XBOX 360 vs. PS3

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I haven't been a hardcore gamer since the days of Genesis, as a kid, and while I've sparingly played the next few systems because of friends, I never really got into video games that much. Recently, I've discovered that owning a newer system might be a good way to kill boredom here and there. Keep in mind I'm not much of a tech nerd (I mean that in the nicest way possible) so I'm not going to be logging in crazy hours with this machine. However, I have been enjoying games more and more and figure it's worth the investment to buy a new system.

 

I generally play sports games and fighting games, like SF IV and the new UFC game look pretty sick, but am always open to trying out a new adventure title here or there. I probably won't play online that much, so that's not much of a factor either. Money isn't an option, I just want whichever one is better.

 

Help me out here smart marks.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

I'll just say since I have a 360, I'm biased towards it. The problem with fighting games on the 360 is that people complain about the D Pad. If you are really into fighting games, you'll need a joystick. Since you didn't say you liked FPS, I'll say there are a lot of them for the 360. I would say buy the 360 because I really can't name any game I would want for the PS3 except for Little Big Planet. Xbox Live is apparently better than the Playstation Network, so the 360 is better to play online with.

[dubq 0]

Neither is really "better" per se. There are pros and cons to both, of course, but they're pretty balanced.

 

I see those side-by-side videos comparing graphics and I can't tell the difference, to be honest.

 

That said, I'd go where the exclusives take you. For me it was easy - PS3 had Metal Gear 4 - sold! Also, another reason being that most of my gaming friends have PS3's and I wanted in on the same action.

 

Another huge pro for the PS3 camp for me was the entire no region lockout on PS3 games. I love importing so that also helped make the decision easier.

 

 

[Cartman 0]

I'm also biased towards PS3 because it's what I own...

 

That being said if you have an HDTV I would lean towards the PS3 since you can use it for Blu-Ray movies. Otherwise get the 360 since it's cheaper.

[dubq 0]

Good point Cartman. PS3 is the best for Blu, especially since any firmware updates get downloaded with the PS3 system update, so your player is always at peak performance in terms of Blu-ray technology.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

I'm also biased towards PS3 because it's what I own...

 

That being said if you have an HDTV I would lean towards the PS3 since you can use it for Blu-Ray movies. Otherwise get the 360 since it's cheaper.

 

 

I have both systems and I am not biased towards either one but I am sick and fucking tired of people saying that the 360 is cheaper.

 

60 gb Xbox 360 300 dollars

4 Years of Xbox Live Gold 200 dollars

Batterys/Battery Charger Pack 20 dollars

 

After taxes your Xbox 360 is going to cost you 550 dollars at least over the lifetime span of your system. The PS3 which you can buy on sale in some places for 330-350 (Dell.com just had on sale) at most 400 for the 80gb model. The 40gb model is $320 dollars. Plus you dont have to pay 200 dollars the next 4 years to play online, download games, download demos, download dlc, etc. You also do not have to pay to charge your controller, PS3 comes with a usb cord that you just plug your controller into the system to do it.

 

 

PS3 Exclusives

 

Wireless Controllers that you can charge via the system and not have to buy batteries/battery pack

Free Online

Blu Ray Player

Rachet and Clank

Uncharted Drakes Fortune

Uncharted 2 Coming out later this year

Killzone 2

Resistance 1

Resistance 2

Metal Gear Solid 4

Little Big Planet

MLB 09 The Show Coming out Later this Year (Best Baseball Franchise)

God of War 3 Coming out Later this Year

 

XBox 360 Exclusives

 

Gears of War 1

Gears of War 2

Fable 2

Halo 3

Mass Effect

Left 4 Dead

Fallout 3 DLC

GTA 4 DLC

 

All of the Xbox Games you can buy for the PC if your PC can handle the gaming.

 

I would go with the PS3

[Thoth 0]

I'm also biased towards PS3 because it's what I own...

 

That being said if you have an HDTV I would lean towards the PS3 since you can use it for Blu-Ray movies. Otherwise get the 360 since it's cheaper.

 

 

I have both systems and I am not biased towards either one but I am sick and fucking tired of people saying that the 360 is cheaper.

