# PS3 or XBox 360? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 25, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711 "2011-10-25T04:11:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/1 "2011-10-25T04:11:03Z")
I’ve been considering buying a game console, but outside of playing Wii Sports a bit, I’m completely unfamiliar with this generation of systems. It was also confusing that some reviewers on Amazon mentioned that a certain Xbox 360 memory card was obsolete and wouldn’t work with the newer 360s. My original plan was to go to eBay or Amazon and buy one of the used systems and some accessories but it seems that it won’t be that easy. Years ago, I liked the Grand Theft Auto series, Metal Gear Solid, and FFVII. There were others, but it’s been a long time. Are there any great games that are only available on one system? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/2 "2011-10-25T04:20:48Z")
1. Do any of your friends have one of those systems? If so, get that one. 2. If not, do a quick wikipedia search on each console’s exclusives, and see which strikes your fancy. Ultimately, there are great games for both systems, many of which compare favorably to exclusives on the other console (Halo v. Killzone, the racing exclusives, etc.). 3. Do you see multiplayer being a BIG part of your gaming? You have to pay for 360’s online service, but it’s MUCH better. If you’re just going to be a casual gamer, the PS3 may be better. 4. Any need for a bluray player? The PS3 is excellent. 5. Don’t care at all for online play, but want Netflix access? You’ll have to pay $50/year on the 360. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/3 "2011-10-25T04:27:04Z")
To add to Munch’s excellent points (especially Number 1. I think being able to share games with friends is the most important point) another thing to consider is the controller. A lot of stores (like Target) have the consoles set up so you can try out some games. Play around with both systems and see what you think of the controller. How it fits your hand, how it feels. I am sure you can get used to whichever one you choose, but some people just prefer one over the other. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/4 "2011-10-25T04:28:56Z")
Much’s point #1 really should be points 1 though 6, with everything else way down the list. If you have friends with one or the other, you will vastly enjoy that system more. You’ll have people to play with and access to games you can try. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/5 "2011-10-25T12:18:11Z")
Yeah, I actually meant to put a bunch of spaces after #1. There is very little reason to get the console your friends don’t have. The only possible consideration would be have a “need” for a bluray player without having an extra piece of electronics. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/6 "2011-10-25T14:12:34Z")
My Xbox 360 has done nothing but collect dust ever since I bought my PS3 a year and a half ago. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/7 "2011-10-25T17:48:49Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > My Xbox 360 has done nothing but collect dust ever since I bought my PS3 a year and a half ago. Blah blah blah, “My subjective experience is…” And MY subjective experience is that I haven’t even been arsed to bother to buy a Ps3 because there’s nothing it provides that I need, but… Seriously, just ignore this subjective nonsense. Listen to Munch. He has it absolutely right. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/8 "2011-10-25T18:09:12Z")
RE Memory cards, Xbox 360 doesn’t need a proprietary memory card anymore - a few years ago in a dashboard update they allowed any USB flash drive, up to 16GB. If you get the one with a hard drive you don’t even need that. But the cheapest option with the Xbox 360 is to get an Arcade + a 16GB flash drive off Amazon. If you do get an Xbox360 get Xbox Live via 1 year cards on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) or another site, don’t give them your credit card (the cards are cheapear). I personally have 3 xbox 360s, but as far as Xbox 360 vs PS3, both are pretty similar for games that are on both system. The controllers are a little different (I prefer Xbox 360 myself, and I have a PS2 so I have used Dualshocks). Online play is generally considered better on the Xbox 360 (“you get what you pay for”), but that only matters if you are going to be hardcore - casual play once or twice is going to be better on the PS3 since it is free. Exclusives probably matter more than anything else - I personally love Halo games and if you like First person shooters then the Xbox generally has better exclusives - notably Halo and Gears of War. If you get really hardcore things like the map packs generally come out first on the Xbox, too, even for multi-platform games like Call of Duty. Ultimately though you probably won’t be disappointed with either one - both have way more horsepower than a wii and can drive games with decent graphics in HD. There should be plenty of games you will like that came out/come out on both platforms. Plus both platforms are mature and there are lots of used games cheap that you will want to play. (Although I believe the xbox 360 has an advantage in the number of games total in the library). ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/9 "2011-10-27T01:27:41Z")
