Sony PlayStation 3 (60GB)

Pros: Blu-Ray, Sleek Design, Nice Graphics

Cons: Resolution Problems, Bulky, Fingerprint Magnet, Pricey

Summary: Let me start off by saying if you bought this system just so you can have a next generation system with Blu-ray technology and price isn’t a factor then you won't be disappointed. However, if you bought this system expecting it to own the 360 and give you a better gaming experience…..you will probably be disappointed.

First off, I think I should comment on something that everyone should be aware of before they buy this system. The PS3 has major issues with resolutions on older HDTV’s when playing PS3 games developed in 720p. What I mean by old is, that if you have NOT bought your HDTV recently and your TV sports only 480i, 480p and 1080i inputs, your going to have issues with the PS3. What issues? You will be stuck gaming in 480p. Yes, I said 480p and only 480p. For all 720p games, the PS3 doesn’t appear to have internal scaling to convert the signal to 1080i resolution. Meaning…that unless your TV supports native 720P, the PS3 will boot up in 480p mode. Well, isn’t the PS3 supposed to be a 1080p gaming machine? Yes, but considering that less then 1% of all HDTV’s sitting in living rooms are not full 1080p, you would think that Sony would want to accommodate the most common resolutions supported by current owners. So unless you’re in the market to replace your current HDTV…. be warned. Wasn’t gaming in high definition one of Sony’s marketing points???

So assuming you can get past that issue, what about the games? Well the games are really next generation. No doubt from the time you pop in a game you can tell these games are next generation. If you are one of those people hoping that the PS3 would own the 360 in the graphics department…well…again you might be disappointed. The graphics are very good no doubt. However, in reality you really can’t tell the difference between the games that exist on both systems. In fact, IMO, a couple of the multiplatform games look better on the 360. This could be though because some of those games could be ports and I am not sure. Even if you think that generation 2 titles will be where the PS3 sports it stuff, don’t expect any huge difference between systems. You won’t be able to tell the difference IMO. I guess I should have expected that knowing what developers have already been saying that for some time.

In terms of hardware, the PS3 is sleek in design. We all have that familiar PS controller that we have all have come to love. The glossy finish on the PS3 looks cool. However, the thing is a fingerprint magnet. My guess is that it will also be a dust magnet in about a week. The other thing is that the pure size of the machine seems bulky. It just seems oversized like the original XBOX did with many gamers. One of the coolest things about the PS3 is the interface buttons and the drive bay. They by far are the sweetest of any console to date. They scream next generation to me. Overall, I would say Sony did a good job with design.

What about online? Considering this was Sony’s first attempt at building an online community you can't expect it to be XBOX live. It’s nowhere near as good as the XBOX live community. However, give Sony some time and they will make it better and deeper.

Bottom line what do I think? For me, I factor in gaming, price, and technology. Gaming – The performance in the long run will probably be a wash with a slight advantage to the 360 right now. Price - The system is overpriced for most gamers and from a value standpoint doesn’t really stack up if you mainly want the PS3 for gaming. If you want a next generation gaming, a Blu-ray player for cheap and don’t mind the extra $200 then go for it. Then again, you can pick up the 360 HD-DVD drive for $199 or just enjoy next generation gaming. It's your choice. Last but not least, I just can't get over the resolution problems with the PS3. With the 360 fully capable of 1080p and having no issues with any HDTV’s on the market, it’s a huge mistake on Sony’s part. I still think Sony is a major contender this generation. However, if the PS3 does become successful in this generation, I think it has more to do with the company’s past reputation then it does with the actual performance of the PS3.

So do I recommend it? Well yes and no. If you just want a next generation system and can deal with the PS3's resolution issue and some design flaws......yes. If you're wishing for a better system then the 360...then no. I just give a slight edge to the 360 in terms of overall performance and price difference at this point.