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Sony's PlayStation 3 is an eyesore

February 22, 2007

I've seen Sony's PlayStation 3 games console. It's too big and blocky, and it looks like a cheap and ancient VHS video recorder. Now, looks aren't everything, as my old mum always tells me, but if I'm to shell out the GDP of a small country on the last word in gaming chic, I don't want it to bring down property prices and stink out my living room with its tacky, fat visage.

Last night Sony were kind enough to take me to a warehouse in east London and show me a good time. Now I may think its PS3 is over-priced and ugly, but I'll say this for the Japanese conglomerate: its staff know how to throw a party. Stuffed with burgers and beer, I spent my evening cheerfully faffing with a PS3 while keeping an eye on the footie. If it hadn't have been for the SingStar karaoke, I would still be there now. (It's a defining characteristic of yer average IT hack that he thinks he can sing, but he really can't sing.)

So what's the PS3 like? Well, it's pretty good. As yet I couldn't honestly say that gameplay is a wholly new experience, but the visuals are indisputably stunning. (Well, they were stunning on Sony's 50in HD widescreen TV, anyway.) And wireless controllers are the future. It shouldn't make a huge difference, but it does. Fully supine gaming is here, folks, get some beers in the fridge.

On the down side, the buttons on the machine itself were fiddly to use, load times are hefty and I miss the 'rumble' of the wired PS2 controller.

So far so sort of okay, then. But I didn't leave Sony's Shoreditch batchelor pad with a burning desire to buy a PS3.

I've got a PS2, and it gets regular use, I don't yet feel the need for a Blu-ray drive and, crucially, I don't have an HD TV. So not only would I need to find more than £400 to buy the console itself (£700 for the privilege of being first), I'd then have to get an HD TV. (And an HDMI cable, for that matter, as it's not included.)

I could just about manage it, but my girlfriend would (literally) kill me, and I'd have to sell my flat and make a living as a professional Tekken hustler, shambling around the bars of London. Actually, now I come to think of it... No. The PS3 is just not that good.

Given the relative paucity of upcoming PS3 games releases, its tawdry looks and its ridiculous pricing, it's fair to say I am unlikely to be an early adopter. And games developers seem to share my misgivings. Give me the cheap and cheerful kicks the Wii doles out, any day of the week.

Is that a VHS recorder? How quaint

Posted by: Matt Egan

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Comments

Posted by Bob on February 22, 2007 :

Two points from the States: First, it sounds like you're behind the times. No HD? Why even bother considering a PS3 for any reason?
Secondly, any male who criticizes the looks of a console as ugly or not pretty enough needs to surrender his "guy card."

Posted by Matt Egan on February 22, 2007 :

Oh, I'm all up for getting HD. But I don't see why I should upgrade one technology just to be able to use another. Perhaps it's a British thing, but I'm not keen on being corralled into spending money. And I am real man. My mum told me so.

Posted by Sammy on February 22, 2007 :

Just another garbage article to get lots of hits and comments.....why even bother. Nothing better to do?

Posted by Duh on February 22, 2007 :

Yeah, let's not even bother to fall into that trap. Send the link to all your friends so they know not to come here. And no one make a comment!

Oh, dammit...

Posted by Sil on February 22, 2007 :

Good morning and welcome to the 'lets slag off the pS3' queue. A bit late but hey, why not throw in your feckless tuppenceworth.
I was there a couple of weeks ago and had a good time. The machine was smaller than I expected. The PS3 is an easy and competent replacement for the DVD player, CD player, CD's, photo albums and throws in TV sized web browser for the living room. And this is even before we get round to some excellent games (motorstorm, Fight Night 3, Resistance). Not much but it's a start and very useful without the games.
Sil

www.psplaytime.blogspot.com/

Posted by Sniffer on February 22, 2007 :

'very useful without the games.'???

LOL

Posted by K. on February 22, 2007 :

(Hmmm let's see. I'll write a blog about the PS3...mention everything that's already been said (high price, tough for developers, no rumble, no games yada yada yada). But how can I make my blog different? Oh I know! I'll say it looks ugly and is clunky! That hasn't been said yet! Maybe that'll get me some hits!)

Dude, seriously, this article is so garbage it ain't even funny. And I'm a 360 owner lol.

Posted by Matt_Egan_Is_A_DumFuck on February 22, 2007 :

How can you knock the looks of the PS3? It's only a bit bigger then the 360 and it doesn't have that god-awful overheating brick of a powersupply.

The piano like finish gives the console a real classy look.

To say it looks like an Old VCR makes you sound like a moron.

Anyways your article was nearly useless and I want back the 3 minutes I wasted on this garbage.

Check out some blu-rays on HD before you knock it. It's quite beautiful.

Posted by JSK on February 22, 2007 :

Ugly...I don't know about that man....may be you should have your eyes checked cause I think you don't know what you are talking about.

And if you know that you don't know please don't let us know that you don't know

Posted by JSK on February 22, 2007 :

Posted by richard on February 22, 2007 :

The PS3 is great and resistance fall of man is the best launch game a console has had. I am a believer.

