The Perfect Console?

[vashivihan]

Since the beginning of home gaming, consumers have wanted something bigger and better than whatever was currently on the market. It’s only natural to expect technology to improve over time, and while Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii are all more advanced than their predecessors they are far from the ideal gaming machine. Despite what each of the console manufacturers may want you to think, there is no “perfect” gaming machine available for purchase. If only we could take the best aspects of each of the systems and create the ultimate home gaming machine…

Thankfully the human mind is capable of imagining hypothetical situations, so lets apply that talent to the dream of creating this mythical box. For the sake of avoiding tech arguments, we’ll just assume that the system would have the most advanced processing power available at the time of it’s construction. However, from there we have many options so lets begin.

Games: Looking strictly at this generation it seems Xbox 360 is taking the lion’s share of quality titles up to this point. With exclusives like the Gears franchise, Halo 3 and Bioshock, as well as solid 3rd party support with most games running as well (or better) than on the PS3. Perfect Console pick - Xbox 360

Hardware: There are several things to consider in this category so let’s break it down a bit further.

* Reliability: This category is clearly a no-brainer. Xbox 360’s hardware reliability is atrocious to say the least. I’ve only heard of a couple of cases of bricked Wii’s, but that’s also more than the near perfect hardware record of Playstation 3. Perfect Console pick - PS3
* Disc Loading: Disc trays are SO 1999 and automatic loading disc slots are clearly the wave of the future. Wii and PS3 meet wits in this aspect, but the winner? Wii’s disc slot lights up when used. Perfect Console pick - Wii
* Case: Playstation 3 is one shiny, sexy piece of machinery. Perfect Console pick - PS3
* Power Supply: Out of the 3 current gen system, only one has an internal (read: better) power supply. Perfect Console pick - PS3
* Wifi: Standard. Perfect Console pick PS3/Wii
* A/V output: Playstation 3 has HDMI output standard, meaning it looks the best on your HDTV without much effort. Perfect Console pick - PS3
* Harddrive: Standard, with the option of USB HDD support. Perfect Console pick - PS3
* Noise: Xbox 360 sounds like a harrier jet landing in your living room. At times, the otherwise quiet Wii sounds like it’s sawing your disc in half. I don’t think I’ve ever heard my PS3 make a sound, except for the pleasant beep of it turning on. Perfect Console pick - PS3

Controller: The big question here really is motion control or no motion control. Well, until a company can get perfect 1:1 motion recognition for a controller it has no place in the feature list of the perfect console. In terms of ergonomics the one controller that sports no motion control also happens to be the most comfortable by far. Perfect Console pick - Xbox 360 (including PS3’s standard rechargeable internal batteries).

Miscellaneous: Here is where we get to throw in all the extra pieces that make each console unique and really flesh out our perfect gaming machine.

* Blu-ray Drive - The reason for this goes without saying, Blu-ray won, not much else to say here. Bigger storage space, plays HD movies, has a cool name.
* Achievements- aka: GamerCrack, ensures that you’ll play through your favorite game on Super Ultra Hardcore difficulty just for those extra 20 points.
* In-Game XMB - Xbox 360’s media bar options are so close to perfect that it boggles the mind why Sony hasn’t just straight up copied them.
* Free Online Play - I want Xbox LIVE service, matchmaking, and the PSN’s dedicated servers for the cost of the PSN (read: free).
* Online Store - Ideally I’d like to have every single game from the Magnavox Odyssey up to the Sega Dreamcast available for spontaneous purchase and download 24 hours a day. However, if this ever happened I’d probably have to get a second job just to support my addiction.

So there you have it. The “perfect” gaming console, or at least as close to it as this human brain can figure. Is there anything you’d add? Anything you see that’s missing? Feel free to make your feelings known, and lets make this fictional machine even better.

the only thing i dont like is that how is ps3s big ugly case is sexier than wiis? it makes no sense. linkage

 

[Napalmbrain]

One gets the feeling this article was written by a PS3 fanboy. I mean, the Wii is just as reliable as the PS3, the PS3's casing is most definitely not "shiny and sexy", and I've never had any problems with my Wii being loud apart from turning it on.

