Buyers Guide for the Best Gaming Systems: Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3

Technology is rampant in the gaming community, but there are three consoles I will discuss here in order to help you decide on the best gaming system out there. Consider this your buyers guide to gaming systems. The three most popular gaming as we know it are the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3. Most people stick with the gaming system brand they have been playing for years. For example, if you started with the original Playstation in 1994 then you most likely purchased the Playstation 2 and now have or thinking about purchasing the Playstation 3. Before you do you should consider all the gaming system, because of the difference in technology between all of them.

I have had the opportunity of owning and playing all three gaming consoles; therefore I can give an honest opinion of each and their pros and cons. The Nintendo Wii is one of the most popular family oriented gaming systems around. With Nintendo Wii's motion sensor controls the whole family can get in on a game of tennis or create a bowling league. Nintendo Wii is not only fun for the family, but it also has some of the best children's games out there. In other words, in my opinion if your going to by a gaming console solely for the purpose of allowing your children to play games, then Nintendo Wii is the way to go. It is easy for children to pick up the motion sensor remote control and play away without trying to figure out a bunch of button combinations to use.

With every gaming system there are pro's and con's that come with them. Unfortunately, the Nintendo Wii literally has as much flash memory as a memory stick (512 MB Flash Memory). With only 512 MB Flash Memory it is virtually impossible to safe any game data to your console. However, Nintendo Wii makers created an SD memory card bay. The SD memory card is no different than the one you use in your digital camera. The only problem that you may come across is the price of purchasing one with enough memory you wish to have for the gaming console.

Remember what I said previously, this is a great gaming system for kids. The one thing I do not like about the Nintendo Wii is the low level of graphics unlike its competitors Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Even the adult games have very low-level graphics that are definitely not jaw dropping. In other words, don't expect to see graphics in high definition or with realistic environments as its competitors.

Even though there is no memory and graphics that don't add up to the competitors it is still a great family gaming console and has many pros. First, the price of the Nintendo Wii is probably the best part. On average it only costs $249.00 to purchase. Now this was a great deal a year ago, but now Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 are nearing in to the same price range creating much more competition for Nintendo Wii. Not only is the cost low but also the system when purchased contains a pack-in game. This reminds me of when Nintendo first came out and in the box was the game Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt. As I said previously the Nintendo Wii unlike the other gaming systems is easy to play with the motion sensor controls, but this is one of the first of its kind that you can run, dodge, punch, workout, swing, and throw within games without pushing a combination of buttons on a traditional controller. Lastly, like the other two competing consoles that I am going to speak about, the Nintendo Wii is also Internet capable on either a LAN connection or via wireless connection, which allows the gamer to download games or keep the system up-to-date. Now let's compare this system with the Xbox 360 gaming system.

If you are more of a heavy gamer then it is debatable which system to choose is the better one: Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. The biggest advantage of the Xbox 360 in recent history was the unbeatable price of the Xbox 360 compared to the Playstation 3. The Xbox 360 runs on average $299.00. However, recently Playstation 3 has become more competitive and is now selling their gaming console for $299.00 and with more hard drive space.

The graphics on the Xbox 360 are much better than the Nintendo Wii and definitely more realistic and comparable to reality itself. However, it is still unclear which gaming system has better graphics between the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Those that are and have been faithful to both systems throughout time will definitely argue the difference.

Another pro to owning the Xbox 360 is the incredible selection of games to choose from. Due to the fact that Xbox 360 came out before the Playstation 3 there are more games to play and a majority of the newer games released come out on Xbox 360 before they hit the Playstation 3 market. This can be annoying for those die hard Playstation 3 gamers.

One of the most popular reasons people purchase the Xbox 360 is for the Xbox live that you can sign up for and in turn download games and movies to watch on the Xbox. In addition, you can game online against multiple other people out there on the World Wide Web. Like the Nintendo Wii with every game system comes the negative as well.

