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Types Of PS3s

Since its release in 2006, Sony's PlayStation 3 console has undergone a number of changes, both hardware- and firmware-related. Though there have always been different hard drive capacities available, these hardware and firmware changes have produced four different and overlapping "types" of PlayStation 3 systems: the "slim," "fat," "backward-compatible" and "non-backward-compatible" types.

PS3 Fat
- When the PS3 system was released in 2006, the system measured in at 12.81 inches wide, 10.79 inches deep and 3.86 inches tall and weighed 11 lb. Once the PS3 Slim was released in 2009, the original PS3 system type was dubbed the "PS3 Fat" because of its larger size when compared to the new Slim model. The PS3 Fat type of system was in production from 2006 to 2009 and also featured both backward-compatible and non-backward-compatible subtypes. Any PS3 system with a model number starting with CECHA, CECHB, CECHC, CHECE, CECHG, CECHH, CECHJ, CECHK, CECHL, CECHM, CECHP or CECHQ is a PS3 Fat.
PS3 Slim
- In 2009, Sony released the PS3 Slim model. This system type measures in at 11.42 inches wide, 11.42 inches deep and 2.56 inches tall, and weighs 7.7 lb. This type of PS3 system does not feature the backward-compatible subtype, as all PS3 Slim systems are non-backward-compatible. Any PS3 system with a model number CECH-20xxA, CECH-20xxB, CECH-21xxA, CECH-21xxB, CECH-25xxA or CECH-25xxB is a PS3 Slim.
Backward-Compatible
- In addition to the PS3 Fat and PS3 Slim types, there is further distinction between the backward-compatible and non-backward-compatible types. Systems that are backward-compatible are able to play PlayStation 2 and PlayStation games in addition to PlayStation 3 games. Any PS3 system with a model number starting with CECHA, CECHB, CECHC or CHECE is a backward-compatible PS3. Only PS3 Fat systems have the possibility of being backward-compatible.
Non-Backward-Compatible
- Any PlayStation 3 system that was manufactured after Sony removed the PS2 backward-compatibility feature is considered a non-backward-compatible system. While these devices cannot play PlayStation 2 games, they can play PlayStation games as well as PlayStation 3 games. Every PS3 Slim system is a non-backward-compatible system, while only some of the PS3 Fat systems are non-backward-compatible. Any PS3 system with a model number CECH-20xxA, CECH-20xxB, CECH-21xxA, CECH-21xxB, CECH-25xxA or CECH-25xxB or a model number starting with CECHG, CECHH, CECHJ, CECHK, CECHL, CECHM, CECHP or CECHQ is a non-backward-compatible system.

PlayStation 3