Sony Computer Entertainment Playstation 3 12GB System

For serious gaming, a hard drive in addition to the 12GB of memory may be needed as most PS3 games require an install, the side ranging from only megabytes of data up to 10 GB of data. The hard drive is easy to upgrade, although you will need to purchase a mounting bracket for the hard drive (which is not included) (games like Call of Duty or Uncharted won't suffer from this because they don't require installs on disk beyond 100 MB, but Grand Theft Auto 5 has at least an 8 GB install that would easy be two thirds of the available space, and do not forget software updates that can easily be 1 GB in size). The console makes it easy to set up a PSN account as well as set up Netflix and other streaming services. The top mounting disk tray is particularly interesting: instead of opening vertically, the disk tray opens horizontally which allows it to be placed in a snug location. Supporting CD, DVD, BluRay, DIVX, and MP3/MP4 formats (and others), this console can do quite a bit in terms of music and video playback. It supports external memory for console backup as well as for data transfer (save data, movies, etc. via USB). It has either wired or wireless internet via wifi as well. It does not come with an HDMI cable, that will also have to be purchased separately. This is a nice entry point for someone wants a PS3 at the end of its hay day, or if they want a second console or just a media center to stream content from their PC or to watch Netflix, Hulu Plus, or use other services such as those offered by the NHL. PlayStation Store also serves up movies and TV shows for either rent or purchase.

First off, if you found this review helpful in your decision-making, please click on the helpful button so this review may help others in their decision-making process. WARNING!!! Description is very misleading!!! The system has an EMBEDDED 12GB FLASH drive!!! It DOES NOT have a hard drive installed, only the 500GB models have the REMOVEABLE hard drive. This required me to expedite another order from ebay for the mounting brackets. which thankfully came in before the ps3 did. BE FOREWARNED!!! That aside, it does what I want it to, only AFTER upgrading the hard drive. I think Sony may have removed and/or added some of the ports on the rear side of the system, but I am not exactly sure which ports, so do your research on which model will suit your needs the most. It has a slide open feature on the top, which is where the discs get loaded into the system. Personally, I prefer this "top-load" method more than the previous "front-insert" method because I feel that less could go wrong internally (discs get stuck in the system, discs dont get "grabbed in" anymore, etc) and if the top slider breaks, i would just tape it shut to read the discs, which is an easier fix then getting a new ps3 disc reader or ps3 altogether. I had my hard drive from my last ps3, which was still good, so I opted for this model, because I liked the fact that there was an embedded flash drive installed and this was the only model I could afford at the time. This flash drive DOES NOT get used when you install a removable hard drive, so I have something to fall back on in case my hard drive fails, however, the wiser purchase would be to spend the little extra money to have the model with the hard drive installed already, because it would save you additional purchases, and with the constant required sony system updates, 12 GB will NOT even be enough to install gran turismo 5 from a physical copy (that is just 1 game!!!) However, since sony updated their system software, all playstation systems can now read external hard drives like the xbox does (which allows you to skip the hard drive swapping process altogether), but this also will require additional purchases, so the choice would be up to the buyer...

I was going to review this sooner and be harsher because I thought I clicked on a "Like New" and apparently looking back the one I ordered was "Very Good". Not the first time something I ordered on Amazon specifically for something stated in the quality and then it changed when I wanted to complain, but I guess until I remember to start taking screenshots oh well. I was going to be harsher because I ordered a drive bay and this 12GB PS3, expecting to use an old drive with it and call that good. It showed up with a drive bay and drive already in it and without the original packaging I thought I had selected it for. If it were still listed as "Like New" and still listed as coming with that packaging I could point at that and be much more dissatisfied, but relative to the current listing it is fair enough. Aside from the non-original packaging (listing at this time no longer suggests it would have come with that anyway) and it having a drive (less an issue and more an "I ordered something additional I did not need." sort of thing), the only real problem I had was a downright embarrassing Mini USB cable. I wound up using a different one I had lying around (I am the sort to have various cables lying around) because the one packaged was all weird-looking on the controller end and would not stay in. Thankfully those are less than a dollar apiece to replace, so not too concerned, but that combined with the inaccurate listing (the drive part, it was clearly listed as not having an HDD in it) and that I had to go fetch a file for a USB stick for it to start up enough to install the drive feels like enough to call it 4/5, although if we had a finer-grained rating system I would probably have done 4.5/5 instead. So far it seems to work just fine, replacement cable is charging the controller so no issues there, it connects to the network over wire or wireless. Have not bothered testing the older TV connection because HDMI is working fine and that is all I cared about anyway, but games are running just as well as on my brother's PS3 and what few other "apps" I would be likely to use seem to work as well as they should on such an "old" system (that it is a PS3, not this specific model, I know this model is physically newer). I will probably /someday/ swap out the drive for a faster one, but this definitely meets all the critical points I care about right now.

I bought this to replace my launch day Fat PS3 that had died... :( It doesn't have the same look, feel and weight to it that my old PS3 did, but even the PS3 Slims don't feel as good. The lack of a HDD that some reviewers complain about was not an issue. I bought a drive sled online for less than $15, put the drive from the old PS3 in and I was back in business. Very happy to have a working PS3 again and since the PS4 won't be backwards compatible, it's even more important for me to have a working PS3.

Waste of money.

The item came in early and was ready for christmas! We received a ps4 remote charger instead of a ps3 one other than that no issues

12GB of Flash-based hard drive will store all of your safe files if you opt for Disc-based games. I like the fact that anyone can easily slide in another 2.5 inch internal hard drive into this PS3 (in case you're looking for instructions, there are plenty on YouTube). It comes with a DualShock 3 controller, an analog AV output cable (the same one in PS 2), AC power cable, and a USB to micro USB Controller charging cable. This model doesn't come with a stand in the box though, which you can purchase on amazon for around $10. Again, amazon.ca offered the best pricing and the shortest delivery time. I would recommend this product to anyone.

The ps3 came with a slide that did not open fully (blocked 30% through opening), this meant I had to push it forward every time I had to put a disk, asked the seller for a return label, never got an answer till this day! (item ordered early august). The box also had a really bad smell that I didn't even mention because of how awkward it was for me to tell them they sent me a box that was rotting. 100% would not recommend to anyone. Really wish I had take a picture of the item before sending it back. Awful.