The PlayStation 3 is one of Sony’s most ambitious and most awkward consoles — a complicated launch, a long life, and a reputation that shifted over time. What keeps it relevant for me is that it still does a few things nothing newer does as neatly.
What it is
Sony’s seventh-generation console and one of the defining machines of the early HD era, combining a strong software library with Blu-ray playback and an unusually long list of hardware revisions.
Why I keep it
It earns its keep through versatility. The obvious use is its own library, but it’s also a capable media box — and when I wanted to play 3D Blu-rays on my projector, the PS3 was the answer: both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X have quietly dropped 3D Blu-ray support, while the PS3 was one of the first devices to implement the standard at all.
Pros
- a strong first-party and HD-era library
- still one of the best 3D Blu-ray players you can get
- real hardware is straightforward next to PS3 emulation
- more day-to-day AV utility than most old consoles
Cons
- the tangle of hardware revisions makes the platform story messy
- less emotionally tidy than Sony’s earlier consoles
- some of its media functions have been superseded by newer boxes
Related on this site
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