Author Topic: Better second console?  (Read 8662 times)

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Offline jasonditz

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Better second console?
« on: October 23, 2007, 04:08:13 AM »
So last week, my well worn 19" Magnavox CRT television finally bit the dust, and I replaced it with a 32" Element FLX-3210. The room its in is too crowded to really put the Wii in, so right now I've got my Playstation2 hooked up through one of the components. Its crystal clear that way, but at the same time the combination of a much bigger screen and a much clearer hookup makes the PS2 look really obsolete. So sometime in the next few weeks, I'm inclined to get one of the newer consoles so I can check it out in HD. Here's my quandry.

I'm considering four bundles:

1. The $400 PS3 40 GB bundle that comes with Spiderman blu-ray. Also get 5 blu-rays by mail, and while I'd probably watch them once or twice just to see the HD, none of them is really my type of movie.

2. The $500 PS3 80 GB bundle that comes with MotorStorm. Not really my type of game, either, but I'd probably play a game more than I'd watch a movie, and the 40 GB difference might come in handy in the long run. Likewise comes with the 5 blu-rays like 1.

3. The $350 Xbox 360 20 GB bundle with Forza2 and Marvel UA

4. The $450 Xbox 360 120 GB elite with Forza2 and Marvel UA.

Here's what I've noticed so far.

1. There is some question whether my TV supports HDCP over the HDMI. The manual doesn't say, nor does the manufacturer's website. This would make option 1 and 2 potentially unusable through HDMI, though since the TV  is 720p/1080i anyhow, the different between this and component may be trivial.

2. Hookups: Options 1 and 2 only come with composite cables, requiring an added purchase. 3 comes with composite and component, and 4 actually comes with the HDMI cable.

3. PS3s come with Blu-Ray... and that's a big plus (though the free ones don't look too great). OTOH, the HD-DVD attachment for the Xbox 360 seems to go on sale fairly often, and might be just as good an option.

and then there's the thing that really matters... games:

My first purchase for either system will be Oblivion GOTY. I've heard it looks better on a PS3. At the same time, that's about the only PS3 game that really interests me right now, whereas the Xbox 360 has several other games I'd love to get (particularly PC games that never came out for the Mac). Also, I'm really interested in Catan off Xbox Live.

So what do you guys think? Which will make a better second console alongside the Wii? Do I go Wii60, or PSWii? Is it stupid that I'm still considering the PS3 even though there's no exclusive content yet I really want?

Offline ShyGuy

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2007, 05:07:54 AM »
PC.

Offline bustin98

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RE:Better second console?
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2007, 05:41:27 AM »
Buy a system for the games you're going to play. It would be lame to buy a blu-ray player that comes with an 80GB harddrive, unless you plan on installing Linux on it or something. The PS3 has some interesting things coming down the pipe, but how does it compare to what is on the 360 currently?

I have a Wii60 and I'm happy with the combo. I'd like to have a PS3, but I'm not paying their asking price and the lack of BC on the newer models is a turnoff for me since I do not have a PS2.

Offline jasonditz

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2007, 05:54:12 AM »
I'd definitely like to do the PS3 Linux thing too, but much like with my elaborate homebrew kit that I spent months putting together for my Dreamcast, I'm not sure I'd ultimately use it for much. They've fixed the huge failure rate on 360's with the new HDMI versions, right?

Offline Pale

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2007, 06:02:31 AM »
I would not buy one of the non-BC ps3s while the BC versions are still available.

There are some great bundles out there for the old 60 giggers that include a dvd remote and extra controller and things like that.
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Offline Ceric

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2007, 06:22:02 AM »
I agree with Pale.  If you want a PS3 get the old 60 Gigger.  I beleive thats what I have and I love the BC.  To tell you the truth my usage is like this:

Media Player > PS2 > Things Free off of PSN > Blu-Ray Player > PS3 Games

Thats my usage from most to least of my PS3.  Combining a PS3 with TVersity or some other transcoding Media Server is really a winning combination at my house.  My Wife gets more use out of the PS3 because of that.  Though the games themselves are more expensive and the 360 probably does have more exclusives.  With the PS3 you'll definitely want to go with HDMI if you can.  I have it going through component, thats all I have, and some features are disabled, like DVD upscaling.

