What Hi Fi Sound and Vision 20 SEP 2008

Sony PlayStation3 (80GB)

£ 300 4

* * * *

The PS3 is still a capable machine, but some of the cheaper stand-alone players offer more

For
More than just a Blu-ray player; quick load times; ridiculously easy to use; decent all-round ability
Against
Sounds bright; picture suffers from noise; an average DVD upscaler

There was a time when the Sony PlayStation3 was our default Blu-ray player recommendation. It used to be the lowest-priced player on the market, with the added bonus that it doubled as a high-def games console and media streamer.

But price is no longer on its side. The influx of affordable standalone players has started to make it a bit harder to justify buying a PS3. Can the console giant still hold its own against such tough competition?

Equipped with an 80GB hard drive
Well, the latest version of the PS3 is equipped with an 80GB hard drive and offers similar features to the other players in this test – it can handle the obligatory 1080p/24fps requirements of Blu-ray discs, for instance.

It can’t bitstream HD audio over HDMI, but it can decode all the formats onboard and transmit them as LPCM. Arguably this is of greater use, especially for receivers that don’t have HDMI 1.3 connections.

It’s also arguably the most intuitive, user-friendly player around, it still loads Blu-ray discs quicker than its rivals, and it’s a really smooth operator when it comes to cycling disc menus.

The PS3 is also extremely easy to navigate, even with the familiar handheld controller (a dedicated remote control is a £18 optional extra), and despite its age, the PlayStation3 is still capable of producing a decent Blu-ray image.

Detail levels are on a par with the Samsung BD-P1500, but they’re no match for the likes of the Panasonic DMP-BD35 or Sony’s own BDP-S350. The PS3’s picture isn’t as clear or three-dimensional and it’s noiser than we’d like.

This picture noise is also apparent when playing standard DVDs: where other players go to great lengths to eradicate grain, the PS3 can’t shift it. It also has more issues with movement than the top players in this class.

Clear, open sound, but a touch bright
The PS3’s sound can’t quite match that of the very best standalone players. Decoded HD soundtracks are relatively clear and open, but you get the feeling that it’s only scratching the surface.

It also has a tendency to sound quite bright, and this lack of solidity and scale can make it appear rather lightweight.

There’s no doubt that the PS3 is multitalented and this flexibility makes it an attractive package. But if you just want a stand alone Blu-ray player, there are superior offerings around.