A Wii foi lançada prometendo "revolucionar a forma de jogar" com seus controles sensíveis ao movimento, mesmo tendo tecnologia gráfica considerada da geração passada. Já no lançamento da PlayStation 3, a Sony prometia gráficos foto-realísticos e jogos cinematográficos com sua nova tecnologia de mídia, embora seja a consola mais cara desta geração é também a com mais potencial embora os actualmente seja equiparável à Xbox 360 em termos gráficos. A Xbox 360 também prometia óptimos gráficos e uma experiência "online" inigualável, contudo é a única nesta geração que cobra por este serviço.
O sistema de mídia usado pela Nintendo na Wii e pela Microsoft na Xbox 360 é o DVD, embora a Microsoft já tenha patrocinado o HD-DVD, capaz de armazenar até 30 GigaBytes de dados em camada dupla, onde poderia ter seu leitor comprado como "add-on" para o Xbox 360. O sistema utilizado e patrocinado pela Sony em seu PlayStation 3 é o Blu-Ray, capaz de armazenar 50 GigaBytes em camada dupla. Que viria a ser adoptado pelo mercado, fazendo a Microsoft abandonar o HD-DVD.Comparativo das três consolas:
Nota: Devido à constante variação de preços a tabela abaixo pode não se encontrar totalmente actualizada
| Pricing (US) | |||
Xbox 360    |
PlayStation 3 |
Wii |
|
| Low-end model | $279 (Xbox 360 Arcade) |
n/a | n/a |
| Mainstream model | $349 (Xbox 360) |
$399 (PlayStation 3 40 GB) |
$249 |
| High-end model | $449 (Xbox 360 Elite) |
$499 (PlayStation 3 80 GB) |
n/a |
| Microprocessor | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Processor type | 3.2 GHz PowerPC with 3 dual-threaded processor cores | 3.2 GHz Cell processor with 7 single-threaded synergistic processing units cores (not directly comparable to Xbox 360 processor cores) | 729 MHz IBM Broadway processor with 5 execution units |
| Graphics processor | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| GPU Type | ATI-based custom processor | NVIDIA-based RSX "Reality Synthesizer" | ATI Hollywood processor |
| Clock speed | 500 MHz | 550 MHz | 243 MHz |
| Video RAM | Up to 512 MB GDDR3 system RAM (700 MHz) plus 10 MB embedded DRAM (eDRAM) frame buffer | 256MB GDDR3 (700MHz) | 24 MB of system RAM (486 MHz) plus 3 MB of embedded DRAM (eDRAM) |
| Video memory bandwidth | 21.6 GBps to system RAM; 256 GBps to eDRAM | 22.4 GBps | 3.9 GBps |
| Video | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Native video resolutions | 16:9 widescreen 720p, 1080i, 1080p (will downsample to standard definition) | 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p (will downsample to standard definition) | 853 x 480 (480p) in widescreen or 4:3 aspect ratio |
| HDMI output | Yes | Yes | No |
| Component HDTV output | Yes | Yes | No (But supports 480p EDTV via optional component cables) |
| Video cables included | Arcade model includes composite cables only. Xbox 360 model includes composite and component cables. Elite model includes composite, component, and HDMI cable. | Composite only | Composite only |
| Audio | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Analog sound output | Dolby Pro-Logic II | Stereo | Dolby Pro-Logic II |
| Digital sound output | 5.1-channel Dolby Digital | 5.1-channel Dolby Digital (HDMI), 7.1-channel LPCM | n/a |
| Number of voices | Software-based, limited only by CPU and memory | Hardware based: 320 compressed channels; software based: limited only by CPU and memory | Hardware DSP with 64+ channels |
| System memory | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Main System RAM | 512 MB GDDR3 RAM (700 MHz), shared with GPU | 256 MB XDR RAM (3.2GHz) | 64 MB GDDR3 RAM |
| Memory bandwidth | 22.4 GBps | 25.6 GBps | 1.9 GBps |
| Storage | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Optical drive | 12X dual-layer DVD; HD DVD drive offered as $179 add-on (for movies only). | Blu-Ray | Proprietary optical drive |
| Supported optical formats | Xbox DVD, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, and JPEG Photo CD (HD DVD supported with optional HD DVD drive). | BD, BD-ROM, Blu-ray Disc, CD, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW, DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side), DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation2 CD-ROM, SACD HD, and SACD Hybrid (CD layer). | Wii discs (both 4.7 GB single layer and 8.5 GB dual layer), Nintendo GameCube discs. Not DVD compatible. |
| Included storage |
Arcade: 256 MB Memory Unit (MU) Xbox 360: 20 GB removable hard drive Elite: 120 GB removable hard drive |
40 GB or 80 GB replaceable hard drive. | 512 MB of internal flash memory |
