THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING

Brand

The console wars between Sony,  Microsoft  and Nintendo  are fought with aggressive brand positioning and exclusive video game franchises. Die-hard fans of Halo  and Project Gotham Racing  (PGR) can only play these games on Microsoft Xbox  consoles. Nintendo exclusively developed the Mario Bros.  gaming franchise for its GameCube,  Wii   and DS  systems. This restrictive quality of non-compatible platforms that has forced down the prices of gaming systems. In fact, most companies lose money on consoles and make up for losses through game sales. Many people these days have more than just one console.  There are some games like Guitar Hero III, Legends of Rock  which are being developed for multiple platfroms,yet that puts additional strain on game developers.

Design

The slimmest of the three "next generation" consoles is the Nintendo Wii.  It stands both horizontally and vertically, like the PS3  and the Xbox 360.  PS3s are black, Wiis are white and the Xbox 360 comes in either a chrome finish or in plastic, however, there are interchangeable face plates that feature fun colors and designs, available for purchase separately.

Controller

Xbox 360's controllers come wired or wireless depending on the model. The wireless version (2.5 GHz) lasts up to 25 hours on the rechargeable batteries. Both versions allow for headset connectivity. The PS3's controller resembles the PS2 -style Dual Shock 2.  The Wii's controller  is by far the strangest to date. It is wireless with motion sensor technology, and it looks like a TV remote control. The button arrangement has been kept to look and feel the same as its predecessors, but what sets this design apart is that it can work horizontally or vertically. That means it can be used like both a standard controller or double as a gun/pointer. It also has its own speaker. For multi-player gaming action, the winner is PS3 supporting up to seven players (via Bluetooth ); Wii supports four and Xbox 360  supports three via USB 2.0.

Speed and Power

While the Xbox 360 and PS3 are supposed to be on the same plane as far as system power goes, the Wii is only slightly more advanced than the original Xbox. Nintendo isn't targeting high-end graphics lovers with its new console, instead placing more of an emphasis on creative gameplay techniques.

Memory/Media

The Wii uses proprietary optical CDs and will not be able to support DVDs, unlike like the 360, which supports CDs and DVDs in a range of formats including WMA and MP3s. The PS3 will be unique in that it will not only support CDs and DVDs like the PS2 and PS1,  but it will use Blu-ray Discs  as its main game media. As far as memory, the PS3 supports both type 1 and 2 CompactFlash,  SD cards  and MemorySticks.  There is also an MMC  slot and a detachable hard drive.  The Wii supports SD flash memory as well.

Backward Compatibility

This essentially means that the system is able to play games from the older generation systems. The Xbox 360 is partially compatible, while the PS3 and Wii are fully compatible. The Wii boasts a full range of backward compatibility for games,  cables, controllers, and memory cards. The slot-loading Wii takes all size discs unlike the others, which makes it able to play GameCube  and Wii games and DVDs. What makes the Wii stand out even more is that it has a "virtual console," with games dating back to the original NES.

Video Game Consoles

Sony PS3

Pros: The PS3 is a lot more powerful than the other two machines, however it has yet to reach its full potential as developers are still struggling to take full advantage of the PS3’s processing power. In a few years time though, PS3 should be wiping the floor with the other consoles as far a graphics and games go.

The PS3 also comes with the ability to play Blue-Ray disks. Blue-Ray Disk- 52 gig of space to use. Better graphics, sounds, physics, longer games, more modes, more maps, everything. If you wanted to you can use the PS3 as an ad-hoc Blu-Ray movie player, as more Blu-Ray movies will be hitting the market in the near future.

PS3 is backwards compatible to all previous Playstation and PS2 titles, which means you can get rid of your existing PS2 and still be able to enjoy your existing games on the PS3.

Online gaming with the PS3 is free, unlike the XBox 360. The PS3 can also be used as a mini computer which you can use to browse the web and do things such as check your mail and facebook etc.

The PS3 comes with a motion-sensor controller similar to that of the Wii. Although this controller is not as advanced as the Wii controller, this is still a very cool feature to have.

Cons: First of all, and most importantly, the PS3 is expensive. For the approximate price of one PS3, you can currently buy the most basic XBox 360 as well as a Wii console. Fair enough – the PS3 is an amazing machine with excellent power and features, however the price alone is enough to convince most people to buy one of the other two consoles.

Despite its obvious power and strengths, the PS3 performs only marginally better than the XBox.

Blu-Ray disks are also expensive which means that initially, games on Blu-Ray,will be much more expensive than regular DVD games. If Blue-Ray technology catches on however, the prices could drop in the near future.

Microsoft Xbox 360

Pros: The Xbox is priced in the middle of the two consoles. It is always going to be more expensive than the Wii as it is much more powerful and offers a lot more features, however considering The XBox is much cheaper than the PS3, it competes well in terms of power and Graphics etc.

Xbox Live is far superior to the other consoles in terms of online gaming, offering online multiplayer gaming in a nearly hassle-free manner. After the signup process, all you have to do is pop in your favorite game, connect to the service, and you're set. Although one has to pay for this service, the amount of entertainment one gets is more than worth paying for.

The online service also provides a wide variety of free downloads, ranging from music videos to movie trailers to demos of upcoming games.

