[QUOTE=Lince]Sony: we couldn't make this particular price drop 'free', some cheaper hardware had to be designed... [B](can't believe they're going with a shitty 80mm fan)[/B][/QUOTE]
Me too. If I can't get one of the current slims when the price drop happens at the lower price then I won't bother replacing my YLOD 60GB. Absolutely shameful that they'd lower the fan size, boggles the mind.

[QUOTE=Rolf NB]Smaller chips = less wattage => less airflow needed :s[/QUOTE]
These new chips are the same size so heat output will be the same.

[QUOTE=Lince]well everybody is saying 'yeah, no reason', but if you want to save a tiny fraction off your electricity bill at the expense of a most probably louder system (80mm fan wtf Sony)...[/QUOTE]
It has still to be confirmed that actual wattage is lower, though. The power supply doesn't necessarily say much. Or did I miss something ?

[QUOTE=Rolf NB]Smaller chips = less wattage => less airflow needed :s[/QUOTE]
You would still want a bigger fan as then it would be even quieter.

Guys, we'll see. Slim was way louder than my first 60gb YLOD3 was anyway.

[QUOTE=Zombie James]The fan also got smaller, which [I]might[/I] make the new slim louder since it seems neither Cell or RSX got shrunk down.[/QUOTE]
They basically say as much in the power consumption comparison...

"When it is this state, noise of the frequency to which CECH-3000 fan noise is larger, especially is high offends to the ear."

[QUOTE=mclaren777]They basically say as much in the power consumption comparison...

"When it is this state, noise of the frequency to which CECH-3000 fan noise is larger, especially is high offends to the ear."[/QUOTE]

lol gotta love Google translate, I don't know how much the rest of you know about Japanese culture (I'm an expert), but 'offends to the ear' are huge parts of it...

edit: just unboxed my 2500 Slim 320 GB and started playing some inFamous 2 looking for freezings as some people are having issues with this game and Slim models in the OT, so far is as quiet if not quieter than my launch 60 GB unit... so definitely go for a 2500 Slim the moment the price drops.

[QUOTE=Lince]well everybody is saying 'yeah, no reason', but if you want to save a tiny fraction off your electricity bill at the expense of a most probably louder system (80mm fan wtf Sony)... personally I'll hold on to my 60 GB PS2 BC launch unit (sexy behemoth of mine) + 2500 320 GB Slim (still unboxed lol, fucking impulse buy, hope it's as quiet as my 60 GB).[/QUOTE]

Lemme know how quiet it is compared to your launch. Even at full whirl.

[QUOTE=Rolf NB]Smaller chips = less wattage => less airflow needed :s[/QUOTE]
Weaker heatsink = poorer cooling => more airflow needed :{

[QUOTE=AgentOtaku]Lemme know how quiet it is compared to your launch. Even at full whirl.[/QUOTE]

well I turned the air conditioner (set to 23º) off in my room (41º outside, welcome to Southern Spain in summer) and I'm positively surprised that it didn't affect the 2500 Slim whereas my launch unit would have immediately jumped from mode 1 to mode 2... I'll keep playing for a while and report what happens... note that these are the first few hours of 'life' of the 2500 Slim, the 60 GB is a day 1 - launch unit with thousands of hours of gameplay behind it.

[QUOTE=Psychotext]Weaker heatsink = poorer cooling => more airflow needed :{[/QUOTE]Right. Two opposing motions. +-0 is a possibile outcome.

[QUOTE=Barrow Roll]I can attest. I just got a 160GB, 2501A model and it's extremely quiet. Unnoticeable even. Even when playing Uncharted 2. After the jet turbine noise of my old 60GB this is heaven.[/QUOTE]
Sadly, this is not true for all Slim models. Sony are still using at least two brands of fans and one of them makes more noise than the other. I believe that the "noisy" one is mostly found in Europe. I have one and it's definitely noticeable, especially during the summer when it gets hot and revs up a couple of notches. It's not like I can hear it over the game sound, but during quiet parts and loading screens I can clearly hear it.

