Playstation 3 500GB super slim - $149 at Walmart

ShadowAssassin

CAGiversary!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/PlayStation-3-500GB-Console-PS3/43604185

Yeah, I know, the same day as the Pro was announced. However, the PS3 was basically stealthily discontinued and will be harder and harder to find. Almost all major retailers are sold of out brand new consoles, and unless you want someone's crusty and dusty used console from Gamestop or pay over $220+ from scalpers, this might be your last chance to get a brand new one on the cheap. Either as a first-timer or a spare in case yours has a lot of wear and tear.

 
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I've probably got 100 PS3 games waiting for me via PS+ since I started that a couple years ago, purchasing the PS3 versions of everything just in case I picked up an old console.  Would rather this be 99, but might not get lower for a new one. 

 
So even if a local store has one of these, I have to buy it online to get it at this price?
I had them price match it but between finding an employee, having them look the item up themself, then explaining to them that the Walmart listing calling the seller "Walmart store" is actually Walmart and not a 3rd party seller, then having an assistant manager come by after being called for over the PA system 4 times, then having that assistant manager approve the override and then immediately question what he overrode since he wasn't paying attention between talking into his earpeace while trying to chat up some younger associate who walked by, then to finally approve the override AGAIN... it might be simpler to just order it online and do an in-store pickup and save yourself the ~25+ minutes it took me.

But I wanted to make sure that the one I got was in good condition with intact seals and also didn't want to deal with a big in-store pickup sticker that they slap on items so I put myself through the torture of trying to buy something at a Walmart store.

TL;DR: Have them PM it in-store but be prepared for the worst. Or just order online for in-store pickup for (hopefully) less hassle.

 
Might not be a good idea to wait for an another price drop.

$80-$100 I can see buying a new, my old one which is surprisingly still working after it got caught in a flood.

 
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Just a heads up to anyone buying these.  The Super Slim has been known to have quite a few issues with the blu ray drive not reading/loading games. These issues have occurred to people as early as 1 week after purchase.

From what I've read, the main culprit is the cheaply design top loading door. The mechanism that let's the system know the door is closed tends to wear out, preventing the reading of discs. Other times the lens just craps out.

Also, this thing tends to get hot if placed horizontally since, for some reason, Sony decided to place the vents on the bottom of the system as well as rear. Seems like they realized that just rear vents wouldn't be enough. So buying a vertical stand would be wise. Quite a few overheating issues with this model out there.

In terms of build quality and overall reliability, the best version tends to be the Slim 160GB or 320GB. You want to look for model # CHECH-25XX or  CHECH-30XX. If you can find one in very good-like new condition from a reputable person, that's the best route to take IMO.

 
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For those that picked one up today, is your product box "sealed" with what looks to be something just a rung above scotch tape?

Also, is it normal for this model of PS3 to sound like some stuff is moving around loose inside the box? 

I wish I had noticed those two issues as I was picking it up. I would've asked if I could open it in front of them to be sure I wasn't getting a box of rocks instead.

 
From what I've read, the main culprit is the cheaply design top loading door. The mechanism that let's the system know the door is closed tends to wear out, preventing the reading of discs. Other times the lens just craps out.
I've heard this myself about the top loading door. I wouldn't mind getting a backup, but not a fan of the super slim. My nephew has one and it's just so cheap looking.

I might bite if Amazon price matches, which seems unlikely. They have one going for $212.99 and that's a bit more than I'm willing to pay for a previous gen system.

 
I have the first Slim 320GB, so I didn't pull the trigger on this one in-store at Walmart tonight. Plus the boxes looks roughed up. At least the right price was on them, which is a big step for my Walmart. I had a SuperSlim the first holiday season they came out, but the disc drive was messed up and made a high pitched squeal when games were in it. That top loading design is hit or miss.

 
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For those that picked one up today, is your product box "sealed" with what looks to be something just a rung above scotch tape?

Also, is it normal for this model of PS3 to sound like some stuff is moving around loose inside the box?

