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Overview
The PlayStation 3 is a home video game console by Sony Computer Entertainment released in Japan on November 11, 2006, and follow by the rest of the regions, the PlayStation 3 is the successor to the PlayStation 2. It is also known as PS3. It is part of 7th generation video game consoles.
While the hardware is powerful, its has a complex CPU architecture, making it very difficult for developers to develops games on PS3. This is one of the reasons why Sony chose the X86-64 architecture for its successor, the PlayStation 4.
The first few models of PS3s were expensive to develop and Sony was selling consoles at a loss in the first few years. Sony did not make profit until 2011 where later models were cheaper.
Features
- It is powered by a Power-Architecture-based multi-core CPU known as 'Cell' that is co-developed by Sony and IBM.
- Its graphics is powered by the RSX 'Reality Synthesizer' GPU (Based on Nvidia's G70 GPU) that is co-developed by Sony and Nvidia.
- it has 256 MB of system memory. However, there's cases where the console freezing up because of such small system memory.
- It has a Blu-Ray Disc (BD) drive that can also Blu-Ray Disc video playbacks.
- It supports internet connectivity. While it also has a web browser, it doesn't support plugins.
- It can connects Sony Entertainment Network (formerly PlayStation Network) online service to do online multiplayer, purchases game titles, downloadable contents as well as downloads game demos.
- During release, the wireless controller known as 'Sixaxis' has motion-sensing function and wireless connection to the PS3, but it lacks vibration capability due to the lawsuit Sony had back in 2004. Sony would later replace it with DualShock 3 controller in 2008, which includes the vibration capability in addition to Sixaxis's functions.
- It has a Remote Play function, which uses PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita as the controller and second screen device respectively.
- Later models were cheaper and more energy efficient, but removes the PS2 game compatibility in order to reduce cost.
- While the controllers (Sixaxis and DualShock 3) support is connected to the console via USB or Bluetooth, it can be only connected to the PC via USB.
