PS3: Freakin Expensive

[Tornado]

I wasn't able to make one under 500$ The PS3 is sold 650$ here in Canada.

To be able to comprably compare with the PS3 (or even a 360 for petes sake) graphics wise, it would need some sort of Dual-Core system CPU at least.
Here is a little more in line with the PS3:

Then add $1000 for the Blu-Ray player. Here's the fun part: pull $3000 from some sort of nexus to make up the difference.
Edit: Take away $250 from that. I messed up with the RAM.

 

[guska]

We have been down the PC vs PS3 track a few times here on GTP before, and personally, I think the argument is a little ignorant. The PS3 is using revolutionary hardware, which is not available to PCs, and probably won't be for some time, due to cost. The 60Gb "high-end" version will be sold in Australia at AU$999, and it is not possible to build even a halfway comparable gaming rig for that money. Sure, it does seem a little steep, but I will be getting one eventually, when I can afford it (The piggy bank is geting filled up ever so slowly). If you don't want to pay the money, then don't. Simple, easy, done.

gOoSe

 

[Jedi2016]

The iPod argument was interesting, as well. Got me thinking...

Why is it that people will buy a $400 iPod once a year, but they complain about spending $500 on a game console that they'll only have to buy once every five or six years?

 

[DuckRacer]

The iPod argument was interesting, as well. Got me thinking...

Why is it that people will buy a $400 iPod once a year, but they complain about spending $500 on a game console that they'll only have to buy once every five or six years?

The people who buy a $400 iPod every year will probably buy the PS3 at launch. I have an iPod that I bought for $300 as a bundle, and it's about a year and a half old. I plan on using it for the next few years.

 

[YSSMAN]

The iPod argument was interesting, as well. Got me thinking...

Why is it that people will buy a $400 iPod once a year, but they complain about spending $500 on a game console that they'll only have to buy once every five or six years?

Who is buying a new iPod every year? I spent $200-ish (I've forgotten what the price was now) on my mini about a year ago, and I plan on using that for quite some time.

I do see your point, but I can maybe think of one person that I know who has had every "major" iPod that has come out.

BTW: Is the iPod going to work with the PS3, or is it going to be limited to Sony products?

 

[DuckRacer]

BTW: Is the iPod going to work with the PS3, or is it going to be limited to Sony products?

Dunno. You would think so, though.

 

[Mr Deap]

To be able to comprably compare with the PS3 (or even a 360 for petes sake) graphics wise, it would need some sort of Dual-Core system CPU at least.
Here is a little more in line with the PS3:

Then add $1000 for the Blu-Ray player. Here's the fun part: pull $3000 from some sort of nexus to make up the difference.
Edit: Take away $250 from that. I messed up with the RAM.

The CPU alone is more than 1000$.

I can't wait to see you realise what the cell really is.

 

[Tornado]

I already do. More powerful than the Athlon X2 because of how it is developed and it's very design. Even if you got the cheapest X2 processor, I would be very hard pressed to get the computer for under $2000 with a Blu-Ray player.

 

[Jedi2016]

The CPU alone is more than 1000$.

I can't wait to see you realise what the cell really is.

Hey, you were the one who picked a chip for less than a hundred bucks that was supposedly the "equivelant" of Cell.

What, do you think Cell is just your average, everyday processor?

 

[Mr Deap]

Hey, you were the one who picked a chip for less than a hundred bucks that was supposedly the "equivelant" of Cell.

What, do you think Cell is just your average, everyday processor?

The Cell is weaker than an everyday CPU.

Wikipedia

The Cell architecture breaks ground in combining a light-weight general-purpose processor with multiple GPU-like coprocessors into a coordinated whole, a feat which involves a novel memory coherence architecture for which IBM received many patents.
The resulting architecture emphasizes efficiency/watt, prioritizes bandwidth over latency, and favors peak computational throughput over simplicity of program code. For these reasons, Cell is widely regarded as a challenging environment for software development. IBM provides a comprehensive Linux-based Cell development platform to assist developers in confronting these challenges. Software adoption remains a key issue in whether Cell ultimately delivers on its performance potential.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(microprocessor)

 

[DuckRacer]

The Cell is weaker than an everyday CPU.

Wikipedia can be edited by anyone. If I wanted to put something on that page, like "tHe CeLl 1s t3h suxx0rs", I could.

 

[Jeremy Ricci]

That Wikipedia article say's nothing about it being weaker, or inferior in anyway, it talks only about the processor being difficult to program for in terms of software. That does not equate to an inferior product.

