PS3 Price-Cut

[vladittude0583]

What do you guys think about Sony's $399 40-GB price and $499 80-GB price? Do you believe its the "sweet-spot" price or "right enough?"

I personally believe that Sony should have made the 40-GB @ $349 to directly compete with the XBox 360 listed @ $399 which would make the PS3 an even more tempting console than that of the XBox 360 and more reasonable to the Wii in terms of price.

What do you guys think?

[OokieSpookie]

It is right where it needs to be for now.
Sony still loses money off of each unit sold, cutting the price more would make it even more of a bleeder and it would not have made a sizable difference in unit sales.
The people that complain about 399 but insist that they would buy it at 349 are liars.

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by vladittude0583

What do you guys think about Sony's $399 40-GB price and $499 80-GB price? Do you believe its the "sweet-spot" price or "right enough?"

I personally believe that Sony should have made the 40-GB @ $349 to directly compete with the XBox 360 listed @ $399 which would make the PS3 an even more tempting console than that of the XBox 360 and more reasonable to the Wii in terms of price.

What do you guys think?

The Xbox and PS3 have different specs though. The HD-DVD add one would bring this above the PS3.

[Gremal]

I think for what you get with the PS3, and for the R&D and marketing dollars Sony is sinking into it, $399 may actually be a bit low right now. Obviously Sony will be able to drop the price in the future, but early adopters should help them recoup their costly investment in designing and bringing the PS3 to market. Frankly, I think it's a bargain at $500.

[ja1353]

Gremal and Ookie, you guys are wise. PS3 should be not competing with a trendy game of wii. PS3 is loosing money (not sure how much now .... at the beginning, it was $300ish. It should be less now or maybe breakeven). As the parts get chaper and manufactuer process become more efficient, the price will eventually drop more. Finally, Sony and PS3 isn't in the business of making us happy. They are in the business of making money (or make sure losing less money now). Selling software (games/movies) is where they will make their captial back and then some .....

This format war thing is great .... it gets people all wild up and buy things that they don't really need. I love it.


“There is no format war, there is only people buying the wrong format”

[zak88lx]

Not everyone will agree with me but I don't mind paying a premium price for high-end equipment. The PS3 is a well built unit and at $399 for the 40 GB unit you are already getting a lot of bang for the buck.

I think Sony should keep the price right where it's at.
Remember, you get what you pay for and if Sony tries to slash prices to make the PS3 more competitive they may start cutting corners which could ultimately tarnish the high quality level that the PS3 has.

When I see HD-DVD players listed at $99, only one word comes to mind:
JUNK...

Zak

[xtop]

its a good price for now. but the real sweet spot is $199

[dtrush]

Any reasonable person would see the value in paying $600 for a PS3 considering what you're actually getting like I did.
$400 is a phenominal price IMHO for the machine AS-IS. They need to raise the price back up if you asked me. The machine is way underrated for the low price.

[Robmx]

It has taken 7+ years to get PS2 down to 129.99 Canadian..... I feel $399 is right for what you get...... Just hard to believe in Aug I paid 549.99 but I still love it !!!! The world hasn't seen PS3 at all yet... The Cell will own !

[powersfoss]

The PS3 is at a great price right now. If you equipped an XBOX360 to be anywhere close to a PS3, you'd end paying a lot more:

xbox 360 with 20 GB hard drive: $349
hd dvd add on: $179
wifi adaptor: $94
xbox live (have to use it to play online): $49/year

Grand Total: $671

$671 vs $399.

Now some will say you don't have to purchase all that just to play games. Sure, but I'm just saying that to get a system only approaching the PS3 (20 GB hard drive only and NO BLU-RAY) you'd have to pay 68% more. And I just got my 40 GB PS3 for $319 so $399 is the MOST you should be paying for a 40 GB PS3 right now.

Now the PS3 is lookin pretty good, isn't it?

EDIT: Good point, Robmx. Add the cost of battery replacement over the life of the system. ALSO, I only figured 1 year of xbox live. If you added the cost of xbox live over the life of the system as well, I think we are being generous here. I think its safe to say that over their lifetimes, the xbox 360 will cost you more than twice as much as a PS3.

[Robmx]

Originally Posted by powersfoss

The PS3 is at a great price right now. If you equipped an XBOX360 to be anywhere close to a PS3, you'd end paying a lot more:

xbox 360 with 20 GB hard drive: $349
hd dvd add on: $179
wifi adaptor: $94
xbox live (have to use it to play online): $49/year

Grand Total: $671

$671 vs $399.

Now some will say you don't have to purchase all that just to play games. Sure, but I'm just saying that to get a system only approaching the PS3 (20 GB hard drive only and NO BLU-RAY) you'd have to pay 68% more. And I just got my 40 GB PS3 for $319 so $399 is the MOST you should be paying for a 40 GB PS3 right now.

Now the PS3 is lookin pretty good, isn't it?

Don't forget the battery packs for the controller as they don't come as rechargeables... Microsoft loves to make sure you will keep giving them money...

