'Twas the night before Christmas and... WHERE'S MY PS3!!!!

[Shacklebolt]

This doesn't have much to do with anything, but you know that there are probably a ton of kids out there who really want the Playstation 3 for Christmas who just aren't going to be able to get one, even though their parents have trooped all over their city/county/state looking for it. So some of the parents of those kids are going to say, "Hmmm, this XBox 360 looks good too..." and they're going to get that instead, plus a few nice games. The kid is going to open it up, look at it and either say or think, "WHERE'S MY PS3!!!"

As one who's owned a 360 for a week (and is enjoying it so much that I'm still deathly worried that there's going to be some technical malfunction with the console itself), I can tell you that I haven't regretted it at all.

On a slightly related note, I think that the 360's controller might be tied for the best controller ever, in terms of fitting your hand (the other being the Game Cube's controller), which I really feel makes a difference in terms of 3D play. Unrelatedly, 256MB of RAM for PS3 or 512MB of RAM for the 360... I wonder how that translates into functionality. Any theories folks?

Back to the subject though, I feel really sad for the parents of whichever little Veruca Salt, who whines because they didn't get the newest, fanciest gadget for Christmas.

[Haoshiro]

Well I've had my 360 for a long time, very close to launch... and have had no issues.

I definitely think the 360 controller is excellent in every way.

Extra RAM could play out very importantly in a lot of different areas.

[zero2dash]

DYK you started two threads? :D

Unrelatedly, 256MB of RAM for PS3 or 512MB of RAM for the 360... I wonder how that translates into functionality. Any theories folks?

The 360 has more memory, which is also faster memory with a faster memory bandwidth meaning its less crippled. From what I've read, this is one of the inherent problems with the Ps3 architecture (in addition to Cell being counterproductive in terms of development difficulty as well as the fact that its a single processing engine with 7 symnetrical engines vs. the 360 having 3 dual core processing engines (which is better for pretty much everything except calculations and mathematicals which is the only area the Cell is better than the 360's PPC cpu design).

I bought a 360 with my Wii money last month and couldn't be happier.
As for the controller...I love it, I'd say its my favorite controller now for everything except fighting games (that honor goes to the Japanese/US rev 2 Saturn controller).

[Mavimao]

Unrelatedly, 256MB of RAM for PS3 or 512MB of RAM for the 360... I wonder how that translates into functionality. Any theories folks?

Actually, the PS3 has 512 megs of RAM. However, that is split between 256 of system RAM and 256 megs of VRAM.

The 360 has 512 megs of RAM, and the difference between this system and the former is that it can allocate however much RAM between the graphics card and the system. A little more flexible if you will.

[Shacklebolt]

Huh, source?

[greatdevourer]

Actually, the PS3 has 512 megs of RAM. However, that is split between 256 of system RAM and 256 megs of VRAM.

The 360 has 512 megs of RAM, and the difference between this system and the former is that it can allocate however much RAM between the graphics card and the system. A little more flexible if you will. Plus the 360 graphics chip has it's own separate 10MB of super-RAM that allows it to do things like AA and scaling with no performance hit

[MacRumorUser]

Look at the technical information posted all over the interweb ;)

This is true, developers have been going on about it for a long while.
The 360 memory can be dynamically assigned, the PS3 is split down the middle, so again even if they arness the power of the cell, restrictions like this means the 360 can easily keep up if not surpass the PS3.

It is also reported than Linux is ok, but a bit slow, due to the limit of 256mb system ram.

[Steve1496]

I was in Bestbuy yesterday to get a few last minute gifts for people, and they had just gotten about 30 PS3s in stock, so I just got one. I didn't really even care for one yet, but figured I shouldn't pass up the chance.

Haven't opened it yet, will when I get a game or two.

[Haoshiro]

No need to "jump at the chance" of a PS3.... I've seen them in stock around here at three different places in the last couple weeks: Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and a small store called "Alco"

[zim]

I was in Toys R Us the other day and they had two sitting there.. meanwhile they can't keep Wii's in stock for more then 15 min after opening.

[raggedjimmi]

Whoa. In the parish of Uppermill I do not know 1 parent buying a PS3 for Christmas. Might have something to do with them not being here, but an adult buying a PS3 for a child for Christmas? Chances are they'd buy one for themselves and a Wii/360 for the kid. Hell my parents would never spend 450 on a games console for me! 300 for the Amiga at the most!

Meh.

[gkarris]

I'm looking at all the cool PSP games out now, and that system was off to a slow start... PS3 will be great - next year this time.

BTW - Your PS3 is on eBay right now, Buy-It-Now for $999...

[raggedjimmi]

I'm looking at all the cool PSP games out now, and that system was off to a slow start... PS3 will be great - next year this time.

BTW - Your PS3 is on eBay right now, Buy-It-Now for $999...

We must be talking about a different PSP. I'd love to know how people can say "this time next year", what bloody timeline are you guys living in! I don't want to buy a system to play games next year, I want to play now! :D

[gkarris]

We must be talking about a different PSP. I'd love to know how people can say "this time next year", what bloody timeline are you guys living in! I don't want to buy a system to play games next year, I want to play now! :D

XBox 360, Wii...

For that matter:

PS2, XBox, Gamecube, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, PSOne, Saturn, 3DO, SuperNintendo, NEC Turbografx, Atari 7800, etc., etc.

Plenty to play right now...

[aholden12592]

now for me it would be great if I got a PS3 for christmas but the difference about me is - I CAN WAIT.

[zap2]

XBox 360, Wii...

For that matter:

PS2, XBox, Gamecube, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, PSOne, Saturn, 3DO, SuperNintendo, NEC Turbografx, Atari 7800, etc., etc.

