Matt Peckham over at PC World has put together a chart showing us the ‘real’ price difference between the PS3 and the various Xbox 360 models before and after the upcoming American price cut.
The 360 is cheaper as a unit but if you want to ‘upgrade’ it to the capabilities of the PS3 then it becomes a lot more expensive thanks to those idiotic accessory prices.
However right here I think the entire argument is flawed. The 360 is never going to be a PS3 and the PS3 is never going to be a 360. You can’t add a Blu-Ray drive into the 360. But let’s check out that chart anyway.
So basically after we have upgraded the HDD (why?), added WiFi and paid for Live we can see that the PS3 is only $20 more than the 360 Premium… which is the cheapest of the 3 Xbox versions.
However he forgot to add in a price to upgrade that PS3 HDD.
The Microsoft marketing strategy of giving you the base console and forcing you to buy extra’s has always been different to Sony’s plan of giving you everything in one go.
I don’t think either plan is generally better to be honest but the fact that Microsoft may be offering a next-gen console for under $200 in a weeks time may prove that they have the right idea.
I can tell you that when the non-gaming parents go out to the shops this holiday season they are going to be looking at the price and if the Wii is sold out I doubt they are going to fork out $470 for a PS3 when a perfectly capable 360 is sitting there for $199.
Source: PC World
Last Updated: August 29, 2008
Fred
August 29, 2008 at 12:40
Unless daddy wants to watch some Blu-ray flicks when the kids have gone to sleep.
The ps3 is the better deal no matter what way you look at it.
imajin
August 29, 2008 at 12:53
what if i dont want bluray, wifi or live? is it still the “better deal”?
imajin
August 29, 2008 at 12:53
and by live i mean online play
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 12:56
The forgot to add the price of buying a new PS3 controler with rumble since the original controler is basically obsolete.
And, as Lazy said, why do you want to upgrade yuor HD to 120gb if it already has a 60gb?
The fact is your not forced to buy anything. There are lots of people who don’t need wi-fi, or on-line play, or headsets, or HDD.
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 12:57
And in the spirit of flamebait friday, I would like to add that the PS3 is a cheap blu-ray player and has no games and gives you herpes. 😛
Roto
August 29, 2008 at 13:04
It is all fine and well you look at those costs. But what about the “other” costs like a new HD-TV, hifi etc. Can you really notice the difference between Blu-ray and DVD on a SD tv??
Parents looking for a gift arent going to want to upgrade the whole home entertainment system…
abe
August 29, 2008 at 13:07
then u r stoopid!
abe
August 29, 2008 at 13:08
And here was me thinking I got the herpes from you!
Fred
August 29, 2008 at 13:09
Why would you not want that ?
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 13:18
Because he’s not a movie buff/on-line gamer?
Kale
August 29, 2008 at 13:19
Kids shouldn’t choose parents who don’t buy all that cool stuff!
Fred
August 29, 2008 at 13:19
Then they will probably get the ps2 at $99 since it is perfect for sd gaming and has tons of games.
Any person that buys blu-ray for sd tv needs some education.
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 13:22
Do you have herpes? 😯
Kale
August 29, 2008 at 13:25
This is the part where I ask what you do with a PS3. (Actually I don’t want to know) You do realise the thin slit in front is for the Blue-ray disc? 🙂
People have also forgotten the most important thing about the uses of the PS3, it’ll hold down your house in a blizzard/tornado. That’s a huge bi%$h.
But PS3 is cool, and screw you X-Box for not having built in Wi-Fi! Even the Wii has it.
Fred
August 29, 2008 at 13:26
Ok , i see online gaming as an almost essential component in this gen and it should be free.
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 13:31
Sure, but I don’t think people who don’t do online gaming will care
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 13:36
You know whats even worse? Ken Katuragi promised us that the PS3 will be 4d and it won’t give us herpes. 🙁
Fayyaad
August 29, 2008 at 15:09
Ehh…Nintendo DS all the way!! You can’t take the PS3 or 360 on a plane with you–at the point where you need it most! Plus, the DS doesn’t give you herpes, so big plus there.
Fayyaads last blog post..The badger song
kabraal
August 29, 2008 at 15:36
So can I get a xbox or PS3 with ethernet entirely removed? I don’t need it. I don’t want the 5 arcade games. Can they take it out and sell it to me cheaper?
Look no matter how you look at those prices or what they are if someone wants a xbox they buy a xbox. If someone wants to play gears2 they buy a xbox. If someone wants to play R2, they buy a PS3.
