29th August 2006, 6:57 PM
Relative to the Xbox 360. Just compare the numbers...
- means included, + means addon, pay extra, ? means I don't know
PS3: $600
-wi-fi internet included
-DVD playback included
-blu-ray high density DVD playback
-free online service of some kind, for games and downloads (though some games (MMORPGs) may have additional fees)
-60GB HDD
+addon for PS1/PS2 memory card support: price to be determined
?charging kit for the controllers?
-HDMI for 1080p
Xbox 360: $400
-20GB HDD
-DVD playback included (or does it require a separate remote like the Xbox did? not sure)
+wi-fi internet: add $100
+online service: basic functions (online purchasing section, demo downloads, etc): free; online multiplayer game play is $50 a year (MMORPGs and similar titles have additional fees)
+Xbox memory card transfer: several third party addons required, relatively costly
+HD-DVD high density DVD playback - price rumored at $199? To be determined.
+play-and-charge kit for controllers is ~$20 extra
?availability of larger hard drives unknown
-no HDMI
So... to match the PS3's feature list, and assuming a lifespan of five years (for determination of Xbox Live fees), just in these fields the PS3 owner spends $600. The X360 owner probably spends $950 --and that doesn't include a larger hard drive. Or a play-and-charge kit for the controller (though I don't know if PS3 will include such a thing either).
As for the low-end models, despite the higher prices, there I'm not sure. Will the $500 PS3 have an add-on for wireless internet (not built in) or HDMI (doesn't seem so)? It does seem that the hard drive will be upgradable, so its 20GB HDD is probably not irreparably downgraded, but without knowing those other things, the Xbox 360 Core, with its only changes of note things you can add back on, is the better choice -- though no one should actually get a Core. Core isn't actually $300, it's $340 -- you need a memory card... or $400, if you want the hard drive. And then why not just get the normal one for the same price? 20GB for $100 (a massive ripoff, by the way) or $40 for 64MB (flash memory card prices are fun! :D)... which one makes more sense? Yeah.
Anyway, my point... the massive amount of stuff aimed at Sony after its price was announced? It's because they're trying to include everything in one box instead of having only the basics in the box and making the other things optional. That latter strategy is what lets MS get away with its overall higher prices, and get praise for its "lower" price while Sony gets torn apart for a high one... clever, MS, clever. And it's worked brilliantly for them, too.
Nintendo really needs to make clear how similar MS and Sony actually are in price for them to make much impact from their lower price... I don't know if it'll work, though. Historically price hasn't been the major determining factor in who wins the console wars... and people only look at the price on the box, not the additional price of the required extras they'll also need in order to make that box actually work the way they want it to.
- means included, + means addon, pay extra, ? means I don't know
PS3: $600
-wi-fi internet included
-DVD playback included
-blu-ray high density DVD playback
-free online service of some kind, for games and downloads (though some games (MMORPGs) may have additional fees)
-60GB HDD
+addon for PS1/PS2 memory card support: price to be determined
?charging kit for the controllers?
-HDMI for 1080p
Xbox 360: $400
-20GB HDD
-DVD playback included (or does it require a separate remote like the Xbox did? not sure)
+wi-fi internet: add $100
+online service: basic functions (online purchasing section, demo downloads, etc): free; online multiplayer game play is $50 a year (MMORPGs and similar titles have additional fees)
+Xbox memory card transfer: several third party addons required, relatively costly
+HD-DVD high density DVD playback - price rumored at $199? To be determined.
+play-and-charge kit for controllers is ~$20 extra
?availability of larger hard drives unknown
-no HDMI
So... to match the PS3's feature list, and assuming a lifespan of five years (for determination of Xbox Live fees), just in these fields the PS3 owner spends $600. The X360 owner probably spends $950 --and that doesn't include a larger hard drive. Or a play-and-charge kit for the controller (though I don't know if PS3 will include such a thing either).
As for the low-end models, despite the higher prices, there I'm not sure. Will the $500 PS3 have an add-on for wireless internet (not built in) or HDMI (doesn't seem so)? It does seem that the hard drive will be upgradable, so its 20GB HDD is probably not irreparably downgraded, but without knowing those other things, the Xbox 360 Core, with its only changes of note things you can add back on, is the better choice -- though no one should actually get a Core. Core isn't actually $300, it's $340 -- you need a memory card... or $400, if you want the hard drive. And then why not just get the normal one for the same price? 20GB for $100 (a massive ripoff, by the way) or $40 for 64MB (flash memory card prices are fun! :D)... which one makes more sense? Yeah.
Anyway, my point... the massive amount of stuff aimed at Sony after its price was announced? It's because they're trying to include everything in one box instead of having only the basics in the box and making the other things optional. That latter strategy is what lets MS get away with its overall higher prices, and get praise for its "lower" price while Sony gets torn apart for a high one... clever, MS, clever. And it's worked brilliantly for them, too.
Nintendo really needs to make clear how similar MS and Sony actually are in price for them to make much impact from their lower price... I don't know if it'll work, though. Historically price hasn't been the major determining factor in who wins the console wars... and people only look at the price on the box, not the additional price of the required extras they'll also need in order to make that box actually work the way they want it to.