Sony Gives Us Cheaper Blu-Ray Players, But Why Not Just Get A PS3?

Sony announced recently that it will be offering stand-alone Blu-Ray players for as cheap as $599 with the coming release of the Sony BDP-S300 Blu-Ray player. Sony's first stand-alone Blu-Ray players debuted at prices just under $1000, so the price cut of $400 is definitely a major plus for those looking to add a Blu-Ray unit to their home theatre.

Sony has announced its plans to slash the price of high definition, according the Associated Press. At a New York press conference, Sony talked up its forthcoming BDP-S300 Blu-ray player. The big selling point? Its $599 price. The move is clearly a reaction to the lower cost of HD DVD players, which are already available for less than the new Blu-ray machine. Still, $599 is far more palatable than the $1,000 price tag of Sony's current flagship player, the BDP-S1. In addition to the lower price, the unit comes in a smaller form factor, and it can play CDs. It's also the same price as Sony's PS3, which includes a Blu-ray drive and can be had for $499 or $599. For customers who have no interest in shooting aliens, though, Blu-ray just got far more affordable.

With the HD DVD alternative aside, why shell out $599 for a device that only plays Blu-Ray discs when you could get a Sony Playstation 3 with built in Blu-Ray that also plays games for $499? Many claim Sony's stand alone Blu-Ray units share comparable video playback quality to the PS3, and considering it's added features and lower price, the PS3 may still provide the best bang-for-buck ratio.