seems to be all over the place here. I think this is a waste to send out, and surely wont harm Halo sales in any way.

FYI, its not a new SKU because all premiums are getting the elite motherboard now (and thus, HDMI). And in all likelyhood, once original core mobo's run out, the cores will be getting the elite motherboard, meaning the only difference between 360 skus will be the size of the included harddrive.

Until the Falcon boards come out, at least.

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Rumor: Sony announcing 40GB PS3 this week

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