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Sunday, September 11, 2011

XBox 360 or PS3

 

 

 

XBOX 360 or PS3 ?

 

 

xbox 360 logo        VS           ps3Logo

 

 

After generations of console wars here now at the seventh generation we have a Titan of an Xbox 360 at one corner against an Olympian of a PS3 at another. It has been years of rivalry and the question still remains ‘Xbox 360 or PS3’?

The question is not only amongst the hardline gamers but also amongst casual gamers, general public, from shop keepers to business owners, from kids to dads, from teens to adults and even amongst non-gamers. Even though PS3 is ever so popular and have a huge fan following globally but Xbox 360 is holding its own in the war with a massive fan following mostly concentrated in the US, so now let’s jump in to the ongoing battle between these two iconic consoles and try to find answers to this popular phrase ‘PS3 or Xbox 360’.

 

 

The Strength of Xbox 360

XBOX360 Developed by the computer giant Microsoft Corporation, Xbox 360 has the following specifications:

o 3.2 GHz Xenon Processor with three dual threaded cores with peak performance 77 GFlops.

o ATI Xenos GPU with 512 MB GDDR3 RAM shared with system RAM, 10 MB eDRAM and 21.6 Gbps bandwidth.

o 512 MB GDDR3 RAM shared with GPU, speed is 700MHz and 22.4 Gbps bandwidth.

o 250 GB HDD with 5400 rpm, user replaceable with proprietary HDD.

o DVD 12× read speed with 7 GB disc space.

Halo3 o Native 720p resolution video support and 1080p OS support with composite, component, HDMI connections and VGA.

o Analog - Dolby Pro Logic II and Digital - 5.1 Dolby Digital.

o 5 USB ports with Kinect port, 3 wired and 4 wireless which makes it 7 max controllers.

o 100 Mbps Ethernet with 802.11n built-in wifi connector.

o Xbox 360 is backward compatible to most games of original Xbox via software emulation.

 

 

 

The Power of PS3

PS3 Created by Sony Computer Entertainment a subsidiary of the electronics giant Sony Corporation, Playstation 3 has the following specifications:

  • 3.2 GHz Cell Processor with seven single threaded cores and a backup core with peak performance 230 GFlops.
  • NVIDIA RSX GPU with 256 MB GDDR3 RAM, additional 224 MB which can be shared with the system RAM and 22.4 Gbps bandwidth.
  • 256 MB XDR RAM, with 3.2 GHz speed and 25.6 Gbps bandwidth.
  • 320 GB HDD with 5400 rpm, user replaceable with standard HDD.
  • DVD 8× read speed and Blu-Ray 2× read speed with 25 GB disc space.
  • KRATOS 1080p resolution video support with component, composite and HDMI connections.
  • Analog - Stereo, Digital - 5.1 Dolby Digital and 7.1 LPCM.
  • 2 USB ports with Bluetooth 2.0 and 7 max controllers.
  • 1 Gbps Ethernet with 802.11g built-in wifi connector.
  • Backward compatibility to some PS1 games via hardware emulation.

 

 

Which is better PS3 or Xbox 360?

  • The Cell Broadband Engine Architecture processor of PS3 is stronger and faster than the Xenon processor of Xbox 360, a Cell 3.2 GHz single core Processing Element PE divides the workload to 6 other Synergistic Processing Elements SPEs making it faster when at its full potential.
  • The ATI Xenos GPU with 10 MB of eDRAM and a Unified Shedder Core with 48 unified pipelines provides better frame rate and anti-aliasing for graphics as compared to NVIDIA RSX GPU of PS3 which has no eDRAM and have a Dedicated Shedder Core with 24 pixel pipelines and 8 vertex pipelines which provides less anti-aliasing as compared to Xenos, but with the support of Cell processor the RSX gets a boost in anti-aliasing, overall performance increases.
  • The XDR RAM of PS3 with a speed of 3.2 GHz and a bandwidth of 25.6 Gbps is faster than GDDR3 RAM of Xbox 360.
  • The speed of both hard drives are the same, the hard drive offered by PS3 is up to 320 GB HDD and also upgradable by users with standard hard drives.
  • The PS3 with its Blu-ray and higher disc space of 25 GB is superior with excellent media playback and the Blu-ray technology is standard setup for the future, the latest complex and high quality games and media fits for the Blu-ray.
  • In relation to the video support the maximum resolution of PS3 is greater than that of the Xbox 360, as PS3 provides gaming support of 1080p while Xbox 360 provides 720p.
  • Xbox 360 suits for analog sound connections with its Dolby Pro Logic II while PS3 suits for digital connections with its 5.1 Dolby Digital and 7.1 LPCM.
  • The Bluetooth 2.0 feature in PS3 gives it an edge over Xbox 360.
  • Built-in wifi is now in both consoles, but the support of Xbox 360 is 802.11n technology which gives it an advantage.
  • The backward compatibility of both consoles is weak but Xbox 360 supports most of the games of the original Xbox.