I don't really care about the noise when I play games, but it can be distracting while watching movies.

Yes! My account finally got activated after over a year! I'm over-joyed! Hi wario64! :D

[QUOTE=AgentOtaku][url]http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-3-320GB-System/dp/B003VUO6LU/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IKX65TXOUBD96&colid=Q32ZGB25MXBH[/url]

CECH-2500 series is what's out and is suspected to be the quietest[/QUOTE]
I can confirm this. My 160gb is inaudible unless I put my head next to it. But I didn't find it any quieter than the 65nm fat model.

[QUOTE=AgentOtaku]Lemme know how quiet it is compared to your launch. Even at full whirl.[/QUOTE]

I have a 2511B, 320GB Slim and it's night and day. The one thing you notice is that the drive is a bit loud. It doesn't matter much on most games, but it was kind of noticeable in LA Noire.

[QUOTE=AndyMoogle]Sadly, this is not true for all Slim models. Sony are still using at least two brands of fans and one of them makes more noise than the other. I believe that the "noisy" one is mostly found in Europe. I have one and it's definitely noticeable, especially during the summer when it gets hot and revs up a couple of notches. It's not like I can hear it over the game sound, but during quiet parts and loading screens I can clearly hear it.

I don't really care about the noise when I play games, but it can be distracting while watching movies.[/QUOTE]
That stinks, hopefully it's not widespread. My 160GB, 2501A Slim is still pretty brand new, I've only had it since last Wednesday. However, I fell asleep watching a Blu-Ray, woke up 5 hours later with it idling at the menu and it was still practically inaudible.

[QUOTE=Rolf NB]Right. Two opposing motions. +-0 is a possibile outcome.[/QUOTE]
Two on one side, one on the other... except the other side supposedly isn't right.

Weaker Heatsink (Confirmed)
Smaller Fan (Confirmed)
Smaller CPU / GPU (Unconfirmed / Wrong)

[QUOTE=Barrow Roll]That stinks, hopefully it's not widespread. My 160GB, 2501A Slim is still pretty brand new, I've only had it since last Wednesday. However, I fell asleep watching a Blu-Ray, woke up 5 hours later with it idling at the menu and it was still practically inaudible.[/QUOTE]
It's very common in Sweden. We probably got shafted and got only shitty fans.

My slim is loud. Certainly distracting, even when streaming music. In a game like L.A. Noire, I crank the volume and it isn't too bad. If I had the loot for a Oppo, I really wouldn't even use my PS3 for movies anymore. On top of all that my Slim makes those crazy plastic "cracking" noises every 30 minutes or so.

Interestingly enough, teardown says they dont use RENESAS chip anymore for BD, and RENESAS had major factory destroyed in tsunami, which is what is causing all the automobile shortages word wide.

[QUOTE=see5harp]My slim is loud. Certainly distracting, even when streaming music. In a game like L.A. Noire, I crank the volume and it isn't too bad. If I had the loot for a Oppo, I really wouldn't even use my PS3 for movies anymore. On top of all that my Slim makes those crazy plastic "cracking" noises every 30 minutes or so.[/QUOTE]
ALL slims crackle. Same cheap plastic in all of them.

[QUOTE=see5harp]My slim is loud. Certainly distracting, even when streaming music. In a game like L.A. Noire, I crank the volume and it isn't too bad. If I had the loot for a Oppo, I really wouldn't even use my PS3 for movies anymore. On top of all that my Slim makes those crazy plastic "cracking" noises every 30 minutes or so.[/QUOTE]
My 60GB PS3 gets loud as well.

Quick and dirty translation of this; feel free to make corrections as I know nothing about the actual innards of the PS3:

[img]http://i.imgur.com/XWyKg.png[/img]

Heatsink shaved in line with the fan. To save on surface area, fins are made wave-shaped.

In the CECH-2500, the fan is right above the RSX heat spreader, so we used a heat pipe to move the RSX heatsink's position to a place where it wouldn't interfere with the fan. But with the CECH-3000, the fan itself has become smaller, so we no longer had to move it and could eliminate the heat pipe entirely, making the heatsink bigger.