 

[Solid Lifters]

The Cell has slower speeds than some PC chips out there. I think that's what Mr. Deap is trying to refer to. He's wrong to imply it's not as good, though.

While some PC chips can have faster clock speeds, none have more throughput. The Cell also doesn't really need such general-purpose computing like PCs, and rather leverages specific abilities, streamlined and pipelined for the sole purpose of carrying out a particular type of data processing even faster than those general-purpose or gaming computers.

Plus, the software for the PS3 is made for the Cell processor, and not for regular PCs, which the XBox360 is, BTW. That's why the Cell, even with slower clock speeds, will still out perform any gaming PC on the market today.

 

[Jeremy Ricci]

The Cell is software specific. In order for it to truely be effecient the software has to be coded to instruct each SPE to handle a specific task.

If the software is not optimized in such a manner, then it will route to the PPE, which will be overloaded, and the end result would be ineffecient execution of software.

 

[fasj6418]

well, i see this subject with two perspectives: cheap and expensive, depending on the market.

its not that expensive in the US and japan, because of what people make there and the price tag of the PS3. in europe, its a little more expensive.

in the end, it all depends on how much you like games.

my example:

work full time, 40 hour job. i make 800 a month. 200 i spend with gas, 100 with cable and internet, so i have 500 left.

PS3 here will coast from 2.500 to 3.000.
right now the cheapest xbox360 i could find is 2.200.

so i´ll have to get a lot of savings to get a PS3. hopefully before 2008.

i´ve only got my PS2 in 2004, and i paid 1.000.

of course, that´s the example of a poor country like brazil. for us, the entire latin america, india, china, africa, and most of asia, we can´t afford a PS3.

that´s one of the reasons why only australia, europe, japan and USA are considered a market.

my friend is working in orlando, in a restaurant, washing dishes. in a simple job like that, he will get a PS3 still this year. lucky for him. the PS3 in the USA is only expensive if you don´t have any income. having a job, i can´t really see much of a trouble if you really like games and make this a priority.

 

[Famine]

my example:

work full time, 40 hour job. i make 800 a month. 200 i spend with gas, 100 with cable and internet, so i have 500 left.

Lucky you. No mortgage, utilities bills, local/governmental tax, food shopping, upkeep/repair/replacement of domestic items, no dependants...

 

[fasj6418]

Lucky you. No mortgage, utilities bills, local/governmental tax, food shopping, upkeep/repair/replacement of domestic items, no dependants...

almost. it was an unfinished sentence.

my dad helps me with the renting, is 550 where i live.

with that 500 i have to buy food, clothes and everything else. in the end of the month i have maybe 50 left if i´m lucky.

i will save money for the PS3 with my bonuses in the end of the year... (one extra sallary each year).

so, i´ll trade my job here for one in the UK or the USA, i´m pretty sure its a bit better

this just in:

my friend worked 4 days in orlando, made 700 dollars. already got a PSP for him:tup: someday i´ll be lucky enough to get a greencard and live this country that has nothing to do with me

 

[Famine]

so, i´ll trade my job here for one in the UK or the USA, i´m pretty sure its a bit better

With the downside that you'll be shot in the face every time you get on the Tube for "looking a bit foreign"...

 

[Jeremy Ricci]

^^ Here's to hoping buddy! Just land you a cute american girl and get married, it'll work out, promise (this was directed to fasj6418)

I think the PS3 is only expensive if you do not abuse it's functionality and application.

With that said, it really boils down to your perception of expensive, application, and your own personal financial situation.

 

[fasj6418]

With the downside that you'll be shot in the face every time you get on the Tube for "looking a bit foreign"...

lol i can´t help but love that sense of humor... even though... it was tragic for him...

still... about the PS here

i remember reading once, and now i can´t the story anymore, that there´s +/- 10 million PS2´s in latin america. that can be a totally misleading stat, speacially because most of them are sold without paying extra taxes... i mean, ilegal, so they don´t count in that breakdown of sales that Kaz showed at E3.

its like.

PS2´s come out of the factory > miami > paraguay > then brazil.

paraguay its like a bahamas for eletronics. no tax, no rules.

anyway, sony never released the PS here because 95%, yes 95% of our games come from piracy.

sony makes moey here with MC´s, controllers and PS2´s, but not with games.

still, micro$oft released the xbox in colombia and in mexico, with good results.
they will launch the 360 here, now its left on sony to know if they have any plans for the PS3 here...

a bit of off topic, but just a rant because government is crazy with taxing eletronic products

 

[LittleBahamut]

One thing I would like to point out quickly is that can we really expect the PS3 to come out with no problems at launch? I remember reading that Xbox 360 had some trouble with the system freezing randomly. For the price of $600 + tax for the first batch, having the system come out with some failures could be quite a hard hit to Sony.

