UPDATED:
We have updated the chart with some additional tracking. This includes wired vs. wireless controller options, optional storage availability and included extras. We have removed the “Total Cost” tracking, as it’s not longer valid with the current comparison chart.
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We’ve all seen the console price comparisons before. The tables that tabulate the price of modern consoles, as well as the hidden costs of going with a chosen console. However, many of those comparisons are extremely outdated. Pricing structure has changed as well as included features. So check out our chart below to see what the true cost of gaming is at retail price. For the record, I refuse to include the price of official HDMI cables as I am firmly against the price gouging that goes along with it. Stick to Amazon.com and you can find cables for $5 or cheaper.
Remember, not all of the listed extra costs are required at time of purchase. These are the most common purchases when buying a new console. Simply remove the extra feature you don’t want and re-evaluate the price. Bottom line, do your research. There are a ton of little hidden costs when choosing a game console. Everything from an extra controller, to gaming online can wind up biting you if you aren’t anticipating the cost. While the Wii may be the immediate cheapest option, the cost of a things like a fully featured controller with rechargable batteries is near $100.
It should also be pointed out the 360 online service is an annual cost of 50$(so that’s an added 50 bucks per year of gaming online), and the 360 rechargable battery does come with every wireless controller. Just if it ever goes bad you can replace the battery, unlike the PS3 where you have to replace the whole remote. Also, the 360 has two controllers, a wired one which is cheaper than the wireless one too.
It’s great to have a chart like this, but it’d be nice if it was more indepth to cover the various factors of each for a real fair comparison.
Also, isn’t one of the 360 models missing from the list? The basic harddrive 360 one, or did they discontinue that?
Harddrive cost should also be listed for comparison too. Since you can get a 360 without one, but will eventually want one or want to upgrade your lower sized one, just as you may want to upgrade your PS3 harddrive if it’s capable of doing so, etc.
And this is also lacking memory card costs for all of them, wii included.
So the assessment isn’t all that fair, since the breakdown shown here is with all the frills and extra stuff (extra rechargable batteries, cords, etc). It’s also without stuff and costs you may need. And also the online should be expanded to include annual costs, and potentially costs per game, as some games do have a pay to play model. Like the Phantasy Star series, and Final Fantasy 11 among whatever else.
Also, an average breakdown of point cards would be nice, cost to get them, and the average cost of points for games in their respective market places. Whether or not consoles come with a point card or games, and even the free ‘points’ they may offer with the unit purchase itself, ditto could be said about any free trial for XBL that may come to help cost, or at least mention if they do or don’t. All in all, good start, but I hope the next chart is more thorough and seems less slapped together out of boredom instead of real research and comparisons.
I’ll take some of your suggestions and update the list. However, monthly fees for specific games will not be added. That has no bearing on the console itself. The 2 360’s listed are the two models currently produced as new consoles. Points cards as well as game prices will not be listed, again, no bearing on the console itself. You can purchase games without the need for points cards.
HDD cost is tricky as the 360 is the only company that requires a proprietary drive while the Wii doesn’t have an HDD capability at all. The PS3 uses laptop HDD’s, which are super cheap. I’ll list optional storage options.
Oh and can we get some ethernet port stuff too?
Like 360 has one built in, as does PS3 (which is needed for psp wireless play), but the wii you have to buy an add-on to have it. So if you don’t have wifi, that could factor into your costs too.
The wii as yet has a hard drive, Nintendo has hinted at it off and on, and rumors have circulated of beta test units, but without concrete evidence, or even a model to show off, it’s moot. But I wouldn’t say it’s entirely out of the cards in the future. As for now though I agree, it shouldn’t be on the chart. An absolutist view on evolving systems though is a bad stance to take. Especially as the market places continue to grow with netflix coming to wii, among more in its future that Ninty has yet to announce but is obviously prepping the tech for since the advent of the DSi.
My bad, I also forgot to mention if you don’t have wifi for the wii, you have your choices of two things. The ethernet cord attachment iirc, been forever that I read up on it, or the Nifi USB dongle for your pc, that has firmware that only allows nintendo devices to use it that you allow. Works for both DS and Wii.
There’s also custom firmware for it that’ll allow PSP, 360, and PS3 use too, but since this list is all about the ‘official’ costs, it should probably be mentioned under the wii as an extra cost.
And while this is here nor there, I really wish sony would let users rip psone games they own onto the ps3 to import onto psp. It’s such a lame move they pulled making you rebuy games you may already still own just to play it on the go(unless improved and not a straight port). Or have they since corrected that?
The list is as complete as I am going to make it. Custom firmware has no bearing on the system choices for 99.9% of all consumers. I don not condone or will discuss custom firmware on your systems. Ones personal internet setups are their own, and if Wifi is needed, they will need to decide that prior to purchasing. This is not a list or a comparison of a system’s individual features. This is simply a contrast of various costs. Nothing more. You are looking for something that this is not, not meant to be.