PS3 500 GB Assassin's Creed III Bundle

Super

I got this as a repacement fo my old System, which I gave to my son. First of all I did not know the Sony changed the size again. This is slightly smaller than the second generation PS3's known as the slim model. Some people are call this the super slim. Overall it is slightly smaller with a few differences. The disc now loads from the top with a spring loaded door ( no way for the auto load motor to die or you not being able to get a disc back out if something bad happens). The hard drive is now on the side ( besides being a higher capacity). You have manually push the disc door closed, ( no biggie if you think about the upshot of not having a motor that can fail ). I am reasonably certain that by moving the hard drive to the other side that less heat gets to the CPU area, another plus. It is pretty stable if you stand it on end which the last generation really wasn't, which is I think another reason they moved the hard drive. If you stand it on the end opposite the blu ray, air should move through it without the need for external fans ( a problem with the slim model ). I turned this one on, connected to my network to do the mandatory updates, disconnected both systems from the network, and used an ethernet cable to transfer data from the old system to the new. All my games save data and videos went right to it. I did have to redownload song packs for Rocksmith but it let me do it without arguing about copyright issues, so bonus. If you are going to transfer data like I did you will need to deactivate your old system before you transfer, and there are instructions for doing it all over the web.You do it right in the menu. I then took my old system into my son's room and fired it up,, NO ISSUES. I got this system with a 500gb hard drive for the same price as what they want for one with a 320gb drive on the old format,, kinda strange don't you think? If your gonna get a PS3 this is it, I could care less about the game although it is kinda cool, think original Tomb Raider with better graphics and storyline. Also this one SEEMS to turn on faser than my old one but the layout and the hard drive is the only difference I'm 100% about so don't quote me on that.

I have two PS3s. One is an older 60 GB machine that works fine, and we also purchased this new 500 GB machine, because we were running out of hard drive space. It was a pretty good deal for the price, and the extra memory is very nice. However, and this is my only gripe: The new machine is a manual top-load machine, vs. the old auto front load. So, you have to click open a cover, load the disk into the top, and slide the cover back. This arrangement creates a much bigger problem with dust getting into the machine. So, you have to carefully clean it from time to time. Not really optional. But obviously, they cut cost on the auto loader to give a 500 GB machine for such a decent price.

This is a five star device all around for what it can do, but when it comes to aesthetics, this device is a big downer. I question the product team at Sony sometimes and wonder why Japanese innovators who are known for churning out cutting edge technology and creating such lovely Japanese Anime cartoons can churn out an electronic device that is just down right unattractive. Boxy and square does NOT read futuristic. The PS1 and PS2 where all unattractive rectangular devices as well. Let's not forget the ugly Sony tablet from 2012 that was discontinued immediately when they just weren't selling because of form factor. Sony is on a roll in the fashion forward department, but i digress.Now that i have my only complaint out of the way, i have to say that this is an amazing all in one device. It's a video game console, a streaming media player, and comes with a built in blu-ray player all rolled up into one. In addition, PS3 does not charge a fee to utilize Amazon Instant Videos, YouTube, and Netflix. Xbox charges a fee which makes no sense. I am going to keep my review basic and short because everyone knows about the PS3, what it can & cannot do, and its main function as a video game machine with perks and extras. This is a great device and i highly recommend it to anyone. I purchased this for the 500GB hard drive (even though i wish it was 2TB of hard drive space), so that i can store my media movies on them and watch it at my convenience. Plus, i like that the PS3 allows the movie files being played to have a repeat feature, so i don't have to keep pressing play again when the film is done. It just plays continuously. I like leaving the TV on at night and hearing the white noise. It makes a great night light too. I'd recommend the PS3 to anybody and think it's a great product to have next to any flat screen TV. Though for the price, i wish they did throw in the PS3 system stand, a PS3 remote controller for the Blu-Ray, an extra controller/charger plug, and 2TB of memory, but i digress. Tee hee!