Why Do People Keep Bringing Up The Cost of Xbox Live?

Im a PS3 owner myself, but when i went to my friends house he has a 360 and we went online and i wouldnt be worried about paying if you get online that good i just think there is so more to offer with 360 online than PS3, such as you can make a little person, check what games your friends are currently playing online, check how good people are write something about yourself, to me PS3 has none of this but dont get me wrong i think the PS3 is the better console and i dont regret 1 bit buying it over the 360.muelsok

is this sarcasm?

you know you can do all of those things on the PS3 and PC right? :| well, not little people, but normal size avatars. (PC has more avatars then you can shake a stick at)

that I didn't understand

[QUOTE="nitekids2004"]

Can you clarify a bit more about the 15C/kwh? I'm not good at electronic stuff. It would really help if you were able to calculate the electricity consumption (in $)/hour of the PS3 vs. 360.

asylumni

The price for kWh is how much it costs to run an appliance that uses 1000 Watts of electricity (for example - a window air conditioner or an electric heater) for one hour. That chart assumes the 360 uses about 155 Watts and the PS 3 uses about 198 Watts. To find cost per hour, multiply price (15 cents) by kWatts (.155 and .198 ) and hours (1). This gives a cost of 2.325 cents/hour for the 360 and 2.97 cents/hour for the PS 3 (a difference of 0.645 cents/hour).

Ok thanks. So an average PS3 gamer who plays 8 hours/week would pay an additional (.00645 Dollar x 8 hours x 52 weeks) = $2.68?

So basically by this thread the PS3 does have the lead in a way when it comes to "free" on-line gaming. But like I said before you can tell it's free. The lay out of PSH is nowhere near XBL to me.jasonheyman

[QUOTE="Blackbond"]

Explain how the data doesn't show it. Myself and Dreams have all the data, the links, the information and the details. If there is anything specific you want then please let me know and I will provide it for you as all the neccesary information is in my blog.

asylumni

OK, here's what you have provided.

It is your contention that the PS 3 costs $57 (on average or exact, it doesn't matter) more in electricity to run for every year for every owner as opposed to the 360. This is false.

This chart assumes an average cost of 15 cents/kWh (kilowatt-hour). Many people pay less than this. The average in the US for consumers was close to 12 cents/kWh. Any reduction in actual costs would also reduce the cost difference by a similar percentage. This may seem to be a small change, but it adds up.

This chart also ignores the difference between different models of each system. What if someone bought a launch 360 but waited until now to buy a PS 3? They could be paying more in electricity for the 360! But those are just isolated incedents and don't give all overall perspective (still voids your claim, however).

So let's look at how they cam up with their cost. Since you're using a difference of $57, I'm assuming you are looking at the "on, playing a game" columns. The 360 gets charged with 26.00 kWh of energy on a weekly basis. 26 kWh = 26000 Watt*hours . There is 168 hours in a week. 26000Wh/168h=154.76190476... or about 155 watts for how much electricity the 360 is using while playing a game. Using the same calculations, the PS 3 is set at about 198 Watts while playing a game. The problem is, this asumes the person is playing a game every hour, and in the case of the yearly figure, every hour of every day for the whole year. Nobody plays this much. Even an average of 8 hours a day is a lot - 2920 hours/year (the average time spend at a full time 40 hour/week job only amounts to 2000 hours). This would cut the difference to $19/year. 4 hours/day makes it $9.50/year and 2 hours/day makes it $4.75/year. According to the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association, the average gamer plays 12.6 hours/week which would make the difference $4.275/year. According to NPD, console gamers play an average of 8.2 hours a week, making the difference a mere $2.7821.../year.

How much were those batteries, again?

Intersting, intellectual and upon review yes correct. It seems that I have been mistaken and this was the data that lead to that. I've gone over the math and yes it does indeed check out. Excellent work.

You have earned it man. Moments like these do not come often :D

[QUOTE="SpruceCaboose"][QUOTE="def_mode"] its online gaming for goodness sake, comparing it to mortgages, car bills, bank accounts etc is just not right. And not all have credit cards. yes $5 is nothing, its cheap but the fact still stands up, u r getting charged for something suppose to be free. Mortgage, Phone billes etc arent free. think about it.def_mode

but i heard there is such thing as free online play

[QUOTE="asylumni"][QUOTE="nitekids2004"]

Can you clarify a bit more about the 15C/kwh? I'm not good at electronic stuff. It would really help if you were able to calculate the electricity consumption (in $)/hour of the PS3 vs. 360.

nitekids2004

The price for kWh is how much it costs to run an appliance that uses 1000 Watts of electricity (for example - a window air conditioner or an electric heater) for one hour. That chart assumes the 360 uses about 155 Watts and the PS 3 uses about 198 Watts. To find cost per hour, multiply price (15 cents) by kWatts (.155 and .198 ) and hours (1). This gives a cost of 2.325 cents/hour for the 360 and 2.97 cents/hour for the PS 3 (a difference of 0.645 cents/hour).

