The 60GB PlayStation 3 has been discontinued. The current PS3 is the 80GB model.

Read our review of the new PlayStation 3 80GB

Or read our review of the old 60GB version...

The PlayStation 3 has been around in the US and Japan for a few months now. But midnight heralded its long-awaited arrival on UK stores - and by all accounts you won't have any trouble finding one either .

Geared for high-definition playback of games, movies and photos, the system is better described as an entertainment hub than a mere games console. It's a system designed to sit at the heart of your digital world, with internet connectivity and Blu-ray playback making up a significant proportion of the services it offers.

Physically, the PS3 is only slightly bigger than an Xbox 360, but as the power transformer is built into the main chassis, it's smaller than Microsoft's console overall. However, at 5kg, you'll struggle to hold the PS3 in one hand, and its sleek black finish seems intentionally designed to collect fingerprints. The stark difference between the two designs stretches to the menus, with Sony opting for moody blacks instead of a brightly coloured interface.

This is the 'premium' configuration of the console, which is set to cost £425. This version includes a 60GB Serial ATA 2.5in hard drive, Wi-Fi connectivity and multiple flash memory card readers (a pared-down 20GB model will also sell). Unlike the Xbox 360's expensive and undersized 20GB hard drive, this unit is a standard notebook HDD, meaning you can easily replace it and double that storage space to 120GB for around £60.

The PlayStation 3 is packed to the brim with advanced technology. The custom-built 'Cell' processor can deliver up to 1080p resolution images, while the Blu-ray format provides ample storage space for high definition games and movies.

While the console may seem expensive when compared with its competitors, it offers much more out of the box. Judged on features alone, a premium Xbox 360 with wireless adaptor and HD-DVD drive is more expensive than a PS3, and even then Microsoft's console still lacks multimedia card support and a large hard drive.