This consoles elite model comes with a massive 120GB hard drive which is much larger than the drives in the other two systems.

Cons: The console is quite noisy when turned on. Minor issue, but can be quite distracting if watching a DVD.

The power supply is almost the size of a brick. It also gets extremely hot when in use and cannot be squeezed into any tight spaces without risk of overheating.

A minor complaint is that it is only geared towards hardcore gamers and casual gamers will be unable to enjoy the XBox to its full extent.

Nintendo Wii

Pros: By far the cheapest of the three consoles. Everyone can afford one.

The original motion-sensitive controller allows for a whole new game play experience that is fun and exciting to use. This new technology brings a whole new dimension to gaming and gets you off your seat whilst playing and can even cause you to work up a sweat. It can be an extremely popular gadget at parties and gatherings.

Games appeal to adults and children alike. They are easy to learn and games come in various difficulty levels making it interesting for hardcore gamers as well as casual gamers.

Entire system is extremely durable making it safe for kids to play with.

The console is completely backward compatible with its predecessor – the Game Cube, meaning that you can still enjoy your existing games on this console.

The console is the smallest of the three consoles and can easily be hidden away.

Cons: The graphics aren’t nearly as good as the other two consoles. Most say this isn’t an issue for them though as the graphics are more than adequate and the gameplay makes up for this problem.

The Wii uses only a 5.25-inch optical drive, meaning that it cannot play high definition formats such as Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

The internal storage is bleak at best with only a 512 internal flash memory; definitely not the hefty storage capacity of its competitors - the PS3 and Xbox 360.

So which to choose among XBox 360, PS3 and Wii?

The truth is, all three of these consoles are excellent machines and will all no doubt provide you with hours of entertainment. It does however all depend on what you’re looking for in a console.

Your first process of elimination will be to decide whether you want the Wii or if you want to go the Xbox 360/Playstation3 route as the Wii is a completely different gaming experience to the Xbox and the Playstation which are very similar to one another.

The Wii is excellent for hours of good, clean, and simple fun that is suitable for everyone from children to adults and hardcore gamers to casual gamers. The Wii is also by far the cheapest machine which makes it an immediate favourite on my list.

If you decide that you want wish to go the XBox/Playstation route then it can be quite difficult to decide between the two machines. As mentioned before, you will just have to look at the above pros and cons of each console and decide what features are mores or less important to your personal gaming needs.

Handheld Consoles

Handheld video games are very easy to carry because of their compact size and lightweight features. The view screen, controller and speakers can be connected to the single unit of handheld portal. The latest in portability, allowing gaming on the move wherever you are, with a variety of packages deals available on all formats to help you start playing immediately.

PSP (Playstation Portable) - Sony's highly anticipated PlayStation Portable (PSP) offers more than just gaming on the go - this handheld entertainment system also allows you to enjoy high-quality full motion video and high-fidelity stereo audio as well as 3D games:

• 4.3inch widescreen high resolution TFT screen (480x272 pixels)
• Graphics rendering capability comparable to that of the PS2
• Built-in stereo speakers and exterior headphone connector
• Watch movies on Universal Media Discs (UMD)
• Play music via Memory Stick Duo
• USB compatible, allowing you to view digital photos
• Wireless LAN - enables users to connect to the Internet and play online via a Wireless Network (connect up to 16 PSPs)

Nintendo DS - With fantastic 3D graphics and a stack of innovative new features, the Nintendo DS offers the cutting edge in portable gaming. The sleek, stylish design of the DS is sure to impress, while a selection of awesome new titles plus full compatibility with the gigantic back catalogue of Game Boy Advance games gives you access to a range of gaming greats.

Plus, the Nintendo DS combines dual screen action with touch screen interaction, providing the player with a unique gaming experience. The system also allows the latest wireless communication technology, allowing gamers to join friends in multiplayer games, or use the system's embedded PictoChat software to send messages and drawings to each other.

The DS' lower screen utilises touch screen technology - the first time such a feature has ever appeared on a handheld console. With the power of touch you can control the action with your finger, or the DS stylus that's included with every console. Draw pictures or write messages and send them to your friends, control on-screen action with more finesse than ever before, or navigate menus instantly at the touch of a fingertip.

GameBoy Micro - Nintendo Game Boy Micro is the latest and the smallest version that is compact with adjustable brightness. Thinner than a mobile phone, the smallest ever GameBoy measures a mere 4 inches (10cm) wide, 2 inches (5 cm) tall and 0.7 inches (1.8cm) deep. Not only is it super slim, it only weighs 2.8 ounces, which is the equivalent to about 80 paper clips. Yet despite its small stature, the GameBoy Micro has the same processing power as the GBA SP as well as a 2 inch backlit screen, which can be adjusted for brightness to adapt toindoor lights or outdoor sunshine.

GameBoy Advance SP -

Game Boy Advance SP (GBA SP) is an extended version of GBA. It is smaller, lightweight, and sleeker with well-protected backlit screen. This ever popular pocket size offers all the power of the original GBA SP plus a flip-top screen with integrated screen light as well as a rechagreable battery allowing portable play for up to 10 hours (or up to 18 hours without the screen light).