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Sony May Be Planning 80GB PS3

Posted by Zonk on from the convenient-leak dept.

narramissic writes "Included in a filing made by Sony to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) earlier this month regarding a change to the PlayStation 3's Bluetooth module is notification of a new PS3 game console with a higher-capacity hard-disk drive. From the cover letter: 'The model CECHE01 to be added by the difference of the capacity of hard disk.' It then says the new model will have an 80G-byte drive. Of course, Sony is downplaying these rumours, saying that 'Application to the FCC has been made with various possibilities in mind, however, it does not lead to a new product announcement at this time.'

12 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. What's the point? by CastrTroy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What's the point of the big hard drives on the XBox 360 and PS3? Are people really downloading that much content that they need 120/80 GB drives? Are downloaded movies really that popular? Why would you rather download a game then get the a DVD? I really don't see any need for a drive of this size on a console. For me it just seems like something that would drive up the cost on an already expensive product.

    --

    Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    1. Re:What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      In Sony's case, it's because their Blu-Ray drive manages to be as slow (or even slower) than the DVD drive on the PS2, but is being used to load far more content, so in order to get anything approaching decent performance you have to dump the game onto the HD. (Yes, that's right: Sony's managed to bring install requirements to the console.)

      For Microsoft, I suspect it's because hard drive manufacturers are starting to stop selling smaller hard drive sizes, forcing Microsoft to move to larger drive sizes. 120GB drives will likely continue selling into the future, but smaller drive sizes are likely to be phased out.

      (Of course, that last bit applies to Sony too, but given that 20GB drives were already being phased out when they decided to go with that, they apparently don't care.)

    2. Re:What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      "In Sony's case, it's because their Blu-Ray drive manages to be as slow (or even slower) than the DVD drive on the PS2, but is being used to load far more content, so in order to get anything approaching decent performance you have to dump the game onto the HD. (Yes, that's right: Sony's managed to bring install requirements to the console.)"

      Idiot.

      The CAV BluRay drives are very fast - faster than the jet engine sounding DVD drive in the 360.

      PS3 installs are completely optional and provide minor loading speed improvements if you have the space and choose to use it.

    3. Re:What's the point? by insanius · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The point of a bigger hard drive is more space to hold data. Shouldn't have had to answer that...

      Yes, people really are downloading that much content.

      Yes, downloaded movies really are that popular and its not that surprising why when you think about it. I like many 360 owners have a HDTV, but I, like most, do not have the HD-DVD add-on or a stand alone player. Therefore the only ways currently for me and many others to watch a high-def movie on my high-def tv is to:
      a) catch one on cable when its airing or DVR it
      b) download one, be it on my cable box(ON-DEMAND) or my 360 it does not matter.
      Both have the same policies on viewing and pricing(same as renting from a store, without the trip), only their selections differ.

      You may not see the reason for this, and that is why M$/Sony gives you the option to pay less $ for a system that doesn't include a HD or, in Sony's case, includes a smaller less expensive HD.

  2. New 80gb HD by savage1r · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If I want one I'll spend $60 http://www.memorylabs.net/fumh2nbhdd80.html , thanks tho sony.

  3. That's nice, Sony by J.+T.+MacLeod · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Call me when you have a scaler, though.

  4. This is great... by donglekey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because when people consider a PS3, they think to themselves, hmm, I just don't feel like they've packed enough shit in there already.

    --

    This Wiki Feeds You TV and Anime - vidwiki.org
  5. Re:It's about the video. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "Nintendo sees consoles as way to play games."

    And, you know, make and dress up virtual dolls. Check the weather, vote on stuff. Browse the web. Leave messages for people. All that entirely gameplay oriented stuff. (sarcarm off)

    There are NO purely game-playing consoles any more. Even the GBA has an optional MP3 player, and there have been non-interactive cartoons (Cartoon Network stuff) released as GBA carts, effectively making it a video player. The DS has pictochat built in and an optional web browser and language training software. Nintendo is less interested in the fluffy, irrelevant stuff, but they aren't immune from it.

  6. Re:Why not from the get-go? by tomstdenis · · Score: 2, Insightful

    first, they're not buying parts from BestBuy or CompUSA. They're getting deep discounts to buy hard drives from companies using older production lines. Hence the 8GB drives for the original xbox.

    second, they can get idiots to buy the super duper upgrade piecemeal costing more.

    third, I want a wii.

    --
    Someday, I'll have a real sig.
  7. The PS3 needs more HD space than the 360 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Ever wonder how come games on the PS3 that have 5Gig installs take longer to load than 360 games that have no HD installs? It's because 360 games can automatically use the pre-allocated hard drive cache- that's why the 20GB drive only has ~15GB when you get it and wipe it clean on content. It's fixed size, at the fastest part of the drive, it is guaranteed not to be fragmented, and the OS supports it transparently so it isn't up to the developer to roll their own caching (and possibly corrupt your hard drive which apparently is happening more and more often on the PS3). So Sony needs bigger and bigger drives just to be in the running with the 360. Poor Sony, always bring hardware to a software fight.
    Also, since the PS3 can't stream video from a PC or media server (unless you run Linux and then can't use the graphics chips) it needs a big honkin hard drive while I can watch HD on a $299 core unit that doesn't even have a hard drive. Of course, even if the PS3 could stream video, good luck with its crappy wifi that couldn't stream standard def video without hitches...

  8. Re:Why not from the get-go? by amuro98 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why not a larger HDD from day one?

    The same reason Microsoft went ahead and released a 360 that didn't even HAVE a HDD at all!

    Price. Price. Price. Price.

    It was very important to Microsoft to have their console priced lower than than Sony's. Although to be honest, I think Microsoft expected Sony to price the PS3 at $400 and $500, instead of the current $500/$600... So now Microsoft can release the 360 Elite, which adds HDMI, comes with a larger HDD AND a HDMI cable while STILL costing less than the PS3.

  9. Re:Smaller, not bigger, you idiots! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It's great how you tied together a shitty analogy with a rant on SUV's, George Bush, and Sony. That's pretty impressive, even by slashdot standards.