PS3 Slim vs PS3 Phat

While Sony has refused to label its latest model of the Playstation 3 officially "Slim" as they did with the last PS2 model, a quick glance at the new hardware's specs and size will make you subconciously refer to the system as the PS3 Slim anyway. While it's not overly "slim" per say (it's roughly just as deep as the current PS3 model) it is considerably smaller in height and width, as well as weight at 1.5kg lighter.

The question has often been asked as to whether or not the new release PS3 is worth upgrading to. If you currently own a Playstation 3 console, chances are you've been remotely tempted at the very least to get your hands on the new hardware. But is it really worth the effort in trading in or selling your working console for a console that is essentially exactly the same, bar a few noticeable size differences?

The great thing about the PS3 design straight off the bat is its default colour. Black blends in with anything and everything, and while it's not totally out of the norm to see someone with a white or silver Playstation, black has without a doubt been the dominate flavour for PS2 and PS3 owners.

However, the PS3's appearance has not aged gracefully. Unlike the seemingly ageless design of the Wii and the just OK design of the XBOX 360, the Playstation 3 looks like a beast of a machine no matter how you have it standing. If you decide to lie it down flat, it looks as though you have a BBQ sitting underneath your television set. Set it up straight and you have a subwoofer that doubles as a games console and Blu-Ray player.

If this current design has anything going for it, it's that it looks substantially better than the original PS3 design. It's smoother, considerably lighter, and has the same comfortable design that the PS2 Slim had when it first came out. It's fair to say that the jump from PS3 Phat to the PS3 Slim is just as aggressive as the jump from the horrendously unattractive PS2 Phat to the PS2 Slim.

Sony has claimed that the new PS3 will be less 30 percent in size, length and height, with only the system's depth being slightly more than the current PS3 design. The specs of the current PS3 model have it at 12.82" wide, 10.79" deep and 3.86" tall. Compared to the newest PS3 model, you're looking at differences of roughly 1.40" in width, 1.30" in height and a considerable 1.5kg in weight.

PS3 Phat vs. PS3 Slim - The Size
	PS3 PHAT	PS3 SLIM
Width	12.81"	11.42"
Depth	10.79"	11.42"
Height	3.86	2.56
Weight	5 kg	3.5 kg

With a smaller machine also comes smaller specs, and while the overall performance of the console won't be overly compromised either way, there are some noteworthy changes to the guts of the PS3 with the latest model. Most notable is the decrease in power consumption compared to the latest PS3 model, with the earliest PS3 model back in 2006 consuming 380w compared to the PS3 Slim's 250w.

PS3 Phat vs. PS3 Slim - The Guts
	PS3 PHAT	PS3 SLIM
Processor	90nm (2006) / 65nm (2008) IBM Processor	45nm
Power consumption	380w / 280w	250w
Backwards compatibility	PS2 Yes (20gb/60gb/80gb) PS1 Yes	PS2 No PS1 Yes
HDD Capacity	20gb up to 160gb	120gb
Removable HDD	Yes	Yes

Selling at $499, the PS3 Slim won't be overly cheap, even when you consider its size compared to the original design. The contents inside the box are near identical for the two models - console, controller, cables etc. - although the lack of an ethernet cable in the PS3 Slim box is a bit of a letdown, even though the cable can be found lying around pretty much anywhere.

PS3 Phat vs. PS3 Slim - The Box
	PS3 PHAT	PS3 SLIM
Console	Yes	Yes
Controller	Sixaxis (2006) / DualShock 3 (2008)	DualShock 3
Cables	Composite	Composite
Ethernet Cable	Yes	No

Early PS3 owners got the pleasures of a console with multiple USB and Flash Card ports, as well as Wi-fi for access to the free PlaystationNetwork. As new versions of the hardware were released, we saw multiple differences, from a lack of wi-fi, to decreased USB ports, to no Flash Card reader whatsoever. With the PS3 Slim, we get a console with just about everything you'd need, with two USB ports and wi-fi.

PS3 Phat vs. PS3 Slim - The Connectivity
	PS3 PHAT	PS3 SLIM
Wi-fi	Yes	Yes
Flash Card Reader	Yes (2006-2006) / No (2007 onwards)	No
USB Ports	2-4	2

After having seen all of the above specs and comparison's between the two consoles, it's still difficult to say whether or not it's worth the upgrade. On one hand, you get the same console but smaller, with a far nicer overall appearance, with the console set to blend in with the surroundings much better than the beast of a console in the original PS3 design. On the other hand, you're going through the effort to either trade or sell your current working PS3 for essentially the same console. Furthermore, if you're not willing to sell or trade in and you want to know if it's worth it just to have, even as a second console, you've got to make a tough decision - is it really that much better to justify owning two of the same console, even though you really don't need a second console?

Overall, the new design looks sexy and with a considerably smaller design and just as many features as the current design, it's an obvious must-buy for current non-PS3 owners. For current PS3 owners, it depends on whether or not you're comfortable with the look of your current PS3.

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The Playstation 3 will hit stores in Australia on September 3, 2009, for a RRP. of $499.95.

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