PS3: the good, the bad, and the ugly?

PSM claims to have confirmed details...

Good news:

• $399 console


• Bluetooth


• Flashcard readers


• Worldwide launch

Bad news:

• Built in hard drive - aka not upgradeable


• Probably not 100% backwards compatibility (must meet FTC reqs.)


• Still using Bluray (no surprise)


• Developers don't program for multithreading well...those SPE's are likely to be wasted

Edit 05/16/06: PSM was very wrong about the price points and the non-upgradeable hard drive. The PS3 without flashcard readers, HDMI ports, or an 802.11g card is $499. It also has a 20gb hard drive. The PS3 with the 60gb hard drive and all of the above is $599. Sony says the hard drive is upgradeable in both models.

As for processors, Major Nelson posted a Japanese article of the 360 CPU vs the PS3 CPU.

Major's site and the link have some interesting comments from both sides of the fence. Personally, I'm just finding it apparent that the disparity between the Sony and Microsoft consoles is going to be thin. It will be nothing like the graphical difference between the Xbox/Gamecube to the PS2 (PS2 was the weakest link in this department). What it's really coming down to is how skilled the programmers are.