MasterofDVD

360:
Pros
- Great online community with great feature
- Comfortable controller
- Top Notch Game Selection
- Great Integration With XBOX.com - ex. Checking GamerCards Online/Messaging From Browser

Cons
- Too damn noisy
- Micro-transactions

PS3:
Pros
- Great Potential System
- Cheap Blu-Ray Player
- Easy To Find Now

Cons
- Pricey....For A Console
- Their Online Aspect Needs Tons of Work
- Controller Feels Too Cheap and Lightweight
- No Games That Are Work Anything More Than Renting
- Constant Updating ( Plugging in the controller for each updates is annoying )

Wii:
Pros
- Decent Game Pricing
- Good Creativity For Innovative Controls
- Lots of New Channel and VC Titles

Cons
- Current Titles Are Average With A Few Exceptions
- First Party Title Delays
- Friends Code System Is Annoying And We Haven't Even Gotten To The Online Games Yet

MovieExchange

It's not a pro because it's an expensive addition that's unrelated to gaming, and it's being forced on the consumer. Now if Sony had done like Microsoft did, and had made an addition that could be purchased separately, then great... but to jack up the price of the system by a few hundred dollars for tech that the majority of gamers don't give a damn about is a con. Do you need any more proof than the extremely lackluster sales of the PS3 to see that it was a bad idea?

As I said previously, I buy a game system to play games on. I strongly believe that the vast majority of gamers are of the same mindset.

Michael Corvin

Well if you see it as a con, then it is definitely a con, BUT if you have two other systems hooked up to the same tv that play DVDs then I still wouldn't consider it a con.

Ocelot

Dude, if a console doesn't play dvds is a CON. I know people don't use consoles to watch movies, but i'll bet it's a handy feature.

Smaller memory is always a CON, no matter how you put it... If the price for bigger memory is much higher, then the price is a CON, the memory will be a PRO.

Ocelot

^^^

The PS2 plays dvd... I'll beat people use it alot, especially college kids.

MovieExchange

"Dude," adding $200 or so onto a system price by forcing a format that the vast majority does not want is a con. Once again, look at the number of PS3's sitting on the shelf collecting dust. If we are talking overall Pro / Con of a system, then it's certainly a con. It might be a pro to a select few, but that's it.

As for memory, it all depends on what your definition of "smaller" is. There will always be something larger. As I said previously, I do not currently see a situation where you will be that hard pressed for memory with the Wii. Keep the larger games that require more download time, and then just download the other ones whenever you want to play them. And as someone else mentioned, memory isn't that expensive.

CKMorpheus

Goldblum

If Wifi can be considered a plus, then lacking DVD playback capability can be considered a minus.

MovieExchange

Not really. WiFi is related to online gaming capability. DVD playback has nothing to do with playing a game, which is the primary purpose of buying a gaming console.

DodgingCars

I think we can move on from the DVD playability issue now.

MovieExchange

While it is getting sort of circular, it is a relevant discussion and hasn't descended to insults / threadcrapping / etc.

If we stop that discussion, I think this thread will die out

dvdsteve2000

While I want to agree, I can't see how DVD & HD playback can be dismissed as a plus for a game system, or a perceived as a positive for the lack there of because it is a 'game' system, not a DVD player.

What about computers before DVD drives & 5.1 surround speakers? Were computers trashed because they took on more capabilities, like home theater... No.

What about cel-phones with internet capablities & cameras? Why are people buying $200 camera/internet phones instead of $20 phones that are just used to make & receive calls?

Let's face it, we want items to do more, so how is a gaming system that does 'more' considered a negative just because of cost?

sniper308

If the 360 not having built in WiFi is a con then the Wii not having a built in Ethernet NIC is a con as well... for me its not an issue, but for someone without a wireless router it would be.

sniper308

Having the capability via add ons is one thing, but its a con if there is no option for a model without it... its kind of like a DVD player in a mini van. Nice option, but not everyone wants it.

tonyc3742

I think presence of DVD/HD/BD playback is a pro, or rather, a 'bonus', but their absence is not necessarily a Con...if that makes sense.
While yes, it would be nice to have one unit and fewer wires, I'd bet the vast majority of people who bought a console already have at least one if not three or four dvd players, that were either cheaper than the additional cost of adding it into a console, or that do more, better. I can see a benefit of having a combo dvd player/gaming console for a very specific subset of consumers [apartment dwellers, dorm people, people who are limited in component space] but at this point it's more of an 'extra' than a 'feature'.

