As the PS3 officially comes to retirement, this latest update proves one thing very clearly, in console terms: life begins at seven. Buy one now, and we're pretty sure you'll still be having fun with it in three years' time. And so doing will also mean you'll miss the expensive bun-fight likely when the new console launches. But don't tell Sony we said that.

Beim neuen PS3-Modell CECH-4004C hat Sony offensichtlich kräftig an der Kostenschraube gedreht - insbesondere der Deckel wirkt billig. Angenehm ist der niedrigere Stromverbrauch, nervig hingegen das laute Betriebsgeräusch. ...

At the end of the day, the PlayStation 3 Super Slim remains a cosmetic redesign of what's essentially seven-year-old hardware. If the lack of innovation or any kind of hardware optimisation wasn't bad enough, the very obvious instances of cost cutting are made worse by the fact that the benefit hasn't been transferred to the end user at all.

New, slimmer PS3 feels less special, but it's still a multi-talented media hub

The Super Slim it seems is Sony’s way of signing off the current console in the hope that it can shift a few more units before the rumoured PS4 arrives, but there's simply not enough to convince us that the third PS3 console is a more attractive purchase than the PS3 Slim.

It’s a shame there are a couple of little flaws, but the PS3 remains a supreme all-purpose console and it’s now slimmer and lighter than ever.

But who's this super-slim PS3 really for? We can only recommend it warmly to those who don't already have an older model. It's not quite the price drop many were expecting, but it's still a fantastic package for the money. If you've already got a PS3 Slim, though, you've got very little to gain here but reclaiming some space under the TV.