On the 360 Failure rate no because its not a new revision it just has HDMI.  MS said there won't be a real new revision till the 45nm stuff comes out.  Which should be next year.

Though in the end its your call.  I was in the same boat as you for a long time but I definitely wanted a BC PS3 so I had to bite the bullet and buy it now and hope things get better.  I was actually surprised when it caused me to not touch my Wii for 2 months.  I definitely got my money worth out of it already with just how much my Wife has used it.  Now if it could only play games probably not.
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Offline jasonditz

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2007, 06:59:18 AM »
Lack of BC isn't a deal breaker for me, I've already got a PS2. Though that is another plus for the 360, there are a handful of original Xbox titles (KOTOR 1 and 2, Morrowind, Shenmue 2) that I never got to play but could be had pretty cheap.

Also, I heard they added another heat sink or something on the HDMI 360's to cut down on the failure rate.

Offline BigJim

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2007, 07:02:22 AM »
Regardless of the system you choose, you can buy HDMI cables for $5 at monoprice.com, so never get those $50 cables from the stores. If you're already spending $350-500, then you won't miss another 5 bucks... though yes they should have included the darn things in the first place.

Re: 360's failure rates. The CPU has gotten a die shrink, and the new systems have been trickling into the market for the last couple weeks. The GPU won't be getting a shrink for another year. But as long as you can get the unit with the new CPU, I think you are in better hands.  The "Falcon" CPUs aren't advertised or anything, so I'm not sure how you can be guaranteed which CPU you'll get unless you know the store's 360 stock is brand new.
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Offline Pale

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2007, 07:11:13 AM »
Even if you have a PS2 jason, your PS3 will make the games look nicer on hour HD set.  I still recommend it.

Hell, if you hate the system, the resale on those units will be higher on ebay because of people who do want it.
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Offline UncleBob

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2007, 07:12:02 AM »
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7754557

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Offline GoldenPhoenix

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RE:Better second console?
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2007, 09:11:00 AM »
If I had to choose between Xbox 360 and PS3 I would pick up a 360 without hesitation. It has the most diverse lineup of the two and it has some great exclusives like Dead Rising and the upcoming Mass Effect. If you want HD-DVD movies later on you can get the HD-DVD for $180. Not to mention the fact that 360 has the best online set up of the 3 consoles.
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Offline Mashiro

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2007, 09:38:01 AM »
Coming from someone who really really really dislikes MS . ..  if I had to choose between PS3 and Xbox 360, even I would go with the 360.

Offline GoldenPhoenix

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RE:Better second console?
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2007, 09:40:52 AM »
Quote

Originally posted by: Mashiro
Coming from someone who really really really dislikes MS . ..  if I had to choose between PS3 and Xbox 360, even I would go with the 360.


Now that's a ringing endorsement!
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Offline Maverick

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2007, 09:54:57 AM »
A RED-ringing endorsement!  Huh HO!
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Offline GoldenPhoenix

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RE:Better second console?
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2007, 09:56:18 AM »
Really I don't think there is that much risk in getting a 360, it has a 1 year warranty now.
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Offline UncleBob

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2007, 09:57:18 AM »
Yeah, during that year, you can get it replaced three times!  That's how many times I've had to get our demo unit replaced.
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Offline Mashiro

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2007, 10:04:36 AM »
Lol well from a product quality standpoint I think it's safe to say the order from best to worst is Nintendo > Sony > MS but games wise MS is just beating Sony so . . . have to go with MS.

Offline NinGurl69 *huggles

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #17 on: October 23, 2007, 10:10:03 AM »
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Offline Caliban

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #18 on: October 23, 2007, 11:12:07 AM »
Just like Jason, I've also been pondering on what to get.