[vladittude0583]

Originally Posted by zak88lx

Not everyone will agree with me but I don't mind paying a premium price for high-end equipment. The PS3 is a well built unit and at $399 for the 40 GB unit you are already getting a lot of bang for the buck.

I think Sony should keep the price right where it's at.
Remember, you get what you pay for and if Sony tries to slash prices to make the PS3 more competitive they may start cutting corners which could ultimately tarnish the high quality level that the PS3 has.

When I see HD-DVD players listed at $99, only one word comes to mind:
JUNK...

Zak

The only reason I see a little price discrepancy is because for us "tech know hows," we know exactly what the value we are getting for the prices for the PS3, but the average person (i.e., mom, dad, etc) buying it as a gift that do not know much might question why it is so much more pricey than competing consoles along with why such technology is relevant, etc.

[CptGreedle]

Originally Posted by powersfoss

The PS3 is at a great price right now. If you equipped an XBOX360 to be anywhere close to a PS3, you'd end paying a lot more:

xbox 360 with 20 GB hard drive: $349
hd dvd add on: $179
wifi adaptor: $94
xbox live (have to use it to play online): $49/year

Grand Total: $671

$671 vs $399.

Now some will say you don't have to purchase all that just to play games. Sure, but I'm just saying that to get a system only approaching the PS3 (20 GB hard drive only and NO BLU-RAY) you'd have to pay 68% more. And I just got my 40 GB PS3 for $319 so $399 is the MOST you should be paying for a 40 GB PS3 right now.

Now the PS3 is lookin pretty good, isn't it?

EDIT: Good point, Robmx. Add the cost of battery replacement over the life of the system. ALSO, I only figured 1 year of xbox live. If you added the cost of xbox live over the life of the system as well, I think we are being generous here. I think its safe to say that over their lifetimes, the xbox 360 will cost you more than twice as much as a PS3.

I always knew the 360 was a rip off, I just didn't think it was that bad!
LIVE is a pay service!?!
They SUCK!

don't forget to add the 20 GB hard drive upgrade to a 40 (or 60 or 80) GB model, which is a micro$oft proprietary drive and a regular drive will not work in it.

oh, and you can only play up to 4 players, while the PS3 can handle up to 7.
And what about a remote?

[jubaiweaponx]

I think the pricepoints are spot on for now still enough to where sony isn`t loosing too much but low enough to get adopters on board

[powersfoss]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I always knew the 360 was a rip off, I just didn't think it was that bad!
LIVE is a pay service!?!
They SUCK!

don't forget to add the 20 GB hard drive upgrade to a 40 (or 60 or 80) GB model, which is a micro$oft proprietary drive and a regular drive will not work in it.

oh, and you can only play up to 4 players, while the PS3 can handle up to 7.
And what about a remote?

And what do you get for your hard earned $671? A sub-standard next gen console (only 3 cores vs the PS3's 8 cores) and NO BLU-RAY! To add blu-ray, tack on the cost of a standalone BD player ($300 - $400) on top of your $671 to really bring the equation a little closer to parity. I just can't see why people would waste their money that way.

[MallardRider]

No one has mentioned of the 360's overheating and disc playback (i.e. scratched discs) problems.

PS3 == reliability

[Micker]

$399 is a great price, but still a bit high for someone to just go out and buy. I believe that $250 is the limit for on the spot purchases. Anything more then that and most people will have to think about it or think they can't afford it. I could see someone walking into Wal Mart and buying a PS3 for $250, but $400 and they would have to think about it and maybe not pull the trigger.

Of course what you get for the money is silly with the PS3.

[The Don]

the 360 has been out a year longer and when you buy the necessary additions to the system, it is still more expensive than the PS3....

399/499 is just right IMO...

[mdm1699]

Originally Posted by vladittude0583

What do you guys think about Sony's $399 40-GB price and $499 80-GB price? Do you believe its the "sweet-spot" price or "right enough?"

I personally believe that Sony should have made the 40-GB @ $349 to directly compete with the XBox 360 listed @ $399 which would make the PS3 an even more tempting console than that of the XBox 360 and more reasonable to the Wii in terms of price.

What do you guys think?

I agree. They needed a lower end model. I view mine as a media hub for my home. Therefore, I consider it to be a value. Personally, I think that the price-cut is the result of a combination of factors.

1. To encourage blu-ray penetration - The PS3 is the most reliable blu-ray player. The other BDA hardware manufacturers seem to be fumbling forward. The format needs a standardized spec within the marketplace. The price-cut eases the burden off the other manufacturers.

2. To avoid giving up more ground to the Xbox and Wiii.

3. Holiday season - This is the best time for price cuts that will significantly drive volume.

4. Warner and the war - I am not sure what to make of this relationship anymore. I want Warner to be blu exclusive. I am not sure if the Warner titles that are exclusive to HD-DVD are on contract. If that is the case then I do not see them making a decision until such a contract ends. Who knows anymore!

Early adopters don't always drive mass adoption. Enjoy your purchase.

[mdm1699]

Also, current economic environment.