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Sony launches cheaper PS3 Slim to take on rivals Wii and Xbox 360
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Correspondent19.08.09
Sony today sparked a high street price war by slashing the cost of its PlayStation 3 games console.
The electronics giant has launched a slimline version of the console, £50 cheaper than its current model, in a bid to take on rivals Nintendo and Microsoft.
The new PS3 Slim will go on sale early next month, costing £249.
High street stores were today expected to cut prices of the current PS3 console to a similar price, in a bid to reduce stock before the PS3 Slim arrives.
Sony has been criticised for the high price of its console, compared with arch rival Nintendo, which offers the Wii console for £179, and Microsoft, which sells the Xbox 360 from £129.
The PS3 Slim works in an identical way to Sony's previous PlayStation 3, but has a larger hard drive and is around a third lighter, a third slimmer and uses a third less power than the original.
Experts today said the move could spark a price war between Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Currently Nintendo holds the number one position for sales, followed by Microsoft, then Sony.
"This is really good news for consumers," said Tom Dunmore, of gadget magazine Stuff. "I think we could also see Microsoft cut the cost of its Xbox before Christmas."
Sony also revealed it will launch a movie and TV show download service for PS3 consoles.
The big three consoles
Sony PS3 Slim - £249, 120GB hard drive, DVD player, download store, high definition
Microsoft Xbox 360 Arcade - £129, no hard drive, DVD player, download store
Nintendo Wii - £179, no hard drive
