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Media Center Showdown: Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3

Nick Mokey By

Living Room Acceptance Factor

Chances are, if you own a 50-inch plasma, you don’t want to mar your home theater setup with a set-top box that looks like it just dropped down from a spaceship, so style isn’t really a frivolous factor to examine.

We think the PS3 wins here hands down. The swoopy jet-black design and silver accents look distinct, but still fit in alongside most modern A/V equipment. The Xbox’s liberal use of green and white, on the other hand, definitely makes it look more like a kid’s toy that should be hidden away in a serious home theater setup. The black version does look a little nicer, but it still emits that annoying neon green glow, and just doesn’t have the modern design ethos of the PS3.

The PS3's form factor outshines the Xbox 360's

The PS3's form factor outshines the Xbox 360's


As a secondary no-no, the Xbox 360 runs loud. Both boxes whir with fans when you boot them up, but the 360 sounded noticeably louder to use, treading past “background noise” and into intrusive territory, especially for quieter movies.

You could hide it, of course, but it also runs hot. We placed ours in a generous-sized cubby beneath our home theater testing setup, and it turned into a furnace in no time with the door closed.


Free Web Content

Let’s face it: Not everyone has a neatly organized archive of CD and DVD rips nestled away on somewhere on their home network. In fact, a lot of people don’t, which makes access to free Web-based content like Hulu, YouTube and others absolutely essential for the casual user. Here, the players wildly differ.

In one sense, the PlayStation 3 seems like a natural leader because it has a built-in browser that works right out of the box. That means you can fire up YouTube (with a customized interface, no less) as soon as you fire it up. But not everything that should work works. For instance, Hulu has intentionally crippled its videos on the PS3, and we couldn’t get South Park Studios to work, either.

The Xbox 360 has no built-in browser, and therefore can’t even get YouTube out of the box. But on the upswing, it will natively stream Netflix – a capability we quickly fell in love with once we fired it up. Sure, the movies available for streaming usually aren’t A-list material, but the convenience and super-slick interface won us over quite quickly. Some TV shows even stream in HD. Just keep in mind you’ll need to be a Netflix subscriber to access it, and unlike many other features that are available with a free Xbox Live membership, Netflix access will require a Gold account, which runs $50 a year.


Paid Content

Freebies are one thing, but Sony and Microsoft both want you to buy content from them. The Xbox has the Video Marketplace, while the PS3 has the PlayStation Store, both of which offer video on a rent-or-buy basis. It’s tough to compare such diverse offerings head to head, but we did our best by comparing their movie sections by the numbers.

In a nutshell, the PlayStation store has more content, and prices are nearly identical. Any given alphabetical movie listing had about twice as many movies on Sony’s PlayStation store: 101 “F” movies on the PS3, compared to 43 on Xbox, for instance. And though Microsoft does its best to confuse the hell out of consumers with its bizarre points system (80 Microsoft points convert to one dollar), the prices are the same. As an example of a fairly typical movie, Sony wanted $5.99 to rent Gran Torino in HD and $3.99 to rent the standard-def movie, while Microsoft wanted 480 and 320 points, respectively, for the same title. Do the math, and you’re forking out $4 or $6 on either system.


Outputs

No surprises here: Both systems offer HDMI outputs for hooking up high-def TVs and optical audio outputs for 5.1-channel Dolby Digital surround sound. Accessory A/V cables allow either system to connect via analog RCA or S-video jacks for old standard-def TVs, and component high-def video jacks for older HDTVs without HDMI.

PS3 and Xbox 360 Outputs

PS3 and Xbox 360 Outputs


Conclusion

At the end of the day, both the Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 make superb home media centers that quite seamlessly manage to pipe digital content into the living room. And either makes a fine choice over the slew of similarly priced but less feature-filled set-top streamers. But if we had to choose one, we would roll with the PlayStation 3. Despite the higher price (which we think evens itself out after the cost of accessories), it delivers a cleaner, more quickly navigable interface, a better-stocked online video marketplace, and even extras that Xbox has no equal to, like PSP Remote Play. The cleaner outside design and quieter fans sealed the deal for us. True, we loved Netflix on the Xbox 360, but workarounds like PlayOn can bring it to the PS3, too, and also help overcome barriers like Hulu blocking.

