PS3: What it does

Features
By published

And why you want it. We tell all

The basics

The PlayStation 3 will be in your hands later this year. It'll be an incredibly powerful console - more than likely the best of the generation. It'll offer exciting new capabilities to developers, which will translate into excellent new games for you to play. But what will make the system really special? What'll make it tick? We've got all the information you need on the latest and greatest in Sony's impressive arsenal. So hold tight and prepare for the future.

The PS3 will be a beast. Its graphics chip alone is on par with PC hardware that costs as much as an entire Xbox 360; its processor is bleeding edge tech. Sony's new disc format, Blu-ray, allows for a vast improvement in storage over the PS2's DVD-ROM discs. It also opens up the possibility of the PS3 to play brand new, high definition Blu-ray movies, which will start hitting U.S. stores on May 23.

Of course, the PlayStation 3 will feature integrated ability for online gaming, both plug in (Ethernet) and Wi-Fi. It will also be backwards compatible with PlayStation 1 and 2 games. Its Wi-Fi capacity will also allow it to communicate with the PSP.

Click ahead, and we'll give you a deeper look into its features and, better yet, explain exactly why you should care.