PS3 is the best of course! The price is reasonable for the almost unlimited amount of features it has so i think it's really worth it, have a look at this review I found on ITReviews -
To be fair to Sony, the actual hardware was never really going to be in much doubt. And after your first few hours in the company of the PlayStation 3, you're likely to be impressed.
Several initial thoughts went through this reviewer's head. Firstly, the machine's really quite heavy. Secondly, aesthetically, it's really quite smart. And thirdly, and surprisingly, is that given the immense processing grunt under its glossy, buffed-up exterior, it's very quiet in operation. It certainly puts the Xbox 360 in the shade in that department.
When we switched on for the first time, following as simple a connection procedure as you'd expect with a games console, we signed up for the PlayStation Network and downloaded an advised, albeit not compulsory, update. This involved us getting the machine online, which was thankfully straightforward. A built-in wireless receiver or the Ethernet port at the back are your two choices, and we tried both, finding the machine adapted to either at breakneck speed.
The download and application of the upgrade took care of the first five minutes or so, but eventually we got to spend some time with the browser interface. This bears striking similarities to the one Sony employed with the PSP, and given that the two machines have a degree of interoperability, that's perhaps unsurprising.
It was interesting to note, going through the menu, just how Sony has made it easy to support elements you'd usually not expect it to be so welcoming of. The option for an OS install took us aback, and we were pleased to see the Folding@Home client built in too. But on top of that, the likes of keyboards, mice, Web-cams and such like - all of which can hook up via the assorted USB ports - are very easy to add.
Media support is well-rounded, too. That 60GB hard drive inside the machine can be filled with music files, for instance, and several codecs are supported. Likewise, there's Blu-ray and DVD playback. The former - the reason why the machine is so over deadline and so over budget - actually turns out to be a bit of a trump card. While we've not had the pleasure of many Blu-ray players, we're informed by colleagues who have that the PS3 is one of the finest, if not the very best, Blu-ray disc playback device on the market, to the point where many are picking up the PS3 for precisely that reason, rather than for its gaming prowess. It's aided - again, for the time being scoring a point over its Microsoft-produced rival - by the native inclusion of HDMI, meaning full 1080p output is well within the realms of the console (a new model of the Xbox 360 is expected to add this feature shortly).
The games, which ultimately will be the biggest influence in the rise or fall of the machine, we'll look at in a separate review. But there's little doubt that the PS3 is capable of some incredibly impressive-looking games. There's no obvious outright classic available as this review was written, nor a clear one on the horizon, but Sony's track record should ensure that the shortage isn't a long-term one. There's also, of course, Sony's equivalent to Xbox Live Arcade, whereby games can be bought and downloaded onto the console online. A free game was available at launch and you can expect lots more, for sub-£10 price tags, in the future.
But there are still problems here, and they break down into price, the competition and backwards compatibility. In reverse order, then, the European model has been compromised slightly and the hardware that allowed support for PSOne and PS2 games has been cut back. As a result, software emulation is doing more of the work, and it renders a massive chunk of the Playstation back catalogue incompatible at this point in time. Given the price premium Europeans are paying, we find this a complete and utter disgrace.
Furthermore, for the same money as the PlayStation 3 goes for, a gamer could pick up both a Wii and an Xbox 360, and arguably they'd get better value that way. £425 for a games console is, in the modern era, unacceptable, and ironically the only people who will initially get real value from it are the aforementioned Blu-ray player customers. Gamers aren't getting the best end of the deal.
So it all leads to point one: price. £425 is a massive price tag and one that, while the hardware may justify, the competition makes a mockery of. Sony is, infamously, making a heavy loss on each unit sold at the moment too, which may yet tie its hands for future price cuts, and that leaves the PlayStation 3 in a very weak place. The machine is genuinely excellent and in many ways it's better than the Xbox 360. But it's not got enough up its sleeve to justify a £150 price premium.
And that's not all, it has a new feature coming out soon which will beat all other consoles, it is known as Home.
One of the most exciting announcements at Game Developers Conference 2007 was Home, an exciting new network community that's exclusive to PLAYSTATION 3.
Taking to the stage at this year's Game Developers Conference (GDC), Phil Harrison - the head of Sony Computer Entertainment's Worldwide Studios - spoke about his vision for 'Game 3.0' - a new era of connected network gaming in which community and user-generated content play a huge part.
In addition to the announcement of LittleBigPlanet, Harrison unveiled Home, a new online, 3D networked community available exclusively on PS3 via the PLAYSTATION® Network.
In Home, PS3 users will be able to create their own unique avatar, and interact with others in a variety of spaces, designed to make the PlayStation community a more involving place than ever before. Fitting seamlessly into the PS3 experience, Home will be made available as a free download from the PLAYSTATION® Store, and can be launched directly from the Home Menu on PS3.
Community service
Home offers a sleek, modern environment to explore, with a wealth of community features that are set to enhance and expand the boundaries of digital entertainment. In addition to socialising in spacious common areas, users can design and build their own personal apartments, or houses, allowing users to customise their own space with a wealth of different items. It's even possible to show off personal video, pictures and other digital media stored on the PS3 Hard Disk Drive within your own space, before inviting others to enjoy the tasteful decor and carefully considered ambiance.
However you decide to set up Home, rich cmmunication options make it easy to mix with others. There will also be spaces dedicated to specific games, where fans can meet and discuss their favourites, or see the latest trailers in a uniquely communal setting. And when you're ready, get together and launch your favourite game for a multiplayer session.
A uniquely social place, there's no place like Home. Check for updates on this exciting new community in the coming months.
Have a look at the images and gallery here -
http://ae.playstation.com/ps3/news/go-home-with-ps3/index.html.
Do you think it's worth it now?