About 220 grams were saved with the two metal shields surrounding the main board, the heatsink, and the fan motor. The BD drive went from 458 grams to 404, becoming about 50 g lighter, and [adding together the reductions in] other parts (board, power/eject buttons, etc.) made the machine 400 g lighter in total. The power supply unit itself remains unchanged.

While power consumption, parts, and the Cell/RSX(?) have shrunk, there are no significant changes in the circuitry. The new design thus creates a model that further reduces costs.

[QUOTE=Dunan]While power consumption, parts, and the [B]Cell/RSX(?) have shrunk[/B], there are no significant changes in the circuitry. The new design thus creates a model that further reduces costs.[/QUOTE]

I really doubt that. The power consumption numbers (about 1-5w saved compared to the previous model) don't add up to either Cell or RSX getting shrunken down.

[QUOTE=Zombie James]I really doubt that. The power consumption numbers (about 1-5w saved compared to the previous model) don't add up to either Cell or RSX getting shrunken down.[/QUOTE]

I probably got that wrong; it was a little confusing and isn't the most well-written sentence to begin with (two instances of "[i]nado[/i]", meaning "et cetera", right near each other). But "Cell ya RSX no shurinku" certainly implies that those two parts have shrunk.

[QUOTE=Zombie James]I really doubt that. The power consumption numbers (about 1-5w saved compared to the previous model) don't add up to either Cell or RSX getting shrunken down.[/QUOTE]

Infact they are the same. They have decided not to shrink the main chips this year, cut costs on other components and go directly with a CELL+RSX chip (probably at 28nm) for the next year redesign.

Where are those power consumption numbers?

[QUOTE=Rolf NB]Where are those power consumption numbers?[/QUOTE]

[url]http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com%2Fpkns%2F2011%2F06%2Fps3cech-3000b-8.html[/url]

[QUOTE=kharma45][url]http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fpocketnews.cocolog-nifty.com%2Fpkns%2F2011%2F06%2Fps3cech-3000b-8.html[/url][/QUOTE]I see. Thanks.

[QUOTE=Elios83]Infact they are the same. They have decided not to shrink the main chips this year, cut costs on other components and go directly with a CELL+RSX chip (probably at 28nm) for the next year redesign.[/QUOTE]

That's a hell of an assumption. What is the size of Cell and RSX right now?

[QUOTE=AranhaHunter]That's a hell of an assumption. What is the size of Cell and RSX right now?[/QUOTE]

45nm for the Cell, 40nm for the RSX.

[QUOTE=AranhaHunter]That's a hell of an assumption. What is the size of Cell and RSX right now?[/QUOTE]

Honestly it's not an assumption on my part, it was written in a japanese tech report/article.
They said that Sony decided to skip 32nm revisions of Cell and RSX seperately also because of issues with the number of pins relatively to the package size, to focus on integrating both on the same die. Considering that it was written well before the new model was announced I'd say it's true.

If had to assume something, I'd say that with Cell and RSX in a single chip there's a high chance to make a new external redesign with the external power supply and the size of the Dreamcast:

[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3861215258_5a3dff6feb.jpg[/img]

At $200, I will buy my first Sony console since 2001.

"Honey, this is not another 'game machine,' it's a Blu-Ray player!"

ok after several hours of playing Infamous 2 while reading / posting around the noise level of my 2500 Slim with air conditioning off in my room is similar to that of my launch unit with air conditioning on, but one is 8 hours old and the other 4 years and 3 months old... so the 2500 is the winner of course as it was completely quiet with air conditioning (23º) on... none of them reach 'jet engine fan mode' anyway, guess I've been lucky with my launch unit so far.

