Best Modern Console

[Jack Burton]

While you've probably already made your purchase (it seems like you went for the xBox 360?), I'll make my contribution and recommend either the xBox 360 or PS2.

The PS3, aside from having the Blu-Ray disc player, pretty much does everything that the xBox 360 does. I know a few people who are yet to purchase current gen consoles who were weened on PS2 and are so reluctant to make the switch to xBox 360 and are still waiting for the massive price drop to come on the PS3.

The PS3 has been poorly marketed, is totally overpriced and because of that Sony has essentially shot itself in the foot. The fact that the current 40gb PS3s aren't even backwards compatible with PS2 and PSone games was enough to sway me towards xBox 360. By purchasing the xBox 360 (which is compatible with the large majority of xBox games), I was essentially getting two consoles for the price of one. I held on to my PS2 and pretty much every decent game that is released on PS3 is always released on xBox 360 anyway.

The PS2, despite being a few years old now, is still a great console and unbelievable value. You can pick up some top notch third person shooter and sports games on it for really good prices. I purchased Scarface: The World is Yours, Bully and GTA: San Andreas for it all quite recently and have got a heap of mileage out of all of them.

[funaki]

Actually for some dumb reason the 40 gb ps3 can play ps one games

[Jack Burton]

No shit?

I'm not too sure if that's the case with the Australian version of the PS3. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

Sony totally screwed themselves when they released the 80gb and 60gb versions of the PS3 and priced them at approximately $AU1000, essentially pricing themselves out of the market because pretty much everyone here in Australia (bar those with wads of cash to burn) sat back and waited for the price slash which never came.

Eventually they released the 40gb version, underlined the fact that it wasn't backwards compatible, yet still sold it at $AU700.

I can only speak for myself, but I decided to hang on to my PS2 and purchased the xBox 360 which was $200 cheaper and came bundled with two games, bonus wires, HD cable and cords and some other shit that I haven't bothered to look at nor particularly care about. The $700 PS3 came with absolutely nothing besides the console and a controller.

Didn't take a genius to figure out which one was better value for money.

My ramblings aside, your revelation that the 40gb PS3 is compatible with PSone games is quite interesting because I was unaware of that.

[magicmikassa]

I think the best console really depends on the personal situation and taste.

The PS3 initially is more expensive, but it comes with free wireless internet. The 360 however makes you pay every month for internet and you have to buy a wireless adapter if you need it. Of course there is also the Red Ring of Death which can add more costs and just plain annoyance.

Of course if you want Blu Ray the PS3 provides that whereas the 360 doesn't, but that of course adds on to the price of the PS3 with the expense of buying the hdmi cable and of course a TV that is Blu Ray capable if you don't have one.

Then there is the question of the games themselves. If you want to play MGS4 for example then the PS3 is the only way to go. If you can't wait to play an xbox exclusive like the upcoming Alan Wake then the 360 is the way to go.

Lastly, there's the controllers to which I personally prefer the 360 controller.

So, really there is no clear cut answer. The PS3 CAN be more expensive and is at least initially, but in the long run the PS3 could actually be cheaper than the 360 if you use XBOX live.

I decided to buy a 360 myself as I liked the prospect of being able to stream netflix to my tv, preferring the 360 controller, the initial cheapness, not having 1080p capable tv, and lastly the fact that it came with two games one of which I was going to buy anyway.