Joystiq Holidaze: explaining the PS3 SKUs
by Ross Miller 
{ Nov 22nd 2007 at 12:01PM }
So it's with this in mind that we present you this handy guide for discerning the difference between the various PlayStation 3 versions (aka SKUs) out there. Please note that the red and green coloring is not only festive decor for the holiday season but also a subjective highlight of what each version excels in (or subsequently lacks).
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| 80GB | 60GB | 40GB | 20GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | ||||
| Model # |
CECHE01 | CECHA01 | CECHG01 | CECHB01 |
| Price | $499.99 | $499.99* | $399.99 | $499.99* |
| Chrome trim | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| USB 2.0 slots | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| 802.11 b/g | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Flash card reader |
Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Bundled Accessories | ||||
| Ethernet cable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video cables | Composite | Composite | Composite | Composite |
| Backwards Compatibility | ||||
| PlayStation 2 | Software** | Yes (NTSC), Software** (PAL) |
No | Yes |
| PS One | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Notes:
* This model is discontinued. The price on the chart represents the listed price before Sony axed it.
** See explanation in F.A.Q. below.
Alright, Joystiq, time to answer your own questions.
Let's do this.
Let's say I plan to buy a used PlayStation 3 without a box, how can I tell how big the hard drive is?
Unfortunately, you'll have to take the word of whoever is selling you the system. If it's GameStop or some other local used game retailer, chances are they'll let you boot it up in the store to check the listed drive space. Remember, though, that the HDD is easily upgradeable, so you may want to go ahead and buy a 2.5-inch drive and install it yourself.
How do I go about replacing the disk drive in my PS3?
There's a great tutorial, with pictures, right here.
Why do some systems have full backwards compatibility, some partial, and some no compatibility with PlayStation 2 titles?
You can find a more thorough explanation here, but the gist is internal hardware: the initial PlayStation 3 consoles (20GB and 60GB) shipped with the core PS2 components -- the CPU and GPU -- and as such functioned as a PS2 for emulation. Hence, full backwards compatibility.
The 80GB model (and 60GB model for PAL territories) did not include the PS2 CPU and instead had written software that relegated the Cell processor to handle CPU duties. (The GPU remained within the system.) The process isn't perfect and there are hiccups, but it does play most PS2 games.
The 40GB model eschews the PS2 hardware entirely but does not include software for emulating the GPU. Therefore, no PS2 compatibility whatsoever.
What about PlayStation One games?
PS One games are backwards compatible on all versions.
How can I determine that backwards compatibility on a used, unboxed system?
The 20GB model doesn't have the chrome trim (and also lacks a flash card reader), so you can be guaranteed backwards compatibility with that one. On the other end of the spectrum, the 40GB only has 2 USB 2.0 ports, so you can tell which model has no PS2 backwards compatibility.
If you want to get picky, however, another way to do is by checking the model number, located on the bottom of the console (see picture below). The fourth letter defines the model - for example, in the picture below, CECHG01, represents the 40GB model and therefore has no PS2 compatibility. "A" (60GB) and "B" (20GB) have full compatibility, and "E" does compatibility via software emulation.
Isn't answering questions you posed to yourself a bit schizophrenic?
Who am I answering?
Yourself.
Just don't tell me to burn things.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Thierry @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:07PM
Can those Explaining PS3, 360, Guitar Hero Holidaze be put somewhere so that people can refer to them again in the future?
Ross Miller @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:16PM
I'll make a tag specific for it (not sure what yet), but you can always check out the Holidaze tag:
http://www.joystiq.com/tag/holidaze
And expect us to link back to these as often as hardware is mentioned :D
Jon @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:14PM
The PS3 uses 2.5 inch laptop drives (like the 360,) not 3.5 inch.
Ross Miller @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:38PM
D'oh! It was 2.5-inch and then I put it to 3.5 for reasons unbeknowest to me. Okay, back and fixed. Thanks for the heads up.
Joel @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:15PM
What a mess. I know Sony will eventually bounce back in a big way with the PS3, but it's just a question of when...
name123 @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:59PM
This Christmas, the PS3 will probably outsell the Xbox 360 worldwide. The PS3 is currently on track to surpassing the Xbox 360 in total sales sometime during early 2009 (possibly late 2008).
This isn't obvious to most gamers, but to people like Peter Moore, it's been obvious for at least 6 months.
samfish @ Nov 22nd 2007 8:51PM
And the PS3 is going to hit these magical selling super numbers on the strength of...what? The price drop will give it a boost, but then after Christmas, it's right back to the doldrums.
The PS3 will probably out-do the 360 on the strength of it's name brand alone, but not by much because Sony is only appealing to the "hardcore" gamer market, appears to have a ceiling for about 35 million ABSOLUTE MAX.
name123 @ Nov 22nd 2007 10:41PM
"And the PS3 is going to hit these magical selling super numbers on the strength of..."