I wish I had noticed those two issues as I was picking it up. I would've asked if I could open it in front of them to be sure I wasn't getting a box of rocks instead.
yes, I noted the "scotch" tape seal. Wish it has some sort of PS or Sony logo on it to be sure it was a legit seal. On top of that, the location of the tape was left of center so that I thought was odd also.

 
The price is active in store!

I was at the Burbank Walmart yesterday night and saw one lone Super Slim PS3 with the $149 price tag on the shelf. I have been waiting for a chance to get a PS3 and bought it right away as I thought it was on clearance, combined with a $25 gift card I have been dying to use, I got it for $137.



yes, I noted the "scotch" tape seal. Wish it has some sort of PS or Sony logo on it to be sure it was a legit seal. On top of that, the location of the tape was left of center so that I thought was odd also.
Same situation here! I was worried that the deal seemed to good to be true and thought it must have been a repack looking at the cheap tape. Remember the 3DS repacked with rocks from Walmart a while ago? That got me nervous when I noticed it after paying and heading out the store.
 
I've heard this myself about the top loading door. I wouldn't mind getting a backup, but not a fan of the super slim. My nephew has one and it's just so cheap looking.

I might bite if Amazon price matches, which seems unlikely. They have one going for $212.99 and that's a bit more than I'm willing to pay for a previous gen system.
Aside from utilizing cheap materials and build quality, it also is more of a pain to take apart. Say if you want / need to take apart to clean the fan directly from its interior, it's really easy with the Slim. The Super Slim, on the other hand....you have to tear it down to the motherboard, if I remember correctly from a YT tear-down vid, to have full access to the fan module.

One thing to look for in a seller to buy a Slim is to see if they still have the original box and packaging. If they do, odds are because they are meticulous people...which are individuals who handle their electronics with care. For the most part at least. I'm one of those people. :whistle2:$

I still have my fully functional OG 60GB PS3. Still no issues. But I've babied the thing through the years and don't play the more recent, graphically intensive games on it. Usually just PSX, PS2, and earlier games. I use my Slim 160GB for the later games. Both still with boxes, all mint. Though I plan on getting my 60GB reballed and updated with a few bells and whistles. Having it done by this guy, heard nothing but great things about his work....just waiting for price to drop below $70...I've noticed the price periodically fluctuates.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Playstation-3-PS3-Reballing-repair-service-One-year-warranty-RoHS-standard-/291290818089?hash=item43d2492629:g:T5MAAOSwQiRUohan#rwid

Don't mean to derail topic, just wanted to inform peeps before they make a decision.

 
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I picked one up on the way home from work today.  Boxes were in very good condition.  3 more left in West Sac if anyone is looking for one.

 
Remember the 3DS repacked with rocks from Walmart a while ago?
Really? I didn't hear about that one...but coming from Walmart, I can't say I'm surprised.

One thing to look for in a seller to buy a Slim is to see if they still have the original box and packaging. If they do, odds are because they are meticulous people...which are individuals who handle their electronics with care. For the most part at least. I'm one of those people. :whistle2:$
That's a pretty good call and definitely something to look out for. I've kept a majority of the boxes myself. Still have the original packaging for my 160gb fat PS3 from 2009. The console still works great, despite having watched countless hours of blu-rays on it, and having played an insane amount of games (most of which were discs and not digital downloads).

 
Why would anyone buy a PS3 in 2016?
Casuals that don't care about new

PS4 had no backwards compatibility; this will play PS1/3 discs & PS2 Classics off PSN

People who have had their old systems die & want a reliable replacement instead of rolling the dice on a used system
 
Already have a backup PS3 still sealed in box.  Got it for $100 from that Radioshack clearance a few years ago.  Still I'm highly considering picking up another one at this price.  You know just in case. :D

 
Really? I didn't hear about that one...but coming from Walmart, I can't say I'm surprised.

