Console Comparison part 3: Sony Playstation 3

Ok Finally the Playstation 3. This is my personal console of choise. There are still some issues and challenges with this console but also some great benefits.

Hardware: The playstation 3 utilizes not only the most powerful CPU for a console but also one of the most powerful CPU's compared to any computer out there. The playstations CPU is most notably known as the Cell Processor. It uses a completly diffrent architecture from any computer out there. It is a number crunching monster of a chip. The Cell was Developed by IBM and so has a similar core to that of the Xbox360's tri core processor. But where the Cell differs is that it only has one main core and then 8 mini cores called SPE's. These processors do not have the same ability as the main core, but are much faster at crunching numbers compared to a normal core. This in turn makes the Cell much faster and makes it run much cooler and power effective. The PS3 also has the RSX processor. I will admit I do not know much about this GPU. But it also has a slightly diffrent architecture. With the Cell and the RSX combined you have a very fast console that can push alot of high end graphics. The PS3 also comes with a slot loading Blu-ray player that is now being pushed as the next disk format to follow DVD. Bluray being able to hold 6 times the data on a single layer compared to a single DVD layer. and righ now they have 50 gig disks and are working on a 4 layer 100 gig disk. In comparison a dual layer DVD is 9 gig. The PS3 also comes in two SKU's and so I will only cover the high end version. All PS3's come with blutooth and wireless as standared. The ps3 also comes with a card reader and 4 usb slots. for transfering data and the USB is used for charging your controller. The controller it's self is connected by blutooth. the controller layout is the same compared to previos playstation consoles. Although the have impemented the Sixaxis tilt controls into the controller it's self. Currently controllers being sold now do not have the rumble feature. But Sony has now started making the Dual shock 3 controller with the rumble back in it, and will be launching stateside in the next few months. Also every PS3 comes with a hard drive. Varing on size depending on what SKU you bought. All of this comes at a premium price. But compared to other products and what you are getting. It is a very good deal.

Software: This is one of the diffrences between the PS3 and other consoles. You are able to install a few diffrent types of Linux on your PS3. This makes it very close to a full blown computer. I have not installed Linux on my PS3 although I have looked into it. The Ps3 like the other 2 consoles can play movies and music directly from the hard drive. But the Ps3 has one of the best Visulizers of anything out there. if you not familiar with what a visializer is. you may haveseen it on the windows media player any time you turn on a song and see the picture react to the music. The Ps3 also like the other consoles recieves free firmware updates either by internet or if you so want to can have a disk shipped to you for a small cost. This adds the ability for more fun options to be added to your PS3 at a later date. One of these is the Program called HOME. This is the Playstation version of nintendos Mii's and Microsofts Xbox live. It gives you stunning graphics and the ability to communicate with others around the world.

Games: Sony is another Company like Nintendo that is well known for it's games. Sony has also just recently passed Nintendo for overall game Quality. Where they get those numbers is they gather all the rateings for every game a company makes or produces and gathers the average score. This does not just include Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. But also includes companys like EA, Atari, Ubiosoft, Take Two, ect. Sony is not known for one type of game format either. They are known from raceing games to First Person shooters to Platformers and so on. It's most popular franchises show this. with games like Metal Gear Solid. Final Fantasy, Grand turismo, and Ratchet and Clank. All diffrent types of games but all that have set the standared in gameing. Sony also has some more great looking games comming to the console. Those like Little big planet and echochrome. 2008 and 2009 look to be good years for games for the playstation brand of games.

Upgrades and other: I put upgrades in this that I did not in the Other because of the Ability to change out the Hard drive in the Ps3 with a larger Laptop hard drive with out voiding the warrenty. Why would you want a larger hard drive? Media. Not only is Sony selling games online for download. But they will soon be selling the ability to download some of your favorite games and possibly movies right to the hard drive. This can take up space quickly. So if you decided that you were going to take advantage of this a larger hard drive would be a benefit.

