Xbox 360 vs. PS3 costs comparison
After a lot of deliberation, I chose the PlayStation 3 in this generation of consoles. The decision wasn’t easy, mind you. After all, the Xbox 360 had much more games (at least, during the time I was mulling it over), and they were games that I desperately wanted to play. Who can argue with Dead Rising, Bioshock, Gears of War, and Halo 3?
But there was a problem with Microsoft’s console: the Red Rings of Death. It’s pretty hard to determine how many were affected by it but based on the information available online, we’re talking about a failure rate of around 30%.
So what did I do? I put everything down on paper. I first compared the cheaper versions of both consoles:
I observed that Xbox 360 Pro owners would pay $349.98 at the very least (unit cost of $299.99 + Xbox Live fees of $49.99), which should already equal the cost of a 40GB PS3. If I want Wi-Fi with my Xbox, I have to shell out another $75 to $99. When the Xbox 360 breaks down after three years, it’s going to cost me $139 to get it fixed.
I then compared the top-of-the-line versions:
At the very least, Xbox 360 Elite owners should shell out $449.98 (unit cost of $399.99 + Xbox Live fees of $49.99). That’s already more than what an 80GB PS3 might cost. Throw in the $75 to $99 wireless network adapter, and we’re looking at an even bigger cash out.
Of course, that’s only for the first year. Naturally, the Xbox 360 would require more money down for Xbox Live and most likely, repairs.
Today, the PS3 has a pretty impressive library of games that could rival the 360, so that argument of the Xbox 360 having more games is moot. Granted, I like Western shooters much more than console RPGs, but I’m not willing gamble $299 at the very least for a console that could break down at any time.
That said, the Xbox 360 is an impressive machine that comes with superior online capabilities and a gamut of quality games, but the cheapskate in me chose the PS3 because a) it really is cheaper overall and b) it’s more reliable. This is why all the talk of the PS3 being more expensive baffles me.
Update:
Thanks for pointing out my serious math boo-boo. I’ve made the necessary adjustments. But you know what? The corrected figures show that the disparity of costs between the PS3 and Xbox 360 is even much bigger–therefore it proves my point: the PS3 is indeed cheaper than the Xbox 360.
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