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Showing 26 comments

  1. hjgdsdsfdsahhdfs at 3:43am 5th January 2011 plastion 3 is really, really really really really really really really really stupid. it looks stupid,it is stupid............. xbox 360 is really really really really really really really really really cool and rocks. it looks cool, is cool.............
  2. Larry at 7:47pm 17th December 2010 I found the answers I needed here http://www.thebuzzmedia.com/streaming-playback-of...
  3. Larry at 6:13pm 17th December 2010 Okay, my PS3 just died. Do I pay the $150 to Sony to fix it, or do I buy a 360? I only use a 5.1 audio system. I only own 4 games. I only play games 6 mos. out of the year (winter). My main use of the system is TVersity. I watch all of my computer vids thru the PS3 on my TV. However, this is done wirelessly. Now here is the problem. Many movies stutter or skip. I noticed that the PS3 supports g, whereas the 360 supports 802.11n. Would this fix the hiccup? I use Verizon internet service and my wireless modem is within 10 feet of my TV and game system.......
  4. Khaled at 5:32am 26th March 2010 by media extender i presume u mean does it have media server, and yes it does
    ps3 also has play tv, wich is for watching and recording television, but it's not in north america.
  5. Xpher at 2:39am 26th March 2010 Can you watch and record TV with the PS3, like XBOX360 used as media extender?

    It seems now they both play music and movies, they both sound/look good, ... but no one is talking about he recording bit which for most media centers is basically the core benefit.

    So can the PS3 do this as well, without hacks and stuff, whether it does it standalone or through another source like a PC? If it can't then, I would drop the BluRay function and stick with XBOX360 and go for standalone bluray player, if it can ... why take xbox?
  6. Khaled at 7:45pm 16th February 2010 --Is it just me or r u guy's missing the fact that you can just load all your movies/videos on the ps3 harddrive while on the 360 you need to play it of a cd or usb stick. oh yeah and the ps3 supports - MPEG-4 SP (AAC LC)
    - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile （AAC LC）
    - MPEG-2 TS（H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, AAC LC）
    •MP4 file format
    - H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile (AAC LC)
    •MPEG-1 (MPEG Audio Layer 2)
    •MPEG-2 PS (MPEG2 Audio Layer 2, AAC LC, AC3(Dolby Digital), LPCM)
    •MPEG-2 TS（MPEG2 Audio Layer 2, AC3（Dolby Digital）, AAC LC）
    •MPEG-2 TS（H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, AAC LC）
    •AVI
    - Motion JPEG (Linear PCM)
    - Motion JPEG (μ-Law)
    •AVCHD （.m2ts / .mts）
    •DivX
    •WMV
    - VC-1（WMA Standard V2）
    360
    -wmv
    --Music
    you can load it on your hardrive using a usb or media server PS3, #60 you need the cd

    Btw the 360 cost's more than the ps3 if you include the wirrles card/usb
  7. Your Mother 69 at 5:44pm 11th February 2010 That's why it was a media review.
    Not a gaming review.
    Duh.
  8. Kyle at 5:06pm 30th January 2010 Sorry 360 fangirls, with the cost of everything for the 360 vs the cost of the ps3(which you can change the hard drive in and not have to purchase the outrageously priced proprietary hard drives)
  9. FRANK at 7:02am 11th January 2010 PS3 ALLLL THE WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  10. You're an idiot at 3:33am 8th January 2010 You need to learn what UPnP really is, and learn that you're confusing it with DLNA.
  11. You're an idiot at 3:33am 8th January 2010 You need to learn what UPnP really is, and learn that you're confusing it with DLNA.

