Playstation 3 - Too Much, Too Late?

Now that we’ve reviewed a fair bit of “serious” technology, lets move onto something a bit more fun. My generation was raised on television and video games; ask almost anyone and you’ll find that they used to play a Nintendo or Gameboy. Today, there are far more choices and the “next-gen” console wars are in full swing. I’ll admit outright that I’m a Xbox 360 owner and lover, but now that I’ve spent some time with a Playstation 3 I’d like to offer some perspective on both its strengths and weaknesses. Look at how pretty it is...



For the uninitiated, there are three next gen consoles, they are: Xbox 360 (360), Playstation 3 (PS3), and the Nintendo Wii (Wii). Only the 360 and PS3 offer gamers a true multiplayer experience and both have larger market shares than do the Wii. So, lets get started on what makes the PS3 a true contender.

The latest rendition of the Playstation boasts the most impressive hardware capability. With a triple core processor running at 3.2GHz, built in blue ray player, and GDDR3 RAM, today’s youth have the equivalent of a supercomputer running their everyday entertainment. The PS3 also sports built in Bluetooth, HDMI, wireless, and integrated media center. Spec wise, there is no contest between what this bad boy has to offer and the other contender, the 360.

Aesthetically, both are big hunks of plastic. The 360 is white (or black if you shelled out some heavy cash for the “elite” version) and the PS3 is black. The Playstation that I tested is the newest slimed version. It features a reduced footprint, more rounded edges, and removes the distinct chrome accents. The power and eject button are both easily accessed and yet unlikely to be hit my mistake – a definite plus if you ask me.

Moving deeper, I found the interface to be rather intuitive, however the nested categories caused me some consternation if I was searching for a very specific command. The guide responded smoothly and efficiently, with little to no hang. This was especially true when I networked the PS3 with my laptop wirelessly. It loaded my music and media flawlessly. Unfortunately, the Playstation indicated that some of my files were unreadable. They ran perfectly well on my computer, so I’m not sure what the PS3’s problem was. I guess it was simply the ghost in the system.
Arguably, the most important feature of a console is its game library. Unfortunately for the PS3, the 360 hit the scene early and cornered a lot of titles. There are several PS3 exclusives, Killzone and Resistance both come to mind, that offer features and characteristics comparable to the genre leaders. In many ways, PS3 was limited by the fact that it was the last of the next gen consoles. For my part, I wasn’t able to find many games worth paying for – which is why I don’t own the Playstation.

The Playstation is a solid gaming console. Hands down it has the best features of the bunch, but just because it has all the bells and whistles doesn’t make it the best choices. A limited selection of games keeps the system from realizing its true potential while a hefty price tag discourages the average gamer. Recently, Sony had rectified this to some extent by lowering the cost of the system, but it is still the most expensive. Build quality and interface are both above average and well above expectation. Probably the biggest reason to purchase a Playstation is for the blue ray player, which alone allow the system to compete not only with consoles but also HD DVD players.

Posted by Steve at 7:51 PM