PS3 vs 360 (hopefully) Objective Review

[AceLuby]

Ok, so I wanted to post this because I feel that I now have an objective eye towards the whole PS3 vs 360 debate seeing as that I have both. I know this has been posted before, but I don't think any time it has been objectively. I also want to point out that I'm doing this from a user's standpoint and everything is my own personal opinion.

When I buy a next gen console I judge it on a few characteristics; game playing, other media, and price.

Game Playing

Ok, I'm hooking both systems up to an LCD via HDMI cables at 1080i. I have to say that both systems look great, controls are pretty much identical except PS3 has the sixAxis controls which don't really work that well. It is pretty unnecessary IMO and programming for them is weak at best. Sports games look and play better on the 360, but pretty much every other game I've played on both are as close to identical as two systems can get.

The thing that the 360 has right now is more games. Most importantly it has Halo 3, which is incredible. However, when looking at the best reviewed games for the 360 80% of the games were either racing games or FPS. Not a very wide variety IMO, but graphically they are all great, especially in HD. PS3's counter to this is Resistance, which is a good game, but due to lack of a good campaign and not a whole lot of maps, Halo 3 is much better. Not saying the game is bad, because it's a lot of fun, especially in 40 people deathmatches (unavailable in Halo).

Non-sports games that are on both systems feel and play pretty much the same. My main frame of reference is Oblivion. All things being equal it's hard to tell the difference, even side by side. 360 has the expansion pack, but other than that it's the same game and when we are playing the game we shouldn't care what system it's on, it should just be fun and both versions satisfy that.

The biggest thing for each is the exclusives and IMO, exclusivity is going to go down as time goes on. 360 will never let go of Halo, but IMO I think a lot of games that were once exclusive to one system will be on both. Main reason: they want to make as much $$$ as possible, so why not have it available to the maximum amount of players.

All in all, both systems are great for gaming, though XBOX has at least one must-have game (Halo), which is more than the PS3 can say. I say must have because I haven't seen a single game that is a 'wow' game that will sell the system like Halo. All the other games are good, but nothing that I'm going to wastea lot of hours on.

Other Media

In short PS3 has built in blue ray, the option to load linux, built in wi-fi, and has built in flash readers.

The 360 has an add on HD-DVD player, add on wi-fi, and has the ability to be part of a windows network.

In all honesty I haven't played around too much w/ the other media on either console, so I don't know the full capabilities, but I have to give this up to the PS3 because everything is included while M$ makes you pay extra for all of that. If this is at all important to you the cost of your system could go up dramatically.

Price

The price for both is pretty steep and IMHO, is pretty much the same for each system. If all you want to do is play games on it locally the 360 is the obvious choice. However, if what you want is an all encompassing entertainment console there are a lot of costs associated w/ the 360 as compared to the PS3. If you want everything for either system you are looking at spending close to $1k w/ a couple games and 4 controllers.

Overall

For all the fanboys of each system, and I'm not going to say I wasn't one at any point, they are pretty much the same. Both play games and both have very few games that are going to sell the system. However, if you're favorite games are FPS, racing games, or even sports the 360 is the obvious choice (which could be said about the original XBOX vs PS2). One turn off of the 360 is the problems w/ overheating that aren't associated w/ the PS3. This is a big deal to some as there are people out there on their 6, 7, even 8th 360.

All in all if I had to choose only one system now it would be the 360 because of Halo, but besides that I'd say the systems are pretty much equivalent. Now I know I'll be flamed from 360 and PS3 fanboys alike, but this is what I've found. In all reality, I'm fairly disappointed in the first 2 yrs of next gen systems.

[fiskebent]

Since you have both, what percentage of time do you play on each?

[Perplexity]

xbox rulez ps3 droolz

[Low Key]

I wonder why you didn't point out how the worst games on the Wii are more fun than the best games on either of those..

In all seriousness, does Halo 3 still have the same problem the first had, which was just a ton of repeated, never varied enemies that makes the game drag on? I mean, I loved getting some Xboxes and friends together to LAN it up, but trying to trudge thru the single player, even with 2 people, was just boring after a bit. "Kill this enemy, now kill this enemy.. in a new location!" OooOOooh... Wait, does the 3 in Halo 3 stand for how many different types of enemies there are? (hehehe)

[scotchnrocks]

I had a PS3 for a while and sold it for a 360.

PS3 is a very nice machine with all the built in features and a huge plus is the ability to freely upload and download music and saved games via USB while the 360 is all copyrighted up and a general PITA as far as moving data around. The PS3 also has user servicable hard drives so you don't have to pay $200 for 120gb's. And has free online service.

But we all know it's about the games. And we know who's winning that so I'll leave all that mess alone.

The PS3 is a better value than the 360 as far as features. A 360 specced out to compete with a PS3 would be a minimum of $650 plus $50 every year for online service. But the PS3 may never be able to overcome the significant jump the 360 has in available/quality games.

Low Key, how ignorant can your first statement be? The wii, although it has sold the most consoles, is dwarfed in game sales by the 360 and has a much lower attachment rate. You can always have your opinion but the numbers don't lie. The top 4 games for the wii combined could not outsell a single game for the 360 last month even though the wii has a larger base of console owners. How do you explain that?

[daaaaahawkz]

[ QUOTE ]
xbox rulez ps3 droolz

[/ QUOTE ]

you xbox tards really have no clue what you are talking about...how bout this for a staggering stat?

xbox360 failure rate 30 percent
ps3 failure rate .5 percent BOOYAKATCHA

[daaaaahawkz]

I CANT WAIT TILL 2008 PUTS ALL YOU X-TARDS DOWN FOR THE COUNT


FF13
GTA4
MGS4
GT5
RE5


GG SUCKAS

[toss]

I got my Xbox 360 elite today and wtfffffff there's no built in wifi? And furthermore, $94.99 for a wifi adapter?!?! I am pissed off!

[ddrstel]

Make sure you have enough money to buy a new house for each.

[Edge34]

[ QUOTE ]
I CANT WAIT TILL 2008 PUTS ALL YOU X-TARDS DOWN FOR THE COUNT


FF13
GTA4
MGS4
GT5
RE5


GG SUCKAS

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, aside from the fact that GTA4 would already be out if Rockstar wasn't trying to fix the PS3 version...and RE5 is coming out for 360 too....Final Fantasy isn't going to make PS3 automatically push more units than Xbox or Wii. Same for Metal Gear or Gran Turismo, they just aren't "franchise" games for the PS the way a game like Halo 3 can is for Xbox.

But, I guess I shouldn't expect a ton of thought from a guy who posts like you do....