Which gaming console should I get?
Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:11PM EST
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The holiday season usually equates to one thing: Tons and tons of video games. With Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all in the mix, it can be hard to choose a console for yourself or a loved one. Here's a rundown of all your options:
Xbox 360: Microsoft's offering best suits those that put games first, everything else second. The Xbox 360 boast a huge collection of exclusive titles, like Halo 3 and Halo Wars, Gears of War 2, Banjo-Kazooie, Velvet Assassin, Forza Motorsports 2, Blue Dragon, Geometry Wars (my favorite), Fable, and tons more. Xbox Live is still the most impressive online environment, and the New Xbox Experience will bring a plethora of new features and downloadable content. (Don't forget, Netflix HD streaming will be a big plus for subscribers.) As of now, there are three different Xbox 360 bundles to go with—Arcade, Pro, and Elite. My personal recommendation? Even though the Arcade does have an attractive low price, your experience will be hampered without a hard drive. Go with the Pro, as it offers a 60 GB hard drive and two pack-in titles at a very reasonable $299.
Playstation 3: The PS3 is a very strong gaming platform, but where it really shines is its multimedia capabilities. Don't get me wrong—there are quite a few Playstation 3 exclusives, like Metal Gear Solid 4, Gran Turismo, Heavenly Sword, SOCOM, and God of War III, but this one is definitely for the multimedia aficionados. Blu-ray playback (the best Blu-ray player in the market, in my opinion), playback of MKV high-definition files (with some converting trickery), DiVX/XvID compatibility, and HDMI 1.3 ports. Additionally, the PS3 also has a pretty robust Internet browser, which makes watching YouTube videos on your big screen a pretty easy task, and its flexible USB ports allow you to connect your own keyboard, mice, and other devices. Also, don't forget, there's no yearly subscription to Playstation Network, as opposed to the $50 a year that Xbox Live charges. Right now, there's only one Playstation 3 bundle—80 GB priced at $399, but a 160 GB model will be appearing sometime this month at $499. Pricey, yes, but versatile and powerful to boot. My recommendation, go with the 80 GB.
Nintendo Wii: Although many believe that this console is for the casual gamer, I find it more suited to the person who always has a few people over. With a ton of awesome multiplayer options like Wii Sports, Mario Kart, Super Monkey Ball, Rayman: Raving Rabbids, Mario Party, Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, Super Smash Bros. Brawl (my pick), Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and tons more, it's easy to get you and your friends involved in the game. Also, the Wii has a pretty robust Internet browser and a growing Virtual Console library, which is a nice touch. However, if online gaming is your thing, you will probably be disappointed with Nintendo's online service. If you're looking for a Nintendo Wii this year, online retailers like Amazon and Gamestop do have them in stock right now. Make sure you buy early, or you may be out of luck once we get closer to the holidays.
Now, if I absolutely had to choose one this year, I would have to go with the Xbox 360 by the narrowest of margins. Tons of games, great online experience, tons of multimedia downloadable content, and a reasonable entry price is a winning formula for me. Now, if the Playstation 3 drops its price (which might happen), then I would have to reconsider.
Agree or disagree? Have any other additional comments? Feel free to let me know what you think below.
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Comments on Which gaming console should I get?
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2 Posted by acemtrx@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:44PM EDT Report Abuse
I agree, with soo many fanboys dissing other consoles, they neglect to see what others' offer. It all depends on your life stlye. For me, I love to watch movies, so Hi Def Blu Ray increases the experience. Also I just found out I can connect my DVR to my PS3 and watch stuff I recorded.
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3 Posted by spaulding2k on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:35PM EDT Report Abuse
If it ain't broke don't fix it.DVD is still cool. DVD is not dead, Blu ray will be dead sooner. It's a shame the Xbox 360 is dying here and there. Hope the jasper and future xbox motherboard will reduce the high failure rate of consoles.
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4 Posted by mdzaffino on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:14PM EDT Report Abuse
I think I would have to go with PS3. I have all 3 consoles and that is still my choice. The library has been groing substantially and with the release of Killzone 2 and a few other exclusives next year as well as the release of Home before the end of the year, that is the best choice. The Wii is a great console but just has a horrible game selection.
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5 Posted by maclingman on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:02PM EDT Report Abuse
I have a PS3 and absolutely love it, another main selling point for me was the included wi-fi card, even the wii has one of these while the 360 requires an expensive adapter. Oh and 360's are amazingly loud with an amazingly high failure rate, but it does have some great games
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1 Posted by acemtrx@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:44PM EDT Report Abuse
I agree. With soo many console fanboys dissing other systems, they fail at seeing what each consoles offers. It all depends on what your lifestyle is. I just found out that my PS3 connects to my DirecTV DVR. Now how cool is that? I also also watch a lot of movies so Hi Def Blu Ray is another reason to get a PS3.