 

60 gb Xbox 360 300 dollars

4 Years of Xbox Live Gold 200 dollars

Batterys/Battery Charger Pack 20 dollars

 

After taxes your Xbox 360 is going to cost you 550 dollars at least over the lifetime span of your system. The PS3 which you can buy on sale in some places for 330-350 (Dell.com just had on sale) at most 400 for the 80gb model. The 40gb model is $320 dollars. Plus you dont have to pay 200 dollars the next 4 years to play online, download games, download demos, download dlc, etc. You also do not have to pay to charge your controller, PS3 comes with a usb cord that you just plug your controller into the system to do it.

 

 

PS3 Exclusives

 

Wireless Controllers that you can charge via the system and not have to buy batteries/battery pack

Free Online

Blu Ray Player

Rachet and Clank

Uncharted Drakes Fortune

Uncharted 2 Coming out later this year

Killzone 2

Resistance 1

Resistance 2

Metal Gear Solid 4

Little Big Planet

MLB 09 The Show Coming out Later this Year (Best Baseball Franchise)

God of War 3 Coming out Later this Year

 

XBox 360 Exclusives

 

Gears of War 1

Gears of War 2

Fable 2

Halo 3

Mass Effect

Left 4 Dead

Fallout 3 DLC

GTA 4 DLC

 

All of the Xbox Games you can buy for the PC if your PC can handle the gaming.

 

I would go with the PS3

 

You forgot the following 360 exclusives:

 

Lost Odyssey

Bomberman Live

Geometry Wars

Castle Crashers

Scene It

Beautiful Katamari

Battle Fantasia

Dead Rising

Ikaruga

 

You forgot the following PS3 exclusives:

 

Heavy Rain

Disgaea 3

Cross Edge

SOCOM

Warhawk

Final Fantasy Versus 13

 

Also, 4 years of Xbox Live gold isn't 200, I pay about $30 a year for mine.

 

And the PS3 doesn't include Hi Def cables in the box. That's right. NO High Def cables in the box. Sony charges I think, $40-50 for their cable. Or you can buy an HDMI cable. But the point is, NOT IN THE BOX.

 

Also, you will pay a shitload for the larger hard drive you'll have to buy thanks to all the mandatory installations all the games have. (Unless you get the 160 GB one, which I guess is big enough. I could see 80 GB getting filled, though)

 

I'd also make sure that when you buy additional PS3 controllers, they come with the USB cable you need to hook them up to the PS3.

[Cartman 0]

I hate the 360 is cheaper argument too...when it comes to hardcore games and people that are going to take full advantage of the system. For someone who is just a casual gamer and wont use it alot it's cheaper to get the barebones crap 360. PS3 gets more bang for the buck though.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

You should also look at a systems failure rate. Everyone I know with a 360 has had to send theirs back to Microsoft at least once. I'm also the first one I know of my friends to have their PS3 shit the bed (Blu Ray drive died). It took about a week from dying, to fixed console.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

If the Wii was more then a gimmick, I'd just say neither 360 nor the PS3.

 

That's not to say I don't love my 360. I sold my Wii off, so that says something, but there's no real variety to the 360, and looking at the PS3 it's the same issue. The days of a developer going out there with a shoe string budget and really creating something special are gone. Gaming is like the movie industry now. Occasionally something "new" comes out, but it's very much just continual rehashes of the same gameplay ideas and formulas or storyline elements.

 

Shooters are the big thing for both systems. And you'll notice, a large majority of the exclusives mentioned in this thread are shooters. Or some variation (like third person, still makes it a shooter). That's the big thing now. A high quality, big budget, testosterone driven shooting game. The main fundamental reason for that is because the PC industry merged into the mainstream gaming industry and brought along its most popular type of games. Sadly, they left the PC RPG industry in the back burner. We won't be seeing anything the level of stuff like "Planescape Torment" on the 360 or PS3. Or really any form of PC game innovation beyond "Shoot everything".

 

Let’s look at my limited, but lovingly crafted 360 library shall we?

 

Halo 3 - Shooter, sequel

Skate - Original control schemed skateboarding game

Skate 2 - its sequel.

Fallout 3 - Sequel to a PC franchise

Call of Duty - Shooter series (had two of them, sold one)

GTA 4 - Sandbox shooting sequel

Smackdown 2009 - Sequel

Marvel Ultimate Alliance - Sequel

Oblivion - Sequel

NCAA - Sequel

 

These are just the games I've acquired or purchased over the span of my 360. Had others, but this is what I got right now. Virtually every single game I personally own right now is either a sequel or a shooter base. The only game that isn't, Skate, got a sequel.

 

Innovation in this generation is virtually gone. Sure, there are titles out there every so often. But they don't become hits really. And if they do, they're sure to produce sequels to grab more money.

