There are few professional sports rivalries that compare to that of the Yankees and the Red Sox or the Flyers and the Penguins. Well since the year 2006 when Playstation 3 was released there has been a much heated rivalry between the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3.
It has been a nonstop war for the development of the superior gaming system. There are many reasons one could say that one console is better than the other. In saying this, the users are correct. Each console does in fact have attributes that give one the edge over the other.As an online gamer myself, I do in fact own a Playstation 3.
When one is in the market for a new gaming experience, deciding which console to purchase can be as painful as pulling teeth. Some factors that should be considered during the shopping process should be quality of online multiplayer, entertainment value, and most important to me was obtaining the most “bang for my buck. ” When comparing each console on the multiplayer online level the first topic of the conversation is the fact that Playstation 3 is free whereas Xbox 360 costs around $50 per year to play online.Playstation Network requires only a subscription to the Playstation Store where Xbox 360 requires at least a membership to Xbox Gold which costs $50 and up depending on how much you are willing to spend for the perks of higher membership. When discussing the multiplayer connections themselves it all depends on the user’s internet.
If the internet connection speed being used to power the system is poor than obviously the most desired multiplayer experience is not going to be achievable.But when all of the planets align and the perfect connection from the user and the provider whether it be Playstation Network or Xbox Live is accomplished then there is not much of a comparison. The two consoles to the human eye from a connection stand point theoretically could not be differentiated. As far as the graphics are concerned the two consoles most defiantly have a high visual quality.
But it is virtually impossible to say one is better than the other simply because there are certain games with better graphics on both sides of the fence.But, once again, the quality of the connection as well as the playability really does simply come down to the user’s internet. But with all of these next generation gaming systems online play is no longer the corner stone of the focus in the developmental department. There has been a new focus on the “bonuses” that each console provides. One notable service of each console would be that of Netflix. Each system now allows the user to instantly stream their favorite television shows and movies through the Netflix application.
Obviously, Netflix being its own private company they require a monthly fee to use the site. This is one of the places that Playstation 3 pulls ahead of the Xbox 360. To use Netflix on the Playstation 3 the monthly fee is simply $7. 99 which is the actual cost of Netflix. The cost of Netflix on Xbox Live carries a monthly premium of $10 per month. Why you might ask? The fact of the matter is Microsoft’s (company that owns Xbox) priority is to make money.
They are charging the user $3 for allowing them the privilege of using Netflix on their product.In addition to the ability to stream Netflix on both systems they both have the ability to play movies in disc form. This is another area where there is a difference in the two consoles. Xbox 360 has the ability to play DVD’s on all of the systems that Microsoft produces and sells.
However there is a model available for purchase that is capable of playing HD DVD’s, but to have this ability the consumer must pay more money for this console. On the other hand the Playstation 3 comes equipped with a Blu-ray player as the disc drive.All Playstation 3 systems are produced and sold with a built in Blu-ray player as the disc drive with no additional cost. So, in my personal opinion Playstation 3 wins the entertainment factor due to the fact of not paying extra for outside company services and for the Blu-ray player that provides movies with higher picture and sound quality.
Finally, one of the biggest deciding factors for all consumers whether it be a large investment like purchasing a new car or something as small as deciding what type of cell phone you should buy is getting the most “bang for your buck.Everyone wants to get the most for the cheapest price. When all things are considered I feel as though the Playstation 3 wins this battle as well because yes the initial price is in fact more expensive but the pros far outweigh the cons. With the base Xbox 360 console the consumer gets one wireless controller, the console, a 4GB hard drive, and included in the console is a DVD disc drive.With the base Playstation 3 console the consumer receives one wireless controller with a four foot charging cord, the console itself, a built in Blu-ray player, and a 60GB hard drive. In summary, these two consoles have something to offer all types of consumers and gamers alike, but in reality which is better than the other is always going to solely be up to the consumer.
When taking all of the above mentioned points into account the obvious choice for me is Playstation 3, but once again it all comes down to personal preference.
