PlayStation 3 (20GB)

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Once considered the red-headed stepchild of Sony's large, confusing fleet of Playststion 3 models, the news that new models of the PS3 will contain no PS2 compatibility gives this model some extra appeal.

Just like the 60GB model, this system has full hardware backwards compatibility and will play the vast majority of PS2 games very well. Replaying Metal Gear Solid 3 on the system, there was noticeable improvement in some of the game's loading from my old PS2, and the game looked great upscaled over HDMI.

There are three drawbacks I can think of with this modelwhich are easily addressed for the most part.

1. The 20GB Hard drive fills up very quickly on the PS3, even if you're just using the system for gaming and not as a media hub. The game I purchased with the system, Metal Gear Solid 4 took up 4.5 GB on it's own. Thankfully, it's cheap and simple to drop a much larger SATA laptop drive into the system.

2. This is the only Playstation 3 model that does NOT include built-in Wi-Fi and Sony doesn't have an officially supported adapter. That's a pretty big drawback since so many of the PS3's cool features are online. A gaming ethernet bridge does a pretty good job of taking care of this.

3. No media card slotsI can't plug a compact flash card into my PS3 like the 60GB models can... oh, wait. Why would I want to plug media cards into my system anyways? If I did, it would be as simple as buying a $6 hub.

So, if you want a system that plays all your Playstation games and have a wired internet connection, I highly suggest giving this PS3 model a look. It doesn't fetch the premium price that the 60GB units currently are and its drawbacks are easily addressed.

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I'm gonna make this simple , the 20gb , 60gb , and early 80gb versions are the only ps3 models that support ps2 playback, only drawback on the 20gb is there is no built in WiFi .But ethernet allows faster downloads and wifi supposedly makes anything run hotter . I had a 40gb ps3 and its the same except obviously ps2 backwards compatibility and wifi. also there are 4 usb slots instead of 2. If you want ps2 support for your future ps3 get a original model ! But if you can care less get a 40gb , newer 80gb or 160gb .Its all about personal preference ! but get a ps3 .

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We got our hands on an XBox 360, a PS3, and a Wii on launch day. Each is good at specific tasks. Here is a fully unbiased review of how the PS3 performs as a next generation console unit.

To start with, the PS3, like the XBox 360, supports full high definition. The Wii only supports a lower resolution. Since the Wii has a much lower price tag, that is a fair trade-off for people with a tighter budget. Gamers for whom a very high level of graphic detail is important will have to pony up for that ability.

Along the same lines, the XBox 360 supports the HD format of high definition DVDs for movies, while the PS3 supports the Blu-ray format. If you haven't been following the whole format war for high definition DVDs, I have several articles on the topic on my gaming site. In short it's like the VHS/Beta wars when the VCR first came out. Is one better than the other? Will one format win out as the sole survivor? There's no way to tell. People will argue vehemently that one is better than the other. From a gaming point of view, the PS3 has the Blu-ray BUILT IN meaning every game can have 50 GIGS worth of game information. Think MASSIVELY huge maps, types of characters, etc. The XBox 360 only uses "regular" DVDs as its base game holder, which is 7 GIG. That is much smaller. You can buy an add-on HD DVD unit for about $100 but the storage is still smaller than Blu-ray about 30 gig.

People will argue about graphics until they're blue :) A lot of this comes down to how a specific game company *uses* the ability of the system. Looking at graphics on a tetris-like game will be much different than viewing the graphics of Oblivion or Gears of War. I found 360 graphics amazing on Oblivion. I equally found the PS3 graphics quite impressive on Genji's cut scenes (no enemy crabs in sight). Since both are high definition, I think that both have the same potential in real life terms. Both really shine in terms of fluid motion, precise detail and realism. I've seen it on both systems, on certain games. I've also seen junky graphics on both systems. Both are much better than the Wii.

How about sound? All of these can plug into your stereo system. My boyfriend and I are both musicians. We have decibel meters and other sound-sensing tools. All three systems can create amazingly complex sounds, music, and in general a "gaming environment". Again I think it comes down to specific game makers, how they choose to use or not use that ability. It also comes down to how much you the gamer spent on your stereo system :)

Speaking of sound, I do have to comment that our 360 is quite loud when it runs, despite our many attempts to help it be quieter. The PS3 right out of the box is MUCH quieter. Score 1 point for the PS3.

On the general operating system for the units, all three consoles are going for more of a "general use entertainment system" presentation. The XBox has customizeable tabs that let you download new games, manage your environment and so on. The Wii also has channels that let you organize your gaming world. The PS3 has an interface almost exactly like that of the PSP, complete with cool drifting smoke waves in the background. You choose which area you want to work on game, music, internet connection etc., and drop down to alter whatever feature you're interested in.

So on to the on-line aspect, which most gamers are now fully interested in. Where the XBox 360 makes you buy an external connector for wireless, the PS3 has that built-in on the 60 gig model. The 20 gig model still requires an external connector (these run about $100). All will let you plug in a cable if you're still running a wired household.

As a side comment on that, the XBox 360 has a 20 gig hard drive. However, they take up about 12 gig of that with their base system. So really you get 8 gig "free" for other things. Now, 8 gig might sound like a lot. But I still remember when the PS2 first came out and everyone was raving about the 8mb memory cards, how you could never possibly fill one of those up. We now have 8 memory cards and all are pretty much full. I have no doubt that 8 gig or even 20 gig is going to fill quickly. With the PS3 you at least do have that option for the 60 gig and it is really worth it. With the 360 your only option is to get an add-on drive to in essence back up the content you're not currently using and free up the main drive.