 

Let’s look at my favorite 360 game. Mass Effect. It's an RPG! A third person shooting RPG filled with testosterone and honestly not much in the way of subtlety. There are no real layers to anyone beyond your decision to encourage or discourage their thought patterns. The games touted "game changing decisions" are few and far between, nor are they that severe. Supposedly you're supposed to wait for the, yes, sequel to see the fruits of your choices.

 

Mass Effect is like...beginning PC RPG's for the console people. There's far more complexity and depth to many PC RPGs, many made by Bioware. Doesn't make it a bad game. Just means it's broken literally no new ground whatsoever. But it comes off as such because it's new for consoles. This has been the same thing for many games over the last few years, like Halo. Wasn't revolutionary unless you consider a PC shooter on a console revolutionary. It had been already done for years on PCs. Better even.

 

On the flipside, the PS3 and 360 have more uses then gaming, which is really what I use my 360 for, more often then not. I believe both are capable of streaming from your PC to the system. This is easily the best feature you have to enable yourself. Watching TV shows, movies, events, what have you without any of the hassle just by simply downloading them and streaming to the 360 is a joy. PS3 has Blu-ray, but that would probably only matter if you have a TV that can watch it.

 

As for 360 failures, they are a problem. However, Microsoft does not charge you a single cent to fix the Red Ring of Death, should you get it. So there's no point in worrying about it. It'll never cost you a dime.

 

My advice would be to get a 360 since it's the #1 system, but don't go into it thinking you'll relive the glory days, because you won't. Because that era of gaming is dead.

[Perfxion 0]

Comes down to these points:

 

1: If you want a blu-ray player as well, get the PS3 since it comes with it.

 

2: If you want a larger game collection, get the 360 since it is older with way more titles for a total price of about 150 less than the PS3 after extras.

 

3: If you want Rock Band/Guitar Hero/Madden/GTA it doesn't matter.

[Broward83 0]

IF you want a blu ray player just get a fucking blu ray player. Seriously, if one of your choices is "oh, its a blu-ray player" and you don't own an HDTV or are just cheap, then yeah..get a PS3. I'm tired of people going "OOH! Look, it plays Blu-Ray movies..." but not know more than one or two core PSX franchises. Add to the fact that of the people / customers I know of that have had to send their systems in, Sony's voided their warnaty due to "over use" and "heavy wear and tear".

 

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I have both and I never use the PS3. I use the shit out of the 360 though. I fucking love that console.

[Guest Smues]

I have both and I never use the PS3. I use the shit out of the 360 though. I fucking love that console.

 

Ditto this. I've had the PS3 for over a year and a half and only ever use it to play PS2 games or stream PS1 games to my PSP. And even that's rare these days.

[NoCalMike 0]

I think the PS3 exclusives are very underrated. Also, for me personally I don't hang on to many games once I beat them, merely because with a $60 price tag, I am usually trading in a game when I get a new one to knock off the price.

 

Speaking of which I need to get off my ass(or on technically) and beat Resistance 2 so I can use it to trade for Killzone 2,(which will eventually be traded for Resident Evil 5)

[Guest Vitamin X]

I have a 360, and since I only buy one system per generation, I've stuck with it since it's the one I've loved playing on the most. The PS3 is always missing out on the good games it seems like, and while Live costs $50 a year or whatever, you can get Netflix streamed to it instantly and that makes both subscriptions worth it alone. 360 has the better arcade options which, even if you're not all that into it right now, you will be after you check that out. Blu-Ray is pointless. I have a few games and I can tell you that the 360 is indeed cheaper. How could you compare the cost of a $300 system to a $600 one and then construct a fallable argument that the $300 one is technically cheaper than the other? Shut the fuck up. Learn basic math.

 

The PS3 is essentially the Gamecube of this generation. There's some third party crossover, and they have a couple of cool titles, but they got into the game way too late to make much of a splash, and it's largely pointless. With the standard 360 coming with a larger hard drive now, it should be better- plus, load times and general usability is a hell of a lot nicer on the 360. I don't think I've ever seen a reason outside of Little Big Planet to get a PS3, and maybe Blu-Ray if I gave a shit about marginally improved video quality and more expensive DVDs.

 

Get the 360.

[Cartman 0]

Marginally improved? LOL.

 

Bluray also incredibly improves audio too.

