Playstation 3 vs. Wii

Wired reports: [edited]

Sony’s PS3 features heavyweight processing power, while Nintendo’s Wii is half the size and half the cost, but has only flyweight graphic abilities. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of each console.

HOW WE TESTED

GAMEPLAY Spent two dozen hours with key launch titles and played 8 to 10 other games on each console.

NINTENDO WII

The first thing you notice is the compact, innovative design — the tiny console is about the size of three DVD cases. The remote-shaped controller features a built-in speaker, force feedback, infrared transmitters, and gyroscopes that are opening up whole new avenues of gameplay. But the graphics on launch titles are downright janky — comparable to the Gamecube at best.

WIRED It’s almost impossible to convey the enormous promise of the “Wii-mote” controller. You have to experience it. Downloadable versions of classic Nintendo games are our kind of killer apps. And like the high-end PS3 we tested, it ships with Wi-Fi functionality.

TIRED No game developer has really unlocked the potential of the Wii-mote. Low price seems less of a bargain when you consider the lower-tech specs and the absence of DVD playback. No online multiplayer with launch titles.


SONY PLAYSTATION 3

Blu-ray movies really do look markedly better than standard-definition, and game developers may eventually find a way to use scads of processing power and much bigger Blu-ray discs to deliver experiences that no other console can. But despite all the talk of “the first console with true 1080p resolution,” the PS3’s launch games look no better than the Xbox 360’s. Plus it has a ludicrously high price tag, tons of extra DRM, and a far less robust online service. How do you say “boondoggle” in Japanese?

WIRED - Sleek interface. Wireless joypad is comfortable and light. Doubles as Blu-ray player.

TIRED - 11-pound leviathan sucks up to 380 watts while running a game (versus 203 watts for Xbox 360 and 53 watts for Wii) and pumps out enough heat to turn our test lab into a sauna. Joypad lacks force feedback, which is sorely missed.
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