With all the buzz around the new "slim" version of Sony's PlayStation 3, you'd think Sony had an exciting new product on its hands, rather than a slightly smaller, somewhat cheaper version of the existing PS3 (and without any significant new features, or even the return of PS2 backward-compatibility).
If, like us, you've become addicted to the high-definition joy of Blu-ray movies, but your gaming tastes run more toward World of Warcraft, Sims 3, or even Plants vs. Zombies, we suggest taking a look at one of these Blu-ray equipped laptops, such as the Sony Vaio NW160J, detailed below.
Sure, they're all vastly more expensive options than the PS3's newly discounted $299, and if you're shopping based on price, this entire concept may be thinner than the PS3 Slim itself. But, for the extra money, you get not only Blu-ray, but also a 15- or 17-inch high-definition display and a fully functioning high-end PC. (Note that we'd skip the Panasonic DMP-B15K portable Blu-ray player, despite its laptop-like clamshell design.)
With HDMI ports standard, it's easy to hook any of these up to a big-screen TV, and, unlike your PS3, Netflix on-demand and Hulu are no problem. Adventuresome types can even play with installing alternate operating systems--something now missing from the latest PlayStation firmware.