Points well made, Forevercloud
If anyone just bashes either system for the sake of it, then he/she is just being immature. It's not gratifying at all to discuss such nonsense with fanatical fanboys.
Considering they had time to examine the X360 before putting out their system,I would have been very surprised if Sony had NOT created a more powerful console. This is not something that needs be based on opinion. Specs tell one part of the story. The other can be told by running comparison tests. So there is an objective answer to the question of which of the systems is the most powerful. Simple deductions indicate the PS3 is the more capable console of the two, but I would be more than willing to revise such a conclusion if enough evidence is shown to me that it is not.
The point I am trying to make has nothing to do with which system is more capable of handling complex physics or putting out the most realistic graphics.
What matters the most is which system is satisfying customers more right now. And it appears to me that Microsoft has done much better than Sony in this respect so far. They've provided A) various SKUs at more affordable prices, B) an online service that has kept millions of players hooked and C) a decent library of games. The whole RROD fiasco must have hurt, but in the long run customers have kept coming back for more.
In comparison, Sony has provided A) a steeper priced system (although I don't think they could have done much more than what they've done in this respect, without sacrificing features), B) a competent online system, which is also free, and C) a comparable library... can't really say, based on exclusive titles, which one is better, it all depends on what suits your tastes better.
Maybe the year head start is what has made the REAL difference here, I don't know. I certainly have never felt compelled to get a 360, but many of my friends have and they have loved it (when it hasn't burned to a crisp).
Does Sony offer the most powerful home console? Probably. But it does not matter a single bit if it fails to capture a wider audience. If the market share is not there (rhyme unintentional), then developers will not consider it worth their time to create exclusive AAA games for it. Multiplatform games can be bought for any of the systems, so they will not help a potential customer lean more towards one or the other. And, as anyone with common sense will conclude, it's the GAMES that matter.
Having an incredibly powerful console with no games is like driving a powerful Ferrari in a traffic jam. You know the power is there, but you don't get to enjoy it.
The games are coming, yes. I'm just afraid of the possibility that it might be too little, too late for Sony... I really hope I'm wrong about this.