PS3 Slim already on sale, disassembled

"Extremely limited stock" selling out at brick-and-mortar stores; online retailers currently shipping units; hardware hackers get how-to guide.

When it was first announced last week at GamesCom in Germany, the PlayStation 3 Slim was given a September 1 release date. That appears to have fallen by the wayside, though, with both brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers already offering the $299 120GB console.

The PS3 Slim: Already at a retailer near you.

Calls to several San Francisco Bay Area retailers found that not only is the PS3 currently on sale, but it's often sold out. Employees at several GameStop locations said that they had received "extremely limited stock" of the console on Tuesday, all of which were instantly scooped up by customers who had reserved a unit.

"I think Sony's probably trying to keep supply tight, so it will be in high demand like the Wii and the PS3 were at launch," one GameStop employee told GameSpot. "We had less than a week's warning it was coming. We had reserves only open for two to three days, and the shipment only had 12 to 13 consoles. We don't know when we'll be getting our next batch."

Meanwhile, GameStop's online store and Amazon.com are already listing the PS3 slim as shipping within 24 hours. Meanwhile, Best Buy's online store says the console is already back-ordered one to two weeks and not available for store pickup. However, calls to San Francisco-area Best Buy locations found that the PS3 Slim is currently both on sale and in stock. "We've got about a dozen on the store floor right now, enough to hold one if you'd like," said an employee.

For its part, Sony says that the launch date announced at GamesCom was more of a guideline for would-be purchasers. "September 1 isn't an official street date," a rep told GameSpot. "We expect most retailers to have 120GB PS3s by then."

Meanwhile, hardware hackers who have already acquired a PS3 Slim now have a step-by-step guide on how to tear it apart. The repair guide and anti-eWaste site Ifixit.com has posted a four-page, 27-step guide on how to completely disassemble the new console, which offers some insights into how Sony is cutting production costs. Besides the new 45nm-process chipset, the PS3 Slim teardown reveals the "new cooling system," which Sony Computer Entertainment America hardware marketing chief John Koller revealed last week--namely, a gigantic fan.

To see Ifixit.com's PS3 Slim teardown in action, check out the photo-montage video below:

492 Comments

  • goku2000

    Posted Oct 30, 2009 3:21 pm PT

    Still won't get this.

    The games are definitely geting better, but there is no PS2 b/c. I missed my chance at that when the PS3 first came out. When it was $700 and I couldn't afford it. Some of the best games I have are for the PS2. What is Sony thinking?

  • mokyumokyu_01

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 12:27 pm PT

    http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/topic/20090831_311428.html XMB/ Blu-ray
    45nm 76W/ 83W
    65nm 106-110W/ 118-119W
    90nm 140-154W/ 168-169W

  • solidine

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 12:39 am PT

    @ThisNameIsDumb

    No, it's an insult to anyone who enjoys the PS2, and a bad move on Sony's part. Besides, the PS3's that do have backwards compatibility employ functions to make older games look better on HDTV's, something PS2's don't.

    Older models had PS2 b/c functionality for the most part, so the fact that newer models don't is just way for Sony to continue to cash in on their older system. I also dislike the fact that certain PS3 owners aren't getting features that others are.
    If you don't care about the feature than fine, but many others do. Frankly, if you think having PS2 b/c would be a negative for the system somehow, you're out of your mind. It would be a huge boon to the PS3, and I could finally get rid of my PS2, which I still have a large number of games for, and still play.

    Also, don't be a dipstick when you adress me, I didn't say anything to deserve your petty response.

  • ositoPERU

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 8:52 pm PT

    LOL.. yup, you can pick up backwards compatible PS3s on CL or eBay for pretty cheap now, like $200. even if you have issues with the relatively old HW, you can check on qj.net or other websites to figure out the issue and fix it, no need to send back to Sony. I like to play Shadow of the Colossus, the old Resident Evils, old Devil May Cry, old MGS on my "special" MGS4 PS3, and I really enjoy it. I gave away my PS2 to my cousin a while back...

  • metalkid9

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 3:04 pm PT

    lol why are people concerned with backward compatibility. If you have PS2 games the chances are that you got a PS2 to play them on. On the positive note, I think this is the best time to pick up a PS3. I got already got my PS3 Slim and came with Infamous and MLB 09 for free. It's a deal ebgames is offering but I'm not sure if it's also in the US. Anywho I sold the MLB game for 50 bucks so technically I got my PS3 for 250 bucks. I'm playing infamous at the moment and I have to say it's an awesome game! It was boring at first but It's turning out emazing so far. My next game is gonna be LBP: GOTY edition which I already pre-ordered and then Uncharted 2 ya I'm pretty excited for the upcoming exclusives! Hopefully Rockstar games will also drop Agent soon. I'm pretty happy with my purchase but I wish they would roll out games more often. But for now Infamous has got me entertained for a bit until LBP GOTY hits and then Uncharted which I can't wait for. So for anyone who hasn't gotten a Slim you should go and and get one asap. It's a great deal with great exclusives. You won't regret it seriously.

