Question Which to keep: US 80GB PS3 or UK 40GB PS3?

[MJ]

After getting beat on US MGS4 PS3 DualShock 3 bundles on eBay I decided to get a UK one free with a new phone contract and it's due to arrive tomorrow, but I wanted a US one mainly for Region A Blu-ray playback. Knowing the UK one is on its way I put a bid in on a US 80GB console and unexpectedly won it, so now I've got to make a decision as to which one to keep.

Do I keep the US one because it satisfies my Region A requirements and is a slightly better featured console, but the risk is no warranty?

Do I keep the UK one and take the gamble with the region coding of big titles, but have a 12 month warranty?

[Strolls]

Looks like the US 80gig has PS2 BC, if that's any influence. I have had to return a PS3 to VG+ for warranty repair, and the cost of shipping both ways was not cheap, but I still don't regret buying it.

[sj33]

I'd keep the 80GB US one. It has software backwards compatiblity - newer consoles lack backwards compatibility full stop, so this will become a rarer, much sought-after feature (even if it's not as good as the 20/60GB ones). I'm not sure if 80GB machines are still manufacturered anymore, but certainly the new 80GB ones they intend to introduce will be identical to the 40GB machine in functionality (i.e no BC, less USB's, no card readers).

The PS3 ain't no 360, it's a damn stirdy, reliable piece of kit, so you should be safe without warranty unless you're very unlucky.

[wod]

keep the usa 80gb one as games are region free, dont think sony are going to lock any titles out

if you mean bluray movies then quite a lot of films are region free, i think a few of the major film studios dont lock films, plenty of sites with region free disc info

i'm in the same situtation whether to get usa ps3 or uk one

if the usa one on ebay is cheap you got then keep both ?

[Strolls]

I'd keep the 80GB US one. It has software backwards compatiblity - newer consoles lack backwards compatibility full stop, so this will become a rarer, much sought-after feature (even if it's not as good as the 20/60GB ones).

I thought to comment on this when making my post, " the cost ... was not cheap, but I still don't regret buying it".

Mine is a 60gig with hardware BC, but I thought Sony had made some improvements to the software BC and that it had become quite acceptable. I have to say I haven't kept up with this, so maybe they're ignoring BC completely now, but after the second (IIRC) software BC update people were saying that it looked to be becoming just as good as the hardware BC.

The PS3 ain't no 360, it's a damn stirdy, reliable piece of kit, so you should be safe without warranty unless you're very unlucky.

I really like the PS3 - and am still reluctant to buy a 360 because I perceive it as cheap "flimsy" hardware (are 360s still noisy?) - but I know I'm not alone in having to return one under warranty.

I know that at least one, if not two, other forum member(s) has had to pay shipping both ways to get a PS3 back to the states so they could get it warranty-repaired by Sony.

Admittedly this is nothing compared to the number of 360s returned to MS with RRoD, but one shouldn't rule out the possibility. Say all you like "it'll never happen to me", but you may still find yourself with this unexpected additional ?100 cost.

Stroller.

[MJ]

The 80GB US model arrived today and I've booted it up to make sure it works and it's noisier than my 40GB UK model, I can hear it from 3-4 foot away whereas the UK one is as good as silent. It shipped with firmware 1.70 on and I'm currently installing the US 2.42 so I wonder if this contains something to make it run quieter as I installed the UK 2.42 on the UK one straight away. It looks like a better value machine with its extra ports and card readers and embossed lettering on the top, there is also some extra silver finishings not on the UK model and the controller has a slightly see through piece of plastic on the D-pad and face buttons. It also includes an Ethernet cable. Part of me wants to keep it, as it will satisfy my Region A needs, but the noise it makes is putting me off, you would hear it over films.

Edit: It's worth noting that it's not as noisy as the 360.

[Salsa Party Animal]

If you can sort out noise problem keep the USA one. (Check if you can swap the fan ?)