PS3: 80 or 160 gb?

[briareos_kerensky]

So, I'm set on buying an US PS3. I'd have liked a 60gb first version, but I don't really feel comfortable with eBay or auction sites and my PS2 is still alive and kicking.

The big question is: buy one 80gb model right now or wait for the 160gb model? Considering the console will be used as a game machine and nothing else (well, maybe BR player, but I see limited use for this feature too), does the bigger HDD really matters?

[VR46]

Why you so keen on a USA model ? why not just get a UK one if it's primarily going to be used for gaming.

The hard-drives can be changed easily and cheaply at a later date if you weren't already aware.

[briareos_kerensky]

Yup, I know about HDD swap, but it's not something I'm really looking forward...already have PCs to build, I'd like to leave consoles as they are.

Why a US model? Paranoia, mostly. As my primary source (well, right now, only) of games is the little country known as Canada, I don't want to find myself with any publisher ditching region free games.
I'm not aware of region-locked PS3 games to date, but I don't like the thought of not being able to play later games.

PS1 games are minor reason, some US games lock up on my chipped PS2 so it would be nice to play them without worries.

Then there are US anime BRs. Won't buy many but market is much, much larger than in Italy. And Japan is in the same BR region.

And finally, thanks to the mighty Euro, console+shipping+possibe custom charges=same price as here. Remove customs (didn't had to pay them with a rather large Wii+accessories box) and it's cheaper, speaking of the 80gb model.

[J0e Musashi]

You want the biggest HDD you can get IMO. I'd still go for a 20 or a 60 and then swap out for a 320GB HDD. You also get the all-in-one box-ness of being able to play PS1/2 and upscaled if you like.

[briareos_kerensky]

OK, but is it worth it? I mean, all games need space for their savefiles and some games install on the HDD for faster loading/whatever.
With no intentions to turn the console into a media center (it will sit near my PCs), is it worth having extra space? Replacing sounds extremely easy, but what I don't want to do is waste money on gigabytes I won't use, being them from "official" and "unofficial" HDDs.

[J0e Musashi]

Well it depends on how many games you have I guess. I now use my PS3 to play my entire Sony games catalogue so I need lots of storage, plus you've got the addicting PSN, which'll eat into your GB's a bit too

[Dazzyman]

Get the 80 and shove another HDD in if you need it later on. You shouldnt be worrying about the hassle of installing another hdd and comparing it to pc building as its in a caddy you unscrew the side of one screw slide it out then slide a new one in it takes 10seconds to do as theirs no cables involved it docks direct.

[PeterM]

I agree with Dazzyman -- getting the 80 (or even a 40?) and upgrading the drive later on may be cheaper than the 160, and leaves your options open for even more storage if you think you'll need it.

[briareos_kerensky]

I assume backing up data is a mere transfer from HDD to HDD after the PS3 formatted the new drive, or even using flash memory as a temp storage, right?

[Number45]

Yup, backup to an external device, then restore from the same device. Can't give you a run-through of the process because I haven't done it myself, although I've been meaning to.

Has anyone done the backup? Does it backup to a single file/folder structure or is it all over the place on the root of the drive?

(Sorry to hijack the thread. )

[PeterM]

I backed up once to a USB flash stick, and it made a \PS3\EXPORT\BACKUP\200808052246 (date and time in YYYYMMDDHHMM format) directory on the stick, with a few large files inside.

I had to delete all of my movies, demos and such to get it to fit the backup on the USB stick, as it was only 1 GB.

[Number45]

Cool, that's what I wanted to hear. I have more than enough space to back it up, but it'll be going onto the device that backs up my PC and the last thing I want is for it to **** that data up.

Might be about time to swap the PS3 HDD.

[briareos_kerensky]

Thanks everyone, I think I'll go with the 80gb+swap...damn this PS3 requires some money to run :P

[Dazzyman]

You can shove em into a PC as well if you can be arsed to backup. I use a PS2 flash usb stick I got with a codemasters device or I just shove PSP in and transfer saves or data.

One thing to remember is if you somehow have two PS3s from different regions that their not compatible and will need to reformat for that region (I tried it with my new USA MGS pack one when I tried to take my 160gig one out of the JPN model before I put a new lens in it).