Rumours - 80GB discontinued? Price drop? New SKU?

[Tiresius]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

Target.com now has the 80GB as "in stores only".

When they're gone, they're gone.

WTF!!?

I wish Sony would come out and give some guidance on their direction.
If I don't go grab an 80GB now I could end up not being able to get a unit with PS/2 compatibility & SACD playback.

Even if they move software emulation to the 40GB, that doesn't help the SACD issue, that requires a circuit on the optical drive for the special DRM and can't be done in software... period.

I may go buy one now and not open it for a few weeks to see what happens.

Target & Walmart both have them locally.

Anybody know which of these has the best return policy?

[jkwest]

I really hope Sony is planning a huge news conference for this afternoon...

Just say something, dammit!!!

Upgrade us to 2.0!!!

I know there is something happening, its like static in the air...

[corky]

I don't know if they are going to drop the price on the 40Gb to $299 but here in Montreal at BB they added 2 free games to the 40GB bundle.

What you get now for $399

40GB Playstation 3
1 Spiderman 3 Blu-ray movie
2 games "Ghost Recon 2" and "Rainbow Six Vegas"

[Steelmaker]

299.99 with dualshock 3 packed in would be the sweet spot. If they can drop the 40gb to 299.99 and eventually add software emulation for PS2 titles, this would be perfect! The lack of card readers is no big deal because you can always get usb memory card adapters.

[DetroitSportsFan]

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/ne...t/19208/?biz=1

[Blu-Generation]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/ne...t/19208/?biz=1

So it's going on everywhere now that Sony plans to drop the 80 gig.

Some say it's cause it didn't sell, and YET, according to NPD group, it sold more than the 40 gig.

So they are dropping the succesful one?? Something is fishy here, I can smell the conspiracy going on.

Even more, all these "suppose" date of drop the 80 gig ends up at around the same date the 299 PS3 deal.

Sony deny all these as rumours. Hmm...

[Viquist_Zius]

... and the last update to that article you just posted proves it. Of course the 80gig outsold the 40gig. It came with a game which was huge for the parents at my BBY, and it has a bigger hard-drive out of the box meaning it takes longer til they may need to upgrade, and they don't want to keep the PS2 hooked up to their main TV if even at all - usually opting to put the PS2 in the kids room and the PS3 in the main room for the Blu-Ray and Daddy's PS2 game collection. Cheaper price point sold the 40gig well to those who would have it for a Blu-Ray player mainly and a gaming console second but for most buyers having the "bigger and better" out of the box was the best way to go and worth the extra 100 bucks.

[The Seventh Taylor]

According to the latest information, the 80GB version is phased out in favor of a 120GB version.

Originally Posted by desmond

65 nm cell is in there but 45nm rsx (that's what it was in japan's white model). 65nm rsx is coming.

Not 45 but 90 nanometer. Progress in silicon technology is about making things smaller -- not bigger.

[BluRayExplosion]

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?p=624852

Apparently, some stores are already dropping the price, just coincidence, or does this give credence to that slick deals rumor? (Rhetorical question, I have no idea, just putting that out there.) If this is the case... those ignorant analysts will be proven wrong once again. Honestly, do they ever do any research, or are they too busy playing with their Wiis?

[DetroitSportsFan]

There have been rumors over the last few days, plus the elimination of the 80GB model. Nothing official though. I guess we'll see on Monday.

[JJ]

More price cuts? Sweet. Expand to those who are wary of getting into Blu or those HD-DVDers who need to hop ship already.
__________________

- JJ
Blu since 10/4/07
=================
Panasonic DMP-BD30 - Sony PS3 40 GB - Philips 47" PFL7432D - Samsung HT-TX75
43 Blu-Rays - 191 SD DVDs - 655 Wombats - 13 Bactrian Camels - 1 Albanian Serf...and his family!

[dkeener]

I bought a 40G on Friday... thank goodness for price guarantees.

[xtop]

so somebody already bought a ps3 for 299 and rumors are it'll start nationwide on monday. hmmmmmm

VERY interesting

[DefTechPioElite]

I hope that the rumors of a new sku other than just a 40gb white model are true. A lot of people do like the high end features of the 60/80gb models like card readers and SACD playback, and of course backwards compatibility. sony would be nuts to introduce a new high end model(larger HDD? 2 rear USB inputs?) at 399-450 and drop the 40gb to 299. This is just what I hope happens.

[BluRayExplosion]

Now's the time for a new SKU... Good time to throw in the DS3. Wasn't the PS3 supposed to have 2 HDMI outs originally? To use 2 TVs to make local multiplayer more feasible I imagine? It would be pretty cool if they released a high-end model with that configuration... I'd probably have to sell my 60 for one of those! (Assuming it had decent B/C of course)

[xtop]

Originally Posted by BluRayExplosion

Now's the time for a new SKU... Good time to throw in the DS3. Wasn't the PS3 supposed to have 2 HDMI outs originally? To use 2 TVs to make local multiplayer more feasible I imagine? It would be pretty cool if they released a high-end model with that configuration... I'd probably have to sell my 60 for one of those! (Assuming it had decent B/C of course)

i imagine at some point they'll release something like the psx they had a few years ago, but you won't see anything like that in the regular ps3

[Mastrodisastro]

Originally Posted by dkeener

I bought a 40G on Friday... thank goodness for price guarantees.

Good decision. Enjoy you baby now

[alansaysstop]

yeah the 40GIG says right on the box that it has wifi.

[misterzadir]

Is it just me or does Sony need to come out and say what their plans are for taking out the 80gb SKU? It's starting to sound bad when all these sites' headlines read "________ to stop selling 80GB PS3 as well?" Some might take that like Sony's having hard times.

[CAB]

I've rarely seen Sony pre-announce plans or specs on upcoming gear. When I have, they end up pulling the stuff anyway, like that 70" SXRD5. *sob*