 

 

The PS3 clearly excels in most of the technological department but technology is not enough to decide whether PS3 is better than Xbox 360, as it comes down to practical experience, games and other features of the two consoles.

 As it so happened that the Xbox 360 was released a year earlier than PS3 in 2005 and thus became the primary platform for game developers, the games then were developed in accordance with the architectures of CPU and GPU of Xbox 360, hence the Xbox 360 enjoyed an advantage at the first phase of the console rivalry as most of the multi-platform games displayed slightly better graphics on Xbox 360. But now in the second phase of the rivalry PS3 has turned the tide as its full potential comes into action with extraordinary exclusive and high quality games.

 

 

 

PS3s Arsenal against Xbox 360s Armory

 

Controllers

XBoxcontroller The controller of Xbox 360 is a bulky and hard design, better placement of analog stick and triggers suits best for shooter games and suits better for racing games, due to its bulky design it is comfortable in the hands of gents but not for kids or ladies, excessive game playing can cause pain and numbness in the fingers, the D-pad is not good due to its design.

ps3controller The controller of PS3 Dual Shock 3 has a soft and light design but durable like the previous versions, the triggers are not that effective as compared to that of Xbox 360’s controller, D-pad is good and the controller suits for fighting and adventure games, fine in the hands of gents and comfortable in the hands of kids and ladies, excessive playing does not cause symptoms in the fingers.

 

Media Playback

The media playback of PS3 is superior due to its Blu-ray supporting 1920×1080 pixel resolution making it 6 times better than the media playback of Xbox 360 supporting 720×480 pixel resolution, besides this PS3 have better speed, features, CD ripping and better music playback and support more formats.

 

User Interface

newxboxexperience The user interface of Xbox 360 is the New Xbox Experience having good visual experience with avatar creation feature, the themes are not free and the in-game interface is fast and better.

 

xrossmediabar The user interface of PS3 is Xross Media Bar having simple visual experience with fast navigation and good functionality and having good themes along with customized themes.

 

 

Online Experience

xLIVE logo Xbox LIVE is the online service offered by Xbox 360 and that of PS3 is called Playstation Network or PSN. Both offer the services of downloadable content; such as maps, expansion packs, game demos and the ability to save achievements. PSN is free whereas in Xbox LIVE one has to pay 50$ per year for multiplayer and videozone services along with extra features such as party system, access to Facebook and Twitter which PSN lacks. Its strength is its better social network integration, stability, speed and overall nice integration to content.

PSnLogo One of the features of the PSN is PS Home, a virtual world where gamers can make their avatars and interact with other gamers and use the PS Home platform as a launching place for multiplayer games but the long loading time destroys that purpose. Xbox LIVE on the other hand has taken the avatar concept and integrated it with its Xbox LIVE interface. Its party system allows one to launch and play games with one’s friends and also to watch movies together. Overall, with its superior services Xbox LIVE is better than PSN and therefore is home to the largest online community.

 

Add-on

psmove The PlayStation motion controller is called PlayStation Move, it consists of a wand like motion controller on top of which is a LED orb which serves as an active marker, the PlayStation Eye camera detects and measures the location of the controller and translates it into real life actions into the screen. A secondary controller can also be paired with the wand.

kinectxbox360 The Xbox 360 motion controller is called Kinect. The Kinect sensor contains an RGB camera and a depth sensor to track the player’s movement. It measures the positioning of the 48 key joints in the body and by tracking the movement of these joints it can work out the exact position of the body and translate it into action on screen. It also houses a built-in multi-array microphone which allows the user to control their Xbox 360 using voice commands alone but its drawback is much dependence on body movements. PS3 Move on the other hand allows one to use it in a sitting position as well. Moreover it is incorporated in hardcore games a thing which Kinect lacks.

 

 

The Exclusive Games

Here are some best exclusive games of Xbox 360:

1) HALO 3: 

halo3 An immensely successful first person shooter game, a prized asset of Xbox 360 with fine graphics, good game-play and excellent plot.

 

 

2) Gears of War 2:

gears2 

Another great shooting game of Xbox 360 worth playing, with great graphics, excellent plot and good game-play.

 

 

3) Forza Motorsport 3:

Forza A racing game with beautiful graphics definitely an excellent treat for racing game fans.

 

4) Fable 2:

Fable2 It is an action RPG, overall a good game in Xbox 360’s collection with decent plot and graphics. Some other good exclusive games worth playing are Halo 3: ODST, Infinite Undiscovery, Blue Dragon and Dead or Alive 4. Upcoming anticipated games are Halo 4, Gears of War 3, and Forza Motorsport 4.

 

 

Here are some best exclusive games of PS3:

1) God of War 3:

god of war 3  Well PS3 have the mighty Kratos at its side one of the most popular character of this gaming era who turned the tide of the console war, an action-adventure game with high quality graphics, extra ordinary game-play, excellent plot and fantastic characters, this is a must-play for all gamers.