    Idiot.
  12. john at 9:21am 4th January 2010 I have a PS3 And a XBox 360, I play two and the better is ...
    XBox 360
    The PS3's graphics is good,but don't is better of XBox 360.
  13. Sony-hater at 6:45am 28th December 2009 Quite a crap review... the xbox works as a media center extender, sony fanboys may have to google this rather than own it. nuff said
  14. Troy at 9:31pm 14th December 2009 I am pretty sure this article is about media center, not online game play. Please read titles before posting. Oh and good luck with long term use with your $100 Blue Ray player, it should act well as a media center.
  15. Wolf26pack at 9:50pm 4th December 2009 @ Ian Bell

    As of right now you have to order the disc from Netflix, but it is completly free. I believe about 1 year from now it will become a native application on the PS3. The reason I believe is because Microsoft has an exclusivity agreement with netflix and until that agreement expires the PS3 will have to use the disc to access Netflix & sadly the disc has to remain in the PS3 while you are using Netflix :-( .
  16. Mike at 4:56pm 29th November 2009 You don't even talk about the online aspect, which is why I own an Xbox. If you play games live it's just unmatched in this arena. If you want a home entertainment center get a Blu Ray Player for $100 bucks, and be done with it. These are gaming machines. I think they are both butt ugly honestly. The xbox blocky, and the psp3 horrendously oblong, and unlike your review it looks kind of like a wannabe futuristic look that just doesn't cut it, and actually looks kind of cheap to me.
  17. dang at 12:56am 15th November 2009 They should have it in the playstation store. If they don't, that is ridiculous
  18. Ian Bell at 8:04pm 14th November 2009 Hearing about Netflix is awesome. I love my PS3. Is there an app you can download and burn to disc, or does Netflix literally have to mail it to you?
  19. Wolf26pack at 6:35pm 14th November 2009 Netflix is also available on the PS3. It may not be a native app like on the 360 but you can get a free disk from Netflix for your PS3 so you can stream Netflix on the PS3.

    The PS3 will also be getting Facebook intergrated with the system so the only things the 360 has over the PS3 at this point is...

    - Cross Game Chat

    - Cross Game Invites

    - Twitter Intergration

    - Last.FM Intergration

    other than that the PS3 has everything the XBOX 360 has and more.
  20. Mustafa at 6:27pm 14th November 2009 No1: the PS3 supports 1080p NATIVE HD with 1.3a HDMI output that is far superior to the Xbox360 HD Output

    No2: Your pricing is outdated since the PS3 Slim launched with a standard 120GB Hard Drive for only $299

    No3: The PS3 can also output 7.1 Audio in a variety of HD formats that are simply not possible with Xbox360
  21. dang at 1:33pm 13th November 2009 I use my PS3 mainly for media right now as well.
  22. Mario at 12:56pm 13th November 2009 Specs baby: The PS3's audio circuitry can decode up to 7.1 channels of audio in the Dolby Digital, DTS, SACD and Dolby TrueHD formats. The Xbox 360 can decode up to 5.1 channels of audio in Dolby Digtal and DTS. It down-converts Dolby TrueHD.
    PS3 1080p /60 & 24 - 360 1080p 24
    and a lot more, but that is why i got a PS3 for its Media Center options
  23. Pablo at 12:03pm 13th November 2009 Really well done article. This should be a must read for anyone deciding between the two.
  24. Pablo at 12:03pm 13th November 2009 Really well done article. This should be a must read for anyone deciding between the two.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyeemtS1jII
  25. jamel rivera at 9:37am 10th November 2009 I love the PS3 personaly but i'm a fan of the Xbox as well. I have every main system (Wii, PS3, Dsi, PSP go and 360)The 360 is a great brand with excellent games such as Gears of war and Avatar and meet new people war and halo.

    But PS3 has internet that you can surf and great online play as well as 360
    on ps3 you can put pictures of urself and send to friends you can creat an avatar and meet new people and
  26. jamel rivera at 9:37am 10th November 2009 i love ps3 personaly but im a fan of x box as well i have every main system (wii ps3 dsi psp go and 360)
    360 is a great brand with exalent games such as gears of creat an avatar and meet new people war and halo
    but ps3 has enternet that u can surf and great online play as well as 360
    on ps3 you can put pictures of urself and send to friends you can creat an avatar and meet new people and
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