Again there is the rumor of no PS2 compatibility on a release of the PS3 to "reduce cost". Since the PS3 now has software emulation in place for PS1/PS2 games, this is a no-brainer yet again.

Will they cripple 40gb PS3's which are software-updated to run PS1 / PS2 games? Is their a facility to do this?

If not, it seems completely pointless.

It does make some sense for the rumor about PS2 compatibility actually.

Although it is true that most emulation is done with software, the graphics chip of the PS2 is still on board the euro PS3s. However.. seeing the price of a PS2 at the moment, it is doubtful this will save much (a motherboard redesign also isn't free), but is it impossible to emulate the PS2 graphics chip (just a bit harder then the MIPS) seeing quite some PC's manage just fine.

Are all your editors as stupid as Tony Smith.

He obviously does not understand the concept of higher taxes in Europe, and large levvies on non-EU goods.

If you take these out of the equasion, then the price is VERY close, and the different can be attributed to having support many languages and support channels in Europe.

@Backwards comp: PS3 backwards compatibility is going to be software only even on previous models that had the EmotionEngine PS2/PS1 chip onboard, which practically is a PS2+PS1 on a single chip.

By using software emulation Cell the fact of the EE chip on a PS3 it's a moot point, it's not used at all.

@Mark: The EU is a burocrats paradise, indeed but this doesn't mean that multinationals increasing their products prices on purpose is a good thing to do.

You should consider the real production cost and not the final end-user cost. In UK the situation gets even worse than in other European countries since they always convert $1=£1... go figure.. The $399 PS3 40GB should be priced €299 to be fair.. but since no other manufacturer is doing that, obviously Sony won't be the first to do it..

I still dont get this myself really, didn't Sony have a low end model that cost less, that they then didn't launch in the EU, namely the 20gb model.

Also I dont understand how they can remove the USB connections as has been rumoured, as how the hell would you then charge the controllers!

In fact if you look at the PS3 the only things the can conceivably get away with removing are the memory card readers and the wi-fi connection, which was what was removed from the 20gb base model... So if this does come about its basically going to be the 20gb base model with an increased 40gb harddrive and using the new PS3 reference design without the hardware emulation for PS1/PS2 games.

Reality has come to Sony, hopefully the new 40GB will be under 250 mark, this will push sales ,regardless of halo 3 or the wii

So is the drive in the PS2 a user modifyable part? i.e. can I just drop in a "spare" SATA drive like I can on my TiVO?

...It's just a SKU that would remove the hardware compat from the US version as well as elsewhere? In other words, backward compat is software, and it's a model that'll be the same worldwide?

[Unless that's already the case for the other models, and I've missed the "with EE" being removed in the US?]

Yes in answer to the HD questions I've upgraded my PS3 to 160 Gb and it doesnt invalidate warranty in fact they have made it really easy to do.

@Joerg

The US price of $399 is PLUS TAX.

Any Euro price needs to have tax and import duties removed to make a fair comparison.

Now if we are to assume, that the UK gets the 40GB PS3, at £299, then you need to see this as:

£299 minus tax = £254.47

£254 minus import duties: £229

The equivillent of the US $299, is £229 (which at current exchange rates is $460). $160/£80 more. Alot closer than people think, consider everything in Europe costs more.

@Mark again..

'Are all your editors as stupid as Tony Smith.'

Surely something on the lines of:

'your editor has not taken into consideration higher european taxing and levvies on non-eu goods. Taking this into consideration, the pricing is reasonably close'.

would have sufficed..?

This one is claiming to have the PS3 40GB available for shipping on October 10th for 399Euros :

http://www.cipcipstore.it/php/catalogo.php?art_code=1083

And this one is selling the PS3 60GB at just 399Euros:

http://www.yammo.it/product.php?productid=366

Yes, the current PS3s in the US are without the EE now as well. Only the 60Gb model had it, and nearly all of those have gone from the shelves now, leaving just the $599 80Gb one that is like European machines.

If/when I ever get a PS3, I'll just go for a US model. They're multi-voltage and multi-region for PS3 games, so it's no problem as long as I keep my UK-spec PS2.

@Mark: What ? Plus tax ? $399 is street price period. What plus tax are you talking about ? Also, additional taxes for products are to be paid only in same states like New York,California... So, what are you talking about,really ?

... the 40Gb model will cost £299, with the 'regular' PS3 being reduced to £349. The link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7030164.stm

Best snippet from the article was this:

"Mr Maguire said the release of the 40GB PS3 was a "strategic decision" and not the result of lower-than-expected sales of the PlayStation 3."

Mmmm .... right. Dry that one out and you could fertilise the Sinai desert.