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 impꦡr🥂essive 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 stor🌞age over the PS2's DVD-ROM discs. It also opens up the possibility of the PS3 to play b𓂃rand new, high definition Blu-ray movies, which will start hitting U.S. stores on May 23.

Above: The PlayStation 3 hardware is the platform of choice for the incredible stealthaction of Metal Gear Solid 4.

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 exact✤ly why you sh💫ould care.