According to many stories circulating on the Web, Sony doesn't even know what's in the new 40GB Playstation 3. We wrote before that SCEE smashed the rumor that the new 40GB will feature a new 65nm Cell processor.
Rumors started when it was discovered that the new 40GB PS3 consumes far less power than its predecessors. According to a post over IGN and an interview at Japan's Impress Watch, Sony Computer Entertainment's boss, Kaz Hirai, stated that the new model uses a 65nm Cell chip. However, the system's RSX graphics chip is still made in the 90nm manufacturing process.
It looks like lower power consumption reduction can be credited to the new 65nm Cell chip and not to some miraculous components used in the new model. The new 40GB PS3 lacks backward compatibility, comes with fewer USB ports and no memory card reader, but it's priced at just US$399.99.