  • BigDaddy528

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 12:03 pm PT

    the benefit Sony would make without BC on the PS3 is that they can make a profit off of the sales of the PS2. If they had continued making BC on the PS3 it could also tamper with PS2 sales, although PS3 sales sales may incline a certain amount

  • dylanscott1992

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 11:03 am PT

    sweeeet. i picked up one of these bad boys last wednesday with quantum of solace and lair. fawesome. by the by, i just beat lair, it is very underrated (after a few levels the analog controls get easy, i even used the sixaxis a few times for kicks) pretty tight dragon fights. (i give the game an 8.0, however the story was kinda mehh)

  • Kratos2050

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 6:05 am PT

    Now that's what I am talking about.

    it's better then the old one, because the PS3 Slim is much lighter, more capacity and you can carry it any where.

  • gigman4567

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 10:24 pm PT

    Just listen to those of you who are battling the backwards compatibility loss. To those of you who are annoyed with them "whining" sure, i get your point, its annoying. But what is also annoying is seeing as much comments whining about people whining about backwards compatibility. Its like doing exactly what they are doing, and to me its just embarassing to see you contradict yourselves. To those of you who are still complaining about backwards compatibility, sure, i catch your drift. I've been catching it for a year and a half now and quite honestly I found it quite easy to ignore your comments and skip over to the next one. You hear that whiners? You can actually look over comments and skip over to the next comment.

  • ThisNameIsDumb

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 7:16 pm PT

    @solidine

    get the hell over it, if you want to play ps2 games, buy a ps2! there's no use crying over spilled milk, just clean it up!

  • Joshua250

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 9:31 pm PT

    I think the original looks far better. But the look of the console doesn't matter to me at all. I'd buy it if it ever had backwards compatibility, but for now I'm just sticking with my Xbox and computer.

  • solidine

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 3:14 pm PT

    Whatever, I'm still annoyed with no PS2 compability.

  • quantumtheo

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 9:40 am PT

    someone asked about backwards compatibility, it's gone for good. Hopefully they will make a download service like xbox classics. That does mean you have to buy a game again that you probably already own.... weak..... still though, i haven't wanted a ps3 til this came out. I have a ps2slim so backwardsness doesn't really matter to me

  • tomclancyhaha

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 6:34 am PT

    time to blow xbox!!

  • coolboyx posted Aug 28, 2009 5:45 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    coolboyx

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 5:45 am PT (hide)

    i liked it 360 is better

  • jvsexy

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 3:02 am PT

    NICE !!!

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 2:48 am PT

    Good thing they included the cooling system. Seems Sony might have learned its lesson after the PS2 slim power supply recall.

  • InExcelsis

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 2:27 am PT

    The PS3 Slim looks nice and everything I was just hoping that Sony would fix their mistake and go back to putting 4 usb slots on it instead of only 2 but oh well that is definetly not a deal breaker.

  • ThisNameIsDumb

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 5:53 pm PT

    if you're looking to play ps2 games... you're looking at the wrong console... you might consider investing in a slim PS2...

  • BladeTrinity114

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 4:01 pm PT

    Good chance for 360 owners to get a PS3. Come on guys, don't hate. If you have both you don't have to flame about who has the best games and so on..

  • NuKkU

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 3:56 pm PT

    i hate it when stores break street dates

  • deathxxshark

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 3:05 pm PT

    My local Best Buy had plenty of them today.

  • 9th_SolBadguy

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 3:05 pm PT

    it looks more complicated than the last model of the console but i'm still gonna stick with the larger beast sorry but i don't trust the whole cooling system just yet and mines still works like a charm so no reason to buy a new one

  • shooters125

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:55 pm PT

    xbox fanboys will change from being a fanboy to an all console gamer with this (they will be able to get all of them now)

  • shooters125

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:50 pm PT

    now people who own a 360 (like me) can have both consoles which means a win win for everybody

  • invictuslemming

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:43 pm PT

    Picked one up at our local EB games today (Ont, Canada). They had 5 on the shelves, apparently only 2 we're pre-ordered (One being mine ).

    Doesn't look too bad in real life, better than what I've seen from the pictures, the matte plastic plastic doesn't look as bad as i thought it would from the original pictures.

    One bonus for sure, blu-ray playback is a heck of a lot quieter than the original PS3, not sure how all the other ones were inbetween, but I had the original and its a world of a difference between that one and the slim.

  • DragonicB

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:35 pm PT

    This looks promising . . . really promising

  • techzilla77

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:30 pm PT

    Big gain for PS3 smaller gain for Xbox. People have been waiting on a price drop for ps3 so they can have a better shot at owning one. More people have an Xbox already so the anticipation shouldn't be as high for it. Gamers win either way because competition breeds lower prices for consumers. Its a win win for all in my book though.

