The in-game differences between the two gaming systems when you compare Xbox 360 vs PS3, graphically and so on, are relatively small. So the choice mostly comes down to other factors. Here are the big ones:
- Which exclusive games make you salivate the most?
PS3 exclusives
Xbox 360 exclusives
- Are you going to play multiplayer games online? If so, will it be with strangers or friends? If it's friends, which systems do they have? If strangers, Xbox Live has around 12 million subscribers, and the PlayStation Network around 3 million.
- The PS3 plays Blu-ray DVDs. Blu-ray DVD players still cost a ton. So hey, free Blu-ray player.
- The 360's been out longer, so it has a larger back catalog.
- If you get $400 version of the PS3, you don't get to play previous-generation games. The $350 Xbox 360 (+ $50 for Xbox Live Gold, remember) can play over 400 games for the original Xbox. Sure, they don't look as good as current games, but you can find them cheap cheap cheap. Even the bestselling original Xbox games are available under $10 (or $5!) used.
Mainly, the money factor is the big thing when it comes to the PS3 vs Xbox 360. When you determine what you want to spend, and how much you think you'll spend on games over the next year, you can really take a better look at the Xbox 360 vs PS3 stats and see where your money is better spent.