[QUOTE=Lince]ok after several hours of playing Infamous 2 while reading / posting around the noise level of my 2500 Slim with air conditioning off in my room is similar to that of my launch unit with air conditioning on, but one is 8 hours old and the other 4 years and 3 months old... so the 2500 is the winner of course as it was completely quiet with air conditioning (23º) on... none of them reach 'jet engine fan mode' anyway, guess I've been lucky with my launch unit so far.[/QUOTE]

like a boss

Thanks!

[QUOTE=Elios83]Honestly it's not an assumption on my part, it was written in a japanese tech report/article.
They said that Sony decided to skip 32nm revisions of Cell and RSX seperately also because of issues with the number of pins relatively to the package size, to focus on integrating both on the same die. Considering that it was written well before the new model was announced I'd say it's true.

If had to assume something, I'd say that with Cell and RSX in a single chip there's a high chance to make a new external redesign with the external power supply and the size of the Dreamcast:

[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3861215258_5a3dff6feb.jpg[img][/QUOTE]
I'd rather have the thinness than the DC/GC type of box tho.

But I could definitely go with an external PSU

Just wanted to let you guys know that Amazon (for the US anyway) has begun shipping out the 3001-A's to customers. There is actually a few more changes to the hardware then I noticed in the pics (I have one). the Wifi light was removed but not the HDD light, the PS logo above the drive is now silk screened rather then an emblem while the silk screened SONY logo was removed in favor of an indented logo. Also the power and eject buttons have changed color to a darker gray and the silver/clear overlay around them is removed. Lastly the entire casing is now a matte finish besides the power button/drive face area, no more glossy front and side plastic, which considering how easily this this gets crappy looking is a good improvement. The unit is also lighter then the 2001-A (not sure why) also I believe they may have finally engineered out the annoying plastic pop from case expansion/contraction with this model, but I will need to test it longer to find out for sure. I can take some pics of the two units if anyone feels its necessary.

Crap, it sounds like I need to swoop on the about-to-be-replaced model before the new one arrives.

Thanks for the heads-up!

[QUOTE=mclaren777]Crap, it sounds like I need to swoop on the about-to-be-replaced model before the new one arrives.

Thanks for the heads-up![/QUOTE]

No problem, also worth noting that in the 4 hours I have had the 3001-A on there has been no plastic pop from the case and the unit actually feels cooler to the touch then the 2001A right next to it.

[QUOTE=TheBanditKing]No problem, also worth noting that in the 4 hours I have had the 3001-A on there has been no plastic pop from the case and the unit actually feels cooler to the touch then the 2001A right next to it.[/QUOTE]

Is the smaller fan much of a problem or do you think this new model is the one to go for?

Did they remove the tiny power and eject leds on the buttons as it was rumored?

[QUOTE=TheBanditKing]No problem, also worth noting that in the 4 hours I have had the 3001-A on there has been no plastic pop from the case and the unit actually feels cooler to the touch then the 2001A right next to it.[/QUOTE]

All I wanna know is about noise when the room is slightly hot and you run stuff like Uncharted 2 or Infamous 2. Would be greatly appreciated :-)

[QUOTE=BadWolf]Is the smaller fan much of a problem or do you think this new model is the one to go for?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'm curious about the noise levels.

aaaand I got mine!
 

Okay so Amazon is indeed putting these out now as I got my 3000 3 days ago thinking it was gonna be a 2500.

Observations:

+ Yep, no LEDs and the trim is now black. I like this a lot actually. PS3 just looks off when watching blu-rays and such.
+ I have yet to hear the plastic crack ....like AT ALL! This is after leaving the system on overnight, DLing as well. I think we're in the clear with this one.
+ Despite the supposed 80mm fan in there now, I do say that this is MUCH quieter than my OG 2000 launch slim. I'd compare the hum to that of say the Wii. Played Lost Planet 2 Coop Demo (cause I know it gets the fan spinning pretty quickly) and still never really heard it kick into high gear after extended play. Same thing with Killzone 3. 360 slim is still the quietest system I own but it damn better be considering the age of the HW, the fan size, and the ventilation system.

Overall i'm VERY happy and relived with the new slim. Gave my old one to a relative.

