The rumors had it right! As of today, the price for the 60GB PS3 has officially dropped $100 to $499. The 20GB model should officially be dead and buried now, with the improved 60GB model taking its place in the price chain. Hopefully, this will be the shot in the arm the PS3 needs to jumpstart the currently sluggish sales.
In addition, at the $599 price point, Sony will be releasing an 80GB PS3 model that also includes a copy of the game Motorstorm. The new model is expected to be available in U.S. stores this August.
This could mark the start of the PS3 revolution. The big question that remains is how Microsoft will respond to the new lower pricing. Comparing the new PS3 pricing to the closest XBox 360 competitor shows which system really should be called overpriced.
To get a similar PS3 and XBox 360 you would need:
| PS3 60GB | $499 | XBox 360 Elite w/HDMI | $479 |
| HDMI Cable | $49 | HDMI Cable | $0 |
| Blu-ray Drive | $0 | HD DVD Drive | $199 |
| Wireless Adapter | $0 | Wireless Adapter | $99 |
| 1 Year Online Gameplay | $0 | 1 Year Online Gameplay | $49 |
| PS3 - Total | $548 | XBox 360 - Total | $826 |
So, to get a roughly equivalent experience between a PS3 and an XBox 360 you would need to spend an extra $278 on the XBox system! And you'd still be stuck with HD DVD instead of Blu-ray! Also, of course, the PS3 includes free online gameplay for life, while Microsoft will charge you $50 for each extra year for the "privilege."
Microsoft just had to extend the warranty on their machines to 3 years due to reports of a 25-33% defect rate. The move reportedly will cost the company $1.1 billion, so their ability to drop the price right now may be limited.
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