I've been leaning towards the 360 Elite bundle with F2 and MUA, of which MUA will have instant trade-in value for a better game, I really want to play Mass Effect and other games too of course.
But I'm still set back on what is the complete package for the Elite, I know it has 120GB, HDMI output, an HDMI cable I suppose and I would hope that it would come with a component cable too which is something I would really like, a wireless controller, a wireless headset, and what else?

I think that I should delay my purchase of the PS3 until they sell it with the Dualshock 3 controllers, at least then it will feel like a complete package (6axis+rumble).
There aren't that many games that I would buy immediately anyway, Warhawk and Super Stardust HD for sure, and maybe Uncharted.
I don't even really need BC on the PS3 because I've got a PS2 slim.  

Offline NinGurl69 *huggles

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #19 on: October 23, 2007, 11:16:25 AM »
Get a new laptop and some Wii games?
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Offline Kairon

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #20 on: October 23, 2007, 11:38:35 AM »
Yeah, if you want a PS3 find an old 60 GB version. That's a MUST for PS2 backwards compatibility... or find a cheaper 20GB version if you can (even though those are discontinued) and just place in a bigger hard drive like Sony lets you.

I'd want to recommend a 360 for the second console, but the truth is that the games for the 360 are a very specific sort so you need to look at the library and make sure you want to play those games... AND you need to consider whether you'd rather buy and play many of those games CHEAPER for your gaming PC. For example... Halo is eventually coming to PC, and Gears of War PC has just gone gold.

But if you don't have a gaming PC... and if you actually find the XBox 360 exclusive games library more appealing than the PS3's, then doesn't that sort of settle it?  
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Offline BranDonk Kong

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #21 on: October 23, 2007, 04:39:47 PM »
The demo units - I'm surprised they don't get replaced more often. They're always locked inside a glass case with no ventilation. That 360 Wal-Mart bundle is pretty sweet.
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Offline jasonditz

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #22 on: October 23, 2007, 05:26:48 PM »
Yeah, no gaming PC here, just a Mac Mini. I'm thinking the 360 is the way to go... now what about the difference between the Elite and the Premium? Is there a practical advantage to that dramatically bigger hard drive, or is it one of those things where 90% of the drive is going to be empty at any rate (like my PS2 hard drive)?

Offline bustin98

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RE:Better second console?
« Reply #23 on: October 23, 2007, 05:42:33 PM »
The amount of free space depends on if you like to download LiveArcade games and keep demos for a long time. Then there's copying music to the drive. Demos can vary in size from 500MB to 1.5GB. Then there's system files taking 2GB or more (can't remember) of space.

On average I generally have 12GB of 20GB free at any time. I imagine that will go down as more games come along and more updates for those games come along. Its possible at some point I'm going to have to move to the larger drive. But for the moment I'm doing just fine with the original.

Offline Rhoq

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RE: Better second console?
« Reply #24 on: October 24, 2007, 02:42:57 AM »
I'd go for the 360. Get the 20GB ($350 bundle) unless you plan on downloading a lot of movies. I've found that storing music as MP3s on a flash drive is much more convenient than ripping CDs to the 360's hard drive (which can also take up a lot of space) so really, the 20GB drive is more than enough for game saves, XBLA games, demos, themes and gamer pics. Also, HDMI cables can be had for less than $30 now-a-days at a lot of stores including Wal-Mart and Best Buy. The component cable which comes with the system is great and also provides a digital output for audio (via optical).

I'd also recommend jumping on the 360 HD DVD add-on this week @ Best Buy, even if you have to do it before you buy your 360 - the deal is just too good to pass-up (Heroes - Season 1 plus 2 free movies with any HD DVD player at the point of purchase in addition to the 5 free via Toshiba's mail-in offer and King Kong which is included free in the box with the 360 add-on). I would have bought it myself, but I already own an HD DVD player (Toshiba HD-A2) and I have Heroes - Season 1 & King Kong in my HD DVD collection.  
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