Ok thanks. So an average PS3 gamer who plays 8 hours/week would pay an additional (.00645 Dollar x 8 hours x 52 weeks) = $2.68?

You can't even download demo's unles you subscribe.

However, a Live count is half as expensive as a WoW account.

Ever heard the phrase, "There is no such thing as a free lunch"? I think its applicable here.SpruceCaboose

but i heard there is such thing as free online play

[QUOTE="muelsok"]Im a PS3 owner myself, but when i went to my friends house he has a 360 and we went online and i wouldnt be worried about paying if you get online that good i just think there is so more to offer with 360 online than PS3, such as you can make a little person, check what games your friends are currently playing online, check how good people are write something about yourself, to me PS3 has none of this but dont get me wrong i think the PS3 is the better console and i dont regret 1 bit buying it over the 360.FragTycoon

is this sarcasm?

you know you can do all of those things on the PS3 and PC right? :| well, not little people, but normal size avatars. (PC has more avatars then you can shake a stick at)

that I didn't understand

You can't even download demo's unles you subscribe.

However, a Live count is half as expensive as a WoW account.

MachineLike7

Why are lemmings bringing wow into this? Its an MMO with dedicated servers a massive development team, constant on going patches and additions with the ability to save multiple characters on multiple servers.

Aside from MMOs all other online is free for the PC, including most DLC.

The thing is anyone can play online for free on both PC and PS3 playing WOW is a choice, if people don't want to pay for wow they can still play all their other games.

To play ANY games on Xbox live the user HAS to pay, its not a choice.

MS tried to charge for Xbox Live on PC and when it failed they made it free.

Ever heard the phrase, "There is no such thing as a free lunch"? I think its applicable here.SpruceCaboose

but i heard there is such thing as free online play

Intersting, intellectual and upon review yes correct. It seems that I have been mistaken and this was the data that lead to that. I've gone over the math and yes it does indeed check out. Excellent work.

Blackbond

Thank you. I appreciate this. You are, indeed, a gentleman and a scholar!

Because they want to keep pushing on extra things in an effor to make the 360 look more expensive then the PS3 even though the PS3 uses a lot more energy then the 360 more then enough to actually negate the cost of XBL in itself. The difference in power consumption cost between the 360 and the PS3 is more then the cost of XBL so I fail to see why people complain about XBL on the principal that it makes it more expensive then the PS3.

I just complain about XBL because I want it to be free not because it makes it more expensive then PS3 in the long run because as I have proven time in and time out along with Dreams that is not true.

Blackbond

http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-2.htm

[QUOTE="Blackbond"]

Intersting, intellectual and upon review yes correct. It seems that I have been mistaken and this was the data that lead to that. I've gone over the math and yes it does indeed check out. Excellent work.

asylumni

Thank you. I appreciate this. You are, indeed, a gentleman and a scholar!

Indeed post like a gentleman..

If you are worried about the amount of electricty these gaming machines uses then you should minimize your usage time and or quit gaming.def_mode

Who's worrying? I own about what 10 consoles and a **** load of games with the addition of like a $200 arcade stick.

Because is part of the cost? You cant do the same thing with a silver account thus you cant have the full gaming experience online .... thats why ........[QUOTE="Blackbond"]

Because they want to keep pushing on extra things in an effor to make the 360 look more expensive then the PS3 even though the PS3 uses a lot more energy then the 360 more then enough to actually negate the cost of XBL in itself. The difference in power consumption cost between the 360 and the PS3 is more then the cost of XBL so I fail to see why people complain about XBL on the principal that it makes it more expensive then the PS3.

I just complain about XBL because I want it to be free not because it makes it more expensive then PS3 in the long run because as I have proven time in and time out along with Dreams that is not true.

ColdfireTrilogy

http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-2.htm

That's not identicial. Close but not identical. I have that data as well.

