PS3 Superslim Review
- Posted October 18th, 2012 at 09:38 EDT by Steven Williamson
- 13 Comments
Review Score
- PSU Review Score
- 8.0
- Avg. user review score:
- 0.0
Summary
The hardware is as good as ever and the software library is now comprehensive, but when you can pick up a Slim for less than this new model, it's hard to recommend it just for a few styling changes.
We like
- The performance of the Superslim is as good as any PS3 model and there's a mass of games to now choose from
- Smaller size means you'll have more space in your TV cabinet
- Large 500GB harddrive is perfect for the mass of games, movies and music that you'll want to store.
We dislike
- Top loading tray is flimsy and feels clunky to use
- It's more expensive than the Slim, yet feels like you're getting less value for money.
See PSU's review on Metacritic & GameRankings
The new PlayStation 3 Superslim sports a retro look. The matte black finish on the grooved panel running across the top of the console reminds us of the Atari 2600, while the top loading disc drive brings back memories of playing Sonic CD on the redesigned Sega CD in the early 90s.
Weighing just 4.6lb (2.1kg), the Super Slim is three pounds lighter than the PS3 Slim and is approximately 20 percent smaller and thinner than previous models, measuring 11.4" × 2.3" × 9" (29 × 6 × 23 cm). The sleek curved frame, small size and lightweight doesn’t make any difference to the performance of the new console (unless you’re planning on moving your PS3 around frequently), but if you have limited space in your T.V. cabinet, it does fit quite snugly among your other devices without taking up too much space.
The major design change comes courtesy of the Blu-ray drive. The grooved central panel on top of the console, which is encased top and bottom by the familiar dust-collecting glossy black plastic styling of previous models, isn't just part of the new aesthetic. In this latest revision, you have to physically place the disc into the Blu-ray drive and then manually slide the loading tray from right to left to close it, so the ridges give your fingertips something to grasp as you close the panel.
Though we like the overall design, the build quality of the loading panel doesn’t instil us with confidence as the plastic sliding panel is quite thin and flimsy; we do worry that it will break over long term use, or if we close it too vigorously. Manually having to close the panel feels a little bit awkward and clunky too when compared to the way you simply tease the mouth of other PS3 models with your game disc and watch it smoothly swallow it up.
Elsewhere, all the main features on the PS3 are present, including the AC adaptor port, Optical out, RCA, Ethernet and HDMI slots on the rear of the console, as well an air vent that to ensure it doesn’t overheat. On the front panel are two USB ports on the bottom left-hand side, and the on/off switch on the right, which lights up either green or red depending on its current status. There’s a small design change on the front panel as the on/off switch now sits on a slightly protruding toggle bar measuring around six inches. Pressing the right hand-side of that bar turns the console on and off and pressing the left-hand side opens up the disc-loading tray, though this can also be done manually.
In the box, you get the wireless DualShock 3 controller and charging cable, a composite A/V cable and power cable. Once again, the bundle disappointingly doesn’t include a HDMI cable which you’ll have to buy separately if you want to get the most out of the 1080p/1080i/720p display. The Superslim is said to produce less power than previous models, with a 190W power supply replacing the 250W supply of the most recent Slim models, but internally you still have the same RSX GPU drive and 45nm Cell processor.
The Superslim currently comes with a hefty 500GB harddrive, which is a good size for storing lots of data. In terms of performance, there doesn’t appear to be any difference between the Superslim and the previous models as loading times are identical. However, it is noticeably quieter than any previous SKU with very quiet whirring sounds even when you first load a disc.
No matter which model of PS3 you pick up you’ll still get access to a range of great PlayStation Network options and software so nothing has changed there, but the fact that you can pick up a Slim for slightly cheaper than the £229 price tag placed on this new model makes it hard to recommend. Nonetheless, some of the bundles on offer, including Play.com’s deal of Gran Turismo 5: Academy Edition, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - Game Of The Year Edition and FIFA 13 for £269.99, may tempt those who are looking to buy a PS3 for the first time. Unless you’re really a fan of the new styling, the large harddrive and the compact design ... (continued on next page)
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Comments
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dark_raven18 |
Dark_Raven18- 10:02am EDT - October 18th, 2012
- 1
I'm still not 100% sold on this new super slim, but it still doesn't seem like a bad choice to go with though and I personally think that it looks stylish in it's own way, the bundle selections aren't that bad either.
I might pick one of these of up anyways, simply because my current slim ps3 is starting to act to much after all the hardcore freezing taking place and having to forcefully shut it down so much. :( Not sending it in either to get it fixed, i cant be parted from my console for more than a day. -
CloudStrife37 |
CloudStrife37- 10:41am EDT - October 18th, 2012
- 2
I unboxed my friend's and I was surprised at how much I like the new look. The matte finish on the ridges makes the gloss look better on the rest of it. Just don't know how I feel about the disc tray. The system can finally be comfortably held with one hand now, though :D
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lee___radio
- 11:00am EDT - October 18th, 2012
- 3
the reason why Sony made a new version again is because they stuck a camera inside it so they could spy on you, just food for thought.
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Gameoholic007 |
Demented007- 12:55pm EDT - October 18th, 2012
- 4
Nothing beats original harware.
