The heavyweights have a long fight ahead, but the winner is already decided.
Since the release of the current generation of consoles, the debate has raged, not persisted, but raged about which company has the better console. However, even this question has been answered, time and time again, Sony, it's developers, and it's fans still proclaim that it is the better console. This is false.
With this generation of games there are three basic issues at hand that decide which console is the best. Hardware, Software, and online capability. We'll cover all of these in this article.
Hardware is the weapon that Sony and company touts more often than anything else. They constantly state how the PS3 is the more powerful system, because of the Cell Processor, and Blu-Ray. However, the PS3 is not the more powerful system. There is just one, Cell Proecssor, and the Blu-Ray has painful load times, while it has more space on the disk, it still loads slower than regular DLDVD format discs. This is one of the reasons a game must install to the hard drive. Sony likes to state that most of it's games wouldn't run on the Xbox 360 due to limitations of the disc. This is incorrect.
[It's] great for watching movies, but not so great for games. Getting data off the Blu-ray drive takes about twice as long as it does to get the same data off the 360's DVD drive. That translates into longer load times, or god forbid if you're streaming from disk, tighter constraints on the amount of data you can stream
For instance, in Resistance: Fall of Man, every art asset is stored on disk once for every level that uses it. So rather than storing one copy of a texture, you're storing it 12 times. If you took that entire game and removed all the duplicate data, it would likely fit on a DVD without any problem
- Jason Booth, Turbine and Harmonix Developer who produced titles such as Rock Band, and Guitar Hero.
There you have it from a developer who's made some of the most popular games today, Rock Band and Guitar Hero. So what is Blu-Ray really good for then? Watching movies? This isn't a score for Sony, because the 360 already lets you watch high definition movies in 1080p if you'd like. You can rent them from the market place, stream them from Netflix, or straight from your computer or mac. Blu-Ray may be able to hold a huge amount of data now, but is Blu-Ray really the future? No. Blu-Ray has arrived at the end of the disc era. Flash cards may very well be the next format, but digital downloads are storming consoles, especially with the 360's new ability to download full games, right onto the hard drive through Games on Demand.
Next up is graphics processing capabilities. Sony touts that it's Cell processor is more capable of providing better graphics than the Xbox's powerhouse tri-core processor. Jason booth says:
The fill rate on the PS3 is significantly slower than on the 360, meaning that games either have to run at lower resolution or use simpler shader effects to achieve the same performance, Additionally, the shader processing on the PS3 is significantly slower than on the 360, which means that a normal map takes more fill rate to draw on the PS3 than it does on the 360. And I'm not talking about small differences here, we're talking roughly half the pixel pushing power
Half of the pixel pushing power he says. Amazing. Here's a graph from an IGN and Gamespy Comparative analysis that shows the processing power of both the Xbox 360, and the PS3:
For all of you interesting in reading the full article, complete with all it's technical terms read here.
Here's a graph that shows the shader operations per second, also courtesy of IGN:
The last graph we'll look at, is for system bandwidth, which is necessary for running more complex graphics.
The Cell processor is supposed to make up for this issue, however, given the history of games that have appeared on both systems, such as every game that has been made for 360 and ported to PS3, we've seen that games look significantly better on 360. Take a look at this article from The Sixth Axis, a predominately PS3 website, which showed that the PS3 couldn't support high resolution for the game Ghostbusters, without a patch, and after the patch, still called sub-hd by Gamezine.
Id Software (creators of Doom, Quake, and anticipated game Rage) director John Carmack said this:
What you can say really quite clearly and not get into too much argument about it is that the 360 is much easier to develop for, it's easier to get the performance out of it that it can deliver, and the rasterizer, the GPU side is generally faster than what the PS3 has.
And from a developer's standpoint, Gabe Newell from Valve, developer of Left 4 Dead, and Half Life 2, says,
I think [PS3 is] a waste of everybody’s time. Investing in the Cell, investing in the SPE gives you no long-term benefits. There’s nothing there that you’re going to apply to anything else. You’re not going to gain anything except a hatred of the architecture they’ve created. I don’t think they’re going to make money off their box.
So here we have multiple game developers stating what the hardware specifications reinforce. The Xbox 360 is the better system where hardware is concerned.
If you liked this article, check out these ones:
PS3 Slim still not on par with Xbox 360
Playstation fending off the vultures as Xbox Live dominates?