 

Oh and you really love MLB games the PS3 is the way to go. MLB: The Show '08 was the best baseball game ever made...Yes better than MVP 2005. The Show '09 is out in a couple weeks as well.

[Perfxion 0]

I own a PS3, I love it. The point about Blu Ray is that people getting an HDTV and want the next gen DVD player, can get a PS3 to get both options out the box. Most people who hate blu ray players do not have it or HDTV for that matter. Nobody who has a 1080i or 1080p HDTV who has seen Planet Earth can say a blu ray play does "marginal improvements".

 

As for price: I am skipping games because they are about the same price for each system.

PS3 with 80 gig hard drive - 400

OR

PS3 with 160 gig hard drive - 500

Extra wireless Controller- 50

Extra USB wire to charge said controller- 20

Component wire set - 30 dollars

OR

HDMI cable - 60 to 120 dollars

 

Total Price just to get started for 2 players: 500 to 690 dollars.

 

 

[Dobbs 3K 0]

If you have an HDTV and a decent surround sound receiver, the video and audio Blu Ray can give you is pretty outstanding. Also, the PS3 will upconvert your DVD movies to HD resolution, so that's a bonus, too. Though I have read some people being dissatisfied with the level of DVD performance on the PS3. I dunno, though...I think they look pretty good.

[dubq 0]

I have a 360, and since I only buy one system per generation, I've stuck with it since it's the one I've loved playing on the most. The PS3 is always missing out on the good games it seems like, and while Live costs $50 a year or whatever, you can get Netflix streamed to it instantly and that makes both subscriptions worth it alone. 360 has the better arcade options which, even if you're not all that into it right now, you will be after you check that out. Blu-Ray is pointless. I have a few games and I can tell you that the 360 is indeed cheaper. How could you compare the cost of a $300 system to a $600 one and then construct a fallable argument that the $300 one is technically cheaper than the other? Shut the fuck up. Learn basic math.

 

The PS3 is essentially the Gamecube of this generation. There's some third party crossover, and they have a couple of cool titles, but they got into the game way too late to make much of a splash, and it's largely pointless. With the standard 360 coming with a larger hard drive now, it should be better- plus, load times and general usability is a hell of a lot nicer on the 360. I don't think I've ever seen a reason outside of Little Big Planet to get a PS3, and maybe Blu-Ray if I gave a shit about marginally improved video quality and more expensive DVDs.

 

Get the 360.

 

Wow, okay I'll give you the expensive point (though they've been coming down in price lately) but seriously? Marginally improved? Pointless? That's hyperbole if I've ever seen it. Obviously you've not experienced Blu-ray properly, or at all.

 

Let's all take our heads our of our asses for this thread, ok? I don't think YPOV intended to start another stupid console war thread with his question.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

I have a 360, and since I only buy one system per generation, I've stuck with it since it's the one I've loved playing on the most. The PS3 is always missing out on the good games it seems like, and while Live costs $50 a year or whatever, you can get Netflix streamed to it instantly and that makes both subscriptions worth it alone. 360 has the better arcade options which, even if you're not all that into it right now, you will be after you check that out. Blu-Ray is pointless. I have a few games and I can tell you that the 360 is indeed cheaper. How could you compare the cost of a $300 system to a $600 one and then construct a fallable argument that the $300 one is technically cheaper than the other? Shut the fuck up. Learn basic math.

 

The PS3 is essentially the Gamecube of this generation. There's some third party crossover, and they have a couple of cool titles, but they got into the game way too late to make much of a splash, and it's largely pointless. With the standard 360 coming with a larger hard drive now, it should be better- plus, load times and general usability is a hell of a lot nicer on the 360. I don't think I've ever seen a reason outside of Little Big Planet to get a PS3, and maybe Blu-Ray if I gave a shit about marginally improved video quality and more expensive DVDs.

 

Get the 360.

 

Wow, okay I'll give you the expensive point (though they've been coming down in price lately) but seriously? Marginally improved? Pointless? That's hyperbole if I've ever seen it. Obviously you've not experienced Blu-ray properly, or at all.

 

Let's all take our heads our of our asses for this thread, ok? I don't think YPOV intended to start another stupid console war thread with his question.

 

You are absolutely right YPOV not wanting this to be a pissing contest for which console is better. I do think it's funny that someone mentions a pro of the 360 is Netflix which you have to pay for extra. Why cant a PS3 owner get Netflix as well (cant stream it) but you can get it for 14 a month and watch Blu Ray movies. I am also getting even more sick of this 360 is cheaper argument. It is not in the long run. I had to pay almost $400 dollars on my 360 plus extra (battery pack, one year of live, etc) just to get it to match the PS3 out of the box.

