Testimonials
Average Buyer Rating:
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* Couch potato paradise ...
This is a very versatile entertainment system. It can be a games console, an HD movie player, and a media center, among other things. I knew all this when I got it; but what really surprised me is how well it performs each of these functions.
As a console, the PS3 competes directly with the Xbox 360. Since many games are published for both platforms, the graphics and gameplay will be almost the same in both for those common games. The 360 used to have an edge; but that trend is quickly turning the other way as the developers have come to grips with the PlayStation's architecture. Exclusive games are another story. In my opinion, the PlayStation has better exclusives, and those exclusives are graphically more advanced than the 360's. This is a very subjective view however, so you should really look into what types of games hold your interest. My opinion is based on early titles such as Ratchet & Clank and Uncharted:Drake both of which, graphics wise, are as good or better than anything available for the 360. This, not withstanding the fact that developers had a full year head start to learn to harness the power of the Xbox. As both platforms continue to mature, I think the PlayStation will have more room for growth and this will be reflected in the exclusive games that will be coming out beginning this fall such as Resistance II, Little Big Planet, Killzone, etc. However, the difference in graphics performance between the two won't be huge no matter which one proves to be better. So, if you're looking for a games console, you should really make your decision based on the games you think you'll enjoy more.
As a media player/media center, the PlayStation is unmatched. It is one of the best Blue-Ray disc players in the market, it is an excellent upscaling DVD player, and you can use it to stream videos, music, and pictures from your computer to your TV. Of course, you can also store the media directly on the PlayStation's hard drive rather than in a computer. One of my favorite uses for my PlayStation is to watch HD movie trailers on my TV. Sony is also working on a TV/Movies download service like iTunes and Xbox Live; but what I'm really hoping for is Netflix integration.
The PlayStation also has many good attributes that sometimes go unmentioned by reviewers. It is very quiet so it can be used for all types of media playback, it doesn't get too hot as long as it is placed in a ventilated area, and most importantly, it is very well designed from a technical point of view and as a result suffers of no widespread reliability issues. Another huge plus is that the harddrive is very easy to replace by an off-the-shelf drive. This is very important if you plan to store a lot of media locally rather than in a separate computer.
Like almost any other technological product, the PlayStation also has a couple of drawbacks. It doesn't have an infrared port, which means it can't be controlled by any of the universal remote controls in the market. This is a mind-boggling omission by Sony since a lot of people buy it for its media capabilities. It also consumes more electric power than other similar devices. Another strange design decision is that the USB ports aren't powered; which means that in order to recharge the controllers, the PlayStation has to be turned-on. These are minor issues that can be easily compensated for by planing carefully; but they need to be kept in mind.
Buyer Rating: 
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Unbiased review you can trust on. Bit long... but worthwhile reading!
First I want to say that I have both the PS3 and Xbox 360 (XB360).
Graphics: Most reliable side by side comparisons out there have proved that Xbox 360 (XB360) use to have a slight advantage compared to the PS3 but the later is progressively narrowing the lead as more games are being developed to PS3. As for now, the truth is... they are so close on graphics that unless you are a "graphic geek" you should not choose one over the other based on graphics. Most people don't even notice the difference. I don't.
Winner: Both! It really looks amazing on both.
Price: Here is another popular one, of course. I do care, don't you! The XB360 is cheaper than the PS3, right? Actually wrong... this is a very common misconception! You will see later in this review that the best thing about the XB360 is their online gold membership. Online multiplayer gaming is free in the PS3, so the costs of playing online in the XB360 added up over time and makes it more expensive than the PS3. Also, if you go wireless, the PS3 comes with a built-in wireless card. In the XB360, you will have to spend anything 80-100 bucks extra for a wireless adapter (the one they recommend). Considering that you also get a blue ray player with the PS3 (the best player on the market right now by the way) and you get more hard drive space (40 GB in the PS3 vs. 20GB in the directly competing version of XB360); oh boy, there is no question whatsoever that the PS3 is a much better value!
Winner: PS3... a knockout!
Online multiplayer gaming: The service is free in the PS3, that's true. However, here is a fact: the paid (50 bucks a year) gold membership for the XB360 is way better, that's unanimous. XBOX live has better content, better interface, easier to use, and a huge online community. Sony has realized that problem, of course; therefore they have been improving the PS network but it is still way behind. So, it's definitively worth the money to get gold membership if you get the XB360.
Winner: XB360... a knockout, at least right now. It may change...
