PlayStation 3 80 GB

PlayStation 3 80GB Buy Now

Monday, December 21, 2009 by Migo | Posted in Best PlayStation 3 80 GB, Buy PlayStation 3 80 GB, Cheap PlayStation 3 80 GB, Discount PlayStation 3 80 GB, Looking for PlayStation 3 80 GB, PlayStation 3 80GB

5 stars for system performance. 2 stars for game selection. 3.5 stars overall.

I have the 40GB version of the the PS3 which is no longer offered, but that is not important for the purposes of this review. I've had the system for about a year. I did a lot of research prior to purchasing the PS3. My reasons for selecting this system over the Xbox was that the PS3 comes with a built in Blu-ray player, the system has a reputation of being more reliable, and the graphics are (theoretically) better.

Indeed, the Blu-ray player is a nice feature. Blu-ray DVDs look fabulous. Additionally, the PS3 does a great job of upconverting standard DVDs which look nearly as good as Blu-rays (I have a 1080p 42 inch LCD television so am able to notice some improved detail on the Blu-ray but it is not dramatic). I should note that the PS3 does not come with a remote control (other than the wireless controller for game play). They do sell a remote control separately, however, and I recommend purchasing it if you play to use this system as your DVD player. If you use an integrated remote control (Harmony, etc.), you will have to purchase an infrared adapter as the PS3 uses Bluetooth.

1 year after purchase, my PS3 is working fine. I've had no problems with the system. It easy connected to my home network and the PS3 updates its operating system periodically over the Internet. I've experienced no hardware or software failures.

From my perspective, the biggest limitation of the PS3 is the selection of available games. Quite simply, there are not that many great games, and most of the games that are available can also be played on Xbox. I knew this was a limitation when I bought the system but I figured they would be rolling out a lot of new games over the next year. I was wrong. The only two games I have played that are 1. great and 2. exclusive to PS3, are Uncharted (far and away the best PS3 game) and Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction. And both of these games were available a year ago. In the last 12 months there have been no games released worth mentioning that are PS3 exclusives.

As to the graphic processing capabilities of the PS3, they are indeed impressive. That being said, I don't notice any substantive difference between graphics on Xbox games versus PS3 games.

In short, if you are debating between buying an Xbox or a PS3, I think it comes down to whether you are going to primarily use the system for games or DVDs. If for games, get an Xbox. The game selection is dramatically better than the PS3 and there is no substantive difference in the gaming experience. Additionally, the hardware reliability problems that plagued the Xbox a year ago have mostly been resolved. And the Xbox is significantly cheaper. If, on the other hand, you are primarily looking for a Blu-ray player, or you really want one device to play both games and Blu-ray DVDs, then the PS3 is your system (though there are now significantly less expensive stand alone Blu-ray players on the market, which was not true a year ago...)Get more detail about PlayStation 3 80GB.