 

 

How is the PS3 missing out on all of the good games but the 360 isn't? Each console is missing out on a ton of great games, that is why I own both. I'll give Microsoft credit to them marketing the 360 as being cheaper (really isn't), getting exclusive DLC for AAA titles over Sony and a partnership with Netflix

[Broward83 0]

All I'm gonna say on the matter is that in the year plus I've worked at Gamestop, I've received more 360s in shipment and have sold more 360's than the ps3*.

 

Bitching about the price of Live is pointless when you realize that your Gold subscription gets you demos / bonuses before others and that by virtue of paying for the service, Microsoft is kept on their toes to continue to deliver a high quality online gaming experience.

 

The price of batteries or the price of a charge and play kit isn't that big of a deal, especially on the latter's end. Twenty bucks for a battery and cable as compared to the 10+ for having to go and search for a stupid USB A to Mini B cord.

 

And as far as everything else? If I wanted something that would let me surf the net, play a small handful of "exclusive" titles and match the heat output of a nuclear reactor, I'd simply get a laptop.

 

 

 

*In that same time span, the Wii has outsold both combined. This includes all iterations of the 360 and ps3...and if you want to chime in with which is more expensive for start up, I'd have to go with the Wii.

[mfn 0]

I sold my PS3. I've never really liked Sony and the only reason I owned the PS2 was for the GTA series. I'm all about the 360.... Halo.. GTA... that's all I need.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

This all really comes down to personal opinions and likes/dislikes. I was a Sony guy for PSOne and PS2...like a hardcore Sony guy. Like one of those people who would badmouth XBox for no reason other than I had a PS2. Then I got an XBox with a bunch of gift certificates after a Christmas just so I could play the first Buffy game. Ever since I turned that console on I just never looked back on the other systems. I find it hard to play with a different controller at thit point, and I love Live so much that I would have sex with it if it were an actual object.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Okay wow, thanks for the comments guys. Lots of good info here. It will take me awhile to go through it.

 

As far as HDMI cables are concerned, I heard that they're actually not that different from regular cables but cost an assload more. Can anybody confirm?

 

Okay, this might sound like a stupid question, but I've heard that there are add-ons for your xbox to help it play Blu-ray? This sounds absurd to me but that's what someone told me before. I Haven't been able to find anything about that since then, although maybe they were just talking about hdmi capabilities? I'm not so sure.

[dubq 0]

As far as HDMI cables are concerned, I heard that they're actually not that different from regular cables but cost an assload more. Can anybody confirm?

 

Honestly, they're all the same. You're just paying for the brand. I've had a Monster set $125 and an Xtreme HD set from the Apple store $29 and they both produced the same picture.

[Cartman 0]

...and you can get good quality HDMI cables from monoprice for 5-15 bucks.

[ZGangsta 0]

Okay, this might sound like a stupid question, but I've heard that there are add-ons for your xbox to help it play Blu-ray? This sounds absurd to me but that's what someone told me before. I Haven't been able to find anything about that since then, although maybe they were just talking about hdmi capabilities? I'm not so sure.

No, that's wrong. There's no way to play Blu-Rays on a 360. There WAS an HD-DVD add on, but that got discontinued when the format died.

 

If you have an HDTV, I'd definitely go with the PS3 since the Blu-Ray playback functionality makes the PS3 worth it. And yes, I'd say there are a higher number of good to great games on the 360, but unless you're a lifeless loser 'hardcore gamer,' there are enough great games on the PS3 to fill your gaming time.

[Guest Smues]

I'd just like to throw in that I've bought some Blueray movies, but I rarely ever watch them. And I'm glad people reminded me in this thread that the PS3 doesn't come with ANY HD cables. I had forgotten, and had recently been searching my house for my PS3 component cables, only to be reminded I never had any, because SONY IS A BUNCH OF FUCKING CHEAP ASSES. Seriously, at the time I bought my PS3 it was the most expensive model, and they couldn't throw in some god damned component cables? Microsoft includes the cables and its system doesn't come with Blueray. I knew I was forgetting one of my reasons for hating on the PS3.

 

 

[dubq 0]

If they'd done that then they'd have another group (larger at the time, too) of people complaining that they included component cables instead of composite cables.