Posted by U-G-L-Y J-O-K-E on February 22, 2007 :

Talking of ugly...

Why do women wear makeup and perfume?

Because they're ugly and they smell.

Posted by yellow fever on February 22, 2007 :

how can u hate the look of the console, I think sony has done a great job packaging the ps3 and blu ray......looks much better than the block of plastic by xbox and that ugly maroon color of hd dvd discs. But more importantly...HDTVs are going to be mandatory by 2009 or 2010, which is why blu ray is included and xbox has a 360 add on......and why i think wii just made the biggest mistake not putting out HD compatible consoel....

Posted by James on February 22, 2007 :

HDTV's will be compulsory? If you are from the UK then you mean Digital TV is compulsory, as they are switching off the analogue signal. Which means we need Freeview, Cable, or Sky. The TV makes no difference. and for everyones information, BluRay is on the PS3 because Sony are trying to force it onto people. Sony are the main company developing BluRay, Toshiba and Microsoft are HD-DVD. Spot the reason why the PS3 and Xbox 360 have each drive?

Posted by B Shears on February 22, 2007 :

Q4 2007 & Q1 2008 you'll be crying yourself to sleep for not owning a PS3. You seem whinny any way, I mean complaining over the physical appearance of a gaming machine? Sounds like a negative girly 360 owner.

Posted by JSK on February 22, 2007 :

Sony forcing us to have Blu-Ray??? Again another person who does not know...The fact is as time goes by game developers will need more space on disks. Developers will be making bigger games with depth (i.e more phyiscs, better graphics, more sounds, more stuff happening on the screen at the same time etc) All this will require space that DVDs can't provide. ASK Hideo Kojima....Did you know? Resistance can't fit on DVD. Think out side the box....don't just go saying stuff because that's what most people are saying...THINK.

Posted by Nail on February 22, 2007 :

Hi, im looking for extra money.
how much you get paid for trash the PS3?

Posted by Chris on February 23, 2007 :

maybe "blocky" means something different in the UK, but here is the meaning I'm familiar with.

blocky. adj. resembling a block in shape

Ps2, Ps1, Xbox1, gamecube, Wii, and almost every other system fits this description, Ps3? not so much.

in your picture, i can barely see the system, that's not very good evidence. try making sense next article.

Posted by Chris on February 23, 2007 :

Posted by SS on February 23, 2007 :

onje word if the games as say are not taht good then i can only wait for the next generation of ps3 games as the games right now seems go good that the future games i can only imagine...

one word to the people who think it is expensive i will say the ps3 is expensive compared to xbox360 eat this the price of an xbox360 is $399 with 20 gb of hard drive (which is the largest avalible) and $199 extra for HD player and the ps3 comes at $599 with 60 gb of storage and a Blu-ray player so if you want to have the same memory as ps3 you will have to pay $99 per 20 gb ogff extra space...

so which ones the better deal.

and to all you gaminf freek like me the the blu-ray disk has a storage space of 25 gb and 50 gb as as the future games get begger and better consuming more space on the disk you can see xbox 360 with a pack of 2 cd for one game which means getting up in between to change the disk and all but there is no such issues with the ps3 so it is trully future proof...

Posted by da_dictionary_son on February 23, 2007 :

Person above me can't spell. This article is gay and so is the idea of people spending time arguing over what system is better. Get some balls, buy what you like, and play it. I hate fan boys of any system, especially ones that bash other systems. Blah, everyone hates on the ps3, go buy something else and stfu. Have good day.

Posted by maxouventura1 on February 23, 2007 :

I wonder if there's any way that Bob from the States could be any more American?

Posted by Matt_Egan_Is_A_DumFuck_is_rude on February 23, 2007 :

Stop it

Posted by maxouventura1 on February 23, 2007 :

I wonder if there's any way that Bob from the States could be any more American?

Posted by wow! on February 23, 2007 :

Where can I get one of these "guy cards" from?

Posted by mike on February 23, 2007 :

Wow, you really upset the Sony fans.

For what it's worth I agree with most of those criticisms. Blue Ray and HDTV offer no compelling reasons to switch in the same way VHS to DVD or Analog to Digital Did, the PS3 is too expensive and not very attractive.

It's just a shame you can't say these things without a hoarde of childish males appearing from nowhere to insult you.

Posted by Roger on February 25, 2007 :

PS3 "looks like a cheap and ancient VHS video recorder"? It looks more futuristic than any A/V device out there.
You don't want the PS3 to "stink out" your living room "with its tacky, fat visage"? And what type of TV do you have? Doesn't your living room already "stink" 'coz you still have a tacky, flat tube?

Posted by Mark on February 28, 2007 :

Find me a blue ray player for under £425 then add a 60g hard drive a browser, wifi,not to mention it will output in true HD and I can connect my PSP all I will need is to wait for the Bravia to drop in price cant wait

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Blogger Daily news, views and thoughts from the PC Advisor staff as they put together the magazine. Collectively the PC Advisor team has over 100 years of computing experience, so as you'll imagine they're never short of an opinion or two.
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