If you are worried about the amount of electricty these gaming machines uses then you should minimize your usage time and or quit gaming.def_mode

[QUOTE="Blackbond"][QUOTE="FragTycoon"]

In your particular case 360 might be cheaper but for another person, a person who enjoys HD gaming and wants Blu-ray functionality (along with other things like online play), the PS3 can be cheaper. Regardless of weather you personally want those features or not, both platforms on a even keel (CD,DVD,Blu-ray,Wi-fi, Online play, Wireless controller, HDD, Headset, Rumble) PS3 is cheaper.

-

Is Gold cost back breaking? no, that's not my point or the point of many people here. It's the fact that online gaming is free on other platforms so what justifies the cost of XBLG.

Your attempt to say "But energy cost" rather then addressing the topic at hand (and doing a piss poor job at that) is nothing short of diversion.

(feel free to use larger fonts and colors with wrestling pics, I know that's your thing)

FragTycoon

If a person indeed did want all of those they would just buy the PS3 would they not? And as you can see by the latest sales figures that is not the case. You are adding in uneccesary things such as Blu-Ray, Wifi, Online, Wireless controller, HDD, and a Headset which aren't needed to play games.

But like wise even if you do add in online its negated, if you want to talk about wireless controllers all 360's come with them, if you wanted to talk about HDD's they are $30 from MS, if you want to talk about headsets 360 comes with them while PS3 doesn't, if you want to talk about about rumble then you have to buy a Dual Shock 3.

Your point just didn't add up.

A piss poor effort and a diversion? Yes like you throwing in a bunch of uneeded addons without even realizing you added in Rumble and Headsets two things that not all PS3's even came with right?

Again you haven't even disputed the numbers.

Somehow I know you wouldn't leave it alone so here we go

PS3 = $400 (and I wont even count refurbished models that are for sale)

Ok, now add in any accessory you would like to the PS3 system HDMI $9 (I'll even use the more expensive one), Rumble$55(I'll even use Best buy), Headset $27 (you can find others cheaper I'm sure, I use my PS2 one ;) )

Total = $491

still with me? that's some sticker shock ain't it? lets look over here at the 360 shall we?

360 arcade = $200

The refurbished HHD your pushing = $30

now here is where the magic comes in...

XBLG = $50/ year

Total for first year = $280

Total for second year = $330

Total for third year = $380

Total for fourth year = $430

Total for fifth year = $480

Total for sixth yea = $530 (oh oh better get a new x-box soon)

Total for Seventh year = $580 (wait, didn't this all start at $200?)

and god forbid it goes eight years... because now your over the PS3 launch price

*takes a bow*

*waves goodbye*

Arcade doesn't come with headset ( only elite and pro ) and no HDMI cable ( only elite ) also with the latest PS3 model ( 80GB ) Dualshock 3 is incloded, also Xbox live is $40/years at amazon with 1 free month

Do ur homework next time

it doesnt really bother me to pay for XBL but its a bit of a rip-off since other systems offer it at zero cost... however XBL is a good service and since i enjoy playing online a lot I have to pay..

[QUOTE="PS3nut"] How is Live better ? Name me one thing you can do on live that you can't do on PSN.z4twenny

im still waiting to hear a response to this.

Would I prefer it if LIVE were free? Hell yes. But unless Sony makes Home a lot more viable than it is currently, Microsoft has no incentive to reduce their fees because people are still willing to pay for it. So you see, children, 360 enthusiasts need to hope Home becomes a lot more awesome. If it is, Microsoft will have to match Sony. Thing is, I don't think Home is ever going to be worth a rat's patoot.

11 pages? I don't think there's really anything new I can add to this topic. I think the problem for a lot of people isn't just the yearly fee, it's the principle. Aside from better voice chat, what BIG advantage does Live really have over it's biggest competitor at this point?Floppy_Jim

I own both consoles and gladly pay $50/yr for XBL :)

It's the best online service on consoles.

ANother thread full of 360-fanboys telling us what isn't needed for gaming but have purchased those items themselves. Funny stuff. Never gets old. NOT! "You don't need a HDD, XBL, or Wifi to play 360 games. Just put the disc in and you'll be happy for the entire gen." - Says the 360 owner that has a HDD, wifi, and has paid $150 in Live fees.PoppaGamer

Yep. In my years of Xbox 360 ownership, I've bought an HD DVD drive ($50) the wi-fi adapter ($100) a 120 GB HDD ($40 Yep, you read that right) and I've paid a grand total of $42 in Live fees.

