Having owned a PS3 and an Xbox 360, I can say without bias that both are great systems and we should all be excited at the competition for this generation of video game consoles.
All PS3 models can connect to the internet for online gaming, shopping, web-browsing, and even medical research for Stanford when you aren't playing. It is nice that the PS3's user-base tends to be older and it doesn't come with a headset, so you don't get much of the 9-year-olds running around screaming during games. And the PS3 has better sound features and hard drive space than the entry level xbox 360.
Another huge feature is that the PS3 plays hi-definition movies on a format called blu-ray. I just purchased an HDTV and the picture of Blu-Ray movies is 3D-like and incredible. Games are also played on Blu-Ray discs and several games have already maxed out on Blu_Ray's massive storage capacity. In other words, as HDTV's become more popular, this format will likely become the medium that people watch new movies on. The games on PS3 in the very near future will not fit on the DVD discs that the xbox uses. Another great thing is that the PS3 upscales regular DVD's, which means all DVD's, despite their age, look OUTSTANDING on my television.
The Bad: But the 40gb PS3 doesn't get everything right. While the 40gb model plays 100% of PS1 games it can NOT play PS2 games like other models can. But after playing recent PS3 games like Call of Duty 4, I realized I don't want to play my old PS2 games anymore, since they just can't compare to this experience.
Second, it doesn't let you keep your music playing once you launch a program, enter the store, or go to a settings menu. And you can't message friends in a game like the 360 can. What's more, Sony's store has a hideous interface (especially on Standard Definition TVs), is clumsy, and needs a serious redesign. The good news is that, it's not nearly as bad as everyone claims and it should get an overhaul this holiday season once Sony launches a new interface. Also, unlike Xbox, the service is free, which is awesome and has caused me to buy several great inexpensive games from the PS store.
Another issue is that the PS3 uses new Cell processor technology so developers have to invest a lot of time to learn how to use the PS3. This has meant that the games for both the 360 and PS3 have tended to look much better on the 360 with the PS3 versions being half-hearted ports. However, developers like Midway, Capcom, and many more are starting to realize this problem, get the hang of things, and prioritize PS3 development first. So recent PS3 games like Uncharted: Drake's Fortune are looking spectacular.
And finally, this model only has two USB ports and they don't include an HDMI cord OR component cables in the PS3 box. So you HAVE to buy one of them separately otherwise the picture will look terrible on an HD or digital TV. They also don't include an ethernet cable, which was a surprise.
The Verdict: This generation of game consoles is a win-win and I was on the fence for a year before getting and then returning my xbox for a PS3. The main factors for me were quality assurance, longevity, and value. The PS3 simply feels like it is a more sleek higher end unit. It has never frozen on me like my 360, and has a 1% failure rate as opposed to the 33% failure rate for the 360. Further, the PS3 is projected by many financial analysts as lasting for a long time. The xbox 360 might be outdated by late 2009, but the PS3 has a ton of untapped potential.
Several recent exclusive games like Lair, Heavenly Sword, and Ratchet and Clank have looked incredible despite the product being less than a year old. And in my opinion, they look better and have more characters and action on screen than any game I've ever played on another console. And finally, feature for feature, the PS3 is a way better deal than the xbox 360. You get a Hi-Def player, wireless capability, an optional use as a home computer, a web browser, media center, cutting-edge video game machine, and 5 free blu-ray movies if you fill out the rebate form before the January deadline.
In addition, the VARIETY of games on PS3 is astounding. There are Playstation Eye Camera games that let your body movements interact with the game, Sixaxis controller games that focus on tilting your hands to steer, the whole gamut of traditional game types, arcade games you can download from the Playstation store, and revolutionary games like Echochrome, Little Big Planet, and the Home social network. There is something for everyone which I feel is a balance that isn't struck as well with the PS3's competitors.
While both the 360 and PS3 are great systems, the PS3 definitely is a better long-term investment because it can do so much more than just play video games and will only get better with each firmware update. To put it in two words, the PS3 really is "future proof."
Sony Playstation 3 40GB
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