Xbox 360 vs Sony PS3
Microsoft’s Xbox360 and Sony PS3 (PlayStation 3) have both integrated action gaming technology to their console following Nintendo Wii. These consoles that were originally introduced as game consoles have now incorporated the entertainment feature also to the same device and have become a family entertainer. The main attractions of the Xbox360 is its Kinect sensor, the motion control without a controller and Xbox Live. The PS3’s major attractions are the Blu-ray disc compatibility, 3D graphics, free online multi player and the built-in browser. Both have designed their new editions (Xbox 360 250GB (Slim) and PS3 Slim) slimmer and attractive than their previous editions.
Xbox 360
The new Xbox 360 console with Kinect sensor has done a revolution in the action gaming with its amazing new technology, where your motions are controlled without a controller, instead you are the controller. The Kinect sensor recognizes your body and tracks your full-body movement and mirrors it in the game. Your actions are reflected so fast in the game making the gaming a real fun. The sensor recognizes all your gestures and voice commands. It can recognize and track up to six players at a time. Even you can control HD movie with the wave of your hand. The added advantage is that the Kinect sensor is compatible with every Xbox 360 console.
If you have a Windows Phone 7, you can also access your Xbox LIVE account on your phone.
The console has the option to play with controller as well; the console comes with wireless controller that has the range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of 30 hours on two AA batteries.
The Xbox 360 also boast about its built in Wi-Fi connectivity as the fastest with 802.11n.
One of the other attractive features is Xbox Live with incredible number of games library; with Xbox Live you can access to Netflix, Sky Channels, download games, connect and play with friends, have entertainment with online multiplayer, and access Facebook and Twitter or chat with friends.
The console also has 5 USB ports, standard Ethernet port, HDMI output, Bluetooth, integrated optical audio out port for A/V receiver.
You have two editions to choose from; Xbox 360 Elite (4GB internal Hard disk) and the latest Xbox 360 Slim, also called Xbox 360S (250GB internal Hard disk). 360S is nearly 100 dollars more. Do not expect 360 S to be very slim, but it’s light weight.
Dimension: Xbox 360 250GB: 270mm x 75mm x 264mm, 2.9kg
Xbox 360 Elite: 310mm x 80mm x 260mm, 3.5kg
Sony PS3
The new PS3 edition, PS3 Slim also has far superior features to its previous versions, such as built in Wi-Fi, Blu-ray disc compatibility, 3D graphics and free online multi player. The PS3 is equipped with better processors and GPU that leads to much better graphics and fluid motion. Sony also included a built in Wi-Fi adapter to the PS3 for faster and easy wireless communication. It comes with Dualshock 3 Wireless Controller.
One of the main attractive features of the PS3 is in its ability to play Blu-Ray discs. Consumers love the fact that they are not only buying a gaming console but a Blu-Ray player too, adding more bang to the buck.
The Play Station’s reply to Xbox’s Kinect is PS Move; PS Move is a super-fast and über-accurate motion controller. It uses a 3D webcam, the PlayStation Eye, which is connected to the console by USB and tracks and maps all your movements. The controller also light weight and fits comfortably in hand. It communicates with the console using Bluetooth.
In place of Xbox’s Xbox Live, PS3 has access to its own PlayStation Network. The access to PSN is free whereas you have to be a member of Xbox Live. With PlayStation Network you can download games, play online, surf web with built in web-browser, chat and you can video chat using PlayStation Eye camera.
Remote Play: you can share content between your PlayStation PS3 and PSP, locally using the devices’ in-built Wireless features or remotely via an access point.
You Play station is also a Multimedia Centre; you can access PlayTV and VidZone (music video streaming service), your photos are easily stored and viewed on PS3.
The PS3 also has got 2 USB ports, standard Ethernet port, HDMI output, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, integrated optical audio out port for A/V receiver.
Memory: 2.5″ Serial ATA 120 GB Hard disk, 256 MB XDR Main RAM, 256 MB GDDR3 VRAM.
Xbox 360 Vs PS3
Both Xbox 360 and PS3 are equipped with an HDMI port to digitally transmit the HD video to HD capable screens. Xbox comes with 3 additional USB ports; it has 5 USB ports compared to 3 in PS3.
The disadvantages in both consoles, to name a few, Xbox’s Kinect – though it has introduced an awesome technology it has its own limitations, in order to capture the full body movement and face the object (you) has to be at a minimum range, this demands a larger play area. The minimum distance is 1.8m and for adults it’s little more, between 2.4 and 3m.
Another issue with Kinect is that, as it’s a new addition it has limitations on compatibility with some popular games and applications. You may have to go back to your controller to play some of your games and to access most regular Xbox Live features, such as Game Marketplace and Friend’s List.
One of the disadvantages with PS3 is, its new edition PS3 Slim is not backwards compatible, and you cannot play games that were intended for PS2 with this console. The original PS3 is backwards compatible via software emulation but not the latest edition. Sony gradually removed PS2 parts from the PS3 like the Emotion Engine and Graphic Synthesizer GPU.
Content and cost wise, price of the basic consoles are nearly in par. Xbox Live has more offers and slightly cheaper on gaming side whereas PlayStation Network will be loved by those looking for other entertainment with its PlayTV, VidZone, BBC iPlayer and with free and paid contents in its PlayStation store. However you can play online multi player games for free at PlayStation Network whereas you have to be a gold account member to play online games with Xbox Live.
The competition will go tough with more and more games and other applications are being developed for these consoles, in fact, your liking to a console depends more on the games and other applications than its hardware.