Rule #1 doesn’t apply for me. Everyone I know well who has a system chose the Wii, which is why I’m out of the loop about what this generation of systems has to offer. Based on the rest of the thread, it sounds like the PS3 would be the best choice. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/10 "2011-10-27T13:55:48Z")
> [@Omega\_Glory](#): > > Rule #1 doesn’t apply for me. Everyone I know well who has a system chose the Wii, which is why I’m out of the loop about what this generation of systems has to offer. Based on the rest of the thread, it sounds like the PS3 would be the best choice. > > Thanks. Just make sure to send in your postcard to opt out of the “I promise to never participate in a class action lawsuit against Sony” clause in the EULA. ---
**Author:** ![Enilno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@Enilno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enilno)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/11 "2011-10-27T18:01:33Z")
A possible consideration that probably won’t apply is that the PS3, unlike the Xbox 360 or Wii for that matter, doesn’t have any region lockouts for games, which means that if you’re interested in something that is not available in your region you can easily play an import. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/12 "2011-10-27T19:25:23Z")
If you anticipate upgrading the hard drive, it’s much cheaper to do so on the PS3. PS3 will use off-the-shelf hard drives, the 360 has to use a Microsoft-brand hard drive, and of course they gouge you. Both consoles have some good exclusives. I think the cost of ownership will generally be lower with the PS3 though. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/13 "2011-10-27T20:36:45Z")
While it is more complicated than on a PS3 you can upgrade your hard drive without paying microsoft a million bucks to do it: [https://www.pcworld.com/article/150970/upgrade\_your\_xbox\_360s\_hard\_drive\_on\_the\_cheap.html](https://www.pcworld.com/article/150970/upgrade_your_xbox_360s_hard_drive_on_the_cheap.html) Honestly though if you go the Xbox 360 route an Arcade with a 16gb flash drive is more than enough space - the only way I ever use even close to that amount is if I install to hard drive a whole bunch of games - and even when you do that the disk has to be in anyway. Edit to add, if you go the PS3 route, definitely get uncharted - that is the only game I really miss having only 360s. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/14 "2011-10-28T03:44:40Z")
> [@Airk](#): > > Blah blah blah, “My subjective experience is…” And MY subjective experience is that I haven’t even been arsed to bother to buy a Ps3 because there’s nothing it provides that I need, but… > > Seriously, just ignore this subjective nonsense. Listen to Munch. He has it absolutely right. I… wow. If you don’t like my advice, **Airk** , feel free to not follow it. But don’t devalue it simply because you disagree. It’s absolutely insulting. ---
**Author:** ![Beast\_Model](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3e96dc/32.png) [@Beast\_Model](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beast_Model)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/15 "2011-10-28T07:40:21Z")
The PS3 games used to be way better, but that’s sort of becoming moot as titles are now generally available on both. Personally, I find the PS3 controller to fit my hands better too. And I will avoid microsoft stuff when I can, too. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/16 "2011-10-28T08:30:36Z")
Isn’t the new Wii due out imminently? ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/17 "2011-10-31T15:21:03Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Isn’t the new Wii due out imminently? If by “imminently” you mean “sometime in 2012” then yes. Otherwise, not really. Also, the Wii-U doesn’t really show any signs of being meaningfully more powerful than the PS3/360, so I’m a little uncertain what reason there would be to wait for it. ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ps3-or-xbox-360/600711/18 "2011-10-31T23:42:52Z")
Also, whatever system you get. Do a quick search for game recommendations and you’ll find plenty of threads with great suggestions.