Playstation 3 Versus Xbox 360

Both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have been out for awhile now, but which system is right for you? Some things to consider are the price, games, and the hardware.

The first big thing that will be looked at by everyone is the price tag. Sony's Playstation 3 comes with a hefty price tag of $599. This is the most expensive console currently on the market. Microsoft's Xbox 360 has three different prices. The Xbox 360 Core Console is $299, the next one is $399, and the Xbox 360 Elite is $479. Each of the three Xbox systems comes with different features.

The price is not the only difference. With online playability becoming increasingly popular, both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 connect to the Internet. Playstation 3 comes with both an Ethernet port and Bluetooth capabilities. Xbox 360 also has an Ethernet port and Wi-Fi capabilities. To use the 360 online features you need either an Xbox Live Silver subscription or an Xbox Live Gold subscription. The silver subscription is free of charge and the gold subscription is $7.99 per month. Playstation 3's online play is completely free of charge. Playstation 3 does not currently have a subscription plan. A broadband connection is required with both systems.

The game library for both systems should be something that is taken into consideration. Xbox 360 has been out for awhile now and has a bigger library of games than that of the Playstation 3. Xbox 360 has the latest Halo upcoming release. Halo is a good game if you like shooters. Playstation 3 has Final Fantasy 13 that will be released at the end of 2007 or beginning of 2008. Other games will end up on both systems, like Saints Row.

Upgrading the system is another difference. The Xbox 360 Elite comes with a 120 GB hard drive. The Playstation 3 comes with a 60 GB hard drive. The Xbox 360 hard drive is detachable and you cannot just go buy a regular hard drive to replace it. The Playstation 3 uses a SATA hard drive that can be purchased at most stores.

Playstation 3 uses a Blu-ray player. Blu-ray discs hold about 25 GB of information. The Xbox 360 uses a DVD player. A DVD holds about 8 GB of information. Blu-ray discs have more than three times the storage as a DVD. Obviously, a game that is made on a Blu-ray disc has the potential to be a more massive game.

Backwards capabilities are something both systems have. With Playstation 3, you have the ability to just pop in a Playstation 1 or Playstation 2 game in and start playing. Memory cards and the controllers for PS1 and PS2 cannot be used with the PS3. You can purchase an adapter to transfer your saved games from the memory cards to the hard drive of the Playstation 3. A drawback with the Xbox 360 is that not all the original Xbox games can be played by just popping them into the machine. A download is needed for some of the games before they can be played on the Xbox 360.

Both systems have a 3.2 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM. The Xbox 360 can support up to 4 controllers while the Playstation 3 can support up to 7. Xbox 360 has 3 USB ports and Playstation 3 has 4 USB ports. Both support high definition TVs. Playstation 3 also supports Memory Stick, SD standard and mini, and CompactFlash. Xbox 360 just uses Wi-Fi and not Bluetooth. Playstation 3 uses both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Playstation 3 supports 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, and 1080p. Xobx 360 supports 16:9, 720p, and 1080i.

Both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 have their positives and negatives. Either system is good to own. The big difference is what you want out of them, how much you want to pay, and what games you want to play. Those are all things that you need to take into consideration when choosing which system is right for you.