It's almost November, and the 40GB Sony PlayStation 3 SKU is about to be released in US shores. Of course, aside from the obvious changes that we know the 40GB SKU will have (less USB ports, no backwards compatibility), we're also curious about the subtle physical differences the new PS3 SKU will have compared to the old one.

It's a good thing that Japanese gaming magazine and website Famitsu took the initiative and compared a 40GB PlayStation 3 unit and a 60GB SKU side-by-side. To make things easier, Famitsu used the new stark ceramic white PS3 40GB unit and compared it against a black 60GB console.

The pictures provided by Famitsu are pretty much self-descriptive: two USB terminals, less vent holes in the underside, the placement of the ports are slightly different. There's also the absence of the PS3's "Super Audio CD" logo from the 40GB.

It's better to check out the comparisons for yourself, so just click on the thumbnails for the larger pictures.