Sony has announced in August the availability of its Playstation 3 console with an 80GB hard disk drive. Though the company recently dropped the price on the 60GB console $100, the new 80GB device takes the high price point spot, at $100 premium for a 20GB upgrade. For the price, buyers also get the game Motorstorm, which was released in March and is currently among the top 5 highest rated games on the PS3, according to IGN.

So, now it seems as though the price cut on the 60GB model was simply a way of phasing out the system, as buyers who want the highest-end model will still be paying $600 for a PS3. Ironically, the new 80GB PS3 lacks onboard hardware for backwards compatibility with PS1 and PS2 titles. Like the UK version of the PS3, the new 80GB version relies on software emulation, and though we haven’t seen side-by-side comparisons, we’re betting that hardware compatibility is better than software.

For comparison’s sake, an Xbox 360 Elite, with the HD-DVD player, now costs $630 total, and for a time Microsoft is offering some free movies with the player. A Playstation 3, on the other hand, costs $600, and comes with a free game. If you need it, the PS3 also packs wireless internet, while an adapter for the Xbox 360 is more than $50. At this point, though, we still think the price differences are negligible. The console games war is won by the games, and for the near future, Microsoft has maintained their early advantage for this round.