RickyP

80GB, built in wi-fi, Blu-Ray, PS and PS2 b/c, and MotorStorm - $500

A comparable 360 would run you roughly $700

Way to go Sony.

The Benny (Macho)

The key point though is that the 360 is still cheaper with a wider range of third-party titles, decent console exclusive games and an entirely optional HDDVD player. Obviously the cheaper Sony can make it the better, but they have a lot of ground to make up.

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Darth Koth

I always thought it was the better deal being that a stand alone Blu-Ray player would cost you the same or more

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The Benny (Macho)

It would. Last I heard the PS3 is the cheapest way to get into Blu-Ray and the 360's HD-DVD drive was the cheapest way to get into HD-DVD, especially as I'm sure I remember one tech website connecting the 360 addon to a PC too. The only issue is whether Blu-Ray's mighty capacity was worth the high price point it necessitated for the PS3, which has been a clear deterrent among consumers, allowing the 360 to take Sony's place as the cheaper console with all the third-party support and the Wii to take Sony's place as the cheap casual-friendly option.

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Ben D.

This is true, of course, but as the 360 has a year head-start, it's bound to have the better exclusives at this point. The PS3's aren't all here yet, although I will say the PS3's first year was better than the 360's...we already have Warhawk, Heavenly Sword, and Resistance: Fall of Man, with Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction coming out next week. And none of the REALLY big-name exclusives are here yet- MGS4, GT5, FFXIII, Killzone 2, etc.

While on the other hand, the 360 already has their great ones out (and coming out soon) in the form of Bioshock, Halo 3, PGR4, and Mass Effect. In all honesty, 2008 looks to be OWNED by the PS3; the huge titles are all there, and I have trouble naming more than a handful for the 360. To top it all off, Blu-Ray is indeed winning the format war, 80% of last year's TVs sold during the holiday season were HD, and that'll be even higher this year. People are warming up to a new format, and because the PS3 remains the cheapest - and most multi-functional - Blu-Ray player out there (it can play standard DVDs, remember, and people have LARGE DVD libraries by now), that's another feather in Sony's cap.

Bottom line is you look to the future for purchases, and considering we shouldn't expect another PS3 price drop any time soon, I think now is a great time to pick up Sony's new system.

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Darth Koth

I think it was worth it, there are more and more comments from devs like "if it wasn't for Blu-ray this wouldn't be possile/would be alot harder". and then theres movies in sparkle'O vision. As Ben said its a great time to get one, even if you have a 360, thers no harm in having Halo 3 in one hand and MGS4 in the other

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The Force Is With Me.......And I Still F**k Everything Up
Lightsabers: When you've absolutely, positively Got To Kill Every Motherf**ker In The Room
I'd Love To Knuckle-F**k That Punk Right In His C**cksucker - Ryan H.

The Benny (Macho)

I do agree with you Ben, though the reason the PS3 launched a year after the 360 was due in part to the inclusion of Blu-Ray and Cell, there simply wasn't any way to get them out the gate any quicker. The choice to use the PS3 as a kind of trojan horse for the technology will pay off hugely if successful but it has also turned Sony's dominant position into more of a three-horse race.

There are a lot of people who went with the 360 who may not have done if the PS3 was around earlier and at a competitive price, and it's those people, the more hardcore gamers, who now have a 360 and access to the same third-party games as the PS3, often earlier too. A lot of them need convincing that the PS3 is worth a purchase, which is going to be down to the first-party titles. Sony have always had strong first-party developers, it's just that this time round the console is dependent on them to a greater degree than the PS2 was to entice gamers. It's a situation that's compounded by the Wii's unexpected dominance of the low-cost, casual sector.

Ultimately though the PS3 is now better value than it's ever been, and it seems unlikely that there will be another price drop soon considering how expensive its components are. There has been talk all year of a price drop so people will have been waiting for it, and now it's here and Christmas is approaching the people who have been close to purchasing one will probably do so now.

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Ben D.

Well, I've had a 360 for a while now, and I have no qualms about saying that system has more games at this point in time, but looking at past timing isn't something Sony can change. And yes, the PS3 may be more reliant on exclusives this time around...but like I said, they're not here yet. While it's obvious that 2007's Game of the Year awards will likely be dominated by the likes of Halo 3, Mass Effect, and Bioshock, one could say the same thing for next year with GT5, MGS4, Killzone 2, and FFXIII (if it makes it out in 2008). Only GTAIV and DMC4 - both of which are on the 360 - might steal some of the PS3's thunder.

I don't think anyone's debating this is a three-horse race, and nobody really believes the PS3 will be as dominant as the PS2. But I believe that's a good thing; competition breeds quality, if only for the desire to "top the other guy." At this time, though, I see plenty of reasons in the future to own a PS3, although there are more CURRENT reasons to own a 360 with the titles available now.

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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something."
-- Plato

"Small minds are interested in the extraordinary, great minds in the commonplace."
-- Elbert Hubbard

The Benny (Macho)

Don't get me wrong, I think the situation now is great for competition and this generation will be all the better for it. I just find it very interesting that Sony were willing to concede a huge, unassailable lead in the hope of Blu-Ray and Cell becoming popular to make up for it. It's one hell of a brave strategy.

Then again, I suppose the same could be said of Microsoft, running the Xbox division at a permanent loss seemingly to get their foot in the door of the whole digital distribution deal. Nintendo seem to be the only ones who intend to make a profit this time around.

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Gabriel013

pah, who needs profits. it'a all about the fun, man! *queue hippy music*

I'm one of those who bought a 360 because the PS3 wasn't available. If they'd released at the same time I'd have bought the PS3 even with the higher launch price because it offered me more for my buck.

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