 

2) Uncharted 2:

Uncharted 2 Another very successful and great action-adventure game of PS3 with brilliant graphics, nice plot and excellent game-play.

 

 

 

3) Killzone 3:

killzone 3

 

A first person shooter game with stunning graphics, decent game-play and fine plot.

 

 

 

 

4) Little Big Planet 2:

little big planet A sequel to a very successful puzzle platformer game Little Big Planet, the sequel lived up to the expectations and it is as successful as the original game.

 

 

5) Resistance 2:

Resistance 2 Another good first person shooter game of PS3 with good graphics, fine game-play and plot.

Some other great exclusive games of PS3 are Ratchet and Clank series, Infamous 2, Little Big Planet, Killzone 2, Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance, Uncharted, Infamous, Heavenly Sword, Heavy Rain and Grand Turismo 5. Upcoming anticipated games are Final Fantasy 13, Resistance 3, and Uncharted 3.

The Xbox 360 has a longer list of games while PS3 has a long list of great exclusive games.

 

 

The Issues

Just when it seemed that everything was going well for Sony the recent attack on Sony’s PS3 shook the solid foundation of the company, what followed was a temporary shutdown of the PSN online services owing to the security breach due to hack attacks. Sony has announced to offer compensation to its clientele with complimentary identity theft protection along with a free month of premium online service and free games.

red Xbox 360 too had its share of problems, the major among them being the hardware failure. The Xbox 360 hardware failure rate is 54.2 percent due to the Red Ring of Death in which a red colored indicator appears when the Xbox 360’s hardware fails due to overheating. Though Microsoft has revised its motherboard to counter this issue, PS3’s hardware is still superior to it.

 

 

Which Xbox 360 or Which PS3?

With both gaming giants releasing many console versions that support hundreds of accessories. The gamer does not just have to choose between an Xbox 360 or a PS3, gamer has to also decide to buy which Xbox 360 or which PS3. Though multiple versions or Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) increases choices they also tend to confuse and frustrate the customer. Listed below are price ranges of some popular console SKUs and some basic accessories sold in both USA and UK.

PlayStation 3 Console

Price in USA

Price in UK

PS3 160GB Slim

$299.99

£199.99

PS3 320GB Slim

$349.99

£269.99

PS3 320GB with PlayStation Move Bundle

$399.99

£269.99

Xbox 360 Console

Price in USA

Price in UK

Xbox 360 250GB

$299.99

£159.98

Xbox 360 320 GB Limited Edition Gears of War 3 Bundle

$399.99

£269.99

Xbox 360 250GB with Kinect

$399.99

£269.99

PS3 Accessories

Price in USA

Price in UK

PlayStation Move Gun Shoot Attachment

$19.99

£13.99

Sony Wireless Keypad

$49.99

£7.98

PS3 Bluetooth Headset

$49.99

£12.99

Gioteck EX-02 Next Gen Wireless Headset

$29.99

£9.98

Official PS3 Blu Ray Disc Remote

$ 24.99

£17.99

Wireless Blue tooth Head Set

$49.99

£20.99

PS Move Charging Station

$ 29.99

£14.98

Dual Shock Wireless Controller

$41.99

£29.98

PS Move Motion Controller

$39.99

£27.98

PS Move Navigation Controller

$ 26.99

£19.98

Xbox 360 Accessories

Price in USA

Price in UK

Kinect Sensor

$149.99

£79.98

Xbox 360 Wireless Controller

$49.99

£22.98

Xbox 360 Controller

$39.99

£14.98

Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit

$29.99

£19.99

Xbox 360 Play & Charge Kit

$19.99

£8.98

Xbox 360 Chatpad

$29.99

£14.98

Xbox 360 Wireless Headset

$49.99

£22.98

Xbox 360 Headset

$19.99

£9.98

Wireless N Networking Adapter

$79.99

£44.99

Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Cable

$19.99

£12.99

Xbox 360 HDMI Cable

$39.99

£16.99

Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable

$39.99

£14.99

Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable

$39.99

£14.99

250GB Hard Drive

$99.99

£49.98

 

The Future & The End of Conflict

There is no simple answer to which is better PS3 or Xbox 360. Both gaming giants have taken the gaming experience to a new level. Both have experienced success and faced pitfalls. E3 2011 showed a glimpse of that future when Microsoft announced support for new features on its Xbox LIVE platform, that is access to Youtube, Bing and LiveTV and new features on its Kinect hardware. Sony also packed a lot of surprises with the announcement of some exclusive titles and the unleashing of its Next Generation Portable dubbed ‘PlayStation Vita’. Thus one can say the future holds good for both and only the gamers can decide which console suits them the most Xbox 360 or PS3 or even both of them.

For now the consoles are staying due to extra ordinary games offered and which are still on the way. The decision should be an easy one for those who are aware of their needs, likes and favorite genre of games, go for the one which suits your persona the most.

 

By HD.