I still argue the point that a consumer can buy an Xbox 360 and game just fine without paying for add ons because of the fact (a word several people don't seem to understand) that these add ons are optional (another word people don't seem to understand) and not every Xbox 360 owner will want or need them. I'm pretty sure there are Xbox 360 gamers out there right now that have been gaming perfectly fine on Arcade systems. The fact of the matter is, if someone doesn't need wi-fi wants to download extra content, install games and play online, they can easily buy the $299 Pro system and go to Amazon and get two years of Xbox Live ($35) for less than the price of a PS3. If all they want to do is buy a system for playing the occasional round of Madden and Halo, they can buy the Arcade for $199, get the 20GB HDD and 3 months of Live for $29 through MS and still have more than enough left over to pay for Live fees.

These are the facts. Xbox 360 owners on this forum might not buy the Arcade and nothing else but you can't deny the fact that there are some folks out there who will and willbe perfectly happy.

[QUOTE="PoppaGamer"]ANother thread full of 360-fanboys telling us what isn't needed for gaming but have purchased those items themselves. Funny stuff. Never gets old. NOT! "You don't need a HDD, XBL, or Wifi to play 360 games. Just put the disc in and you'll be happy for the entire gen." - Says the 360 owner that has a HDD, wifi, and has paid $150 in Live fees.The_Game21x

Yep. In my years of Xbox 360 ownership, I've bought an HD DVD drive ($50) the wi-fi adapter ($100) a 120 GB HDD ($40 Yep, you read that right) and I've paid a grand total of $42 in Live fees.

I still argue the point that a consumer can buy an Xbox 360 and game just fine without paying for add ons because of the fact (a word several people don't seem to understand) that these add ons are optional (another word people don't seem to understand) and not every Xbox 360 owner will want or need them. I'm pretty sure there are Xbox 360 gamers out there right now that have been gaming perfectly fine on Arcade systems. The fact of the matter is, if someone doesn't need wi-fi wants to download extra content, install games and play online, they can easily buy the $299 Pro system and go to Amazon and get two years of Xbox Live ($35) for less than the price of a PS3. If all they want to do is buy a system for playing the occasional round of Madden and Halo, they can buy the Arcade for $199, get the 20GB HDD and 3 months of Live for $29 through MS and still have more than enough left over to pay for Live fees.

These are the facts. Xbox 360 owners on this forum might not buy the Arcade and nothing else but you can't deny the fact that there are some folks out there who will and willbe perfectly happy.

[QUOTE="The_Game21x"]

[QUOTE="PoppaGamer"]ANother thread full of 360-fanboys telling us what isn't needed for gaming but have purchased those items themselves. Funny stuff. Never gets old. NOT! "You don't need a HDD, XBL, or Wifi to play 360 games. Just put the disc in and you'll be happy for the entire gen." - Says the 360 owner that has a HDD, wifi, and has paid $150 in Live fees.PoppaGamer

Yep. In my years of Xbox 360 ownership, I've bought an HD DVD drive ($50) the wi-fi adapter ($100) a 120 GB HDD ($40 Yep, you read that right) and I've paid a grand total of $42 in Live fees.

I still argue the point that a consumer can buy an Xbox 360 and game just fine without paying for add ons because of the fact (a word several people don't seem to understand) that these add ons are optional (another word people don't seem to understand) and not every Xbox 360 owner will want or need them. I'm pretty sure there are Xbox 360 gamers out there right now that have been gaming perfectly fine on Arcade systems. The fact of the matter is, if someone doesn't need wi-fi wants to download extra content, install games and play online, they can easily buy the $299 Pro system and go to Amazon and get two years of Xbox Live ($35) for less than the price of a PS3. If all they want to do is buy a system for playing the occasional round of Madden and Halo, they can buy the Arcade for $199, get the 20GB HDD and 3 months of Live for $29 through MS and still have more than enough left over to pay for Live fees.

These are the facts. Xbox 360 owners on this forum might not buy the Arcade and nothing else but you can't deny the fact that there are some folks out there who will and willbe perfectly happy.

You're absolutely right. We should talk about what gamers want. And I refer you to my earlier points.

If you want to install games and download a ton of add ons, videos, TV shows, etc. then you would probably be best suited for the $299 Pro system.

If you don't need a large hard drive and plan on only downloading a few things here and there, the Arcade plus the $29 20GB HDD and 3 months of Live bundle would probably be best.

These are both good options for gamers, first and foremost.