Ok guys, the time has come for me to purchase a new console. PS3 or 360, already have the Wii....

Here is my logic:

Pros:
PS3:
-BLU-RAY (i love HD)
-can play m2ts discs (blu-ray on standard dvds=awesome)
-game catalog is improving
-console would be free (rewards points)

360:
-with flashed drive, games will be free
-better online play
-would cost $150 or so (gift cards)

Cons:
PS3:
-Games are expensive as ****

360:
-NO blu-ray

Let me know what yall think about the matter, any input is appreciated as always.

Also, i can and will edit any fanboy posts so keep them civil and factual.

Depends what you are looking for really. The 360 has a bigger and much deeper game library. 90% of games are multi-platform nowadays, so most of the series you like will be available on either PS3 or 360.

The 360 does have the ability to allow for the use backups. Flashing is easy with a compatible SATA chipset. It also has massive overheating problems. The airflow design does not distribute heat evenly between the GPU and CPU. There are modifications that can be made to the console to provide for better cooling. They require dissembling the console and voiding the warranty, but so does flashing.

If you purchase a 360, get it in a store that has two year in-store warranties and you know for sure does not check under the faceplate to see if the warranty sticker is still valid. Where I am none of them do. But that can vary depending on your location. If you game online Xbox Live has the market cornered. The fees are not that steep, I think around $50 a year or something. You may get lucky and get a console that does not die. However, it is a must to get a two year warranty, otherwise you are pissing $400 away in my opinion.

Liteon is rumored to have blu-ray drives in the works for 360, they could begin shipping in the second half of 08.

The PS3 has more sturdy hardware, no doubt about it. Blu-ray right out of the box is an excellent feature, since it has clearly won the current format war. You also have the ability to install Linux and use VLC or mplayer for media capabilities. Those two media players support most all standard definition media formats. Native High Def formats still struggle in Linux on PS3 however, as yet Linux can not make use of hardware acceleration essential for rendering HD files. So any attempt to play native HD files will likely result in lag. It can also provide a training ground to learn Linux.

The PS3 also has excellent USB and bluetooth compatibility. Most USB and bluetooth devices should work with the PS3. The 40GB model is known to have issues with the blu-ray hardware breaking down. It does not have backwards compatibility for PS2 games, only PSX games. A two year in-store warranty on the 40GB model is highly recommended. The PS3 supports the ability to swap out the stock HDD with a SATA 5400 RPM laptop HDD, in case you want to upgrade the HDD.

Online play for PS3 is free. That doesn't mean that individual games (MMORPG's for example) can not charge monthly fees, but accessing PSN and online play is free. There have been problems with the PSN game servers being able to handle online game traffic since the most recent PS3 firmware update, particularly with EA games.

Overall they both have serious drawbacks. The Xbox 360 has a bigger game library and the ability to use backups. It also has faulty hardware which Microsoft has done virtually nothing to correct in 3 years. The Cell processor is an amazing piece of technology. The PS3 hardware is sound, blu-ray right out of the box is great, and the support of OS installation is another added bonus. The game library is sorely lacking, which hopefully will change once games like MGS4 and Final Fantasy XIII are released.

My honest opinion... is get a PS3. Yeah you have to pay for games. But the hardware is less likely to breakdown and in time I believe there will a solid game library in place. The Cell has come nowhere close to reaching its potential. There are so few must-have games on next gen systems any way, that $60 here and there is not breaking the bank. Most games are dumbed down to appease the casual gamers. So hardcore games in most genres are on the endangered species list. The ability to install Linux and the media support for SD files is very good. Online play is free, it has excellent USB and bluetooth compatibility, the ability to upgrade the stock HDD without violating the warranty, and out of the box blu-ray. The only thing missing are the must-own games. In time, there will be some.

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I think a wii and ps3 is the perfect match, tbh im scared of using my new 360, to many horror storys :P so depends if you want to worry about it breaking down but have free games, or have a ps3 that will prob not break but have to pay for games,
That why i think a wii and ps3 goes together free games on the wii (if modded) but rubbish online play,ps3 for a fair online play and only buy the games you will play, ie gt5 ffxiii gta5 and so on

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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

I just sent my second Xbox 360 off for an X-clamp yesterday, if it doesn't work, I'm out $400. It should in theory work, but there's never any guarantee. To me, all those 360 fanboys are blind. There are good and bad points for the PS3 and 360. What good are backups if the hardware breaks down every six months? Most people don't have any idea about the X-clamp replacement, I'm fortunate the console scene is one on my interests. Joe sixpack probably would have been out $400.

I was two minutes away from a PS3 before the terms of the K-Mart not-so-smart-plan were outlined to me and I realized I had to send the bloody thing back to a third party company and pray it passes inspection to get a refund, replacement, or exchange.

The fact I was willing to throw away several hundreds of dollars on Dual Layer discs and 360 accessories in order to get a PS3 shows how much I detest Microsoft's business practices with the 360. Any way, that's another topic.

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thanks LS, the informed post i was looking for....not to mention i would be getting the ps3 for free, another big plus

No prob. If you happen across any more free PS3's, send one my way lol.

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Man, LS is a BOT, he stole those words from my mouth! lol

Free PS3 ftw!

But overall, I just really got mine for Blu-ray and Killzone 2

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Xbox 360 - 2 Games - 2 Controllers - 120GB Elite - Dead
PS3 - 23 BD Games - 13 PSN Games - 9 Controllers - 320GB - Alive
Wii - 6 Games - 4 Wiimotes - Alive
PC - Overkill - God like :]

Gaming Generations | XnogarD Production - Soon!!!

kam, send me one of those controllers, u clearly dont need 10 lol

lol, I do need 10 actually. I tend to mis-place them all the time, so I just grab what I find . Besides, DS3 are out this week, if not next week.

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Xbox 360 - 2 Games - 2 Controllers - 120GB Elite - Dead
PS3 - 23 BD Games - 13 PSN Games - 9 Controllers - 320GB - Alive
Wii - 6 Games - 4 Wiimotes - Alive
PC - Overkill - God like :]

Gaming Generations | XnogarD Production - Soon!!!