gcribbs

Bad move unless the higher end system only has features not needed for gaming.

If only half the PS3 market has a hard drive then the hard drive will likely not be well supported. Developers tend to create games for the lowest average system

My gut feeling is that the lower end system will have the same basic features only less. so the PS3 base will have a 20 GB hard drive whereas those who buy the higher end system would get a 120 GB hard drive with Tivo features. Both would function the same as a gaming machine. The added HD space would be used for Tivo or MP3's.

You could see a modem vs broadband option in the lower vs higher since both would still offer online play with one just being a lot slower.

More memory in the higher end system could allow the PS3 to go online with web surfing and downloading of MP3's basically turning it into a computer. whereas the lower end one would have less memory. Both would use the same amount(the lower ends amount of ram) for the games.

This type of model would work for developers since they could still develop all games for the base PS3.

Jeremy517

Almost none of the problems are hard drive related. The problems are mostly due to the crappy DVD drives used in the majority of XBoxes.

joshd2012

Yeah, I think that the Hard Drive will be included with both models, but a very small one will be included with the cheaper model and a much larger with the more expensive model. Also, the whole modem/broad band separation sounds about right. Again, this is just a rumor, so we'll have to wait (to E3 hopefully )

Trigger

I hope the PS3 comes with a hard drive, Tivo, a CD burner, a digital camera dock, a tv tuner and a built-in printer... and I hope it costs 499 bucks...

gcribbs

Printer

I do think the high end unit will have firewire and usb and HD,Tivo, cd burner however.

I expect the high end unit to retail for around $499 and the low end one for $299.

Josh H

That's still $100 too much for me for a gaming only machine.

gcribbs

$199 after a year or so like this generation

Josh H

Yep. I waited for a price drop on the PS2. But I prefer $199 at launch and $149 a year or so later.

Trigger

muahahahahahaha

mtucker

joltaddict

I want it to cost $1 and a Sony rep should come to my house and hook it up for me.

Josh H

Hey, you guys can pay what ever you want. I'm a poor grad student and only play games 5 hours or so a week, so any gaming machine that launches at more than $199 (with no game included) will have to wait for a price drop before I consider buying it.

Outlaw

I would also like to see this system at $199. I have hopes that it might really happen seeing how the price wars are in full swing and all three systems will come out in close proximity of each other, if they keep on schedule that is.

joshd2012

I was going to hold off, but the rumor that said they were building two different gaming machines mentioned that the gaming only machine would launch at $199 and the all-in-one machine would launch at $399.

madcougar

I hope it will download pRon for you while you sleep.

joltaddict

Be nice if it walked my dog for me.

Tuan Jim

Seems like (unless there's a media changeup) the Xbox2 would be backwards compatible -- they are just dvds really, and the architecture would remain pretty much the same but with upgraded components. Probably the simplest to set up that way.

WOWZY

Yeah, Alot of people still don't know you're supposed to boil the disc drive.