Oh, and they rumble remote is infact included in that 80GB package 😉
kabraal
August 29, 2008 at 15:42
Oh and I’d really like a xbox elite. But I already have a HDMI cable and a headset. So I don’t need those. Do you think if I ask MS to remove those for me they’ll give me a $100 discount? No? Ah OK
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 15:55
Sorry about the HDMI cable and headset, but at lease you don’t have to buy the HDD or Wifi dongle if you don’t need it. I reckon those two are the most expensive ones
kabraal
August 29, 2008 at 15:57
This whole hardware price comparison is void anyway. Why do you buy a console? You buy it for the software. How many games have you bought? I know people walking into a store will most probably hunt for the best bargain but the reality is that 5 games later those prices differences begin to shrink rapidly percentage wise.
From a business perspective and making money, I still think MS has the best approach. People think they’re striking a bargain with the arcade but the more and more they get into the Xbox gaming thing the more $180 120GB HDD or $100 wireless hubs they buy. It’s the same model than say a HPI remote control car works on. The R6000 for the car itself is fuck’ol. The money rolls in from the accessories. Good model for making money and good model for ripping people off.
But have, Sony is teh evol for “forcing” you at gun point to buy wireless and BD yes?
SlippyMadFrog
August 29, 2008 at 15:58
And the DS graphics is WAAAAYYY better than the PS3 graphics. I’ve heard it’s 4d 😯
metalotaku
August 29, 2008 at 18:00
Eh? and what about the PSP? You can take that on a plane too. And you can watch movies on it(320 * 240 res, which the DS cant even dream of). And listen to music. And you can play games with (nearly) PS2 graphics. And you can play your favorite PS1 games. And you can play games you buy from PSN. And you can play emulator games. And you can surf the web at the airport using wifi. And you can chat on skype, and and and …..
LazySAGamer
August 29, 2008 at 23:29
It is impossible to tell the difference on a SD TV…
LazySAGamer
August 29, 2008 at 23:31
But there are also many many people who don’t need to upgrade their hard drive and just connect the box by ethernet.
So no wireless hub or new HDD required. The 360 also has a larger range of cheaper games (as it has been out longer) so neither of your points are holding up really.
kabraal
August 30, 2008 at 09:56
But there are people who will and it still doesn’t change the fact that yes; MS offers you a console without a HDD or Wireless. And that’s all fine. But should you wish to do the upgrade, they are smoking the living crap out of you. That’s not right no matter how hard you tried to justify it. If they actually sold those components at a reasonable market related price, we wouldn’t be having this conversation
You get a HDD, wireless and a BD drive with your PS3, just like you get airbags, abs and ebd standard with most new cars you buy. I truly lol when I here the “Ag jus julle, Sony forces me to buy stuff I don’t need!†line. No one forced you to buy squat. And by the looks of the sales numbers, the only person who really cares, is you :p
Fudzy
August 30, 2008 at 10:00
Why can’t the Xbox fanboys just accept that Xbox IS cheaper because it has less features?
kabraal
August 30, 2008 at 10:04
Just some tong in cheek smackdown, I though the whole idea of “Lazygamer†is lazy console gaming. No PC interference, no installs, no PC synonymous complications.
So installs over complicates things for you because it takes you back to the PC era, but 5 different sku’s with 10 different upgrade options is A OK?
LazySAGamer
August 30, 2008 at 15:51
No multiple SKU’s are also a pain in the @ss… It’s weird the PS3 used to the worst and now it only has one option and the 360 has all the options under the planet…
LazySAGamers last blog post..Tomb Raider: Animal Cruelty Trailer
SlippyMadFrog
August 31, 2008 at 16:49
No Xbox fanboy is denying that the xbox360 has less features. Or did I miss something?
Skyblue
August 31, 2008 at 23:36
As a gamer, owner of a PS1, PS2, PSP, XBOX360 & a hardcore gaming PC, I feel that PS3 owners are missing the point, an HD gaming experience for $200!!!! It doesn’t friggin matter what Sony say, they simply cannot compete with a $200 HD gaming solution. I have always been a Sony fanboy but they got the PS3 seriously wrong! Combine that with the fact that the 360 has BY FAR the better gaming library (I was turned after doing some comparisons) Microsoft have turned out the better priced gaming rig, end of discussion.
FYI I will be purchasing my PS3 as soon as the blu-ray movie library increases and I will be purchasing a couple of exclusive titles like GTHD, Metal Gear Incomprehensible 4, etc but my 360 will always take precedence as my gaming console of choice, period.
LazySAGamer
September 1, 2008 at 01:47
Hmm would you like to lend my Flamesuit ;)…
This could get messy
Fudzy
September 1, 2008 at 16:11
The article is discussing the console’s prices in relation to features. I agree that the Xbox has a much wider game library but it has little to do with the article.