The PlayStation 3 was first officially announced May 16, 2005, at a press conference prior to the 11th annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. The design of the machine incorporates many successful standards established by the original PlayStation and the PlayStation 2 -- both of which led the console markets throughout their respective generations -- but it also offers some new features that distinguish it from its predecessors as well as its competition.
Fittingly, the central feature of the PS3 is its CPU, the Cell processor, which was co-developed by IBM, Toshiba, and Sony. The PS3's Cell processor uses seven "Synergistic Processing Elements" (SPEs) plus an eighth for "redundancy," and is designed to dynamically handle multiple operations. Graphics are produced through the RSX GPU, which was co-developed with Nvidia. The console has 256MB of XDR RAM for use by the CPU, and another 256MB of GDDR3 VRAM for use by the graphics chip.
PlayStation 3 games can be written to DVD or Blu-ray discs (BDs), the higher density format co-developed by Sony and Toshiba. Like the PS2, the PS3 is backwards-compatible, and can play both original PlayStation and PS2 games, as well as PS3 games. It can also read and play audio, video, and other files from a variety of contemporary media formats, including CDs, DVDs, and BDs.
The form of the PlayStation 3 console is similar in size but somewhat squatter than that of the PS2. It can be operated in either a horizontal or vertical position. When laid flat, the PS3 console case has a square-ish footprint, and its top bows upwards with a front-to-back arch. Its case is a silvery gray plastic, and it has a sleek, Spartan aesthetic, with only the disc drawer plainly visible along its front. Four USB ports are hidden behind a front panel.
More so than its predecessors, the PlayStation 3 was designed for communication and compatibility with other electronic devices. In addition to its Bluetooth functionalities, the console has Ethernet ports and capacity for a IEEE 802.11 b/g "Wi-Fi" connection. Internet-connected gamers can access the web, chat with online friends, and download content, even while playing a game. The console also reads Memory Stick, SD, and Compact Flash memory, creating opportunities for cross-platform file sharing and other communications between the PS3 and the PlayStation Portable.
~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide
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