Conclusion: For just games the PS3 is an expensive console. But if you like the playstation brand of games it is the way to go. If your looking for a blu-ray player. The PS3 is your best option in the market right now, and one of your cheaper options as it will always be updated and current to keep up witht the newer systems. The Biggest drawback to the PS3 right now is the Price being the most expensive of the consoles. Andother benefit/drawback is the web browser. The web browser is nice to have but is very limited on what sites it is compatible with. The PS3 is the console that gives you the most for your money. But if you don't have the money and don't want to wait for another price drop. You might be better off getting one of the other consoles if you know you will play some games. But I have played the other consoles and they have some great games, but I am still more satified with my PS3

Console Comparison Part 2: Microsoft Xbox360

Ok Part 2 of my console review. Next up on the Chopping block is Microsofts Xbox 360Hardware: The Xbox 360 has some fairly impressive hardware. The Processor is a tri-core power PC developed by IBM. The tripple core gives it a good boost for handeling multiple objects on your screen at one time. The Memory is well handled to keep the system from bottle necking. and the GPU(Graphics Processor) is still considered one of the best on the market. The Xbox360 also Utalizes a DVD player for playing games and watching movies. It does upconvert DVD movies to a higher resolution which is a benafit for those with a big screen T.V. And finally You possibly have a hard drive depending on when you bought the system and what SKU you have. The Xbox360 has had some Hardware Issues Thought. This is also known as the Red ring of Death. Most of them have been cleaned up or fixed in it's 2 year exsistance but it has hurt the console in consumer confidence. It also has the now failed HD-DVD add on drive. Not that it was a bad product. But many have expressed the desire for it to have been integrated into the Console it's self instead of being an externial perifial.

Games: Currently the Xbox360 has the most games out. The Xbox brand is known mostly for it's FPS(First Person Shooter) games. Although they do have many other good games. Like Dead or alive, Saints row. and Project Gothem Raceing. But the biggest hit titles for the Xbox have been it's FPS.

Most notably The Halo Franchise. Halo is one of the Best Selling franchises of all time alongside those other famous characters like Sonic, Pacman, Mario, and other big game Icons.

The Xbox Brand is also very well know for it's online system. Xbox live is one of if not the most popular online community out there. There is a small fee, But if you are an online gamer it is worth the money.

Networking: The Xbox 360 does have a ethernet port on the system but if you have a wirless network you will have to pay a premium for the seperate wireless adapter. So I would have to recommend that if you can, you will want to hardwire the Xbox 360 to your network. but another good thing about the Xbox 360 is it's ability to become a media extender on your network. Meaning that you can listen and watch all the Music & movies on you windows based PC. This is actually one of the big selling points for the Xbox besides the games.

Conclusion: The Xbox 360 has some great things to it and some not so great things depending on how you look at it. The lack of a hard drive as standared is in my opinion an downgrade for the originale Xbox. The HD-DVD not being intigrated and not used for games is also a possible downgrade to the system and potentially hurts future game development. Although that is not a definate and still has yet to be seen if it will be a hinderance or not. Most of the Xbox 360's originalle issues was Microsoft trying to beat Both Sony and Nintendo to market. Some of the features feel rushed and un-polished. But this does not take away from this being a great console. So depending on what types of games you like to play and what game franchises you like to follow the Xbox 360 is a good choise in the end.

End of a War.

This has been a short war. But Finally one side has been able to claim victory as the other has Surrendered. No blood was shed. The only shots taken were those of words, and the victor was the one that could not only get the most support from the big boys. But was the one that the people chose. Both sides have thier streangths and weaknesses. But in this episode of red vs. blue. Blue not only won the battle the won the war.

This comes off the news That I personally read this morning that Toshiba is now stoping thier production of HD-DVD players. For those who don't know why that is so important. That is because Toshiba was the company that Brought the HD-DVD product to the market. They have had some very good backers, but thier competition has been like that of the picture below. Blu-ray brought to much to the table. Sony haveing thier own Movie studios these days unlike when it was the VHS vs Beta Max days. And Also With the introduction of the PS3 having a blu-ray player built in they were able to saturate the market quickly. But really the biggest blow was when Warner Brothers. One of the largest movie companys out there pledged thier support for blu-ray. When previously they were the only Major movie studio still supporting both formats. Now I will admit I made my choise early. But that is because I am a Sony Playstation fan. So I would have bought the PS3 anyway and I only stood to benefit from having Blu-ray become the High Def media of choise. But I still stand by my choise for many reasons but the most notable one would be capasity of the Blu-ray disk. I am now going to be looking forward to seeing many movies previously only on HD-DVD now moving over to Blu-ray. Like Warner Brothers said and Toshiba with thier most recent announcement. We can Finnaly get rid of the confusion in the high def format wars and push the high def format to being a worthy predasesor to DVD.