Aside from sparkly background support and an expanded XMB interface, we've yet to point-2 many of the smaller differences between the PlayStation 3's 2.8-version firmware and its latest 3.0 update. Thankfully, we have the internet for that, and it's given us some new pedantic comparison videos to mull over and possibly dispute!

Youtube user "PS3slimComparison" has documented console startup times, Blu-ray launch times and video game loading times on his PS3 Slim, first equipped with Firmware 2.8, and then Firmware 3.0. Waiting times appear to be shorter with 3.0 (and who doesn't want to get into Arkham Asylum as fast as possible?), but we were curious to discover if there would be a notable speed improvement on a 60GB PS3 with the latest software. Based on our informally derived test results (see them after the break), the answer appears to be a curt "no." It's possible that 3.0 is tailored to take advantage of the Slim's newer hardware, excluding longtime owners from any supposed speed gains.

Speculation aside, we were shocked to find just how much quicker 3.0 is when it comes to Uncharted -- on 2.8, the game takes forever to freeze.

[Via PlayStation forums; thanks, Garrett]

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I dont think many people care if they have to wait an extra 0.3 seconds.

I was waiting for this. Now I want someone to test out PS3 fat and slim with 7200 RPM hard drives with 3.0 firmware. Go internet GO!

i think the 7200rpm doesnt make a real diff its actually the HDD cache size that speeds things up wen HDD shopping for ur ps3 go with the stock 5400rpm (so u dont get things hot and feel guilty if ur ps3 breaks) but look to get a bigger cache size

this does mean alot b/c although it a small diff now i have a feeling the firmwares are only going to continue to help the slim while doing nothing to the fats

another note 3.0 actually slowed things down on all the other games they tested

interesting

Someone needs to test that as well. It's already been tested that a 7200 rpm hard drive in the PS3 fat outperforms the stock 5400 rpm drive (both at 8mb cache) so testing hard drives at 5400 16mb and 7200 16mb could be a good test. 

Couple of things. The 60gb PS3 is obviously old. I'd like to see new 80gb phat vs slim comparison.

I'd also like to see the HDs switched, and see the comparison then.

Just so we don't talk ignorantly about things we don't understand, before we run them through the scientific process.

"the game takes foreverto freeze" isnt that a good thing?

anyway did anyone else notice u can kind of move the sparkles with the sixaxis

Batman: Arkham Asylum stage load (2.8): 27.3 seconds
Batman: Arkham Asylum stage load (3.0): 27.1 seconds

nobody cares, unless your life is in slow motion.

i only read this about the ps3 HDD test

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/745/745407p1.html

both 60gb 8 cache and 100gb 7200 rpm 8 cache where the same

would like to know wat sizes and caches are in each ps3 sku since there are alot wondering if they ever changed the specs