According to Sony Computer Entertainment's Masayuki Chatani, the new slim redesign of the PlayStation 3 could have been even smaller, and could have possibly had its HDD stripped out.
One alternative was the use of flash memory. The advantages of using flash memory are smaller size, decreased running costs, and lower noise levels (although the PS3 runs pretty quietly regardless). Disadvantages are price-per-GB.
Another alternative to an HDD was to completely get rid of physical storage and instead let users save all game data, personal files and settings online, via the PlayStation Network.
Chatani said bothe options were actively considered but the HDD won out. "We felt that the price would be too high for the amount of storage capacity the PS3 needs," he adds.
As for other considered redesigns, Chatani says the power supply was considered being made external, just like in the Slim PS2, however that "would have imposed restrictions on transport and use, making it harder to use freely."
Another alternative to an HDD was to completely get rid of physical storage and instead let users save all game data, personal files and settings online, via the PlayStation Network.
Chatani said bothe options were actively considered but the HDD won out. "We felt that the price would be too high for the amount of storage capacity the PS3 needs," he adds.
As for other considered redesigns, Chatani says the power supply was considered being made external, just like in the Slim PS2, however that "would have imposed restrictions on transport and use, making it harder to use freely."
