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360 vs PS3: It’s all about the games, or is it?

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Sergio Lugo II   |   Google+   |   Comments

Now that the two true gaming consoles are at identical prices ($299), many analyst are saying that the playing feild is now level and the winner will be decided by game quality.  While that may seem true up front, when the actual numbers are crunched I think a different story will be told.  Let’s look at a break down of each system.

PS3 Slim
ps3-slimRetail Price: $299
HDD Space: 120GB
Cost To Upgrade HDD: (Varies By Drive Price)
Wireless Adapter: $0
Extra Controller: $55
Rechargeable Battery: $0
Drive Type: Blu-ray
Online Play: $0
HDMI Cable: $10-$70 (uses any HDMI cable and supports an alt audio-out for receivers)
Headset: $15-$50 (uses any USB headset and most Blu-tooth headsets)

xbox360_eliteXbox 360 Elite
Retail Price: $299
HDD Space: 120GB
Cost To Upgrade HDD: N/A
Wireless Adapter: $100
Extra Controller: $50
Rechargeable Battery: $20/controller (not included in console)
Drive Type: DVD
Online Play: $50/year
HDMI Cable: $50 (provides an additional audio-out for recievers)
Headset: $0 (it’s free, but the default headset is crap)

When we total this up for each console with the following accessories, here are what we come up with:

Console, Extra Controller, Rechargeable Batteries (for each controller), Wireless Adapter, Online Play, and an HDMI cable (that supports 2 receiver audio-out)

Xbox 360: $539 (plus $50 each additional year you own the console)
Sony Playstation 3: $379 (w/generic non-Sony accessories) $474 (w/Sony accessories)

So, looking at the hard numbers the PS3 is obviously the better deal (who saw that coming?). Other things consumers might want to take into account are the video options, and storage options.

For video, Xbox has Netflix and the Xbox Live video store, while Playstation has the PSN video store and Bluray.  Sony has chosen to focus on the tangible (discs) and Microsoft the intangible (video streams). This is obviously personal preference seeing as I would rather watch a Blu-ray disc, and Carl is content watching terrible Netflix movies constantly.

For storage, Sony has made it super easy to swap out the hard drive of the PS3, while right now Microsoft doesn’t have an upgrade option.  On the PS3 the sky (and your wallet) is the limit for storage, outside of a rumored 250GB Xbox 360, you are pretty stuck with the 120 GB you have, so use it wisely.

You might look at this and see Sony-esq propaganda, but I would like you to see it more as a buying guide. I love my 360 and would recommend anyone pick one up, but if you are on a budget and you really have no preference I think this should help you make a more informed decision.

  • http://www.wudanbal.com Clarence Brown

    Another huge factor here is online experience, which Xbox Live wins hands down. But I will say that I haven’t dabbled with a PS3 in over a year, so there may be many improvements that I’m unaware of. The PS3 is looking pretty sweet though.

  • http://www.ceezsa.com Carl Minor

    Don’t forget blue rays are expensive. Also you do not necessarily have to buy a wireless adapter. Factor that in and Xbox is actually the cheaper platform. But I understand you were trying to i get both system up to about as close as possible specs. This brings to mind the question I asked Clarence. Do you want a do all device or prefer to keep a few devices separated. ie game system and lue ray player

  • Todd Peak

    Both systems have ups and downs. If you are into online play, $50 a year is a small price to pay for excellence. The option to view Netflix movies and quickly hook up with friends to play online is just the tip of the iceburg with the 360. On the other hand,now is definatly the time to pick up a PS3. Sony finally has some more must have exclusives on the way, and at $299, its time for folks to check out the blu ray experience. Just be like me, go broke to buy both.

  • earl4321

    I think it’s too little too late for Sony. Had they done this a year after launch, they would have been somewhere by now. The deficit is too great for them to overcome. Sure, they’ll get a lot more sales when GoW3 comes out, but without more exclusives, they’re just spinning their wheels.

    Five hundred and ninety-nine U.S. dollars…riiiiight…