How does the online world work on the PS3? The XBox definitely has the advantage here. Until this generation, *only* the XBox had a thriving community in their live world. The XBox 360 connected right into that XBox Live world, and they boast a *huge* community of gamers who actively gain points, play online and form virtual worlds. The PS3 and Wii both have to play catch-up at this point. Even if they have better interfaces, it's a matter of converting over all those players who have clans, familiarity and high point collections on the XBox world. Imagine if a new MMORPG came out right now that had fantastic graphics. Sure it might be wonderful but will you really get all 800 trillion WOW players to drop their world and characters and friends to convert, especially if it costs more? It'll be a hard, slow sell.

My summary? I definitely think all three have great games and that all three are worth owning. Of course I'm in a position that I *can* afford all three, which many people are not in. For example, I *love* the Zelda series, and I *love* the Final Fantasy series. I would be hard put to tell a person "you need to get Zelda instead of Final Fantasy". I would want the person to have both, because both are great for different reasons. If you really truly can only save up for one of the three consoles this holiday season, it isn't going to come down to which console is "best" for all players in some sort of a global way. It is going to come down to which console is best for YOU based on your specific gaming style.

If you're on a really tight budget and just want something better than the previous generation, go for a Wii. It's cheap, the graphics are better, and the remotes are great fun. It has Zelda :) If you have a larger budget and really want the high definition, you're now choosing between the 360 and the PS3. You really do have to look at the specifics of each, and think seriously about your gaming style, to see which matches you best. If I were to make a flip summarization, if you really love online gameplay, I'd go with the XBox 360. Its years of head-start really give it a robust environment here. If you are looking for more of a home-based media center for your MPs3, photos and huge world gameplay, I'd go with the PS3. It definitely has the advantage on large scale games.

Feel free to email me if you have more specific questions, or for screenshots, graphic descriptions, or interface information on any of the three systems.

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I was getting a little worried with a lot of negative reviews I was reading about the PS3. So much so that at one point I actually considered a Wii. Thankfully I stuck with what I really wanted and though it's only been two weeks I'm loving this thing. Sure I wish there were more games out at launch but I know they're coming. Besides at $50-$60 a pop for games it's not like I have the cash to just buy a stack of games at one time anyway. I have Resistance, Madden '07, and Need for Speed: Carbon. I'm happy with what I'm seeing so far. I like the wireless controllers though like a little kid I sit close enough to the TV to use a wired one. The graphics and sound are awesome. I'm curious to see what game developers will come up with when they don't have a strict launch deadline to meet and can really use this machine to its potential. There are a lot more Blu-ray titles available than I thought so I'll pick up a few and test the player more. The unit does produce a lot of heat so that comment I'm sure you've read elsewhere is true. I haven't tried the online network so I can't comment on that. One thing I will note is that the operating software had to be updated before it would play a game so if you don't have a high speed internet connection forget about using it right out of the box. Overall I'm happy I took the plunge. One more point. I don't think you have to have a HDTV to use a PS3 but to really appreciate it you should use something other than a standard tube. I have a 42" Panasonic EDTV so it's not full high def but it can receive up to a 1080i signal and man it makes a difference. Wow.

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Now that the prices on the secondary market have dropped to near retail price the systems are getting returned in record numbers and not just by the resellers, many are being returned by people who fell for the hype and realized that there is just not enough you can do with it right now.

There are really only a couple of games worth playing on the system right now, and really only one of those is PS3 specific, Resistance:Fall of Man. The Blu-Ray is nice but you might want to see how the battle shapes up in Blu-Ray VS. HD-DVD battle before you commit to the Blu-Ray format. This could be the Betamax vs VHS all over again and I would hate to think that in a couple of years time the Blu-Ray is dead and there fewer movies released in the Blu-Ray than HD-DVD. But by that time the price will have dropped and will be great gaming system even if Blu-Ray loses to HD-DVD.

If you do not plan to connect online with the system then I would recommend the 20GB system and you can purchase memory cards if needed. The abilty to use memory cards is still nice and many people with the 60GB system will be using them to. Very convenient to take a game save, on a memory card, over to a friends house. The 60GB is a must if you plan to connect online because there are plans for downloadable content, including games and additions to released games and the 20GB would fill up to fast, probably with one download. But to be honest the 60GB system is not going to be enough if you plan to download content frequently. I suspect you may even see a larger hard drive PS3 down the road, like a 200GB version, especially if the dowloadable content offered by Sony is a big success.

There is no reason to pay more than retail anymore. Considering there were about a fifth of the PS3s available compared to the WII, the PS3 secondary market prices are virtually the same and the WII retails for half of the PS3! PS3s are getting returned in record numbers. If you go to any of the mainstream retailers there is a good chance you will find a system or two waiting for you. Just stand around the service/returns counter and there is a very good chance you will see one returned right in front of you and many times they are still sealed because they are being returned by resellers. If you can I would wait a few months to buy one even if you find it at retail because there just is not enough to do with it right now(unless you've fallen hook line and sinker for Blu-Ray movies because the price is similar to a Blu-Ray player by itself). By this summer the games lineup should double and there will probably be a couple that make the purchase worth while.

The PS3 is still a recommended purchase but don't pay more than retail. Buy it as a Blu-Ray player now and second as a game console. Eventually the PS3 will be worth the purchase as a game console no matter how the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD battle turns out.