Xbox 360 fail rate results by Game Informer are highly inaccurate
Gabe Newell's statement on Wired.com
Comments
You are a fanboy, stop calling yourself a journalist and just comment your opinions the way we do. You are full of it, white kid. Ps3 is better than xbox and you are scarrreedd.
the xbox is way better than the ps3
i have both so you cant call me bias and i think ps3 is better and has way better graphics
I have both sistems I comperd the grafix,speed and proformints the 360 and the ps3 are about same so stop fighting adout it
F*** U
LOL... is all I have to say. Funny how no-where in your "article" are FPUs mentioned. lol Hmm... Uncharted 1&2 don't require disc installs and are the best looking games on the system. Also, funny how the 360 offers disc installs as well. Also, no mention of VBR vs CBR data streaming. General Purpose computing = PC... so of course, if that's your approach 360 beats PS3... lol but what happens when... hmmm code is optimized for the "weaker" console, games like = KillZone 2, Uncharted, Flow, Metal Gear Solid 4...
either way, nice way to get hits and not having to actually write or analyze anything on your own... keep up the links and spin.
Halo is sub hd and you are talking about ports. Ps3 developers have figured out a way to unleash and code for better game creation on the ps3. Sony has decided to keep that knowledge within their own developers. There is no single game on the 360 that looks or comes close to looking as good as killzone 2, GT5, or draks fortune "among thieves". You need to become better informed or atleast update yourself before spitting out this xbox sonsense.
Lol one word idiot whoever wrote this. I can debate on this false article
Totally biased review.smashing the ps3 all the way through your article.as a journalist you're suppose to give a balanced argument but obviously u missed tht classin journalism 101..how much did M$ pay u?
what a load of bullcrap, everyone knows ps3 is better ur blantly xbox360 fanboy. Have you not seen ps3 exclusives they dont have load times and look way better than xbox games
your an idiot xbox fan boy, nothing more!
Somebody knows how to push sony's fanboys buttons...
Umm... no I agree it is. Sony keeps cheaping out stuff. But I agree xbox is better.
This dude is a pure fanboy everyone knows Xbox 360 sucks in software and hardware is a fact. Hey don't visit this site anymore he's just trying to lured more traffic to this website. Every is pure bullsh!t. Don't believe this diluted moron. He obviously has no life other then be a Microsoft b!t<h. Daniel Arrey you such a loser stop writing this BS already you are looking like a retard full of bitterness and jealously.
I'd say that this article is hopelessly biased, omiting countless important facts about both systems. At the same time I can't say I haven't seen PS3 articles doing the same thing. Such bias insults & distorts the 360 & PS3.
Dude, you are single-handedly creating more SONY fanboys by supporting the 360 with such crappy articles.
Lol there isn't a single comment on here that agrees with you, Mr. Arrey.
Whatever, guys. He has graphs. Everyone knows that if you put graphs in your article, your argument has to be true, lol.
Hey guys I'm so sorry for all this trouble i didn't mean to cause such a outrage. I will buy a PS3 this weekend and make my own graphs. I myself want to play Killzone 2 and UNCHARTED plus Metal Gear Solid 4. Again i will write a new article soon with my own thoughts not others again sorry for my behavior. I don't own my own Xbox 360 either. I regret taking other people's stats.
Just look at this idiot's title "Las Cruces Xbox Live Examiner".. should fanboys be allowed to write articles like this?
You can also check out his other so called "articles" which are filled with pro Xbox360 garbage. The Xbox sucks.... with a 54% failure rate, I'm surprised so many people stand up for that piece of crap.
Sony’s out for blood this holiday season Microsoft better be prepared for WAR.
And why that HELL are some people here still crying about the PS3 Blu-ray drive wow is pathetic give it up for god sakes no one gives a sh!t.
Let me see what to buy a Xbox for $300 extra features not included below but included at no extra cost on PlayStation 3.
without WiFi for Xbox $100
without Blu-ray no support but needed for games and movies Microsoft hates Sony.
without enormous hard drive upgrade for less then $90 60gb for Xbox $100 or 120gb for xbox $150 can you say rip off or what.
without exclusives other then like 4 Halo: OSDT i don’t count since is just a expansion pack so Microsoft can try steal more more idiots. They are no match for Sony when it comes to exclusives. Sony can eat Microsoft alive with all the PS3 exclusives which most are own by SCE which is awesome. Microsoft doesn’t even bother making games anymore.
without the ability to save your media without owning the
I'm no Sony fanboy but if u don't realise the ps3 is better than the 360 then your obviously a total dumbass or being paid by Microshaft. Oh hang on, maybe its both.
The Xbox 360 sucks because its got a 54.2% failure rate which is more then half of them wjile the ps3 has only around a 10% failure rate every single person i know who owns an xbox had to send it back to fix it
Actually, the PS3 has a total processing power of 2.5 teraflops compared to the 360's 1 teraflop. Look at the specs on the official websites of each console. And your graphs are completely false and look like they were made in 3 minutes using microsoft word.
well, i think the xbox is way better than the ps3 because i have seen both these consoles . the ps3 is a good media player but when it comes to gaming it is stupid.they dont even have halo or gears of war.these two games are the most successful in the gaming world.the xbox also has way better online.
