What the PS3 Price Cut Means For Consumers

Sony has announced that it will be releasing a new Slim version of it’s PS3 for $299 this September. But where does this price cut put it with the competition. If we are to talk price then we must take into account the yet to be announced price shuffling of Microsoft’s.

The current PS3 now sells for $299 (80 gig), $299 (120 gig slim) and $399 (160 gig). There have been talks for a 240 gig slim model which could replace the current 160 gig.

It is well know that Microsoft is planning on cutting out the Xbox Pro for the well equipped Xbox Elite model while keeping the lower price. This puts the Xbox Arcade at $179 and the Elite at $299.

What does this all mean? From my experience the console you are going to purchase has probably already been decided no matter what the prices are. I get asked which console people should pickup and I find that almost all the time the person asking already knows which one they would like to buy. They ask because they don’t know all the facts. I normally inform them that in my opinion the Xbox is the way to go because of the continued innovation of the online community and console firmware.

However we must now be objective and realize the the price drop for the PS3 really does make it a more desirable system. You get enough hard drive space to get you started with downloading games and DLC. Sony does keep making their PS3 only library larger every year. Lets not forget the Blue-ray playback. Really with the best current Blue-ray players hovering around $210 you could say you are only paying $100 for the gaming system.

In the end I think this price cut is only going to effect one group of consumers. Those people who already have one console and want to purchase the other brand. The PS3 now becomes a much more attractive offer for those people who would like to round out their gaming collection. I believe they are the only group that will now purchase more consoles than they would have before.

I do believe we are all agree on one thing. The PS3 needed a price drop. I took way to long for Sony to bit the bullet. I can not believe they had to release a new model of PS3 in order to get the price cut to market but we as consumers are glad to save the money.