With three different consoles vying for a spot under your TV, it's never been harder to figure out which console is right for you. Will the Nintendo Wii, the Sony PlayStation3 or the Microsoft Xbox 360 give you the experience you're looking for? Whether you want to just pick up and play, or battle online all night, our ultimate buyer's guide will help you choose.
Techipedia
With new games boasting Hollywood blockbuster budgets, video games are among the coolest forms of entertainment around. The Sony PlayStation2 and original Microsoft Xbox helped spread the word, and while their powerful sequels kept old hands happy, the motion sensing Nintendo Wii has brought gaming even more firmly into the mainstream. With the latest generation of consoles, a wider audience, internet connections and powerful graphics have led all three to position their boxes as entertainment hubs, juggling video and music too.
Bluffer's guide
Controllers
The PS3 and Xbox 360 both use traditional gamepads with joysticks for your thumbs to guide you around most games. The Wii is a little different: it has a motion-sensing bar you perch on the TV, and a remote which senses your swings and wild flailing, and converts them to into aces on the virtual tennis court and full strikes in the virtual bowling alley.
Model
Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 come with different specifications. The Sony PS3 comes with different hard drive sizes, affecting how many games, films and albums you can keep onboard, while the Xbox 360 comes with an "Elite" (Black) or "Arcade" (White) badge. The black is more expensive, but has a hard drive for downloading games, channels and other goodies, while the white is cheaper but offers minimal storage, meaning your games generally come on discs.
Online stores
Every console has its own online hub for getting new games and media and jumping online to take on your mate in another country in a multiplayer showdown. The Wii has its Shop channel, the PS3 has the PlayStation Network, and the Xbox 360 has Xbox LIVE.
Know your stuff
The Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 all let you download extra games and add-ons (downloadable content or DLC) off the web, whether they're new characters for a beat'em up, extra levels on your favourite shooter or retro games from yesteryear. They're all sold through each console's online shop.
If you want to make the most of your console, you'll need to pick up a few accessories. The Wii has a balance board you stand on for fitness and more, the Xbox 360 needs a Wireless network (WiFi) add-on to surf online anywhere in the house, and you can buy a remote control for when you want to use your PS3 to play Blu-ray movies on it.
All three consoles offer different video on demand options. The Wii and PS3 let you stream BBC iPlayer on to your TV for free - great for catching up on Dr Who - while the Xbox 360 can stream Sky channels for Premiership football, without needing a satellite. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 have their own online movie stores, so you can download films over the internet.
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FAQ
Which console has the best games?
It really is a matter of taste. Many new games with cutting edge graphics come out on the Xbox 360 and PS3 at the same time. With both consoles supporting HD Gaming, the graphics element is where they come into their own. Meanwhile, the Wii charts its own path and churns out its own catalogue of more casual, family-friendly games that you can just pick up and play.
Is every console high definition?
Both the Sony PS3 and Xbox 360 will show off movies and games in both 720p and full 1080p resolution, so you'll see every puff of gunfire in Modern Warfare 2. An added bonus for the Sony PS3 is that it also doubles up a Blu-ray player. The lower power Wii only outputs in 480p, and keeps its focus on its participation value rather than its graphical ability.
Won't the next new console make all three redundant?
Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have all indicated that they see their current generations of game consoles lasting much longer than their predecessors. And with their potential for eye popping graphics still to be fully tapped, we're not going to argue with them.
The next big thing: motion control
The Nintendo Wii already uses motion-sensing technology in its candybar controller, but both its rivals will release more advanced technology next year. Sony's PlayStation Move wand will let you make pinpoint gestures, so we could see the first true light sabre Star Wars game on the PS3, while Microsoft will launch a clever camera for the Xbox 360 called Natal. It can sense where you are without the need for any extra gizmos, and still accurately gauge your movements. You could even play Forza 3 by simply sitting in your chair, steering with your hands, and braking with your feet.