Plenty to play right now...


The Wii had a great launch line up..in Japan they already have more games then NGC did in 3 months of being out.

xBox had Halo on launch day, and thats all I needed. and Gamecube had Super Smash Brother a month after the USA launch of NGC.

[Mavimao]

Huh, source?

From wikipedia:

First the PS3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ps3#Hardware_summary):

"The PS3 will ship with 256 MiB of Rambus XDR DRAM,"

"The GPU will make use of 256 MiB GDDR3 VRAM clocked at 700 MHz"

Now the 360 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360#Memory_and_system_bandwidth):

"The console features 512 MB of 700 megahertz GDDR3 RAM on a 128-bit bus. The memory is shared by the CPU and the GPU via the unified memory architecture. "

[Pressure]

Unrelatedly, 256MB of RAM for PS3 or 512MB of RAM for the 360... I wonder how that translates into functionality. Any theories folks?


Although you can compare them by the amount of ram inside the system, that isn't generally saying anything in terms of performance.

They both use the IBM produced Cell processor.

The Xbox360 uses a highly specialized chip from ATi that is codenamed C1/Xenos/R500 (take your pick, all are correct) and it is by far the most advanced chip compared through all the consoles available (it resembles a unified shader architecture, which DirectX 10 calls for).

The Playstation3 uses a modified graphic chip from the PC segment. The RSX is based on the G70 codenamed chip (Geforce 7 series).

As consoles are closed systems, they don't suffer as badly from a low amount of ram as a PC do.

[Mackilroy]

The Playstation3 uses a modified graphic chip from the PC segment. The RSX is based on the G70 codenamed chip (Geforce 7 series).
The PS3's graphics card is based off of the 6800, nothing newer.

[ehurtley]

...So some of the parents of those kids are going to say, "Hmmm, this XBox 360 looks good too..." and they're going to get that instead, plus a few nice games. The kid is going to open it up, look at it and either say or think, "WHERE'S MY PS3!!!"

If my kid did that, I'd take the Xbox back, and tell him "Fine, no console for you at all, you ungrateful little brat!"

That said, we got a Wii for him for Christmas. Mostly because I will have fun with a Wii. :p

[JackAxe]

The PS3's GPU is basically a 7900.

Here, you peeps can slobber on this; :)
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2453&p=1

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[southbark]

Well the truly sad part is no software developer will ever use the PS3,XBOX360 or Wii to its fullest potential.So you pay money for a console that will never see its potential reached before it is put out to pasture by the newest console.As for blue ray i doubt very seriously it will take hold inthe market just because sony wants it to so now your stuck with a player no one will make movies for after its second year.The umd disc of psp are a fine example of this.The console next generation will be going hard drive only with game downloads in the future i am sure as even the cd is becoming a dinosur now as will the dvd sooner or later

[GFLPraxis]

Well the truly sad part is no software developer will ever use the PS3,XBOX360 or Wii to its fullest potential.So you pay money for a console that will never see its potential reached before it is put out to pasture by the newest console.As for blue ray i doubt very seriously it will take hold inthe market just because sony wants it to so now your stuck with a player no one will make movies for after its second year.The umd disc of psp are a fine example of this.The console next generation will be going hard drive only with game downloads in the future i am sure as even the cd is becoming a dinosur now as will the dvd sooner or later

Not in the real world, methinks. CD sales still beat online sales. DVD's not disappearing for a while.

People will never switch to entirely online when many areas lack broadband internet in any way, shape, or form, and online purchases are more limited (you can't take them to a friend's house like you can with your movies and music).

[2nyRiggz]

No need to "jump at the chance" of a PS3.... I've seen them in stock around here at three different places in the last couple weeks: Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and a small store called "Alco"

I'm going to disagree here...In my area(NYC) there is NONE...believe me I looked. I've been trying to get a PS3 from launch and can't...maybe I need to make a trip to where you live and drink up some of that free coffee you will be offering at your coffee shop;)



Bless

[MovieCutter]

Your PS3 is at my local Wal-Mart. I just got back from there and saw 3 60GB PS3s...just sitting there like the reject kid in class.

[ehurtley]

Well the truly sad part is no software developer will ever use the PS3,XBOX360 or Wii to its fullest potential.So you pay money for a console that will never see its potential reached before it is put out to pasture by the newest console.As for blue ray i doubt very seriously it will take hold inthe market just because sony wants it to so now your stuck with a player no one will make movies for after its second year.The umd disc of psp are a fine example of this.The console next generation will be going hard drive only with game downloads in the future i am sure as even the cd is becoming a dinosur now as will the dvd sooner or later

Late 'first party' titles usually make good use of the hardware. For example, Zelda: Twilight Princess for GameCube is pretty much the most advanced a GameCube game can get, from what I understand.

The big problem is third-party games, where they develop 'common code', so yeah, the Wii version of Madden '07 looks different from the PS3 version, but Madden will still never truly take advantage of the full potential of all three consoles, simply because they don't want to spend all that effort.

As for Blu-Ray dying, simply because Sony is pushing it? I don't think so. It may very well die, yes. But it won't be just because Sony is pushing it. The problem with Betamax, MiniDisc, and UMD (especially UMD,) is that Sony had a lock on the format, and charged exorbitant licensing fees. (I'm not sure they even offered UMD for licensing.) Blu-Ray is a multi-company consortium, for which Sony doesn't have sole authority. This is it's saving grace. Sony can't screw it up, because other big players will revolt and overrule Sony. Like I said, though; it might still lose. But at least it won't be completely Sony's fault.