PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan,[9] November 17, 2006, in North America, and March 23, 2007, in Europe and Australia. The PlayStation 3 competed primarily against Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles.

Top: Original PlayStation 3 (2006)
Center: PlayStation 3 Slim (2009)
Bottom: PlayStation 3 Super Slim (2012)
Also known as
PS3
Developer
Sony Computer Entertainment
Manufacturer
Sony Electronics, Foxconn, Asus[1]
Product family
PlayStation
Type
Home video game console
Generation
Seventh generation
Release date
JP: November 11, 2006; 15 years ago
NA: November 17, 2006; 15 years ago
PAL: March 23, 2007; 15 years ago
Lifespan
2006–2017 (11 years)
Introductory price
US$499.99 (20 GB model)
US$599.99 (60 GB model)
Discontinued
NZ: September 29, 2015
EU: March 2016
AU: March 2016
NA: October 2016
JP: May 29, 2017
Units shipped
87.4 million
(as of March 31, 2017)
Media
Blu-ray Disc (PlayStation 3 game disc & movie disc)
DVD
Compact Disc
PlayStation game disc
PlayStation 2 game disc (1st and 2nd generations only)
Super Audio CD (1st and 2nd generations only)[3]
Video CD & Super Video CD (PS3 Slim & Super Slim variant only)
Digital distribution
Operating system
PlayStation 3 system software
CPU
3.2 GHz Cell Broadband Engine with 1 PPE and 8 SPEs
Memory
256 MB XDR DRAM system and 256 MB GDDR3 video
Storage
Removable 2.5-inch SATA hard drive (20 GB, 40 GB, 60 GB, 80 GB, 120 GB, 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB or 500 GB included) (user upgradable to a 1 TB readable partition)
Non-removable 12 GB NAND flash memory (Super Slim only, can be replaced with a hard drive)
Display
Video output formats
Composite video (480i, 576i (PAL))
S-Video (480i, 576i (PAL))
RGB SCART (480i, 576i (PAL))
Component (YPBPR) (480i, 576i (PAL), 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
D-Terminal (480i (D1), 480p (D2), 720p (D4), 1080i (D3), 1080p (D5))
HDMI (480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p)
Graphics
550 MHz Nvidia/SCEI RSX Reality Synthesizer
Sound
Audio output formats
A/V-Multi
Analog stereo
TOSLINK
LPCM 2ch 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88 kHz, 176.4 kHz
Dolby Digital 5.1
DTS 5.1
AAC
HDMI
LPCM 2ch, 5.1ch, 7.1ch 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz
DTS-HD Master Audio Bitstream (slim models only)*
Dolby TrueHD Bitstream (slim models only)*
Dolby Digital 5.1
DTS 5.1
AAC
All models can decode Dolby TrueHD and as of firmware 2.30 DTS-HD Master Audio, to be output as LPCM. Output of the raw undecoded stream is limited to slim models.[6]
Controller input
Sixaxis, DualShock 3, DualShock 4, DualSense,[7][8] Logitech Driving Force GT, Logitech Cordless Precision Controller, standard USB controllers, GT Force, rhythm game controllers, PlayStation Move, PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Remote Control, GunCon 3, PlayStation Portable, Wonderbook, PlayStation Vita, keyboard and mouse
Connectivity
(details)
Flash memory input
MemoryStick/PRO/Duo
SD/MMC
CompactFlash/Microdrive
Audio/video output
HDMI 1.3a out
HDMI-CEC**
S/PDIF out (TOSLINK)
AV Multi out
Composite video/stereo audio cable***
S-Video cable
SCART cable
Component vedios
cable
D-Terminal cable
Other
IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi****
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)
2 × USB 2.0 (4 × in 60 GB launch model)
Wired gigabit Ethernet
60 GB and CECHExx 80 GB models
Slim models only
Included in box
All except 20 GB model
Online services
PlayStation Network
Best-selling game
Grand Theft Auto V: 34 million copies
Backward
compatibility
PlayStation (all models)
PlayStation 2 (20 GB, 60 GB and some (CECHCxx) 60 GB and (CECHExx) 80 GB models)
Predecessor
PlayStation 2
Successor
PlayStation 4
Website
playstation.com/explore/ps3
The console was first officially announced at E3 2005, and was released at the end of 2006. It was the first console to use Blu-ray Disk technology as its primary storage medium.[13] The console was the first PlayStation to integrate social gaming services, including the PlayStation Network, as well as the first to be controllable from a handheld console, through its remote connectivity with PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita.[14][15][16] In September 2009, the Slim model of the PlayStation 3 was released. It no longer provided the hardware ability to run PS2 games. It was lighter and thinner than the original version, and featured a redesigned logo and marketing design, as well as a minor start-up change in software. A Super Slim variation was then released in late 2012, further refining and redesigning the console.

During its early years, the system received a mixed reception, due to its high price ($599 for a 60-gigabyte model, $499 for a 20 GB model), a complex processor architecture, and lack of quality games but was praised for its Blu-ray capabilities and "untapped potential". The reception would get more positive over time. The system had a slow start in the market[17] but managed to recover, particularly after the introduction of the Slim model. Its successor, the PlayStation 4, was released later in November 2013. On September 29, 2015, Sony confirmed that sales of the PlayStation 3 were to be discontinued in New Zealand, but the system remained in production in other markets.[18] Shipments of new units to Europe and Australia ended in March 2016, followed by North America which ended in October 2016.[19][20] Heading into 2017, Japan was the last territory where new units were still being produced until May 29, 2017, when Sony confirmed the PlayStation 3 was discontinued in Japan.