I'm actually debating a super slim just for the top loading mechanism itself. I honestly don't know why Sony didn't just stick with what worked on the PS1 and PS2 and keep the lid design. Making things too complicated adds moving parts, moving parts break over time and then you're stuck either prying open the PS3 to get your disc out or sending it to Sony with a note saying to please send back X or Y game that's stuck inside the machine.
But I really thought there would have been a price DROP to $199.99 to coincide with the release of this latest model. It just seems like after the PS1 era we haven't seen a Sony console go down to the bargain basement price of $50 by the time they disappear from the market. Even the PS2's didn't drop, unless you were lucky and got in on the $50 slims at Target or wherever.