LOL. I love the graphs. They are funny as hell!!! This author is trying to stir up a flame war. Pay no attention to this article.
S H I T
wow buddy you must have never seen uncharted or mgs4 just a couple games that stick it to the crap box lol this article is complete garbage
This OP/ED is the biggest POS in written histroy. Not only are the graphs worthless and amateur, but the reference work is a joke. If your going to make a case for the xbox, at least balance your work by presenting both sides. The fact that you list the opinions of some of the most vocal protesters of the PS3 shows your not willing to delve into the subject matter. Also, your talking points are old and outdated. Present us something original you M$ fanboy!
I own both consoles, I'm on my FIFTH Xbox 360. The PS3 is more reliable hardware-wise, but the 360 is definitely the superior gaming/entertaining system. If my PS3 ever bricked I don't think I'll replace it, at least not 5 times the way I did the 360. You can talk about "value" and argue about the Blu-Ray and the PS3's many "features," but I'm not looking for a bargain. I'm looking for an entertainment system, and the 360 outdoes the PS3 in every department. Two main reasons I own a PS3 is because #1, I'm a hardcore gamer and don't want to miss out on exclusives such as God of War 3 and Uncharted 2. #2, I've been buying mostly the PS3 version of multiplatform titles even if slightly inferior, in order to prolong my 360's lifespan. I'm saving my 360 for the exclusives.
"John says:
Actually, the PS3 has a total processing power of 2.5 teraflops compared to the 360's 1 teraflop. Look at the specs on the official websites of each console. And your graphs are completely false and look like they were made in 3 minutes using microsoft word. "
Actually, I think you fail. You succeed only in proving your fanboyism.
If you think streaming netflix HD is quality HD, you're kidding yourself. And since you can easily swap out the HD in a PS3 (Mine's 320gig), preloading to a HD is no big deal and I actually prefer it. BR for movies beats everything including streaming and HD Downloads. I rather wait 24 hours for a BR disc from netflix.
Xbox is great (when it works) for online gaming- something I have zero interest in. ...and that's about it. I use my PS3 for streaming audio/pictures/video from my nas. I stream netflix, hulu, youtube and a lot more (for free, no xbox live fee), BR again, games, hell- I can even run linux on it.
Xbox is fine, it's not just the best.
"they dont even have halo or gears of war.these two games are the most successful in the gaming world"
yeap! millions of teenage boys whacking off in their parents' basements can't be wrong! People who play those kinds of games are a pretty pathetic bunch. You're the Dungeons & Dragons geeks of the 21st century.
yo man of course ps3 is better for now in 2011 every body is gonna buy 360 because of the xbox 360 natal
hey you "FPS S u c k"
xbox 360 don't have uncharted or killzone 2
so s h u t the h e l l up
and if you see halo s h i t better than killzone 2 ,
then you are blinde
this is the real compair frome amazon.com
Part 1
THE SLIM (PS3) vs. THE 'XBOX 360 ELITE FALL 2009'
This is not meant to be a 'fan' statement. I don't own a Wii but I do own an Xbox 360 so I will be able to discuss PS3 Slim vs. Xbox 360 Elite and, hopefully, it may help a little those undecided between the two or those thinking about getting a PS3 as a second gaming console. Please be aware that, even though I own both consoles and I try to be as objective as possible, I do tend to favor the PS3.
Parity
------
- Storage: 120 GB on both systems
- CD, DVD playback: both
- Bluetooth/IR: Bluetooth included with PS3, Infrared remote for Xbox
- Community: PSN/Home memberships are free, Xbox Live includes free Silver membership and one-month Gold subscription, paid thereafter
Part 2
Advantage PS3 Slim
------------------
- Blu-ray: PS3 only. Blu-ray disks aren't used for HD movie playback but to deliver games as well. Since they store several times more data than a DVD disk, PS3 games can be 'bigger' and be still delivered on one disk, eliminating the need for swapping during gameplay.
- WiFi: included with PS3, available as an add-on for Xbox.
- HDMI 1.3a on PS3 (more vivid colors, better sound) vs. HDMI 1.2 on Xbox
- Controller: wireless on both systems, rumble on both, PS3's only is motion sensitive, rechargeable batteries built into PS3's, Xbox rechargeable battery packs available for purchase.