 

[Jeremy Ricci]

One thing I would like to point out quickly is that can we really expect the PS3 to come out with no problems at launch? I remember reading that Xbox 360 had some trouble with the system freezing randomly. For the price of $600 + tax for the first batch, having the system come out with some failures could be quite a hard hit to Sony.

$60 will cover you completely for an entire year. Personally I have little to not faith in any hardware, or their warrantys for that matter.

I have always purchased replacement plans, extended warranty's, etc. It's simply the absolute best way to go. If it breaks, you'll get a new one for a fraction of the price. If it doesn't, what's $60 for a year of sound gaming? You will have no worries, and that alone is worth it to me.

 

[YSSMAN]

One thing I would like to point out quickly is that can we really expect the PS3 to come out with no problems at launch? I remember reading that Xbox 360 had some trouble with the system freezing randomly. For the price of $600 + tax for the first batch, having the system come out with some failures could be quite a hard hit to Sony.

The PS2 had it's issues in the first few days, but that didn't stop the system from destroying the competition.

...Depends I guess, but you are always going to get people who like to have the new stuff first so they can be "better than anyone else" despite the fact it will probably break at some point in time.

Its like the people who shelled out $500 for a RAZR last year when you can pick one up for $80 now. Ha, I laugh every time I see one...

 

[Mark T]

Everyone seems to think that a games console is a necessity, and that it should be affordable to everyone. Games consoles and most high end electrical products are aimed at people with alot of spare money. Personally, after paying my mortgage and everything else that goes with it I'm left with maybe £400 for myself. Now I also need to save some of that for a rainy day. It would take me probably 2-3 months to save for a Playstation 3, but that's without the optional extras which you normally need to get the full enjoyment out of it. Then there's the games which I assume because they are Blu Ray will probably be around £55-£60 each.

It's an expensive hobby having a console and I think it's only going to get more expensive with future releases.

 

[Dave A]

When the PS came out, the games were on Cd and they cost £45 at launch, when the PS2 came out they were suddenly on DVD, and they cost £45 at launch, I see no acceptable reason for the games to suddenly start costing more than that.

 

[Mark T]

Yeh probably right. They'll be around £50 depending on where you buy them. I've seen that play.com are advertising them for £49.99 delivered.

 

[slackbladder]

When the PS came out, the games were on Cd and they cost £45 at launch, when the PS2 came out they were suddenly on DVD, and they cost £45 at launch, I see no acceptable reason for the games to suddenly start costing more than that.

I remember some PS games costing me £49.99 from EB (or whatever they were called at the time) particularly Resident Evil, Tekken 2 and Tomb Raider. All three together would have equalled my weeks wage at the time!
It was damn expensive then. And now, how much would you pay for the orignal Resi now? £5?
So really games are cheaper now because though the cost of living has increased game prices have'nt. In fact they tend to drop in price quicker than before. It was a big deal when PS games dropped below £40 a good year after release. Now 360 games are already at £40. As l4s says I don't forsee a price hike. Inital launch games will be £45-£50 depending on retailers.

 

[Dave A]

Yeah, some stores put the price up a fiver, just like what's happening with the XB360 games now, but the general price was still £40 or £45 if you shopped about, I think the XB360 games have droped in price so soon because they've realised were not as willing to pay that much for the games anymore, and I see the stores doing the same thing with trhe PS3, some will test the water so to speak and start sales off at £50, buut shopping about or ordering online will get them for £45, and after say 6 months, they will all be around £40, just like what happened with the PS, PS2, XB and XB360.

 

[LaBounti]

It was Sony who impossed the $49.99 game standard and everyone else followed. Some N64 games where higher than 360 games now. Games now lose value so fast its not even funny. Only buy new games if its something you absolutly must have right away. I waited and now I got Tony Hawk for PSP and Burnout Revenge for Ps2 both for $15each. I waited and got Metal gear Solid 3 for $20. I dont wait for systems to go down, just the games....

 

[El Gigante]

Yeah, like that game on N64 called 'Conker's Bad Fur Day'. Wasn't that like $80 or something ridiculous?