Problems With the 60GB PS3

Manufacturing

• In August of 2007, Sony ceased production of the 60 GB PlayStation 3. While newer versions of the console continue to be released, the 60 GB is the only one to feature full backwards compatibility as well as four USB slots, a necessary feature for games such as "Rock Band" that feature multiple peripherals. If a 60 GB model of the PlayStation 3 breaks down, gamers no longer have the option of finding a replacement console in stores. Sony can still repair 60 GB consoles, but depending on their stock of replacement systems, the wait for a replacement can be over two months.

Overheating

• Older iterations of the PlayStation 3 feature a weaker fan that leads to the console overheating more often than models released after 2007. Gamers who still own the 60 GB system report that the console is more apt to damage from overheating, while those who have received replacement 60 GB PlayStation 3s complain that Sony has upgraded the fan to a noisier version. Newer PlayStation 3 consoles require less power to run and give off less heat. Gamers who hold on to their older console must deal with an increased risk of damage from overheating.

More Hardware

• In order to make the 60 GB PS3 a fully backward-compatible system, additional hardware needed to be included during the manufacturing process. Essentially the PlayStation 3 includes a PS2 inside of it. This means that while the PlayStation 3 is susceptible to problems with the current hardware, the old PlayStation 2 hardware is also present and able to cause problems with the system. If the chip that allows the system to read PS2 games malfunctions, the system will not be able to read any games or movies. The more parts that are inside the console, the more that can go wrong with the console.

Backward Compatibility

• While the PlayStation 3 features full backward compatibility with the previous two generations of Sony consoles, gamers can't simply continue a game they were playing on their PlayStation 2. There are no memory card slots on the PlayStation 3, meaning gamers will need to use the console's internal memory to create a virtual memory card. Gamers cannot transfer their game data between the two systems, so any progress made in a game using an older system is lost when starting the game on the PlayStation 3.

Hard Drive

• While gamers who pick up the 60 GB model of the PlayStation 3 will be able to play the entire back catalog of games for all three of Sony's consoles, they'll soon notice that the more games they pick up for the PlayStation 3, the quicker the memory on their hard drive will dwindle. Aside from being used for game saves, the hard drive for the PlayStation 3 is also used to house updates for games as well as general game data that is installed onto the system. These mandatory installations can clock in at nearly five gigabytes, meaning that gamers who own a lot of games or want to download additional content will need to purchase a new hard drive to store their excess data.