http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/is-now-the-time-to-buy-a-playstation-3-/1348503

When Sony announced the Playstation 3 in 2006 at the wallet-busting prices of $499 and $599, even serious, dedicated gamers blanched. The new console was expensive enough to put many consumers off entirely, and despite a cut here and there, it’s remained firmly in the "overpriced" camp for many once-eager Sony fans.

But that was then.

Now, the PS3 has been put on a diet, earning a slim, trim new figure and a much healthier price tag of $299. The appropriately-named PS3 Slim launches on September 1, and if you’ve been waiting for the right time to take the Playstation plunge, this could be your big chance. So, is it worth it?

In a word, yes. In more words, read on.

I think this is the probably the only nice thing Yahoo has said about the PS3......I think

We’re impressed with the PS3 Slim. It's significantly

Is it time to buy a PS3? You decide.

lighter (nearly 4 pounds), thinner (about 33% less hefty), and greener (34% less power consumption) -- not to mention much easier to sneak into your overcrowded entertainment center --than its monolithic forbear. With a solid 120 GB hard drive, it packs ample space for most gamers and retains all the online features, Blu-Ray movie playback, and media center functionality that made the original so tempting.

Did we say all the features? Actually, there’s one major omission: some older PS3 models are 'backwards compatible' and will play PS2 games games, but the Slim won’t. According to Sony brass, that feature is gone for good. Bah.

Still, do you really have Playstation 2 games you actually still want to play? What’s that? You have two hundred of them? Better hold on to your PS2, assuming it still works. Of course, the Slim will play any and all PS3 games on the market.

One of the other major changes is the new matte finish, which gives the unit a less "professional" appearance than the old shiny version but at the benefit of fewer fingerprint and dust marks. Really just a toss-up there. 

I wonder how much extra it would have cost them to make it with the piano black shiny surface.