...the Xbox 360's failure to appeal to broad audience. Halo 3, Gears, BioShock, Mass Effect, The Orange Box: All hardcore PC games. Microsoft has made the same mistake it made with the Xbox. Developers don't want another Xbox, they want another PS2. After 2 years, it's obvious the Xbox 360 doesn't have PS2 type appeal. The PS3 will have that in late 2008 when the price drops to $299.
The PS3 isn't mainstream because of the price.
The Xbox 360 isn't mainstream because of the product.
colin @ Nov 23rd 2007 5:15AM
i hate to burst everyone's bubbles, but nobody will win the console war! all consoles will flourish.
Anni @ Nov 30th 2007 11:20PM
"So what's the deal with Bluray?"
"Oh God. Uh... Shit. Okay, see, it's like this..."
farfisa @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:20PM
engadget has a good diagram for features:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/25/ps3-venn-diagram-helps-you-choose-the-right-model/
The PS3 uses a 5400 rpm laptop hard drive (so 2.5 inch), and it's pretty easy to swap out.
CJC @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:22PM
All I ask from Sony is to lower the price a bit more, but keep the backwards compatability.
I'll buy one one then, in spite of all of the bad press and questionable business moves.
Blast Processing Megadrive @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:44PM
Hmm, thanks for the model numbers. When prices drop into a more reasonable frame (I'm looking at about $200-300), I'll be loooking for a PS3 "A."
Oh, and one more thing...
Ross, this is the voice in your head. Burn the place to the ground. And buy a sandwich. I like sandwiches.
Mike @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:46PM
360 FTW!
Fernando Rocker @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:54PM
Wii60 FTW!
ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:00PM
wii60 ftw x2
gone with the wind @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:28PM
stuffed turkey and gravy ftw
name123 @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:35PM
360 RIP
Ants @ Nov 22nd 2007 3:15PM
wii60 ftw x3!
Blast Processing Megadrive @ Nov 22nd 2007 4:54PM
stuffed turkey and gravy ftw x2
hvnlysoldr @ Nov 22nd 2007 7:04PM
cabbage rolls and thumbprints FTW!
samfish @ Nov 22nd 2007 8:45PM
Tofurkey and gravy FTL.
Seriously...yuck.
Blast Processing Megadrive @ Nov 23rd 2007 1:16AM
Peach and whipped cream FTW
MrFuNKy76 @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:03PM
The chart says they all have chrome trim, the new 40GB PS3 model's trim is silver, not chrome like the other models. It's more of a matte finish in silver.
Evan @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:17PM
Joystiq has explained the 360 and PS3 SKUs. As a joke, why not explain the Wii SKUs?
n2 @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:05PM
Probably because there's only one. And there's no source available from Wikipedia unlike the other two. Curiously, the Wii page no longer displays pricing information.
Clack @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:22PM
You mean the "No way in hell you're finding one of these in stores from here on out." Wii SKU?
karmaghost @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:19PM
Oh yeah! I forgot that the PS3 came with comPOSITE cables instead of comPONENT cables. What a joke.
ill trooper @ Nov 22nd 2007 4:45PM
...About as much of a joke as the 360 shipping with AA batteries for the wireless controller instead of being rechargeable. But I guess fanboy glasses only let you see the disadvantages of one platform's package? Either way you need to spend more money.
Also, this PS3 chart omits the online being free, although I wouldn't fully equate it with Xbox LIVE. I would only include it because LIVE is on the 360's chart.
Silent Xenocide @ Nov 23rd 2007 8:31AM
Well. At least having the play and charge kit available is better than the Wii's offering for recharging.
Bluebrake @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:20PM
What the hell? I had no idea it came with an ethernet cable. Meanwhile the best video cable they can fit in is composite?
Why in god's name don't they dump the ethernet and put in an HDMI? I'm sure there are at least as many people needing HDMI as there are still using a wired network, and then they could actually say the system is HD-ready without being liars.
gone with the wind @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:34PM
actually all the new skus have wifi anyway so they should have hdmi not ethernet cables its irony
Mr Khan @ Nov 22nd 2007 7:15PM
I can't even begin to describe what's wrong with your statistics
Wired networks still have a lot of precedence, but HDMI is still only in a small percentage of HDTV's (which in turn represent less than 50% of all TV's in American)
Now putting Component cables in, that would make sense
Bluebrake @ Nov 22nd 2007 8:25PM
Not exactly, considering that displaying BluRay at full resolution is going to require an HDMI connection within a few years.
Another small factor to consider is that most PS3 owners are former PS2 owners, many of whom still have their old PS3-compatible component cable. More generally to the point, *all* of them have an old PS2 composite cable, so Sony wouldn't be losing much at all by ditching that thing from the PS3 package altogether and putting the savings toward a real cable.
