The 60GB PS3 is the “premium” option and includes several extras that cannot be found on the 40GB or 20GB version, these are:

• 60GB HDD instead of 20GB HDD
• Built-in Wi-Fi
• Built-in Card Reader
• Chrome trim

With the 40GB model, there are two fewer USB ports and no PS2 backwards compatibility. The table below summarizes the main similarities and differences between the three different models.

The Cell Broadband Engine is the name of the CPU that powers the PlayStation 3. PS3’s CPU runs at 3.2 GHz and was developed jointly by Sony, Toshiba and IBM (“STI”). It has a PowerPC-based “Power Processing Element” (PPE) and six accessible 3.2 GHz Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs). A seventh runs in a special mode and is dedicated to aspects of the OS and security, and an eighth is disabled to improve production yields.

The PS3 can support up to 7 controllers simultaneously connected to the PS3. That means up to 7 players can play on a single system. For 5 to 7 players, the controller ID can be calculated by adding the LEDs, so player 5 will be 1 + 4:

Similarly, for player 6 LEDs 2 and 4 will be switched on.

A single-layer Blu-Ray disc can hold up to 25GB of information while a dual-layer Blu-Ray disc can hold up to 50GB of information.

You cannot officially change your PSN username. You can, however, delete your User on the PS3, create a new user and register with the PlayStation Network using a different name. Any save data on the old PS3 username will be deleted when you delete the account.

The PS3 keeps some of your files within your user profile and shared others. See below for a summary of what is personal and what is shared:

Shared

• PS1 and PS2 Game saves
• Videos
• Music
• Photos

Private

• PS3 Game saves
• Sent/Received messages
• Browser bookmarks
• Predictive text

Each option on the XMB (Photos, Music, Videos) can only display files located on a specific folder of a storage media (HDD, USB Flash Disk, Memory Card etc). If you are using a external data store, you must create the following folders on the root of the drive:

• PICTURE – for image files
• MUSIC – for audio files
• VIDEO – for video files

The format utility (found under Settings > System Settings > Format Utility) can create the necessary files on the external storage media, but will erase any existing data.

See the table below for supported display settings:

The PS3 supports many of the PS2 accessories. The SOCOM headset and PS2 EyeToy can be configured via the Settings > Accessory Settings menu. You can even hook-up a USB/Wireless Keyboard and Mouse.