[analogue SPRINKLES]

Format War: Interactivity vs HD supplements - Engadget HD

[Eug]

Originally Posted by jokell82 

Why the hell would you "spec" a gaming console? Here are the specs that matter: to play games on the 360 I only need to pay $279. To play games on the PS3 I need to pay $399.

That's it.

Well, that and the fact that the available games on the 360 are actually better, judging by the reviews of both consoles.

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

Format War: Interactivity vs HD supplements - Engadget HD

This is going to be an interesting experiment (that only companies like Warner can do). Too bad they didn't keep the price identical though. If the combo is truly tthe reason the HD DVD is $5 more, then they should just drop the combo and keep the price the same.

[icruise]

Originally Posted by jokell82 

Why the hell would you "spec" a gaming console? Here are the specs that matter: to play games on the 360 I only need to pay $279. To play games on the PS3 I need to pay $399.

That's it.

That's it? Maybe if you want the bare minimum gaming experience. But I'd say that having a hard drive is pretty essential to getting the most out of either system. And when you add that, you're within $20 of the PS3, and that's without an HD movie player or wireless internet. Doesn't sound like quite as good a deal now, does it?

[Eug]

Originally Posted by icruise 

That's it? Maybe if you want the bare minimum gaming experience. But I'd say that having a hard drive is pretty essential to getting the most out of either system. And when you add that, you're within $20 of the PS3, and that's without an HD movie player or wireless internet. Doesn't sound like quite as good a deal now, does it?

As was said, the Sony is now selling better, because of the price drops.

However, original logic by Sony was that the PS3 was a better value, and therefore the significantly higher price was justified. We all know what happened.

Remember, the el cheapo version of the Xbox 360 was only $299, but the tarted up one was $399 (including a hard drive). The cheap version of the PS3 was $499 at launch, or 25% more.

[icruise]

I certainly agree that if the PS3 had been $399 at launch, it would have done much better in the first year. Part of that was arrogance on the part of Sony, and part was apparently due to manufacturing costs of the Blu-ray drive (which I guess you could also attribute to arrogance in a way).

[Kenneth]

I got a free Xbox 360 Core during Spring 2006, it was my real game console to me. After playing it for months, it really got me into gaming (still not a hardcore gamer). However, it does have flaws in it, very noisy, limited experience (at that time), MS Points, Xbox Live (not really digging it). Graphics was top-notch tough. I know I get it for free, but MS shouldn't put out a Core edition in the first place.

Later, I got myself a Wii (on day 1) and 60GB PS3 (2 days before Christmas). Getting the PS3 was a surprised for me. I was literally walked into BestBuy, saw a couple PS3 and then grabbed one. The main reason I went to the store was pretty much window shopping. Yes, I did pay $599 plus sales tax. Weeks later, I sold my Xbox 360.

It's almost a year, I like the PS3. Xbox is pretty much solely a gaming console (to me). Sony has a lot of things coming for the PS3 platform (Home, GT5, Top Gear....), but it's still a waiting game.

The WB's Interactivity vs HD supplements is pretty interesting. HP is a kid's movie, right? They may want to know 'Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter'.

[mrtew]

So everyone agrees that the PS3 is the best way to go if you're getting a BluRay player eh? I guess PS3 really probably should be counted then when people are comparing sales of players then.

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by icruise 

That's it? Maybe if you want the bare minimum gaming experience. But I'd say that having a hard drive is pretty essential to getting the most out of either system. And when you add that, you're within $20 of the PS3, and that's without an HD movie player or wireless internet. Doesn't sound like quite as good a deal now, does it?

I own a Core and have no issues. And I don't need the HD movie player (have a Toshiba A2) or wireless internet. So yes, it's still a good deal.

And if you really want the hard drive it's still a $50 difference between the 360 and the PS3 (as long as you don't want to play any ps2 games).

[ort888]

Microsoft has yet to respond to the latest Sony price drop. The $279/$349/$449 pricing was in put in place after Sony dropped to $499. Sony has since dropped to $399 and Microsoft has done nothing. Probably because they are still outselling them about 2.5 to 1.

I agree that the value of the PS3 looks good right now compared to the 360, but I have a feeling that the price will drop again in early 2008. It pretty much has to.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Yeah, I don't think there'll be a 360 price drop until after GTA IV has been out for a while (E3 time?)

[ort888]

GTA4 probably won't be out for another 6 months. They need to drop it quicker then that.

[Dakar the Fourth]

It's scheduled for a February - April release.

[jokell82]

They don't need to drop it at all right now. They're selling well and the software is helping to move the hardware. Same can't be said for the PS3 *right now*, but that could change when they get some good exclusives.

Prices will probably be stable until next summer at the earliest.

[Eug]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a 360 price drop by spring.

The PS3 is actually selling OK right now, but it seems to me it isn't good enough for MS to justify a price drop right now.

[goMac]

Originally Posted by ort888 

Microsoft has yet to respond to the latest Sony price drop. The $279/$349/$449 pricing was in put in place after Sony dropped to $499. Sony has since dropped to $399 and Microsoft has done nothing. Probably because they are still outselling them about 2.5 to 1.

Didn't they? The 360 HD-DVD drive got dropped to $129.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by goMac 

Didn't they? The 360 HD-DVD drive got dropped to $129.

Well...

1) They were talking about gaming, AFAIK. At least that was what I was talking about. MS needs to drop the price of the 360 to market to gamers, but I don't think they need to do it in 2007.

2) $129 is a drop for the HD DVD drive, but it's not an official drop. The MSRP is still $179.99.

Nonetheless, $129 with those 6 free movies is a damn good deal though.

[goMac]

I don't think this was posted yet...

The State Of HD DVD: The State of HD DVD

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by goMac 

I don't think this was posted yet...

The State Of HD DVD: The State of HD DVD

Thanks for the link. Nice read.