MaximumPC 2007 02

N

ow that the dust from the “next-gen” console launches has

settled, it’s time to take a good, hard look at how these three new

platforms compare with our gaming system of choice, the classic, but

underappreciated, personal computer.

On one side, we have Sony’s PlayStation 3, Nintendo’s Wii, and

Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Each is unique, delivering a surfeit of graphical

power, an unusual controller scheme, and a comprehensive online

experience, respectively. On the other side, we’ve got a quad-core,

dual-GeForce 8800 GTX console-slaying machine.

We don’t usually compare four different products in Head2Head,

so rather than discuss the individual merits of each console we’re

going to focus on the leading console in each category and then give

an idea of how the others stack up.

Consoles vs. PC

HARDWARE PROWESS

We’ve heard a lot of hooey from Sony about the raw,

unadulterated power of the PS3, but with the launch of the first DirectX

10 –compliant videocards from Nvidia last year, the PS3 as well as the Xbox

360 are now officially based on last-generation technology—Nvidia’s NV

for the PS3 and ATI’s R500 for the 360. Lacking support for a unified shad-

er architecture and other DX10-style good-

ies, these next-gen consoles are closer to

last year’s Dream Machine than next year’s.

Your GeForce 8800–equipped machine will

have more graphical power under the hood

than your buddy’s PS3.

On the CPU front, the winner is less

clear. The 360 sports

a 3.2GHz triple-core

PowerPC processor

paired with a high-

speed cache, while the

PS3 features a six-way

PowerPC-derived Cell

processor running at

3.2GHz. However,

when you look at the

big picture, the PC is

destined to prevail.

WINNER: PC

CONTROLS

We love the mouse and keyboard; they are the perfect

controllers for everything from first-person shooters to strategy games

to role-playing games. But they’re not right for everything. There are tons

of game genres—racers, platformers, fighting games, and others—that

play much better with a gamepad than a keyboard. Luckily for PC gam-

ers, there are a large number of good gamepads for the PC.

While the mouse and keyboard are unique, two of the new console

controllers are equally distinct. The motion-sensitive controllers on the

PS3 and Wii deliver new gameplay experiences that are difficult (or

impossible) to duplicate on the PC. The Wii’s Remote + Nunchuk control

scheme is comfortable for long gaming sessions and works surprisingly

well, but in the end it still lacks the flexibility of the mouse, keyboard, and

gamepad. WINNER: PC

head 2 head TWO TECHNOLOGIES ENTER, ONE TECHNOLOGY LEAVES

round 1

round 3

BY WILL SMITH

16 MAXIMUMPC FEBRUARY 2007

GAMING PLATFORMS

MICROSOFT XBOX 360

$400, http://www.xbox.com

NINTENDO WII

$250, http://www.wii.com

SONY

PLAYSTATION 3

$600,

http://www.playstation.com

VALUE

This is always an unpleasant round for PC gam-

ers. Let’s face it, even our “cheap” $1,500 gaming rig (see

page 24) is pricey compared to the most expensive console. A

PS3 loaded with overpriced accessories will barely hit $900.

Of course, there’s more to your PC than just playing

games. As one particularly surly editor constantly points

out, if you take away someone’s Xbox, he won’t be able to

play games. If you take away his PC, he won’t be able to do

anything online—that’s one helluva sacrifice. Of course, you

could buy a $600 Dell and a game console and still have

cash to spare, but you won’t be playing Crysis in its full glory.

WINNER: CONSOLES

round 2