There's also a serious symbolic victory at stake here. PS3 is marketed as the top-end system, yet out of the box it outputs a video signal that went obsolete with the NES. After all their chest beating about Microsoft lacking HDMI, not only does Sony not include it in the package, but their offering is actually even worse! I see that the 360 Elite now includes Composite, Component, *and* HDMI. Sony should feel humiliated. If they want to be the Ferrari of the console war, they need to include the custom Ferrari leather shoes, so to speak.
And my equating the number of wired networks with the number of HDMI connections was probably off-base, you're right, but keep in mind we're dealing with a very high-end technical audience here. The people who buy a PS3 in its first year are not the general population who just got broadband last fall and can't figure out how to hook up their VCR. These are serious electronics consumers, most of them on the cutting edge.
Finally, there's the matter of perceived value. Everyone on the planet with a wired network has a few old cables lying around, and if they don't, they can scrounge some up with the change in their pocket or grab one off a friend. On the other hand, unless they know where to look, they can expect to pay around $60 for an HDMI cable -- a cable that can't cost Sony more than a dollar or two more than the ethernet cord. Tossing one of those in adds a lot more perceived value to the system than an ethernet (and to a lesser extent, component) cable.
I'd also like to see an optical audio cable in the package, but I'd rather not push my luck...
Steve @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:43PM
Chrome trim is a feature?
Chase @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:36PM
Bling bling, yo. Honestly, aesthetic appeal aside, the look of a gaming console isn't really important to me. I honestly could not care less about "chrome trim" or '20-inch rims' or what-ever-the-frick. It's a gaming console, for Whedon's sake. How often is anyone could to bring it outside for show and tell?
Vasco @ Nov 22nd 2007 1:44PM
I am waiting for the 60 gb with backwards compatibility at $399.99 and then I might actually buy one. Hell I'll even take a 40gb with backwards compatibility at $399.99 and I'd pick one up.
Knoxximus @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:27PM
Joystiq, u guys should really get on CNN or something and put out an APB to Joe Consumer, who will buy a $399 PS3 thinking it will play his kids PS2 games and Joe "Big Retail Chain" Clerk, who will tell him that yes, this 40 GB PS3 WILL play your PS2 games.
The day after Christmas will be lousy with returns of 'faulty' PS3's....I wonder how many exchanges will happen before both the customer and the store realizes that the system isn't broken, it's just that the user has been trying to run God of War 2 on it the whole time.
It's gonna be a mess.
Knoxximus @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:29PM
Addendum:
You would think Sony would have at least had the decency to put a nice bright yellow sticker on every 40GB system that says 'NOT COMPATIBLE WITH PS2 GAMES'. Really, how much would that have cost them? Sony is fuckin' UP!
Worst Review Ever @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:44PM
As a PR major, I refuse to buy a PS3. As a gamer, I really kind of want one. My gamer side is a little more rational and will eventually win out over my snobbier other half. Stupid conflicting personalities...
eddyk @ Nov 22nd 2007 2:53PM
WTF ? Component or HDMI cables are not even bundled ??
Nolano @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:10PM
Wow, I must have missed when they axed the 80gb price down to $499. I really thought there was a chance I'd get the 40gb one, especially when MGS4 comes out, except for its complete lack of PS2 ability. But there are too many exceptional PS2 games I want to be able to play.
Mitsuo @ Nov 22nd 2007 3:43PM
ludwig did that joke already. *yawn*
Knoxximus @ Nov 22nd 2007 4:09PM
Oh and for those who plan on installing their own HD, make sure you use some of those old HD mounting screws that you have laying around to replace those God awful blue-headed screws that Sony used to mount the stock HD with....I swear they are made out of cheese, and you WILL strip them....BAD.
krizzlybear @ Nov 22nd 2007 4:58PM
I believe an "explaining the Wii SKUs" is in order...
oh, right. nevermind then.
lvl99ultrathug @ Nov 22nd 2007 7:20PM
fail
why not the LS2/LS7? @ Nov 22nd 2007 10:40PM
And just as another note, there isn't a lot of reason to need the card reader, in case anyone wonders. You can use a USB memory key for anything you can use a memory card for, except obviously for reading the cards you get out of your camera or whatever. And if you really need this functionality, you can just buy an aftermarket USB card reader and plug that in.
scottish_funk @ Nov 22nd 2007 11:25PM
And I thought people got consoles because they were easier to figure out than PCs....
umm....hello??? @ Nov 23rd 2007 3:33AM
for people looking for a new 60gig PS3 near Chicago the BestBuy in Schaumburg still had quite a few left (as of this past Monday, anyways)...
Conch @ Nov 23rd 2007 6:11AM
If your buying an used ps3 without a box, could you not also just check the product number to see which model it is? because in the guide you said you couldnt tell, but later you say you can check for backwards compatibilty i.e. tell which model it is... might wanna re-write that for everyones benefit. but good read, thanks.