That's a pretty good call and definitely something to look out for. I've kept a majority of the boxes myself. Still have the original packaging for my 160gb fat PS3 from 2009. The console still works great, despite having watched countless hours of blu-rays on it, and having played an insane amount of games (most of which were discs and not digital downloads).
Yeah, they really don't make 'em like they used to. And yes, all electronics have parts that eventually break down (for kicks: look up the term, "planned obsolescence"). But when you at least buy a product of a good build quality, you have better odds of finding said replacement part(s) and having the same product last much longer than those of a much lesser quality. Not to mention the time and money invested.

To keep this post on-topic....I highly suggest to anyone here buying this super slim as a backup, to put away your current, working PS3, and start using the new Super Slim. Reason being, you already know your current system works...while it's 1 year manufacturers warranty, has no doubt, long since expired.

On the other hand, you don't want to find out that you wasted money on a Super Slim by using it when/if your current PS3 dies and your Super Slim's warranty is long expired....and it becomes faulty when you need it.

Start using it right away to mitigate any issues with the valid warranty sooner rather than later.

...why can't all consoles be built from an indestructible essence like the Gamecube (which I still have)? Seriously...it's built like a champ!

Photoon11-11-12at232PM3.jpg


 
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Casuals that don't care about new

PS4 had no backwards compatibility; this will play PS1/3 discs & PS2 Classics off PSN

People who have had their old systems die & want a reliable replacement instead of rolling the dice on a used system
Casuals don't care about ps1/ps2. I'm gonna assume that majority of new ps2 buyers at this point, are to keep their physical and digital backlogs for collection purpose.
Or for resale for $200+ in the future. Like everyone said, it's discontinued and sold out everywhere.
 
I could probably use a back up PS3, but I'm more interested in getting another Vita at this point, so I can have one for custom things, and one for normal uses. I barely use my PS3 as is, but a back up can't hurt, I'll for sure try to get one down the road.

 
Thanks op, i have bought a ton of games i thought my kids would enjoy in a few years (the're 3). I dont know if my ps3 will hold out for another 6 plus years. And good advice playing this one now to use the warrantee.m how ticked would i be if in 3 years, pull this one out of the box to have it not work
 
There's nothing wrong with having multiple consoles of the same type. And don't forget that you can have two PS3 systems on the same PSN account. You guys might want to open these extra PS3s, put the games from your PSN accounts on them, and then close them up again before storing them. That way, you'll have your downloadable games on them already if PSN ever goes offline years down the line. Don't assume that PSN will always exist in its current state!
 
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^ When we got our NES, most other kids had the PS1, PS2, and/or N64. But the NES was our very first exposure to video games. We were really too young to know better, so we still enjoyed years of LoZ, TMNT, Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Duck Hunt, and Dr. Mario. All thanks to the 20-something guy at church who donated his system and games to the poor kids. 

 
^ When we got our NES, most other kids had the PS1, PS2, and/or N64. But the NES was our very first exposure to video games. We were really too young to know better, so we still enjoyed years of LoZ, TMNT, Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Duck Hunt, and Dr. Mario. All thanks to the 20-something guy at church who donated his system and games to the poor kids.
Yeah, that's what it's all about, just playing games and having fun. My son wants one of those new NES system that is coming out soon, as those games are new to him.

My PS3 and 360 backlog is so big, I'm not interested in any next gen system until there at least $200 or less, and I probably won't need them then either.

I just finished the Rise Of Tomb Raider a few weeks ago on the 360, and I was completely satisfied playing it without the ONE. The game is still the same, just less polish, but the last gen games still look awesome, so it's all good.

 
Darnit, all this talk about the Super Slims not being as solid as the Slim models has me wondering, do I roll the dice on a back up used Slim model or just get one of these new ones. Hmmmmmm.  :wall:

 
Darnit, all this talk about the Super Slims not being as solid as the Slim models has me wondering, do I roll the dice on a back up used Slim model or just get one of these new ones. Hmmmmmm. :wall:
As someone who went from a slim to a superslim, I think it really comes down to an owner's personal taste. The smaller size is a great benefit, especially if you have multiple consoles in the same entertainment setup. And I don't think that the superslim is unreliable, but I would recommend keeping it properly ventilated when using it. On Reddit, people suggested keeping it vertical since the air vents are on the bottom and on the rear. And I looked at my own system to confirm that is true.
 