 

[vashivihan]

One gets the feeling this article was written by a PS3 fanboy. I mean, the Wii is just as reliable as the PS3, the PS3's casing is most definitely not "shiny and sexy", and I've never had any problems with my Wii being loud apart from turning it on.

yeah i know. nintendo products have always been reliable. although he does a few good points.

 

[Jay61]

Wut? The Ps3 looks like a breadbin...

 

[Budo]

the only thing i dont like is that how is ps3s big ugly case is sexier than wiis? it makes no sense. linkage

Trust me, when you have the PS3 and Wii standing beside each other, the PS3 looks likes a piece of modern art. It's also very shiny... so very, very shiny.

EDIT: My Wii is actually louder than my PS3. That's just my own personal experience though.

 

[vashivihan]

Trust me, when you have the PS3 and Wii standing beside each other, the PS3 looks likes a piece of modern art. It's also very shiny... so very, very shiny.

EDIT: My Wii is actually louder than my PS3. That's just my own personal experience though.

my friend has both and wii looks way better with that blue light.

 

[TheAnswerI]

Good points. However the reliability factor can be debated.

 

[FRuMMaGe]

Any console will become perfect the moment they make the game "Halo 4: The Waluigi Chronicles". :yesnod:

 

[Budo]

my friend has both and wii looks way better with that blue light.

Cool, I personally prefer the different shape of the PS3 over the standard box shape of the Wii - not that the Wii is ugly or anything.

The LED is definitely cool, but I'm kind of immune to them at this point , my computer fans/HD/power supply have all had them for the past 5-6 years, hehe.

 

[Happy]

Lol the article was written by 'Mark Wehner' :lol:
'Playstation 3 is one shiny, sexy piece of machinery' :wtf:

 

[wezeles]

[media]http://blog.makezine.com/archive/ps3grill_2006-11-21.jpg[/media]
Who's hungry?

No doubt the ps3 is the most hideous out of the group. Somethign only a mother "fanboy" could love.

I acctually think 360 has the best case design by far, if it was smaller it would be the clear winner.

As for noise I have noticed my Wii making a squeek or two now and then not the loudest for sure but enough to notice.

 

[Matt93]

I have both a Wii and a PS3, and I have to say, the PS3 looks a lot better when set next to the Wii. I mean, the PS3 is soooo nice and shiny, and it has the chrome lettering of its name running across it. How could you get better than that? The Wii is just plain white. A little bit shiny, but not nearly as much as the PS3. I like the blue light on the Wii around the disk slot, but its barely ever on. It would be nice if you could have the option of having it on whenever the Wii was turned on. Also, my Wii makes more noise than my PS3, but they are both very quiet. The Wii sounds like an electric chicken when you turn it on, and sometimes during games. As far as reliability goes, I would have to say the Wii and PS3 are about even. My PS3 has locked up before, but my Wii tends to lock up during updates every now and then, requiring me to hold down the power button. I installed linux as a secondary operating system on my PS3 and that worked perfectly without any problems at all. Anyway, haha nice pic of the PS3 grill. I hope they didn't wreck a working PS3 to do that. That would be a waste.

 

[YOWORD]

nintendo fanboys will go off when they see this

 

[Douten]

No doubt people are going to like sleek shiny things, which the Wii case doesn't show too much off. But as far as shape goes I perfer a regular rectangle over all of the Wii. I think by the time the price drop the other color might be a little sleeker looking, that's just speculation :x

 

[ThePrinceOfSoul]

I personally like the Wii best because well I'm not working with alot of space and the Wii is small fits right where I need it to and the size of the powerbirck isnt th size of well A brick*cough 360 cough*