Sunday, September 21, 2008
I am Torn
I was under the impression I would never have to face this choice, but now that the X-box360 has dropped to $200 I don't know if I can pass that up. I am very playstation loyal, but at half the cost I can get a system that is just as good in the graphics and gameplay department....what should I do? I would think PS3 would drop their price, but how long will that take? A side question to all of this, is how long til these companies come out with a newer system.......somebody help me make big boy decisions....
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I would guess it is at least 3 more years before anyone releases a new system. There is usually a 5 year console cycle, the XBox 360 released in Nov 2005 & the PS3 in Nov 2006. In fact Nintendo may try to keep the Wii out even longer (since you still can't buy one why would they rush to put something new out).
Of course Microsoft did come out a year before the other two in the last console cycle, but there are rumors that they are going to move to a more software style like they currently do for PCs. They will produce software but allow other manufacturers to build the actual machines. Interesting, but it would change the current "Sell the console at a loss to make it up in game sales" way the business works.
I also don't think Sony is going to drop the PS3 price anytime soon. They did actually just cut the price some recently and supposedly they are still losing a lot of money on every machine. However they are selling more of them right now than ever before, so same thing, why drop the price.
I too have been wrestling with the XBOX 360 idea. I love my Wii but there are a few games that just aren't the same on it, Madden for example. $199 is cheap enough to make it interesting.
One thing to note, the $199 one doesn't have a hard drive. Since I don't have a 360 I don't really have any idea what that means in the way of lost functionality. I don't know if there are games that specifically need it, or if its just for downloaded content etc.
So all that said the only thing that's keeping me from getting one is MGS4. Since other than Madden that's the only game I can think of recently that has come out that I have really wanted to play. If they release some "special edition" for the XBox, I'll probably get one.
The main reasons that I went w/ a PS3 over a 360 are
(1) the controller - I love the Playstation controllers, and hate the clunky Xbox controllers - always have, especially for sports games, which is 80% of what I play (I think the Xbox controller is better for first person shooters, but I don't really play those);
(2) the Blu-ray capability - as you know, I'm a huge HD snob, so this was big for me - I also got 5 free Bluray movies when I bought my system, so I figured that was an $80-$100 value anyways;
(3) the large hard drive - this has become less important over the past year, as internal/external HD prices have come WAY down, but still very nice to have - no more worrying about "memory cards" and you can store loads of music/movies/downloadable games on your HD;
(4) online is free on the PS3, costs about 50 bucks per year for the 360 - although I don't play a whole lot online, I hated the idea of having to pay for it when I get a game that I do want to play online; and
(5) most important for me was the realibility issue - I'm sure you've heard of the XBOX360 - Red Ring of Death issues? Well, I didn't feel like dropping 300 bucks on a system just to have it crap out on me repeatedly, like many had. From what I've read, this was more than just a normal defective system rate - much more widespread. The PS3 is very reliable. Although I believe the XBox has addressed the issue causing the widespread system failures (I think most were caused by overheating), they had not when I purchased my PS3. I'm not sure if the "arcade" systems (the $199 ones) have this RROD problem or not.
So there you go - my 5 most compelling reasons. I was **this** close to getting a 360, but in the end, I went with the PS3, and I'm happy I did. I'm sure you can find an 80GB PS3 for under $400 on ebay, and maybe even some 40GB or 60GB systems closer to $300 on ebay or craigslist.
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