[QUOTE=AgentOtaku]Okay so Amazon is indeed putting these out as I got my 3000 3 days ago thinking it was gonna be a 2500.

Observations:

+ Yep, no LEDs and the trim is now black. I like this a lot actually. PS3 just looks off when watching blu-rays and such.
+ I have yet to hear the plastic crack ....like AT ALL! This is after leaving the system on overnight, DLing as well. I think we're in the clear with this one.
+ Despite the supposed 80mm fan in there now, I do say that this is MUCH quieter than my OG 2000 launch slim. I'd compare the hum to that of say the Wii. Played Lost Planet 2 Coop Demo (cause I know it gets the fan spinning pretty quickly) and still never really heard it kick into high gear after extended play. Same thing with Killzone 3. 360 slim is still the quietest system I own but it damn better be considering the age of the HW, the fan size, and the ventilation system.

Overall i'm VERY happy and relived with the new slim. Gave my old one to a relative.[/QUOTE]
PICS please

[QUOTE=spidye]PICS please[/QUOTE]

About to go to sleep. Will see about posting some when I wake up k.

[QUOTE=AgentOtaku]Okay so Amazon is indeed putting these out as I got my 3000 3 days ago thinking it was gonna be a 2500.

Observations:

+ Yep, no LEDs and the trim is now black. I like this a lot actually. PS3 just looks off when watching blu-rays and such.
+ I have yet to hear the plastic crack ....like AT ALL! This is after leaving the system on overnight, DLing as well. I think we're in the clear with this one.
+ Despite the supposed 80mm fan in there now, I do say that this is MUCH quieter than my OG 2000 launch slim. I'd compare the hum to that of say the Wii. Played Lost Planet 2 Coop Demo (cause I know it gets the fan spinning pretty quickly) and still never really heard it kick into high gear after extended play. Same thing with Killzone 3. 360 slim is still the quietest system I own but it damn better be considering the age of the HW, the fan size, and the ventilation system.

Overall i'm VERY happy and relived with the new slim. Gave my old one to a relative.[/QUOTE]

PS3000 hey ya.

[QUOTE=AndyMoogle]ALL slims crackle. Same cheap plastic in all of them.[/QUOTE]

Its the casing expanding and contracting due to drastic change in temperature.

Did we get confirmation on HDD LED being gone? Weird if true. So many titles say not to touch anything while the HDD light is flashing...

[QUOTE=BadWolf]Is the smaller fan much of a problem or do you think this new model is the one to go for?[/QUOTE]

I am not capable of giving you a 100% certain answer on this just yet, let me play a few games that push the system's fan up (uncharted 2 and FFXIII usually did the trick with the 2001-A). Right now with each sitting side by side, the 3001's fan sounds like a very light humm and the 2001's sounds like a shhhh (I know this sounds silly but Im doing my best to tell you how it sounds :P). What I can tell you is that when I enter the room I predominantly hear the 2001-A over the new unit.

[QUOTE=DarkUSS]Did they remove the tiny power and eject leds on the buttons as it was rumored?[/QUOTE]
No they removed the LED backlighting from the actual buttons. The little green and blue LEDs are still there above the buttons, unless thats what your talking about. Like an above poster said the system looks off when playing a blu-ray.

[QUOTE=FoxSpirit]All I wanna know is about noise when the room is slightly hot and you run stuff like Uncharted 2 or Infamous 2. Would be greatly appreciated :-)[/QUOTE]

As above right now it sounds like the 3001-A is quieter then the 2001-A I have right next to it as the 2001 is making most of the fan noise in the room (keeping in mind both are doing the exact same thing)

[QUOTE=Zombie James]Yeah, I'm curious about the noise levels.[/QUOTE]

We need a multi quote button, lol

[QUOTE=No_Style]Did we get confirmation on HDD LED being gone? Weird if true. So many titles say not to touch anything while the HDD light is flashing...[/QUOTE]

[B]Green LED for network activity is OUT[/B]. So is LED buttons for eject/power.
Oddly enough, amber HDD LED is still in though.