| External hard drive support | Yes, but limited to media playback only. | Yes | No |
| Memory card ports | 2 Xbox 360 Memory Unit ports (64 MB or 512 MB). | PS3 40 GB: No PS3 80 GB: Memory Stick, SD, CompactFlash ports |
1 SD card slot, 2 GameCube memory card ports. |
| USB 2.0 ports | 3 | PS3 40 GB: 2 PS3 80 GB: 4 |
2 |
| Networking | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Ethernet | 1 port (100 Mbs) | 1 port (1 Gbps) | No; optional with USB-based add-on. |
| Wireless networking | No. 802.11g is optional ($100) on all models. | Bluetooth 2.0, Bluetooth controller interface, Wi-Fi. | Integrated Wi-Fi for networking and Internet access; Bluetooth 2.0 for controllers. |
| Online service | Pervasive online experience through Xbox Live Silver (free), Xbox Live Gold ($49.99 per year); includes ability to download full-length movies and TV shows, many in HD format. | Free PlayStation Network with micropayment system; includes a Web browser. Individual game makers can choose to charge for online services. | Free Wii Network online service includes online shopping, Web browsing, messaging, and other features. |
| Multimedia features | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Full Media Center Extender 2.0 experience | Yes | No | No |
| Live and recorded TV support (including HDTV) | Yes | No | No |
| Supports streaming video from PCs | Yes | Yes | No |
| Supports streaming audio from PCs | Yes | Yes | No |
| Supports streaming photo slideshows from PCs | Yes | Yes | No |
| Plays content from portable media players, including iPod and Sony PSP, and with digital cameras | Yes | Yes | No |
| Displays content from portable storage devices | Yes | Yes | Photos, MPEG and Quicktime movies, and MP3 music files from SD storage only. |
| Displays content from console on portable devices | No | Yes. Content from PS3 can be used on PSP using Remote Play feature. | No |
| Plays DVD movies | Yes | Yes | No |
| Upscales DVD movies to HD resolutions, including 1080p | Yes | Yes, but only on HDMI compatible TVs. | No |
| Supports next-generation DVD formats | No. Can play HD DVD movies with optional add-on. | Yes. Blu-Ray drive included with console. | No |
| Includes integrated TV show and movie download service | Yes, with both HD and standard definition content. | No | No |
| Controllers | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Number of supported controllers | 4 wireless (plus 3 wired controllers via USB), controllers will work with Windows PCs as well. Controllers feature removable AA batteries and can be replaced with removable rechargeable battery packs. | 7 wireless and/or wired controllers total. PS3 controller does not feature a removable battery. | 4 wireless Remote Controllers. Also supports Nunchuk add-on controller (attaches to Remote Controller and for many Wii games) Wii Classic Controller (also attaches to remote controller; for older, downloadable games), and up to four legacy GameCube controllers. |
| Rumble functionality | Yes | No | Yes |
| Motion sensor functionality | No | Yes | Yes |
| USB keyboard support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Compatibility | |||
| Feature | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3 | Wii |
| Compatible with previous generation games | Over 300 original Xbox titles are currently compatible. | Both models offer compatibility with PS1 games. PS3 40 GB offers no compatibility with PS2 games. PS3 80 GB offers only partial compatibility with PS2 titles. | Plays all GameCube game titles (but doesn't include GameCube controller or memory card); Nintendo offers some downloadable versions of Nintendo NES, SNES, and N64 titles, as well as NEC TurboGrafix-16 and Sega Genseis titles, for $5 to $10 each via online service. |
| Improves legacy game experience | Yes. Original Xbox games are upscaled to HDTV resolutions and some games (like Halo 2) are graphically improved. | Yes. Original PlayStation and PS2 games are upscaled to full 1080p quality. | Downloadable N64 games offer enhanced graphics quality. |
| Integration with portable game systems | No | Yes. PS3 can integrate with PSP devices using Remote Play feature. | Yes. Wii can integrate with Nintendo DS devices. |
| Can play against PC-based gamers | Yes, however, only one game, Shadowrun, currently offers this functionality. | No, however, one game, Unreal Tournament 3, will add this feature in the future. | No |
| Integration with PC-based instant messaging systems | Yes, with Windows Live Messenger. | No | No |