• 1Dec 08

  Why the PlayStation 3 is NOT more expensive than the Xbox 360

  Now if you are reading this and have recently read a couple of my comments, then you'll probably have already read what I'm writing about, though I might go into a bit more detail. I don't know, I'm just going to write and see what comes out.

  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the PS3 is cheap, though they are soon to get better. But when I bought mine in January of 2008, it cost me £299 (£349 actually, I got it with Guitar Hero III, but you get the idea). And when this price is compared with the Xbox 360's, which for the core model that is advertised in the media is £169. Now my 40GB console is still priced the same, however you can also get the 80GB for pretty much the same price. So on paper, with no details about the consoles at all you get:

  PlayStation 3 : £293 or Xbox 360 : £169

  Now which console is the average person gonna buy. The Xbox 360, saving you over £100. Pretty sweet eh. Nope.

  Note what I underlined a moment ago: no details about the consoles. This is the bit that gets me annoyed. People on GameSpot and mates at college etc. will slam the PS3 because it's way more expensive than the Xbox. It is, but because you get way more, and actually, if you want your Xbox 360 to match what you get for the PS3, it costs more.

  For intent and purposes, all my prices in this blog will come from a store that I believe normally sells products at the same price as you can get anywhere else as nowhere in the UK actually sells games and consoles at RRP, always cheaper. My store therefore is GAME. Prices are rounded down to the nearest pound (instead of £9.46, i'll put £9). Here goes then.

  Most common PlayStation 3 advertised nowadays in the UK is the 80GB at £293. The most common Xbox 360, is the Core 60GB 360 at £169. To make them equal:
  

  PS3: 80GB hard drive. Xbox 360: 60GB hard drive. Price to upgrade to 80GB = There is no 80GB hard drive replacement. There's a 20GB at £39 and a 120GB at £97. But taking the better value on the 120GB and working out that value if you could simply add 20GB, that's £16. This 60GB is brand new though, as normally it has been 20GB, and to add 60GB to the older version in the same theoretical way, you've got another £48.

  PS3: Wireless and USB rechargeable Dualshock 3 controller. Xbox 360: Battery powered, wireless and rumble controller. Price for a charge pack: £6

  PS3: Blu-Ray player to play Hi-def movies. Xbox 360: Standard def dvd player. Price for high def. Only current option is HD-DVD which has now died, but the current price for the HD-DVD drive is: £12 (was £100 before HD-DVD died)

  PS3: Online capabilities with free Internet access over wired or wireless connection. Free online gaming. Xbox 360: 1 month's free Xbox live with wired connection. Price for wireless adapter: £58. Price for Xbox Live: at it's best value, £39 a year. No access to the World Wide Web.

  PS3: Standard AV cable. Xbox 360: HD component. Important to look at both sides so to get a component cable for your PS3: £6

  PS3: no microphone or headset. Xbox 360: Headset that plugs into your controller. Not completely wireless, but straight out of the box, you still have no wires connecting your headset to your console, only to the controller. Price for similar wireless headset compatible with PS3: no official one similar, i feel it's unfair to compare it with the £19 official bluetooth headset as the two are so unalike. Closest match would be: there isn't anything! So for arguments sake, i will add on to the PS3 price, a standard Xbox 360 headset, price: £14 (no offense, but for that quality of headset, that's expensive, GAME do there own version for half the price).

  Final totals are: PS3: £293 + £6 + £14 = £313

  Xbox 360: £169 + £16 + £6 + £12 + £58 + £39 = £300

  "You've failed Nick. The Xbox 360 is still cheaper by £13!" But take the following into consideration:

  1. You have to pay £39 a year for Xbox Live, it's not a one of payment, plus you don't get the web browser that you get with the PS3

  2. The claim that Xbox is far cheaper has been going alot longer than before the new 60GB version (so for the older 20GB version add £38 onto your hard drive upgrade), and longer than the price crash in HD-DVD drives (add an extra £88 please).

  Which is cheaper then guys? It actually depends on what you want. If the 360 without the extra costs fits your needs, then yeah the 360 is cheaper, but if you want the full gaming and movie experience, PS3 is worth far more the value. SO STOP SAYING PS3 IS EXPENSIVE (and don't get me started on comparing it to a Wii, the Wii is only a novelty item compared to the might of the PS3 and Xbox 360)

  I close this blog on 2 notes:

  1. The font system on this text editor for GameSpot does not work well, especially when creating a new line or paragraph. GameSpot, it needs fixing.

  2. The words of a GameSpot member whose name I cannot remember: "Just because you are pro Xbox 360, doesn't mean you have to be anti PS3". And that goes both ways.

  Thank you, goodnight, much love.

  • Posted Dec 1, 2008 5:56 pm PT
  • Category: Editorial
  • 1 Comment
  • Tag
  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Digg
  • Tweet

See Previous Blog Posts »