As a gaming system first, the 360 is the better deal even if you got the bare $299 unit. The hard drive is not (yet) a requirement but it really helps so you can get the 20gb version for $100 more. That's $399 as compared to the 20gb PS3 for $499. Blueray worth $100 more...hmm not really.
Factor in the newer black unit with 120gb drive for a mere $80 more and it is STILL cheaper than the 20gb PS3 and has more space than the bigger 60gb PS3. Again, blueray worth more...hmmmm. Not really.
Online with a price vs free. I actually like paying because I know the money I spend ges to making sure ALL live enabled games are given a standard to which they must perform where as the free option puts the gamer at the mercy of the individual game server which Sony has not put down a ground work for standards yet. They will get better.
As a high def video player, the nod goes to the PS3 because of the blueray drive. Now the 360 does really have an advantage here as well but it is a bit more involving. You see,even MS has gone on to say that both hddvd and br are not fully consumer acceptable (ATM). If there is a winner then the appropriate drive would be available for use on the 360 if consumer demand warrented it. Nice that it is optional and yes the 360 DOES have an hddvd drive. That was released more to save face that Sony kept saying "We can do high def movies." So MS basically had that drive further along than their blueray unit and made it available to say "we can too, PLUS it is external and can be attached to the core, premium and (soon to be) deluxe units."
Price just isnt something Sony thought too much about. The PS3 is an "EVOLUTIONARY" step up from the PS2 and not so much "REVOLUTIONARY" like the PS2 itself was. Performance differences between the 360 and PS3 are too close to call which brings it all back on the inclusion of blueray for the average price of $250-300 more than the basic 360.
this last part would be a nice twist but I am betting it will end up rumor (or april fools joke). Sony realizing the cost of the PS3 is just to high for the "GAMING" consumer, has decided to remove the blueray drive from the 20gb sku and replace it with a standard dvd player and lower the cost of the "entry level" PS3 to $299 making it the same price as the core 360 but it would include the 20gb drive where as the core 360 does not.
Highly doubtful but it could happen as it has been proven (or soon will be) that content just isn't there to really fill up the blueray disc. Movies maybe but games.......?
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