80 Gig PS3 Arrives in US

Gamespot reports that the newest version of the PlayStation 3, complete with 80 GB hard drive, has arrived in the US. Along with 20 more gigs of memory, the unit comes bundled with the racer MotorStorm. This comes after last month's announcement of a price drop, and the subsequent revelation that the cheaper unit is being phased out in favour of this 80 gig model. "But while the 60GB console's days are numbered, its supply is holding up despite a massive increase in demand. According to Sony, sales of the console have increased 113 percent at its top five retail partners--Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, and GameStop--when compared to average sales during the month before drop. Sony did not supply specific sales figures for the PS3, which sold 98,500 units in the US in June, according to the NPD group. So when will stocks of the $499 60GB PS3 run out? Sony predicts that, at current demand levels, the console will remain in the North American retail channel until fall."

I gotta get outta here, I think I'm gonna lose it.

[Control Group]

Along with 20 more gigs of memory...

GAH!! This is the sort of thing I expect from talking to average people about computers; I can grin and bear it when it shows up on non-technical news sources - but this is Slashdot, for fuck's sake. You know, "news for nerds?" What's next, we start seeing stories referring to the whole box as a "CPU" or "hard drive?"

It doesn't have 20 more gigs of memory, it's got a 20 GB larger hard drive. Is this so difficult to get right?

At least it won't piss off their existing owners

[Fross]

I mean, 20G extra harddrive and a free game (one of, like, 3 worth playing for the PS3 at the moment), and the set available in the UK at least of the original price but with an extra controller and *two* games bundled, just a few months after launch, would normally get people who bought it into a rage that they didn't get value for money.

Luckily nobody who bought a PS3 knows what "value for money" is.

Re:Why?

[GrayCalx]

I agree! And why even have hard drives in computers?!?! My Apple II e didn't have a hard drive and I played Lode Runner on it just fine! Stupid technology costing us money! Mod parent UP!!!