40GB Sony PS3: cheaper model made by Taiwanese manufacturer FoxConn
September 20, 2007 By Daniel
Filed under Gaming, Sony Playstation 3
We have seen rumors for weeks about Sony planning a new cheaper 40GB PlayStation 3, but now it looks like it’s a little more than a rumor as it has been revealed that Sony has approached Taiwanese manufacturer FoxConn and asked them to make a lower-spec Sony PS3.
So now it looks like the company that produces Sony’s PS2s will now be making the new rumored 40GB Sony PS3 model.
What they mean by “lower-spec” is up for debate as it has been rumored that this could include losing some of the console’s USB ports or the loved backwards compatibility so that Sony can make the new PS3 very cheap.
Rumors flying around say that the price in the US for the 40GB Sony PS3 will be around $399, this could see a UK price of around £200 but as there us more tax etc in the UK it is more likely to be around £300.
This would then match roughly the Xbox 360 Elite’s price point, more news may come out at the Tokyo Game Show and we will update you when we get more.
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As long as it keeps the Wifi and Blu ray it will be cool. It can lose the card reader in the front. If it loses Wifi though that will be a hard pill to swallow.
It wouldn’t be a PS3 if it lost the blu ray. The original 20GB PS3 didn’t have wifi so I could that being taken out.
I’ve heard people go both ways on the media card readers. I haven’t used mine, but I could see taking pictures and putting them on the PS3.
I wouldn’t think cutting a couple of USB ports would be all that cost effective. They can’t cost that much to put in.
It’ll have software emulation for backwards combatibility I would assume.
All PS3 games other than PSN downloads are on Blu-ray, even my Ratchet demo, so it’s safe to assume any PS3 SKU will have a Blu-ray drive.
Even if they take out the wifi, ethernet bridges are faster than wifi and easily make the lack of wifi pretty easy to deal with… just costs an extra $50. A small price to pay for not having to worry about lag or disconnects though.
It will not lose blu ray capability because games are shipped on that format. If anything they may minimise the ports, yes like the usb but I think it will just be the labour and the smaller HDD that will get costs down