PS3 or Xbox 360? Help!!

[Smiffy]

Good people of SZ, please help me out of my quandry...

Now, I am not a massive gamer, hence my need to pose this question in the first place. But, I now found myself needing a games console to waste a few hours during the cold winter months etc. I also have a 4 year old lad, who I'm sure would like a serious gaming console to add to the Wii, we already own in the Smith residence.

So my question is simple. What shall I purchase. An Xbox 360 or an PS3?

I would like an unbiased view on the following please.

1. What are the graphics like PS3 vs Xbox?
2. What is the general gameplay like PS3 vs Xbox?
3. What console has the better games and range?
4. What console provides the best online environment for gameplay?
5. What console is better value for money overall?
6. What console would be better for a 4/5 year old lad?
7. Are there any common faults with either? If so, what?
8. Any other info you can provide, which will make my decision easier?

Thanks in advance for the help chaps.

Regards,
Smiffy.

 

[Bielzibubz]

Smiffy

As a 360 owner I'll try and make this as unbiased as I can

1. Graphics are, I believe, very much like for like, although I have heard that the PS3 has a better visual experience the higher the contrast ratio is on your tv.

2. I would imagine that the game play of virtually all the games is very much the same whichever console you choose as games developers know how important it is when developing for multi platform use. Also consider the controller ergonomics. Some prefer the 360, others the PS3 variation.

3. Until about six months ago I would have to say the 360 although this has changed recently with more and more games becoming available on the PS3.

4. Now this I would say is definitely where the 360 shines. Having had the console release date jump on Sony they have had many more months to refine it than Sony has theirs. The community is huge whichever game you play and the recent dashboard update and the upcoming one that allows you and up to eight friends to watch the same movie at the same time whilst also being able to chat to one another in the party system is quite a way ahead of anything Sony has to offer.

5. 360 Elite @ £199.00 is certainly cheaper than the PS3. Although I expect someone will trawl the net to prove be wrong.

6. For ease of navigation through the dashboard I would say the 360. It's intuitive and easy to pick up. I've played on the PS3 and found the menu system a bit finicky (is that even a word?)

7. The notorious red ring of death on the 360 has been solved with no known problems with the most recent consoles. The yellow light of death recently reported on the PS3 I believe is a problem that is effecting only a very small number of consoles and is covered by their warranty, I think.

8. Design wise the PS3 is head and shoulders above the 360's rather naff brick like dimensions. If you want something that fits in around with all your other black shiny gadgets on display at Smiffy Towers then it's the PS3. Mind you, black gloss acrylic paint did a nice job on my 360 and looks quite nifty even if I do say so myself ;)

Hope this helps

Phil

 

[EastStandBlue]

PS3. Blu-Ray.

There's really not a lot between the 2 systems, although the PS3 just about edges it with a slightly better processor. The 360 is cheaper, but the PS3 makes up for this in free "Live" gaming, the 360 is £40 a year I think? Over the next few years, experts say that HD-DVD will be obsolete and Blu-Ray will excell, especially when the price begins to drop.

 

[Bielzibubz]

ESB. The HD-DVD market is already dead. I have a Microsoft HD-DVD player and game wont even take it off my hands for gratis. Blue Ray is already the standard. Big PS3 advantage if you really must watch high def movies. Personally I'm happy with the standard definition but each to their own. Although saying that my 32" tv blew yesturday so I'm looking for a new one and a new 32" Samsung with a Blue Ray player free is currently £499.00 at Curry's and that looks tempting.

Sorry, highjacked lol

 

[Smiffy]

Thanks chaps, great reviews.

So Blu-Ray is definitely the future format for all films and games then?

 

[Bluesmanager]

Definately. No-one releases films to HD-DVD these days, it's all about standard DVD and Blu-Ray.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Thanks chaps, great reviews.

So Blu-Ray is definitely the future format for all films and games then?

Definitely... With the digital switch over looming, more and more people are taking the plunge and just upgrading straight to HD Ready TV's, especially with how cheap some are these days. When Blu-Ray players fall down in price, expect DVD's to become second to Blu-Ray's as well...

 

[Bielzibubz]

Thanks chaps, great reviews.

So Blu-Ray is definitely the future format for all films and games then?

Not for games no Smiffy. DVD's yes. There will always be a huge market for HD games discs and with the ability to cram ever more data onto one disc with new laser technology Blue ray will not dominate the gaming market. The reported next gen console from Microsoft is expected to be intially called the Xbox 720 with double the processing power of the 360 so I don't think Sony will have it all their own way as they did with the PS2.

 

[Bluesmanager]

Blu-Ray players can be found quite easily for £150 these days (though to be honest I never really got this "HD Ready" bollocks, why don't tthey just get a full HD TV already?)

Digital media and media storage products (like external hard drives for example) are getting cheaper to make by the day, and quicker too. Back in the days of VHS you had to put the film on the tape and then wind the tape onto the... tape thing (whatever the actual video thing was called). Not to mention that you had to clean the player and rewind the tape all the time. These days you can burn a film onto disk and have it playing in your player in an hour. And then you can play it again in seconds just by hitting the button on the menu.

 

[MK Shrimper]

I love playing Halo 3. Best. Game. Ever. :)

 

[Smiffy]

Just found a great deal on Amazon. £269.99 for PS3 Slim (250GB) Plus 3 games (Infamous, plus FIFA 10 x 2 so I can sell one on for around £30!) and HDMI cable. So in all the console, plus Infamous, FIFA 10 and HDMI cable for £239.99, when I sell the spare copy of FIFA!.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I love playing Halo 3. Best. Game. Ever. :)

Having had a 360 and PS3, I'd say that although the Halo 3 Storyline is great, Killzone 2 is much better gameplay.