Building the perfect console |
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BY Mike Wehner March 17th, 2008 |
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Since the beginning of home gaming, consumers have wanted something bigger and better than whatever was currently on the market. It’s only natural to expect technology to improve over time, and while Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii are all more advanced than their predecessors they are far from the ideal gaming machine. Despite what each of the console manufacturers may want you to think, there is no “perfect” gaming machine available for purchase. If only we could take the best aspects of each of the systems and create the ultimate home gaming machine…
Thankfully the human mind is capable of imagining hypothetical situations, so lets apply that talent to the dream of creating this mythical box. For the sake of avoiding tech arguments, we’ll just assume that the system would have the most advanced processing power available at the time of it’s construction. However, from there we have many options so lets begin.
Games: Looking strictly at this generation it seems Xbox 360 is taking the lion’s share of quality titles up to this point. With exclusives like the Gears franchise, Halo 3 and Bioshock, as well as solid 3rd party support with most games running as well (or better) than on the PS3. Perfect Console pick - Xbox 360
Hardware: There are several things to consider in this category so let’s break it down a bit further.
- Reliability: This category is clearly a no-brainer. Xbox 360’s hardware reliability is atrocious to say the least. I’ve only heard of a couple of cases of bricked Wii’s, but that’s also more than the near perfect hardware record of Playstation 3. Perfect Console pick - PS3
- Disc Loading: Disc trays are SO 1999 and automatic loading disc slots are clearly the wave of the future. Wii and PS3 meet wits in this aspect, but the winner? Wii’s disc slot lights up when used. Perfect Console pick - Wii
- Case: Playstation 3 is one shiny, sexy piece of machinery. Perfect Console pick - PS3
- Power Supply: Out of the 3 current gen system, only one has an internal (read: better) power supply. Perfect Console pick - PS3
- Wifi: Standard. Perfect Console pick PS3/Wii
- A/V output: Playstation 3 has HDMI output standard, meaning it looks the best on your HDTV without much effort. Perfect Console pick - PS3
- Harddrive: Standard, with the option of USB HDD support. Perfect Console pick - PS3
- Noise: Xbox 360 sounds like a harrier jet landing in your living room. At times, the otherwise quiet Wii sounds like it’s sawing your disc in half. I don’t think I’ve ever heard my PS3 make a sound, except for the pleasant beep of it turning on. Perfect Console pick - PS3
Controller: The big question here really is motion control or no motion control. Well, until a company can get perfect 1:1 motion recognition for a controller it has no place in the feature list of the perfect console. In terms of ergonomics the one controller that sports no motion control also happens to be the most comfortable by far. Perfect Console pick - Xbox 360 (including PS3’s standard rechargeable internal batteries).
Miscellaneous: Here is where we get to throw in all the extra pieces that make each console unique and really flesh out our perfect gaming machine.
- Blu-ray Drive - The reason for this goes without saying, Blu-ray won, not much else to say here. Bigger storage space, plays HD movies, has a cool name.
- Achievements- aka: GamerCrack, ensures that you’ll play through your favorite game on Super Ultra Hardcore difficulty just for those extra 20 points.
- In-Game XMB - Xbox 360’s media bar options are so close to perfect that it boggles the mind why Sony hasn’t just straight up copied them.
- Free Online Play - I want Xbox LIVE service, matchmaking, and the PSN’s dedicated servers for the cost of the PSN (read: free).
- Online Store - Ideally I’d like to have every single game from the Magnavox Odyssey up to the Sega Dreamcast available for spontaneous purchase and download 24 hours a day. However, if this ever happened I’d probably have to get a second job just to support my addiction.
So there you have it. The “perfect” gaming console, or at least as close to it as this human brain can figure. Is there anything you’d add? Anything you see that’s missing? Feel free to make your feelings known, and lets make this fictional machine even better.
March 17th, 2008
at 1:20 pm
I agree. And, although I’m all for consumer choice, I’d love it if there was only ONE gaming platform; I’ll leave it to the bean counters to decide how Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft would share in the associated costs and profits. One console, that plays all - now that’s perfect.
March 17th, 2008
at 2:19 pm
It’s funny how everything is picked from the PS3, except games and controller. It just points out that if PS3 had more games, it would be the perfect console !
March 17th, 2008
at 2:37 pm
The thing I would probably add which you didn’t go into too much detail was the wi-fi. If you could make the wi-fi like current computers (read:upgradeable) then I think that it would make it perfect. Wireless N would be ideal for online, but if you don’t want to shell out the money, no sweat, start the system with wireless G, and allow us to decide when we want to upgrade it, without having to buy a new system. Seriously, 200 versions of the same gaming device blows.
March 17th, 2008
at 2:38 pm
hehe Guils, those are some pretty big if’s! ;D
I prefer the 360s look myself and except for the nice finish, the PS3 is quite the ugly duckling. Agree with most other stuff here though, if only it would happen, and at a nice price point.
March 17th, 2008
at 5:21 pm
Although it’s just an opinion I think it’s a bit one sided…..
Case: I have to go with the Wii here, it’s smaller, sleeker and sexier….it’s also white, white>black.
Noise: My ps3 is really loud >.ps3 for comfort easily, except for the face buttons/d-pad…but yeah it wins, though I do think a wiimote style controller should be available for FPS gaming and point/click adventurers….makes life easier :)
Everything else I’ll happily agree with :D