by Matt Remley

Created on: August 30, 2010   Last Updated: August 31, 2010

Two of the best current generation consoles in terms of performance, the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have interestingly similar features. So similar that choosing between the two can be a problem for gamers. With the Internet filled with fans from either side arguing about which console is best, how does a person know the pros and cons of each consoles features?

When it comes down to it the only way to choose between these amazing game consoles is to already have a preference with a company or do some research. Taking a unbiased look on the two consoles can be hard at times, both systems have interesting choices of exclusive games, but what are the major selling points of both consoles?

Online Gaming

With multi-player games continuously being best sellers for each current generation gaming console. The Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 each have online gaming services although Sony's Playstation Network service is free for most parts of the service and Microsoft's Xbox service is paid. Recently Microsoft announced it will be raising the price of it's monthly services in November of 2010.

Disk Readers

Both consoles have powerful disk readers installed in the hardware of the consoles. The major difference between the two is that Sony's Playstation 3 uses a Blu-Ray player for game disks, which hold much more space and are supposedly part of the next generation of storage disks.

The Blu-Ray player of the Playstation 3 allows for gamers to watch Blu-Ray movies on their console and can also read DVD's along with a few other formats. In that regard, the Xbox still uses DVD disks, which are much more wide spread and allows for playback of the massive amount of DVD films that are still supported by every major film studio.

Processing Speed/Graphics

When it comes to speed and graphics, the Playstation 3 actually comes out on top. The 3.2 Ghz Cell processor, and Nvidia type graphics card give the Playstation a great boost. Microsoft's Xbox 360 utilizes a 3.2 Ghz Xenon processor and a ATI Xenos graphics card. While none of these numbers will mean much to many gamers, when the games are in action it's easy to see the difference.

Games

Probably the most important video game console selling point imaginable is the particular games developed for it. The Xbox 360 has the clear advantage in this department, which has a massive selection of games. Not all of the games are exclusive but Playstation 3 has been caught up in a game of catch up since it was released.

Using these factors, both game consoles are incredible purchases and have amazing features. Both consoles have backwards compatibility to some degree, and both of them play major media formats. A gamer could choose either one of these consoles and be barraged with a great assortment of games, whether they're online or offline.

When choosing between the two, make sure to do some research on the current games and features for the consoles. Updates are released frequently for each console, so staying up to date on these gaming consoles is important. Try not to count out the Nintendo Wii while looking for a new console, and don't make a decision based on company reputation alone.

Learn more about this author, Matt Remley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.