Is the PS3 Finally Worth Buying?

According to PC World game expert Matt Peckham, it's about time we all got on board and bought a PlayStation 3. After one heck of a miserable year, it seems Sony finally has something going with its big black console.

So, what's the reason to jump on board now?

Price, of course. Although Sony's PS3 once retailed for an astronomical $600, it will soon be available (with 20GB less storage, mind you), for $400. That's the result of yet another price drop coming Friday, November 2. For the record, Sony's 80GB model will also drop in price, from the lofty $600 to $500. (Source: ctv.ca)

Peckham argues that, on the surface, the PS3 presents great value compared to its natural hardware competition over at Microsoft. The 40GB PS3 is now just $50 more than the Xbox 360 Premium, which ships with just a 20GB hard drive. For those who love high definition movies, it's hard not to be excited about that internal Blu-ray player in the PlayStation 3. Xbox 360 owners must invest an extra $180 to get the HD treatment via an external HD-DVD player, which until recently looked pretty doomed.

Oh, and don't forget wireless. The PS3 ships with an internal wireless adapter, and like they must in order to get HD movies, 360 owners must shell out more for that option, too ($100). (Source: pcworld.com)

Of course, Peckham makes a fairly significant oversight. The Xbox 360, which has been on the market one more year than the PS3, has a game library that puts Sony's to shame. Most PS3 gamers must still watch in envy as Microsoft continues to roll out hits like Half-Life: Orange Box, Project Gotham Racing 4, and of course Halo 3.

Still, it seems PC World visitors are thinking more and more about a PS3 for Christmas. Peckham's October poll asking which system users wanted they most turned up an impressive victory for the PlayStation 3, grabbing 36% of the vote. The Wii finished second with 22%, and the Xbox 360 languished in third at just 8%.

It could be that PC World's audience is a hardware-obsessed computer geek audience (not that there's anything wrong with that). Let's face it, Blu-ray and wireless cards are great, but gamers buy consoles for, well, games.

I don't think we need a poll to prove that.