The biggest problems in my opinion with the Xbox 360 is the noise of the gaming console and the incredibly bulking and heavy power source that takes away from the Xbox 360's smooth look. Once you put the disc in the gaming console you can hear the loud swirling noise. This is especially annoying if trying to watch a movie. The only way to troubleshoot this issue is by turning up your television to overpower the sound. Second, the power source as said previously is a site that detracts from the gaming console itself and is heavy. This can cause many problems, as you have to be careful where you place your console as not to create a fire hazard from the system overheating. Now for what is in my opinion the best gaming system that is currently available to consumers: Playstation 3.

I honestly have to say that the Playstation 3 is among the best in technology. It has capabilities that none of the other consoles have. Plus the graphics in my opinion are far above in comparison to the other consoles. The high definition ability and realistic environments in the games are incredible. As I said previously I have owned and played all three systems so my opinions are as unbiased as they can get. I believe the biggest pro to the Playstation 3 is definitely the gaming graphics it provides to its users.

Another really important fact that puts the Playstation 3 above any of its competitors is the fact that it comes with a built in Blue-Ray package. The Xbox 360 also has this capability but you have to purchase that specific bundle, which can cost you an additional $199.00. Some may purchase the Playstation 3 for this specific purpose. I assure you it is not just a cheap way of owning a Blue-Ray player. It does so much more than play Blue-Ray movies. You can also play normal DVDs if you choose. In fact, I have completely rid of my DVD player, as it is no longer needed.

In addition, the Playstation 3 comes with a motion sensor controller, much like the Nintendo Wii. However, the Playstation 3 controller is not as advanced as the Nintendo Wii controllers.

On top of the fact that you can watch regular DVDs, Blue-Rays, and play some of the best and high quality graphics games the system itself has a very sleek black technological look to it that no other system has. Let's not forget that the memory in this thing now goes up to 120 GB. No other system contains this much memory. Heck there aren't many computers for this price that have this much memory.

I can go on and on about how technologically advanced the Playstation 3 gaming system is, but I have to mention one more thing. The Playstation 3 does everything all the other gaming systems are capable of doing to include the Blue Tooth capability that the system provides. I can't forget how everything with the system and on the screen can be customized to the gamers liking. Once again though everything great in life has to have its quirks about it.

The biggest problem that the Playstation 3 has run into in the past was the incredibly high price to purchase this system. The system went onto the market at around $699.00. However, I have great news. The system is now selling for around $299.00 and is in the same range as all the other gaming systems, but with much better quality for the price.

The Playstation 3 system is also known to be quite heavy compared to other gaming consoles. It weighs somewhere around 11 pounds and can be burdensome due its size. I created a shelving system near my entertainment area and put it on a shelf to itself. Another problem with the system is that it can get pretty warm and possibly overheat if you let it run 24/7. They have created a cooling rack for the Playstation 3 that I believe is a must if you purchase this gaming system in order to preserve your system. You can purchase this at any retail store that sells the Playstation 3.

Lastly, the Playstation 3 is known for its high priced video games and hard programming if you are new to the world of Playstation 3. Games normally run $59.99. However, I have learned a way to save so much money on games and still play the ones I love. It is called a membership at GameStop and purchasing pre-used games and then turning them in when you're done as a trade-in for store credit. Usually I spend nothing on games with the discount provided. Furthermore, the Playstation 3, if new to it, can be quite a hassle when it comes to programming. When you first turn on your system you will see a ton of categories and programming options for your system. My best advice would be to grab the instructions out of the box and follow them to the T. If you do that you won't have any issues at all. Like any piece of technology there is always programming involved to get it to the way you want it.

I am a true gamer and love to relax and play a game at the end of the day or on the weekend. I truly hope that you too have a wonderful time gaming and wish you the best of luck on deciding which gaming system you desire. In my personal opinion the type of system you choose should be based solely on you and your family's desires in the way of what you wish to do with the system. Lastly, if you want to go for the product that provides more for your money I highly suggest the Playstation 3 with its new unbeatable price of $299.00.