Question. I have one of these ready for pick up but before I go, I have a 120gb slim that is running out of space. I also have a PS4 that I bought a 1tb hard drive for and will be upgrading. Will the 500 gb hard drive that comes with the PS4 work on the slim? If I can upgrade my current PS3 I may hold off.
 
Question. I have one of these ready for pick up but before I go, I have a 120gb slim that is running out of space. I also have a PS4 that I bought a 1tb hard drive for and will be upgrading. Will the 500 gb hard drive that comes with the PS4 work on the slim? If I can upgrade my current PS3 I may hold off.
Yes, should be same size so there shouldn't be a problem

 
Does anyone know how long it takes to deactivate a system? I picked up one of these to replace my fat with a broken drive and I've done the deactivation on the fat one about 10x now on it but it still show up on my account a day later.

 
Does anyone know how long it takes to deactivate a system? I picked up one of these to replace my fat with a broken drive and I've done the deactivation on the fat one about 10x now on it but it still show up on my account a day later.
If I remember correctly, mine happened when I did it. Call CS service, as they can tell you if it deactivated or not, and if not, they can manually do it.

 
Picked one up in Bellingham, WA state, there was only 2 left. Both boxes had scratch marks, so picked the one with lesser scratches. Thanks OP. Bought a backup PS3 in case my old Slim one dies. If someday the PS4 plays ALL BC then I'll sell it on ebay.
 
I'm sure it has to do with the 360's and the high failure rate the early models had.
And the blu-ray player. It was also nice not needing multiple disks to play 1 game. PS3 also went out with a bang with the Last of Us.

PS3 outperformed the 360 later in the life cycle. Not sure who ended up selling more but they were both very successful eventually. I still enjoy them both very much.
 
Got one, mostly as a blu-ray player for the bedroom, but also as a backup.  It froze up 3 times on the home screen on the first night, but has been working fine for two days.  Not sure if I should exchange it or not.  Thoughts?  Is it at all normal for it to freeze up going through initial updates?

This one ended up dying.  Turns out it was a lemon.  New one works great thus far.

 
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Got one, mostly as a blu-ray player for the bedroom, but also as a backup. It froze up 3 times on the home screen on the first night, but has been working fine for two days. Not sure if I should exchange it or not. Thoughts? Is it at all normal for it to freeze up going through initial updates?
It's normal for PS3 to freeze up at anytime, and for any reason.
 
I went to Walmart to pick one up, but ultimately passed. The box was in rough shape and the side of the box had been opened (it looked like someone returned it, as all the cords were untied). I'm also pretty sure they swapped the controller with an older, used one.

Got one, mostly as a blu-ray player for the bedroom, but also as a backup.
I read that really fast and thought it said "as a blu-ray player for the bathroom".

An old college roommate I knew would keep their PSP strictly in the bathroom to play when they were on the toilet. They called it the PS Poop.

 
Yeah 2 years. People just suddenly started talking about reliability. I mainly want it to fill with cheap ps3 and ps1 downloads.
 
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Why would anyone buy a PS3 in 2016?
For every hour I spend on my PS4, I probably spend 5 on my PS3. And most of my time spent on PS4 is playing PS3 HD remasters. There are tons and tons of great games for literally a handful of change. I just picked up Deus Ex for PS3 for $1.79. Numerous other great games are in the neighborhood of $5. And for the unlucky people like myself who lost their retro collection it's a very cost effective way to play great PS1 games like Mega Man Legends 2 and Xenogears.
 
I have the god of war one. but as much as I like it my original slim just seems to be more of a quality based system.     

 
Man, I was hoping the 12GB would have been $100 or lesser by now. No 500GB models in any of my local Walmarts. :(
I grabbed a sealed one superslim with 250gb off ebay for $75 a week ago. ebay had a 8% ebay bucks targeted promo going at the same time too.

 
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