Game library: Here is another very popular one. Everybody knows... the XB360 has a more extensive game library. TRUE. However just remember 2 things: 1- the XB360 was launched several months before the PS3 so it makes sense that it has more games on the market. 2-the PS3 is playing catch-up in sales with the XB360... while the later has sold more consoles overall, the PS3 is selling more in a monthly basis for the past months and this trend is likely to continue. Therefore, the demand for PS3 games will be increasing in a faster pace compared to XB360 and that means: more and more PS3 games will hit the market for now on, so the XB360 lead will narrow. Game developers are now changing their focus to the PS3 and several great exclusive PS3 games have been announced for 2008.
Winner: XBOX as of right now but no reason to believe this will change in the near future.
HDTV owners: Just because the PS3 is a blue ray disc player is does not mean it delivers better game graphics in a HDTV compared to XB360. The later XB360 comes with HDTV output and it delivers very similar game images to your HDTV as the PS3. Having said that... keep in mind that PS3 blue ray player will deliver better movie images to your HDTV compared to the DVD player in the XB360. NO QUESTION! So, if you're interested in renting or buying blue ray movies to take advantage of your HDTV investment, the PS3 is your choice. Remember that blue ray is growing faster than most people think. A Warner Bros studio has announced to go only blue ray for now on and several others are changing formats progressively.
Winner: PS3, because of the blue ray movie quality.
Power and quality: The PS3 is unquestionably a way more refined console overall, with a better design, less noisy, more internal power, and much lower failure rate (1-3% against 15-30% in the XB360). While a running XB360 looks like it is getting ready to take off and fly (oh yeah, it is very loud!), the PS3 is so quiet you can barely hear it. The XB360 control is much heavier than the PS3 since the later uses Bluetooth technology with a very light weight rechargeable batteries while the XB360 uses AA batteries! The eject system of PS3 is very cool and quiet while the XB360 uses the noisy old-fashioned open tray system. I have not had any problems with any mine, but it is also known that the XB360 visits a repair shop much more often that the PS3 without mentioning the overheating problems of the XB360 that may cause you to buy an intercooler. It just seems that the PS3 is built with top-notch quality materials while the XB360 is made of cheap parts.
Winner: The PS3 here smashes the competition!
The brightest future: As the PS3 sales surpass the XB360 in a monthly basis (if this trend indeed continues as predicted); the increasing demand for PS3 games may make the difference for now on. Considering the better PS3's processor capabilities and power and the fact that a blue ray disc can store a lot more than DVD discs, future PS3 games have an obvious potential to be considerably better than its competition. There are reports already of XB360 games that could not fit the standard DVD. So the PS3 appears to indeed have a brightest future. Now, here are a few extra considerations though. The XB360 has built a very comfortable lead in total number of consoles sold, which will guarantee high demand for games for the next 2 years at least. Microsoft is not stupid; there is a good reason to explain why they have confirmed release of their next generation console for 2010. That's because based on the market predictions and the eminent brightest future for the PS3, they know that the PS3 is poisoned to have much better games and take over the market around 2010 but the XB360 will likely survive very well until that time. So, launching the new console around 2010 is a smart but obvious strategy by Microsoft if they want to keep stronger in the market.
Winner: PS3, for sure, at least until the next generation Microsoft console is launched or if you don't want or would not afford to buy the next generation console.
Bottom line: Finally! In fact it's very simple. OK, if you're trying to decide which one to buy, the only good reason to buy a XB360 right now is if most of your friends have one because playing online is fun, especially in the XB Live! Otherwise the PS3 is no-brainer!
Buyer Rating: -
Playstation 3 as Blu-ray player
I purchased the PS3 as a blu-ray disc player and it works great! It's upgradable over the internet and also has a built-in browser. I use a USB keyboard with it to make changes and perform other functions.
Buyer Rating: -
* Excellent Media center! ...
I love the fact that this is the only thing you need to play CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, and any PS games! Upconverts to 1080 on SD images. Had no problems with playback of any sort, the remote is necessary for ease of use though.
Buyer Rating: -
My Blu-Ray device...
Bought this for the lucky husband (and by extension, me) more so for the Blu-Ray capabilities (he already has XBox).
Blu-Ray movies pop, standard DVDs seem to have greater clarity and fidelity. The clarity of sound from the Blu-Ray DVDs is pretty awesome, the startup is speedy after inserting into the player.
The standard game controller that comes with the box is not a wireless. How any gaming console company continues to do this is beyond me. As such, we have not played any PS3 games yet - the prospect of having to stand right in front of the console or TV is .... so 90s!
Anyway, love it for the Blu-Ray - no comments on the gaming aspects. My biggest complaint is that there is no way to control the on/off feature of the PS3 using the remote that I purchased with this console.
