This is a report on PS3 ownership from an admitted Xbox 360 fanboy. In December 2010, we finally replaced our Blu-ray player with a future-proofed 320 GB PlayStation 3 Slim.

We could have bought a PlayStation 3 at launch. We didn’t. We could have got one in 2007, 2008 or 2009, but the PS3 “phat” was too big for our entertainment center. It was also expensive and didn’t have enough exclusive titles.

The PS3 “phat” with its iconic Spider-Man font

The Slim model changed all that. While not strictly affordable, it fit the exact same spot the Blu-ray player called “home.” It was quiet. And we knew from experience that DVD upscaling and Blu-ray playback would be more than adequate – superior to most standalone players out there.

Gaming

Gaming on the PS3 is a mixed-bag. Exclusives will often look and sound GREAT. Cut-scenes in particular are definitely superior due to Blu-ray’s large storage capacity and less-aggressive compression schemes. On the other hand, “ported” games like Bayonetta are a mess. Unless a game is created specifically for the PS3, it will often be inferior to the same game on Xbox 360.

Screenshots & captions courtesy of Digital Foundry’s epic post Face-Off: Bayonetta

(I hear the problem is the PS3’s segmented memory, 256 MB for system & 256 MB for the GPU. The Xbox 360 has 512 MB of unified RAM + 10 MB embedded DRAM)

The DualShock 3 controller is more than adequate for fighting games and action-adventure titles like God of War 3. One of its strong suits for sure. It’s not as great for racing games and/or first-person shooters. Even the first Xbox’s controller is superior for those two genres.

Updates. OMG, PS3 updates are SLOW. I hate, absolutely hate to wait 50 minutes for an update. On the other hand, games on Xbox 360 update in seconds. I hear Microsoft uses a patented, byte-swapping technology while Sony downloads full executables (like a PC). Also, PS3 updates include add-on content, which is separate on Xbox 360. Still, updating PS3 games is a major pain.

Finally, multiplayer on PS3 is not even on the same class as MP on Xbox 360. There’s just not enough people using their PS3s for multiplayer gaming. The messaging/game invites functionality is also lacking, although I will admit Sony has come a long way since launch.

Media player (Blu-ray, DLNA)

In one word: excellent. Picture quality is well-above the Xbox 360 at 1080p. Xvid and divx files look stunning. Movies on Blu-ray are nothing short of a revelation.

We all agree that the PS3 is one of the fastest, most responsive Blu-ray players out there. It simply flies. Sound quality is also very impressive, even in standard-definition Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS.

(our Yamaha receiver doesn’t do HD audio – it’s from 2005)

The PS3 works great with our Windows 7 media server. It plays videos, MP3s and pictures via wi-fi with no stuttering. Other than a slight lag on MP3 files (skipping to the next track), it performs admirably. One of our favorite features is the Gaia visualizer built by Q-Games.

We are also big Netflix, Hulu Plus and Vudu fans. Netflix on PS3 spanks the Xbox 360 in every way (interface, picture & sound quality, subtitles).

Web browser (HTML, YouTube)

The Xbox 360 doesn’t offer a web browser, which I consider a major mistake on the part of Microsoft. The Wii offers a slow, limited browser with Flash 8 support.

The browser on the PS3 is far from perfect, but the hardware specs alone plus Flash 9 support make it a winner in my book. Text is sharp and easy to read; the DualShock 3 controller does an adequate job as a mouse. YouTube doesn’t work properly, but user-created solutions like PS3 YouTube make it more than usable and also enable 720p playback.

PS3 YouTube logo plus a couple “channels”

If you ever wanted an OK browser for your big-screen TV, this is it. To go one step above, you should pick a Google TV-enabled set or buy a set top box like Logitech’s Revue.

(rumors say that Sony will add Google TV functionality to PS3 soon)

In conclusion

For now, I still prefer gaming on Xbox 360. It just offers a better experience. In the media player & browser department, however, the PS3 is the clear winner. It has become our official media player at home.

If you’re on the fence between Xbox 360 & PS3, I’d recommend getting an Xbox for the games and a PS3 for everything else. Better yet, get both. PS3-exclusives like Gran Turismo 5, Uncharted 2 and Heavy Rain shouldn’t be missed.

How about you? Please share your thoughts in the comments!