  • Jag-T1000 posted Aug 27, 2009 2:18 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Jag-T1000

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:18 pm PT (hide)

    After the hardcore gamers get one, who's going to buy them. Sure it's a $300 dollar blueray machine than plays games, but non gamers don't care.There was $129 dollar Samsung player on sale last week at Fry's. On black friday if there is a $99 dollar blueray, they are going to fly off the shelf. The average customer will buy the $99 dollar blueray instead of the $299 PS3. This will cut sales from the PS3. PS3 needs a mascot,... a Mario, Sonic, or somebody to drive sales. Where the hell is Crash Bandicoot?

  • gam3r3OOO

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:08 pm PT

    I like how they refer to them as: "brick-and-mortar stores"

  • moUrinho70 posted Aug 27, 2009 2:02 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    moUrinho70

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:02 pm PT (hide)

    excellent SCE now you will see, now with this you're putting the 360 under the ground... They don't know how to beat this!! They're DESESPERATED!! PS3 is the KING!!!!!!!!!!!

  • cockneyscouse

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 1:26 pm PT

    3 years into this generation and Sony remembers how to market. Better late than never
    With the 360 Elite price cut this is good news for all gamers.

  • georgeorjose

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 1:16 pm PT

    its about time, these people and there shananagens. throw in a lcd tv and ill think about buying ur slender PS3 . jk ill think about it though. give me some time to see if its worth it.

  • dzimm

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 12:46 pm PT

    dgnr82cool: "It will improve the sales of the ps3 compared to 360, but it will REALLY hurt the wii."

    I seriously doubt Nintendo is worried. The only reason Sony is dropping the price is because the Wii is kicking their butt and they're desperately trying to stay competitive. If the PS3 was going to be a hot seller then it would already be flying off the shelves. This marketing stunt might move a few extra units, but it's unlikely to make a significant impact on the market.

  • mutual-assassin

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 12:35 pm PT

    PS3 selling well is good news. Hopefully this means more high quality games coming to the PS3 too.

  • Shacrob

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 12:28 pm PT

    "Oh, but its ugly...dont like it"..well, youre supposed to game it, not make love to it

    QFT ROFLMAO

  • Devil_Vergil

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 12:11 pm PT

    I was thinking of picking this up but I'm torn between the bigger brother (the big one is still $299.99) and can you imagine how much a used one cost? Sweet, good move on Sony's part

  • organic_machine

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 12:06 pm PT

    I just bought one. I love it.

  • dgnr82cool

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 12:05 pm PT

    It will improve the sales of the ps3 compared to 360, but it will REALLY hurt the wii.

    Think about it, for 250, you get a wii, and one set of the wiimote and nunchuk, with wii sports.... and that's it.

    For 50 bucks more, you can get a ps3 with one controller, and it's a lue-ray player? That's a pretty killer deal. Did they say what the status of the backwards compatility is on this one compared to the old 80gb one?

  • rostam93

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 11:44 am PT

    all ps3 games on a disc are blu ray

  • duffman_adam

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 11:42 am PT

    yeah i think they are just not the PSN ones

  • jtuds posted Aug 27, 2009 11:36 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    jtuds

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 11:36 am PT (hide)

    All PS3 games are not on Blu-ray.

  • TevoxZi

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 11:28 am PT

    funnysplay wrote:

    "Does it still come with the blu-ray player?"


    @funnysplay

    All the PS3 games are on BluRay Disc, so of course.

  • funnysplay

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 11:09 am PT

    Does it still come with the blu-ray player?

  • JacobA11

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 11:03 am PT

    I've been waiting patiently for this damn thing to come out since my first PS3 stopped playing blue ray discs and I had paid to get a new one (Sony's Warranty SUCKS) and the one they send me then gave me a YLOD. I hope to have no problems with this one since I've actually paid for one 3 times over now and refuse to spend anymore money after I buy this new slim.

  • campbell153

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:51 am PT

    Bout time PS3 was in demand! i new they were going somewhere good with the Slim`s release!

  • Nuk1euz

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:41 am PT

    This is excellent news for Sony and for the online gaming community on the PSN, would be nice to see games very busy on multiplayer, especially sports games.

    Backwards compatibility can be added via firmware i believe, no need to buy new hardware. If im not mistaken, the 60GB PS3 back in launch was the only 100% fully backwards compatible PS3 and it had actual hardware, the 80GB model (which i have) is an emulation software (dont quote me on that tho) that is NOT 100% compatible but can be improved via firmware i heard. But so far, all my PS and PS2 games work on it LOL

    300 dollars is a steal for a piece of technology like this. Lets say 150 for the Bluray player, so if you think about GAMING-WISE, (without the bluray) you are getting a gaming console comparable or better to the 360/Wii for 150 bucks, rather than 250 for Wii and 300 for 360.

  • GiNO_SiLVA

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:35 am PT

    yup my homie work at gamestop...

  • Chrysus

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:18 am PT

    PS3 has sold out? Awesome!

  • admiral_picard posted Aug 27, 2009 10:16 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    admiral_picard

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:16 am PT (hide)

    Blah, the PS3 Slim is teh ugleh. What is Sony's obsession with making a big console than a littler one? They did it with the PS One, the PS2, and now the PS3. Still prefer my big PS One, big PS2, and big PS3 over the slim/small versions.

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