- Integration with a handheld device: PS3 integrates with the PSP, the Xbox offers Zune integration. I would call it 'advantage PS3' because the Zune integration is limited to file transfers.
- Internal power supply: yes for the Slim, a large external 'brick' for the Xbox.
- Ability to upgrade the Hard Disk: the PS3 could use any cheap 2.5" SATA
Advantage Xbox 360 Elite Fall 2009
----------------------------------
- Headset: not included with PS3 but any Bluetooth device will work, wired headset included with Xbox Elite.
- Ethernet: PS3 supports Gigabit Ethernet, Xbox is limited to 100BASET-T.
- USB ports: Xbox comes with 3, Slim has only 2.
It seems that a PS3 Slim can be brought to parity with the Xbox 360 Elite by purchasing a Bluetooth headset (possibly for less than $10 and that would make the PS3 a superior choice since the Xbox headset is wired to the controller. For the amount, the PS3 will match and surpass Xbox feature for feature if we don't factor in exclusive Xbox games or unique Xbox Live features.
To bring the Xbox 360 Elite to parity with the PS3 one would need: a WiFi adapter ($70) and rechargeable batteries ($10). I will not add the various cables to the list because, depending on setup, they may or may not be needed and PS3's Gigabit Ethernet is not likely to make a difference in anyone's gam
I chose not to factor in the quality of available software because it's impossible to be even remotely objective when it comes to judge Sony's exclusives vs. Xbox exclusives. My guess is that, in the end, those who must have Halo will buy a Microsoft Xbox regardless of cost or other features and those who fall in love with Little Big Planet or Uncharted have no choice but a Sony PS3. The general consensus is that, at this time, the PS3 has the superior hardware (see above) while the Xbox has an advantage in exclusive titles and some exclusive content. In addition, many multiplatform games are developed on the Xbox first and then ported to the PS3. That can make the Xbox versions appear to be superior and, more importantly, the PS3 versions do not always take full advantage of PS3s superior hardware. This seems to be less the case as developers are becoming more familiar with the PS3 platform - the software gap, if there is one at this time, it is closing fast.
Mate don't go on about the 360 being more powerful and that it CAN produce better graphics when it hasn't take Killzone 2, MGS4 or uncharted as an example, no 360 exclusive can compare to those
don't underestimate the halo series
I own both systems and let me tell you halo and gears is overated and I am on my fourth 360.When the ps3 first came out I thought MS had the console war in the bag until I spent a weekend with a friends ps3 and all 1st party games:).People(including myself) said the 360 can do this and that,but the truth is the ps3 is a true multi media monster and a great game machine.My xbox has been sitting unplugged for about 6 months I have been playing KILLZONE 2 and SOCOM CONFRONTAION the realist tactical shooter I have ever played.
54.2% failure rate, so $299 gets me45.8% uptime for the 360. No thanks.
It has failed badly and just doesn't have anything compelling releasing on it in 2009 or 2010.
most of the 360 owners have to fight and say the 360 is the best console cause they bought it and coldnt afford a PS3. yes they have more games and to remember still a yr older (which still matters) so it has a larger fanbase. As for your comparison my brother has a 360 and Halo 3, and Gears Of war but thinks that the PS3 is a better machine.
As for valve they couldnt produce a quality game on the PS3 cause they openly admitted its harder to develope for. And the 360 still runs on old coding which is why developers stay with it.
Another thing is when the PS3 starts gaining momentum with more sales and fanbase you will see the trend of the developers saying goodbye to 360 and more developing on and for the PS3.
Hey Dan !
Open up your dictionary and look for the word "Objectivity". Might help you to put up credible articles someday ;)
cheers !
you really used Gabe Newell as a source for PS3 commentary?
fangirl alert!
hey, first of all, comparing the 360 to the slim is dumb. why dont you compare it to the 80gb ps3.second, halo is an epic failure, and CRAPBOX180, FUNNY ASS NAME!!!! HAHAHAHAHA
This article is disappointingly biased. It seems to me, sir, that you are using information stemming entirely from the introductionary beginning of the PS3s life and quoting developers who are unable to appreciate and program specifically for the Cell. You said "There is just one, Cell Proecssor, and the Blu-Ray has painful load times, while it has more space on the disk, it still loads slower than regular DLDVD format discs". Obviously you have a limited understanding of technology (not being "tech-savy" isn't a crime)or you are purposefully manipulating the facts. Yes, there is a single Cell chip powering the PS3 but with 7 SPUs running at 3.2 GHz each which translated means the PS3 actually have more computing power than current PCs. Maybe you've been in the dark lately but um we don't need to use multiple processors anymore thanks to a single multi-core processor. The computing power of the Cell alone can act as the PS3s GPU, BTW.
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