Prompted by the Mass Effects Post I have started to think again about ditching the computer for a dedicated games console. Keeping up with the necessary computer spec for the latest games is too complicated and expensive. The games I run are fairly simple ones by todays standards but I now want something more modern.

Last time I looked at the different games consoles it was a fairly basic choice, Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft. Nintendo seem to have dropped out of the running and concentrating on a different market with the Wii. PS3 and XBox appear to be the real gaming machines but I am confused by the various different specs available for both. There are different sizes of harddrives, slim, normal, S, the list goes on.

Is there or can someone give me an idiots guide to what it all means and the benefits of the larger systems.

If you are buying new then the 360 and ps3 are both the newer slim model.

The ps3 comes with a 160 or 320gb hard drive, either of which is plenty. The 360 comes with 4gb flash or a 250gb hard drive but you will need the hard drive.

Both now have wifi built in and most games are available on both systems with very minor differences that you won't notice without a side by side comparison. There are some good exclusive titles on each console, but I prefer the ps3 ones (uncharted, resistance, killzone, heavy rain) to the Xbox (halo, gears of war). The ps3 has a blu ray drive instead of DVD in the 360, and the ps3 has free online gaming instead of about 30 quid a year. The 360s online service is a bit better and gets some content like call of duty map packs first. The controllers on the 360 feel better to me but don't include a rechargeable battery pack as standard unlike the ps3.

If you have friends with one console and want to go online, buy that one. If not, my preference would be for the ps3, and I own both.

Oh, and game are possibly going out of business soon but are doing a ps with a good game for 150 at the mo.

Edited 12 March, 201214 yr by Dr Zoidberg

I agree with above, it really comes down to what your friends have.

I have both, and prefer the Xbox.

PS3 sits gathering dust mostly, as I only get exclusives on it. I got it originally for Heavy Rain, then got the Uncharted trilogy, every other PS3 exclusive I've tried I didn't like, (including Killzone and Resistance which were poor)

I prefer playing on the Xbox as the pad is bigger. Have to give up on the PS3 after an hour with hand cramp!

Gears of War is brilliant, Forza 4 is leagues ahead of Gran Turismo 5, Xbox live works far better than PSN and is worth paying for. Games are also quicker to load on the Xbox (excluding installed games) as while it's "only" a DVD drive, it's so much faster at reading data than BluRay (GTA4 got held back for months because Rockstar couldn't get the data off the BD-ROM fast enough to stream the environment seemlessly, it's also noticeably slow to load BD films).

I also have both and prefer the PS3, mainly because the Xbox has the RROD and its in the attic.

Forza 4 is leagues ahead of Gran Turismo 5,.

No it's not .........

No it's not .........

Agreed.

The selection of cars and the racing is excellent in both of them.

GT5 has the edge on graphics and Forza has the better menu structure.

You really wouldn't be missing out on much at all if you only played one of them.

Meh. I'll allow you both to be wrong

Xbox also has lots of brilliant independent games, easily accessible from a superb menu system, unlike the PS3's borrowed-from-the-handheld system

Thanks for the info.

Think I'll see if I can try them out somewhere. None of my friends are really into gaming (or will admit to it!!) so I'm not locked to a particular platform. Have previously had a PS1 and a PS2 so probably more drawn to the PS3 than XBox, also would be nice to have the bluray functionality but not a requirement.

Are there any reliability issues with them? Seem to remember something about a light of death and rings on the discs but not sure what platform they were on or if still prevelant.

First gen Xbox 360's had an issue, current ones are fine. And MS solved all issues under an extended warranty.

The non-slim PS3's have an issue with over heating and Sony refuse to acknowledge. Current ones are ok.

If you are buying new there's no reliability issues.

The original XBox 360 was terrible for hardware failures caused by overheating and poor design - Red Ring of Death or RROD - which microsoft eventually admitted to, but that was fixed in the last of the "fat" shaped consoles and isn't an issue in the new slim ones. I seem to remember there was a problem with some consoles scratching disks but again that was an early issue that's now fixed.

The "fat" PS3 had a similar heat related failure - Yellow Light of Death or YLOD - but that only affected a much smaller percentage of consoles with failure rates pretty similar to what you would expect of any complex electronic item. Again, that's not an issue at all if you are buying a new slim console.

YLOD killed my first ps3 (fat 60gb type) that was 3 months after I had a new laser

fitted to it. (Just out of warranty)

New 250gb slim PS3 has been fine so far.

I seem to remember there was a problem with some consoles scratching disks but again that was an early issue that's now fixed.

This was found to be caused by moving the console when on and reading the disc, when the console was in the vertical position.

Thanks for the info.

Think I'll see if I can try them out somewhere. None of my friends are really into gaming (or will admit to it!!) so I'm not locked to a particular platform. Have previously had a PS1 and a PS2 so probably more drawn to the PS3 than XBox, also would be nice to have the bluray functionality but not a requirement.

Are there any reliability issues with them? Seem to remember something about a light of death and rings on the discs but not sure what platform they were on or if still prevelant.

I had a ps1 and too so bought the 3 as soon as it came out...it now sits there collecting dust as i prefer the 360 online is much better and worth paying for,the xbox controller is alot better than the ps3 controller once your used to it...i get cramp in my hand when i use tge ps controller lol...you really need to try both and make your own mind up

Possible spanner in the works now!! My son is desperate for a handheld gaming device, his elder sister got a DS a couple of years ago. Looking at what is available it is either a 3DS or a PS Vita. It appears that the Vita is fairly new and I presume the replacement for the PSP. Is there any advantage in having a PS3 together with a Vita?

His birthday is not for a few months but I would hate to make a decision now without considering a near term future event.

Listening to the answers so far I am on the fence between the XBox and the PS3, need to see the games available and what I want. Why is it never easy!!!!

Yes, there is some cross-platform stuff possible with a vita and ps3.

Also if you both want to go online the ps3 is still free but you both need to pay with an Xbox.

I really have no idea why Sony bothered with a new handheld. Only 4 people bought their last one!

With regards to the 3DS - test one first, I find that the 3D effect flickers violently.

I really have no idea why Sony bothered with a new handheld. Only 4 people bought their last one!

They actually sold 70 million, more than either the PS3 or 360

Just bear in mind, the next xbox/playstation will be released later this year, or next year, so the console will only have 1-2 years before being outdated.