Gaming Console Comparison

Gaming is becoming an increasingly popular activity amoung teenagers and adults alike, and large companies like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are doing their best to gain market share in this growing entertainment arena.

While many gamers prefer PC games, gaming consoles are growing in popularity and sophistication, making it the gaming platform of choice for many people.  This is particularly true for less experienced gamers who often opt for platforms like the Nintendo Wii.

We take a look at which gaming consoles provide you with the best value for money.

Price

The Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) is priced between R4600 – R6000 depending on which package you choose.  PS3 Gaming consoles are available in 80GB and 160BG packages.  The 80GB package is currently available at Kalahari.net for R4999.95, the 160GB typically retails for between R5500 and R6000

The Microsoft Xbox 360 retails for between R2500 and R5000, also dependant on the package. Currently Take 2 charges R 2 499 for the Xbox 360 Arcade, R3799 for the Xbox 360 Professional and R 4 999 for the Xbox 360 Elite. This is however after a recent price hike. In December 2008 the Arcade was retailing at as low as R1800m the Professional for R2600 and the Elite for R3800.

The Wii is available for R3399 at Kalahari.net.

Purely in terms of pricing and variety of packages the X Box is arguably the better deal.

Visuals

The PS3 supports full HD playback and comes standard with a Blu Ray drive.  This has been one of the most endearing factors for consumers when buying the console. It has an HDMI output but an HDMI cable is not included in the standard package. It can also function as a full media centre and has the ability to play multiple video formats.

The Xbox 360 also supports full HD and the Professional and Elite packages both come standard with HDMI outputs. The Elite version ships with an HDMI cable although the Professional version does include a composite HD cable. All Xbox’s feature a DVD drive and can function as a media centre after a simple update.

The Wii does not support HD, does not feature a DVD or Blu Ray player and cannot function as a media player.

Due to the fact that the PS3 feautes the Blu Ray drive, HD support and HDMI out it is arguably the better deal in terms of visuals.

Games

The PS3 is due to receive a large number of hyped exclusive titles in 2009 including the likes of God of War 3, Uncharted 2 and Infamous and Heavy Rain. In addition the older 40GB and 60GB models are backwards compatible to the PS2 which opens up thousands of titles. The average AAA gaming title will sell for anywhere between R600 and R900.

Unfortunately many games on the PS3 require internet updates before they are playable. Although this may not seem to be a major hindrance for avid gamers who would naturally engage in online gaming anyway, casual gamers who simply wish to play alone might find this frustrating.

The Xbox 360 has an impressive back catalogue of exclusive titles such as Halo, Gears of War I and II and Fable II. Another factor to be noted however is that there is a list of relatively unremarkable releases set for the Xbox in 2009, which is in stark contrast to previous years.  The average AAA title on the Xbox also retails for between R600 and R900.

Wii games are cheaper and more varied than PS3 and Xbox 360 titles and there are several more serious, adult orientated games in the pipeline such as Mad World. In addition there are a large number of console favourites such as Resident Evil currently in development for the Wii. The average AAA title for Wii will retail between R400 and R600.

According to My Gaming journalist Nic Simmonds “The overwhelming majority of console games are released on both consoles, however, both machines do have access to their own unique exclusives. While the PS3 arguably has more going for it in terms of games coming out in the next year, the Xbox 360 has a fantastic back catalogue of exclusive titles, such as Gears of War, Fable 2 and Halo 3.”

Therefore in terms of gaming the Xbox is a better deal for back catalogue and exclusive titles while the PS3 is arguably better in terms of upcoming titles.

Extras

The PS3 features a number of useful extras. It comes standard with wireless connectivity, a large hardrive and media compatibility.  The remote controls don’t require batteries and can be recharged through the console which is a first.  In terms of hardware the PS3 is arguably the most powerful console in terms of processing speed and it is known for its reliability.

Potential Xbox 360 clients have the choice between the Professional and the Elite packages which have large hard drives and for the price these packages are arguably better value for money than the PS3.

The Xbox has however been racked with hardware faults throughout its lifetime. The most common of these are the E74 and Rrod (red ring of death) errors and disk scratching. Despite Microsoft’s efforts to improve the console it still underperforms in this regard when compared to the PS3.

The Wii packs very few onboard extras although the accessories market is huge and ranges from tennis racquets and golf clubs to steering wheels and swords that can be fitted on top of the wireless control for a more authentic experience.

When it comes to extras the PS3 features wireless connectivity, battery free rechargeable controls and processing potential, making it a popular choice amoung gamers.

Online

The PS3 online network in South Africa is well supported and free for gamers.

There is a total lack of support for Xbox Live in South Africa, and although the experienced gamer can easily get past this hurdle the more casual gamer will not know to list himself as a British resident during sign up.

That being said developers still seem to favour it over the PS3 in terms of downloadable content. A perfect example is the recent Fallout 3 DLC which was released exclusively for Xbox 360 and PC.

The Xbox Live service isn’t free although each user qualifies for a full month of free Silver membership when they buy their console. 

Many Xbox 360 enthusiasts will argue that the control is better designed than the PS3 and is easier to use.

Online the Wii has little or no presence to speak of. When compared with the PS3 and Xbox its online capabilities such as forecasting the weather and updating news are minimal.

For online purposes the Xbox is most likely a better deal than the PS3 or Wii. Although membership to Xbox live is not free it is incredibly popular and packed with Xbox exclusive media and games updates.

PS3 vs XBox 360 vs Wii – give your views