Adding features for additional cost can be a negative. Where the tipping point is varies for every consumer, but for a product, the price could be raised so high that it counterbalances the attractiveness of additional features. For some of the other examples you gave, you can now get an item with lots more features for about the same price as the 'plain' one a year or two ago (cell phone, for instance.)
And while the wifi is cool, I can agree with no ethernet nic being a small con for the Wii as well. I don't have a wireless network, and wasn't looking forward to the additional 20-50$ cost to go wifi.

dvdsteve2000

Very good points, and nicely worded.

My comment is for this sentence-

"For some of the other examples you gave, you can now get an item with lots more features for about the same price as the 'plain' one a year or two ago (cell phone, for instance.)"
When the XBox, PS2, and even the PS1 I believe hit the market, weren't they $300? I even think the old-ass Atari 2600, ColecoVision, & Sega Genesis were at least $200, and the Atari 5200 was $329. Game systems aren't THAT out of line comparing to the old systems (with inflation as a factor), and the features are way better.

I do agree that $600 is a huge amount to pay IF you have no interest in a BD player, and an add-on would've been the smarter way to go. But I, personally, am glad the BD player is included because it is one unit, and I actually wanted the PS3 for BD playback right now, even though I'm not really into any games for the PS3 at this time. I do find it hard to believe that I am defending Sony because the 360 is my favorite system, and I tried having a PS2 twice and sold them both within weeks of their purchase. In the last gen of systems, the XBox & PS2 played DVD's, so unless the exclusive games were a huge factor, either system would do. Now, the format war gets people interested in both systems because they don't do the same things (BD vs. HD-DVD).

MovieExchange

Because it's FORCING THE COST. Like I said, I have no problem with the 360, which gives you the *option* of adding the HD DVD capability on to your system. I would call that a plus, that the consumer has the *option* of a system that can do additional functions. I have a problem with Sony using the PS3, a gaming system, to force their Blu-Ray tech on the consumer, thus forcing the price of the unit up a few hundred dollars. Make no mistake about it, that's the only reason Sony is doing this, to force the Blu-Ray tech onto the market in order to tell the movie studios "we've put (X) number of Blu Ray players into homes, you should put your movies out exclusively on Blu Ray." I don't appreciate having to pay extra so Sony can try and win a format war that is 100% irrelevant to gaming.

As for the cameras and crap, I couldn't tell you.... because I buy a cell phone to use as a cell phone. I buy a computer to use as a computer. I buy a gaming system to use as a gaming system. I buy a DVD player to use as a DVD player.

Cusm

I agree with this sentiment. I do not have the HD-DVD player yet, and I do not know when or if I will add it. If I can use the HD drive to upconvert my DVDs I might add it sooner. But as others have stated I do not want to add wear to my Game console to watch DVDs - especially since I am on my 3rd 360.

I have wireless now due to our house, but I would much prefer to be wired, and if I had wired access I would hate to have an extra $$ added to the cost of the unit for something I would not use.

The Cow

Different strokes, I guess.

I prefer less single use devices. I'd rather have integrated ones (if they do it well).

Ralph Wiggum

I own all three.

Playtime: 360 > PS3 > Wii
Interest in 2007 lineup: 360 = PS3 > Wii

Pros: Plenty of games to play.

Cons: Have to buy all three systems to get them.

chess

OK, I call bullshit. What in the world could you possibly be playing on the PS3???

The Cow

Resistance and those type of games most likely.

Josh H

The latter part is the killer. Integrated do it all machines rare do anything as well as a good stand alone machine.

DVD playback on the PS2 and X-box was dreadful compared to even a mid tier stand alone player, the 360 HD Add on is on par with the lowest tier HD players (according to most reviews) etc. Not sure about BD playback on the PS3 as I haven't paid much attention to reviews of it.

Josh H

I disagree. I don't think most people want DVD playback as most people already have a player per TV in the house, and DVD playback sucks on consoles compared to even a decent mid-tier DVD player (not to mention having to have another remote). So again, it can be a minus for the few people that still want to watch DVDs on a console, but I think its going overboard to list it as an objective con.

WiFi is useful for most as so many people have wireless networks these days and the online functions are related to gaming.

Though I do agree with the latter poster who notes that the Wiis lack of an ethernet port is a con.

dvdsteve2000

I'm not so sure wireless is all that popular in your 'average' household.