The cooling system in this thing is the worst one in all the PS3 models, specially when its running the same exact chip size as the original slim. (cpu-45nm, gpu-40nm)
Sooo, same chip size, smaller cooling system= I don't think so! =)
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PS3-The Ultimate Machine
- 4:08am EDT - October 19th, 2012
- 5
I personally like the new design, the manual sliding tray also means that discs won't be stuck inside in case of freezes or power outages. But I'm a bit worried now that PSU has pointed it out as flimsy. Hopefully though in this case looks will be deceiving and despite being thin, it would last the rigors of playstation quality gaming. Though I do agree that it should be cheaper than the slim model, because simple nostalgia shouldn't cost more.
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Gameoholic007 |
Demented007- 12:44pm EDT - October 19th, 2012
- 6
@6- Get it right Hairybeast, your the only known troll here that everyone loves to rag on, and you know it! =) The only 2 things that put out less heat, is the power supply, and the disk drive, thats it dummy. The rest of it is the same hardware, besides the RSX redesign, but same size and performance. The disk drive makes a little more noise, than the original slim, because now you have a flimsy piece of plastic covering it. You have a lot more to learn Hairybeast, A LOT!
Now, go outside and play!
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Parkourninja |
XwassabiXx- 4:31pm EDT - October 22nd, 2012
- 9
the new super slim is very loud hate it but offers more gb not to bad the good thing is you dont hafta worry bout your disc ever getting stuck in the system :D, happend to my ps3 slim was very mad still havnt got the game out til this day :( jk
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donoghu |
donoghu- 10:55pm EST - January 16th, 2013
- 11
It's actually an eye candy where they only changed the visual, not the nonfunctional sides of it.
The major flaws for a new release/upgrade :
- 500Go HDD
In the 2008-2009, the 500Go HDD was something within the standard. Now, in 2013 (and even in 2012), the 500HDD used in the PS3 have become a real joke. It's a 30$US worth crap. Sure it sounds good compared to other console, but, now, the average amount of space taken from any game on the PS3 is between 5Go and 12Go per game. About 1Go for a movie and, at least, the musics haven't reached that kind of size. If you take the downloaded games from PSN, the size of the games can easily reach 20Go per game. (For example, Battlefield 3 now takes 18Go, DC Universe Online takes 24Go-30Go depending if you have the disc or not)
It's without considering the size of the updates and the OS of the system.
With a 256Go HDD, I had enought space to install about recent 20 games.. So, with a 500Go, you might reach 50 games. Now why not deleting the games from the HDD to install new ones? Simply because you'll have to patch it again (which mean downloading again) if you ever want to play the game once more. (the average patch size of the games have reached 3Go/game. It's not everyone who got a fast access to Internet or even an unlimited.)
Even worse is that you can easily change the current 500Go HDD for a 2To HDD with a bit of work. (Copy the partition with a computer, transfer it to a 2To HDD of the same kind. There you go.)
- The most cheap blu-ray drive on the market.
Since the 2nd generation of PS3, the blu-ray drive in the console have been changed for the most cheap you can find on the market. Every models since have been tested to last around 2 years of common uses. Lot of effect like dust, heat or even mechanical mini-errors easily reduce the life span. Some are lucky and got something that last longer. The problem there is that the representative from Sony said that they tend to see their console to reach 10 years... but with a 2 years BR-Drive, you'll have either to change it for a pre-use (if you got the warranty), manually change the BR-D or only use the games on the HDD (like I have been doing for a year now). What's strange is that Sony haven't changed this low quality feature for years now. (They changed the models of BR-D, but only for a more recent but similar model which, sometimes, is even more fragile.)
- Slim size isn't always for the best.
Slim = Smaller and more fragile pieces
Slim = Less heat sinking spaces
Slim = Less protective (More subject to reaction again sun light or humidity)
Slim = Harder to fix/easier to break.
Should I continue? Since WHEN have the Home consoles (totally not said to be portable) been about carrying them? If I wanted to carry my consoles, I would have used the PSP or PSP Vita... Even the booklet that comes with the console mention that you must carefully transport the console only if necessary. They never build the slimer version for personal transport. They build them for 2 things : Smaller and lighter cost less to ship and the higher risk of breaking from uses due to some technical reason from the fact that it's smaller makes it easier to be replaced once the warranty is off.
- The new crystal white slim PS3 limited edition is a joke.
There is one rule... which Nintendo made it possible to counter through some methods but which Sony will surely have overlooked as they overlook most of the known flaws in their system. NEVER release something in either metallic or white color when it's subject to humidity irregularities. Nintendo had to do quite some science to find a way for the Wii and WiiU so that humidity in the console is actually controlled. The XBox360 haven't and it had suffer. (Why do you think they now release it as black or gray?). Whenever something that release heat is white, the quantity of water in the air around it is heavily high. With a white surface, the light rays bounce way too fast from the surface and make the deposit water to not evaporate as not enought heat is absorbed from the outside. That brings a high concentration of humidity on the surface... which slowly enter through the plastic (by condensation) in the console and will have the same effect, in months, as if you simply drop a glass of water IN your console. (Nintendo made their console to actually absorb the humidity that comes in and push it out through a basic circulatory system in the way they made their plastic. That makes the humidity move in a specific area of the console and being "shoot off" from the fans. The PS3 and especially the slim don't have the form or the plastic to offer such a feature.)
I'm an huge fan of the PS3 (even if I still uses the XBox360 at my parents' house or the Wii at my Girlfriend's mother house) and I can prove it as I still use my defect PS3 even with a broken blu-ray drive for the games I downloaded from the PSN. (The BR-D might not work, but the HDD still work so...) -
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